Flowering cactus

This will be a sneak preview of some of the flowering cactus photos I have. I am working on a project made up of desert flowers but well it's not ready and well I don't know when it will be and since you my loving mother and only reader wish to see some cacti with flowers here you go.

I do not know the names of them, but you can see there are many varieties and all with beautiful flowers! Since I am way more impressed with my ability to capture a hummingbird in photos, I have included a few of them also. See if you can spot the hummingbird!

That's all I got for now. Ciao

Tuzigoot National Monument

Early AM last Sunday we headed to Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale, Arizona. I enjoy exploring Indian Ruins. There is something about the history of the ruins, that calls to me. I try to imagine myself living in that time and I don't think I would have lasted long. I would have been the one they left behind when they moved along because I couldn't make the trip. It was a simpler time, but I think a much harder time to live. What no running water or electricity? Those are kind of basics to me. Clarkdale is just up the road from Old Cottonwood. It is an old mining town, big surprise I know. The temp in the car went from 50s to 20s in a flash, however, by the time we got there while windy and a bit chilly it was really quite pleasant with the sun beating on us. Here are a few photos of the ruins:

 

 

As always, please stay on the trails there are many things that creep and crawl and bite and sting and RATTLE!

After exploring the ruins, we did a quick cache. There I am making the find.

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Took a quick tour through Clarkdale and saw this church. In case you can't read it, it is St. Cecilia's Mission.

That was pretty much the day, quick trip up and back with a stop at Portillo's on the way home. 

Thanksgiving 2013

For the first time ever we had having Thanksgiving dinner at home. In the past, we either went out to eat or to some other relative's house for Thanksgiving. This year as per the request of William, we had Thanksgiving at home. 

 

We begin the morning with deviled eggs. William LOVES deviled eggs and I must say that these were especially good.

 

I am loving these new crockpots. Each one is 1.5 quarts and on separate heat levels. We had festive mini-meatballs, crab dip and corn all going at once. 

I made pecan pie for dessert and much like the eggs, I think it was my best effort yet.

I have had these floating candles sitting around for years and never the opportunity to use them. This was our centerpiece and watching the candles burn to see what would happen proved quite amusing.

Before dinner, Mike and William checked out the Black Friday ads to see if there was something we couldn't live without. (there wasn't)

 There you have it the dinner all set to be gobbled. 

THANKSGIVING MENU

Appetizers

Crab Dip

Deviled Eggs

Beer Nuggets

Mozzarella Sticks

Festive Mini-Meatballs

Dinner

Turkey w/gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Cranberries

Asparagus

Stuffing

Corn

Dessert

Pecan Pie

Rant No. 16 - I. Hate. Glitter.

I have a glitter issue. I. HATE. GLITTER. I can't help it, it annoys the living daylights out of me. It is everywhere and I mean everywhere. Especially this time of year. It is on everything and I mean everything. I can hardly go down the holiday decor aisles because there is glitter everywhere and much like some cacti that I don't particularly like it jumps out and gets me. And we all know once the glitter gets you, there is no getting rid of it anytime soon. I tolerated glitter when my kids were young and bringing home crafts from school. I do in fact still have some of those crafts and I cringe everytime I have to go near them. I am thankful that I had boys and not girls, because the glitter thing doesn't seem to ever go away with girls. Not EVER.
Look at this poor guy, he is all dazzled out in glitter. A glitter turkey? ReaLLy?? SerioUsLy?? Not necessary. 

Slapping glitter on everything does not make it better or prettier, or more desirable. I run the other way when I see glitter on things. That brings me to my new dilemma when I check out at say Target or wherever, there is glitter all over the conveyor from prior customers and I get the weird look when I start cleaning before placing my items on the checkout stand. What is with that? Really? Am I suppose to have glitter all over my stuff because the rest of the world is in some glitter trap? I think not, because, I. HATE. GLITTER. (end of rant)

Chihuly 2013

When I saw that the Desert Botanical Gardens were going to be having another Chihuly exhibit, we renewed our long lapsed membership. We haven't been to the gardens in probably 3 years, not sure why. Nothing really sparked my interest until now. I love looking at the glass work and how they fit the pieces to blend so well with the natural landscaping. Pat and I went on a Sunday morning, which also happened to be the day they were holding their chiles and chocolate festival, so it was a doubly good day. Mary and Kevin were in town the weekend before Thanksgiving and it rained/drizzled on and off the entire weekend. We did manage to walk around the exhibit for a short time at night and enjoyed seeing the glasswork in a different light. The exhibit is here until May 18, 2014, so I am sure I will get in a few more visits before it moves on. Now for your viewing pleasure:

 

 Just had to throw in this blooming cactus cause it was so pretty.

 If you look hard you can see our reflection in the glass ball.

I thought I was at "the bean".

 Boat full of glass

This is what I mean about blending in to the environment, some of these "sticks" are cacti and some are black and green reeds of glass installed for the exhibit.

  This is the sun.

 

 Don't we all look like we are loving our walk in the cold rainy weather? This is when we arrived before the rain started.

Rain or shine I love this exhibit and can't wait to go back and work on my photography.

Dia de los Muertos 2013 - Part II

As luck would have it the Desert Botanical Gardens was holding their festival the first weekend of November, so I got to go to a second Day of the Dead Fest. Much to my surprise most of the entertainment was the same as in Phoenix, however, they had an altar display in a huge tent. We managed to snag a table in the shade, which was a good thing, because again the temperatures went into the 80s.

Here is a collage of the fun

 Next come some altars

 

 

 A very lovely mural

The Aztec dancers performing for the crowd.

Finally a sneak peek of what is to come at the Gardens. The Chihuly exhibit opens on the 10th and they were very busy with the installation. More to come!

Till next time,

Dia de los Muertos 2013 - Phoenix

It's that time of year again. The weather starts cooling off and the festivals begin! Okay so things were not exactly cool enough for me yet, but I don't get to pick the day the fun begins. We have been going to the Mesa festival for years, so just to change it up a bit we decided to go to the one in Phoenix. It was at the Margaret T Hance Park and well that park is a story for another day. The music and entertainment is always good, the vendors interesting and the people even more interesting. Here are some photos from the event.

 

  Pretty sure I could have dressed up in one of these outfits.

 Ignore the woman in the chair, couldn't cut her out without losing the dragon head. Not sure why she is sitting right there, but I think it is to annoy me.

 The dragon and probably the skull head too were used in La Procesión which didn't start till 5PM and I would have melted by then, so not this year.

 

There was plenty of entertainment, music and dancing. I look forward to the coming months of weather perfect for getting outside and exploring new places.