30 January 2009

The Sweater Project...

After visiting Anthropologie a few times in the past (and on the Internets) and trying on their clothes and working with clothes every day, I am starting to wonder why I have so many things hanging around in my personal wardrobe. I'm finding that a lot of the things I have are more like filler items and I'm starting to wonder if they really look that good on me? I mean, there's no way I am wearing all of these clothes and I am starting to reevaluate my wardrobe in a different way. I am starting to want to surround myself with things that I truly enjoy and that look good on my body (hopefully they will fit both criteria) and ask myself the question, why have a lot of things I don't wear or really love when I can have a few good quality things I love and wear more? Or maybe I just want to recreate my own style, keeping things that I make for myself interspersed with a some other beautiful goodies...

After all, I am realizing that clothing, to me, is more than just being comfortable or wearing whatever happens to fit...it is an exciting and enjoyable form of creative self expression.

To kick off this new trend I finally completed a project that had been on my mind for quite a while. I don't usually mull projects in my head around for quite this long (since the end of last winter...ahem) but there you go anyway.

I started with a plain creamy cashmere cardigan, removing the crazy floral rhinestone buttons (they were not vintage so no loss there...and I saved them for a future project) and replaced them with some sweet glass and other creamy buttons from my vintage button stash. I attached them to the front and sewed a few cuties on one of the sleeves, along with some french knots...because you know it's all in the details. I used a raspberry color to sew the buttons on and embroider the details around them...I have some other ideas to use this color in other places, but I'm not totally convinced, so I went a little easy at first.

I also happen to have a stash of felted wool and holey cashmere sweaters (I mean, who doesn't?) that I sorted through to use for this project. I made some shapes, cut them up and embroidered them on. I especially enjoy the large mustard wool circle because I had the inspiration to use some of seam detailing from it's previous life as a sweater as a little decorative detailing. It was also fun to arrange the various shapes and use the patterns of the knits set in different directions...purl this way, knit this way...

And for some weird reason, I had it in my head that I would utilize quite a bit more of the sweater stash than I actually did so I have a lot more wool left over...which means I'm going to have to make even more projects with them...I'll make sure to document whatever I do though...I wonder just how many things I can make?

29 January 2009

My Dusty Drawers...

Yeah.

I'm actually
finding parts of me sitting around during the day thinking to myself, "gosh self...you haven't taken any new pictures in days...what are you going to blog about?" (you'll notice it's not, "gosh self, what have you done lately that you want to blog about") Then I come home, open the picture folder that holds all of the pictures I want to share on the blog, and I peruse through it and try to think of something catchy to say that might have to do with a picture I have already taken but not used yet...

So today I found a picture of dusty drawers from our trip to Vulture Mine Ghost town...

And other than reminding me I need to dust the house, I have no tie in here.

None whatsoever.

How about a cool hinge?

Nope.

OK, I guess we'll have to go with what's been going on lately instead.

: : : : : : : :


Um.

I met Rich
for coffee this morning. It was delightful. We've both been really busy and tired lately and haven't been able to spend a lot of time together. So, we sat for about 15 minutes before we got up and ran in different directions. I love going for coffee with Rich, it makes me feel all couply and whatnot. (I'm lucky he indulges me in my weirdness...I also have a thing about going to the grocery together)

I worked on a project that has been bouncing around in my head for some time now...I also completed it in record time, and I think that I may be in love. I will share it tomorrow.

Oh...here's a weird one: today when I came home to change into my yoga gear, I threw the recycling in the outdoor bin and turned around and I almost fell on my little pink #3 knitting needle. This needle has been missing since Rich and my mini New Year's vacation. I used it to knit my new hat and I have not been able to find it since. It was laying under a tree kind of buried in leaves right behind the recycle bin. I have no idea how it got there.

But, I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with a set of dusty drawers or old hinges...

28 January 2009

An Almost Wordless...

...Wednesday


I just wanted to let you know that I actually woke up with no new ailments, swollen parts or weird symptoms this morning.

I may just be on the mend...

27 January 2009

Operation Fall Apart Full Steam Ahead...

So to speak...

Captain.

(all bad puns will be evident by the end of this post)

As if the exploding tummy during key parts of the trip out of town weren't enough yesterday...

And, to totally add insult to injury...

Last night while sitting on the couch before bed, I noticed my left eyelid was a little itchy (this while I was itching it, cause' I'm observant like that) I thought it was strange, but that's about all that went through my head (this flu, or whatever it is, is making me quite tired) In my morning stupor, stumbling around the house, I didn't even think of it again...until I just popped out of the bath, toweling off...When I noticed:


Yes. Swollen left eye lid. Complete with weird red itchy rash and purple swolley-ness...

I would love to stomp around and cry and shake my fists in the air, but I don't have the energy. I'm reduced to giggling hysterically instead...

Maybe that and renting a peg for my leg and a parrot for my shoulder to go with the eye patch I feel like wearing today.

Can anyone say aaarrrggghhh!

?

Now where did I put that large black hat with the skull and crossbones on it? I mean, I think we can all take a moment to thank our lucky stars that the pirate thing is kind of in right now, and that I look great in head wear...and well, at least there will be no need to apply pink eyeshadow today...you know?

If I wore pink eyeshadow.

26 January 2009

Sweet Weekend...I hardly Knew You...

Where oh where did the weekend go?

I vaguely remember coming home Friday evening, a little achy and a lot tired thinking I was winding down from a long work week with a few flu symptoms, only to wake up on Saturday, my last work day of the week with a lot of horrible cramping and nausea and exhaustion...equaling in me almost doubled up all day at the shop, trying to look through clothes to buy and help the droves of people finding their way into Snap Snap for the weekend...apologizing to customers the entire time because I was obviously ill, and in a bit of pain.

In the true spirit of owning a business, you sometimes have to show up no matter how you feel, but I made it through and onto my mother's birthday party...

By this point
in the day, I realized I was fine if I stayed in one position...either sitting or standing, but either time I tried to move into another position, it would be nausea and pain city, and then I would adjust to that one until I moved into another one...

Not fun.

I came home after spending most of my time sprawled out in a chair at GG's house, and vowed to rest...

Which means that the next day was spent on the couch or alternately napping, reading and missing out on a road trip with Rich.

Sigh...

The weird thing was that I still could eat fine...keep food where it was supposed to be, so there has been a lot of bland soups and soft foods.

And today? Well, today I hopped into the car and drove my mom and Rozz down to The Valley for Rozz birthday fun...she wanted to go shopping and exploring (her special day is soon as well) Luckily I felt OK all day today...a little tired, but we had a great time!

I ran into
Anthropologie again (you know? Since I was down there) and bought the most fabulous red dress. This would be the most fabulous red dress I spied for full price when I was in Tucson, and my mother spotted it on the sale rack. I wasn't even looking for it there...and yet, there it was hanging in my size. On sale. I was so excited I was literally shaking...it's nice to know clothes still excite me after all this time...either that or we can blame it on a flu induced fever.

Whatever the case may be, it fits like a dream...

It's now hanging here at home waiting for me to wear it sometime this week I think...

I guess I'm feeling better. I hope that this is my last illness for a while...I am looking forward to getting back to the gym and eating regular foods...

Oh, and wearing my red dress.

23 January 2009

I've Taken To Hittin' the Bottle...

Especially when the bottles look like these:


Ladies Choice
Apple Cider Vinegar
(oh my)


Sunny Jim
Pure Plum Preserves
"it's Good"


Folgers Coffee
and
Quail Tomatoes


I wonder what happened to all the brands listed above...other than Folgers Coffee, they're all gone now...as is the ability to make an artful and beautiful label for foodstuff (in my opinion)

I think I'm really wondering about these companies because I'm currently winding my way through Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. For the third time in my lifetime. I promised myself that I would reread this book as a gift to myself for the new year. If you've never read it, you should pick up a copy...but be ready for the size...the paperback is well over 1000 pages, and I personally find it an incredible page turner to boot. I also find it fitting perfectly into my life, answering questions that I have been finding myself asking and putting words into my mouth after taking them out of a hidden well deep within. But most of all, making me think. This book has always made me think...it's opened up new pathways of seeing things for me...forever questioning.

Have an amazing weekend...I will be reluctantly finishing up a great classic once again.

22 January 2009

Hey Lil' Buckaroo...


This a little something I spied all wadded up on a shelf during our recent tour of the Vulture Mine ghost town...a vintage bag of potato chips! Apparently they were made fresh daily in Arizona...

Complete with the Crispy Kid...

I'm pretty sure that I love the Crispy Kid almost as much as I love potato chips (which may be my downfall in the battle to loose weight...)

Damn my crispy, salty potato lover...

Which probably means I would totally date the Crispy Kid...I love his lasso and his 10 gallon white hat (this is how you know he's a good guy, not the fact that he's on a bag of potato chips, but that he's wearing a white hat...I would assume that maybe the black hat would be reserved for a more bar-b-q flavor) his access to fresh potato chips...

swoon

The way this bag was wadded up made me think that it was more of a piece of trash, which of course, made me want to smooth it out, put it in my pocket, and take a picture of it all at the same time. But, if you've been to the Vulture Mine you would realize pretty quickly these little details are set all around the place so that you can enjoy the feel of a quickly abandoned mine...

It's working.

Well that, and I'm craving potato chips...

21 January 2009

The Peanut Butter Recall Hits Close to Home...

I've had a low down no good rotten day...so it should have been no surprise that when I came home, I should find a request in my inbox from someone who found a photo I posted on Flickr and wanted to use it in an online news community article...

Now, this was some really exciting news indeed...someone wanted to use my photo in a news article? How fantastic! The day was looking up at this point...

They said they would give me full credit with a link back to my Flickr page, and if I wanted to check out how my picture would look with their story to click on over to the link:

My Picture being used for famous reasons.

Oh.

Peanut butter used in candy is now apparently being recalled.

They wanted the picture of the peanut butter fudge I lovingly made for my friends and family this holiday season.

Oh.

I did submit my picture anyway (after calling Rich and sending him into hysterical giggles...which he should really think hard about. After all, he was the recipient of most of the fudge due to other food allergies) because I figure it's still nice to get the recognition...but I would like to go on the record as saying to anyone who received my peanut butter fudge, that I used organic peanut butter in the fudge this year, I bought it in bulk at CostCo, it was waaaay before this whole peanut butter scare, and I am not recalling it...

At this point.

20 January 2009

The Vulture Mine...

As if the name isn't kind of foreboding enough...there's the ghost town left behind.

Rich and I got up mighty early and jumped in the Titan on Monday for a trip down to Wikenburg...a little town about an hour and a half away from our perch up on the mountain...which means it was much warmer than our 25 degree morning up here.

After driving through the BLM land surrounding the old Vulture Mine area, we were both a little more than excited about the area. Putting it plainly, it is beautiful out there. There are mountains and peaks lush with green (I know...Arizona, weird...but it's this time of year I would think) and covered with bushes and some of the most amazing saguaros I've ever even seen in Arizona. Since this is BLM land, it also means that you can camp. For absolutely free. Seeing as it's so warm down there, this may be close to the perfect time of year to visit (can you tell what I'm angling for now? Giggle)

The old Vulture Mine was once the location of a thriving town of 5,000...which also housed the first house in Wikenburg...complete with large pipe's sticking out of the wall. These were used to shoot out of in case you were being attacked, and if they reached in the pipes without getting shot? Well then, you just cut their hands off.

of course.

This, at least, was the story told to us by the fine gentleman who was manning the desk area...and who was there to explain the maps, accept our entry money (it is $10 per person to get into the ghost town...but totally worth it, as it is wonderfully preserved, they allow you to walk all over...and I personally got more than 100 photos) and who also requested that since Rich is a professional photographer that he please send a disk back of the photos he took in case they wanted to use them in advertising (with plenty of recognition on his part, of course)

This place is still a veritable gold mine for picture opportunities and just the strolling around fun. There are buildings all around, and tons of the original things still left in the buildings. Some of these places seem as if they're still just falling down around you, and yet you can stroll right in if you're brave enough to walk on the old floors. It actually felt a little strange seeing as most of the places we've been are either No Trespassing zones, or there isn't much left, or you can't get anywhere near the inside...

I was totally in love with all the old cans and jugs that were still sporting their original paper labels...

sigh.

There's also ton's of mining machinery left as well...which isn't usually my thing, but it was all so amazing and beautiful.

We also met another couple wandering around out there, and met back at the cars (when Rich and I went back for water...we totally forgot to carry with us...rookie mistake!) where we all stood and laughed and talked for some time. They've been here about a year longer than Rich and are loving exploring the area, they are new to hiking and are enjoying it, they are Mac users, and they are totally fun people who we made promise to call us when they're in the area next and we would take them all around...

We had big plans to hike back out to another area, but both felt a little hot and dehydrated. I'd also been sneezing all day...and I'm thinking I actually feel a little under the weather. Perhaps not getting a fantastic night's sleep the night before (and the night before that) has something to do with it...whatever the case, I'm now wondering if it would be OK to try to go to the gym...since I have my momentum.

Oh wait...before all that.

We had an amazing day!

(more of my favorite shots of the day over at Shutter Groupie)

19 January 2009

Hangin With My Peeps...


What a busy weekend!

Movies (Benjamin Button...very good. I got myself all gussied up for our date and cried all of my makeup off...I cried almost from the moment the movie started until I woke up the next morning...it's very very touching) ghost towns (I promise I will blog about that tomorrow...I am absolutely beat after getting up early and hiking around an abandoned mining town) and blogger meet-ups...

Phew...

What's that?

A blogger meet up?

Why yes. We did have a little meeting for local Prescott bloggers...and had a great turn out.

We all met at Casa Sanchez, my most favorite Mexican restaurant in town on Sunday...and had a great turn out. Lot's of new people, and an impressively huge list of blogs I'm now looking forward to visiting! (over 40 at last count)

There were artists, photographers, jewelry makers...and just some ole regular people as well. Yet, I'm sure when I look at the blogs, I'll find all sorts of interesting offerings. It was wonderful to meet such a great new group of people, and see some old friends as well!

Granny J is our local blogging hero and organizer of these gatherings (Rich and I owe her a lot ;) ) although if you click on that link over there, you'll notice that she often gets my picture when I'm making some crazy silly faces...ahem. But, I digress...

The first blogging meet-up was almost 2 years ago, and the exact place Rich and I met for the very first time...so I hold these blogger meet ups as rather magical places.

We've agreed that we're going to try to meet up the second Sunday of each month...so, if there's any local people who haven't received the invitations, or if you're planning on being in Prescott...let us know and we'll make sure to include you!

16 January 2009

Time Marches On...


...And, time is totally getting away from me.

I missed yesterday's check in here didn't I?

I don't quite know if it's that I really have nothing to say, if it's the new year (which has had a bit of a rocky start for me and I'm having a tough time putting my feet under me) or if I kind of got use to posting little posts during the Holiday Presence Project over the holidays?

Who knows.

I'm trying to kick start myself back into the habit.

We had lot's of conversations about it last night at Megan's...she recently started a blog, and a mutual friend Amy was there as well...and we were trying to offer advise. Which made me feel a bit phony, seeing as I seem to be struggling in this space at the moment...but, I think I'll find my voice again.

::Little celebrations this week are as follows...

* Four days in a row at the gym starting my new work out routine for the year.
*The movie Ghost Town (part of my movie afternoon with myself on my day off this week...complete with a lot of relaxation in jammie pants and a bit of junk food)

:: Little celebrations looking forward...

* A movie date with my sweetie this weekend (we usually don't go to the movies, because we're both chatters...and we like to chit-chat and interact during movies, thank goodness...I love that about us. But, there's one movie that we both want to see on the big screen)
*A blogger get together on Sunday, for all us local bloggers, at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I don't know if we'll eat there, but just being there provides a lot of excitement for me (as you can imagine...we'll also be missing the playoffs, and everyone in AZ is excited because the Cardinals are doing well...but, I'm usually only in it for the Super Bowl...cause of the snacks. And the commercials)
*More ghost town hunting with Mr. Rich

What are you celebrating this week?

What's happening to celebrate in your future?

14 January 2009

And still...she knits...


She knits...as this flair a friend sent me on Facebook explains so perfectly, so that I do not kill people.

She also knits because she needs to be creative, doing something with her hands...this makes me feel normal. Good. Happy...

Knitting is the perfect project to bring along so that you can do it on the fly. I have the perfect backpack with lots of little pockets that can fit a work in progress, yarn, a pattern book, and every other little thing that I need to make something I love.

I knit because my mother got me an amazing new book for Christmas, that has wonderful patterns that are written very well...causing bursts of inspiration...


And, I also knit because I needed a new winter hat
(and I brought and completed this project on our trip to Bisbee)


She's also a little amazed about the knitting because I was a rather reluctant knitter at first. Knitting is something that I wasn't necessarily interested in doing. Ever. It kind of confused me as to why people would ever want to knit in the first place? It seemed a little outdated. Even with the wonderful new books that are out there...I was not convinced. So, I learned to support a friend who wanted to learn how to knit...and a strange thing happened. The knitting stayed and the friend drifted away. I didn't want to put my project down. I couldn't. I needed to master this skill...with everything I had in me, I knit the world's ugliest scarf. And then...with each little project, I found a new sense of excitement and joy...

Creativity is amazing.

13 January 2009

Stanton...


The middle of nowhere Arizona.

There's actually a lot
of middle of nowhere's in Arizona...which is the perfect setting for a ghost town, eh? But, perhaps the strangest sight that greeted us yesterday as we slowly made our way down the dusty dirt road, as we rounded the final corner to our destination, was the appearance of the insane amount of RV's in the middle of nowhere...

Otherwise known as the ghost town of Stanton.

Which, apparently according to legend, someone found a whole bucket full of gold nuggets just sitting strewn around one of the washes. Which could be why the Lost Dutchman's Association bought the land in the 70's (after the gold "dried up") and made it into some sort of RV destination/park for gold miners...

Who are living
out there...panning for gold. And, looking at all the pictures all around on the office walls when we checked in...well, they're still finding it! I mean, the actual Lost Dutchman's Mine is in Phoenix...so it all really makes perfect sense.

It was still rather surreal out there...beautiful to boot, but certainly surreal. Rich and I agreed that due to the inordinate amount of people in RV's at least the buildings were intact still and sort of propped up and taken care of...otherwise they may have just fallen down way out there...the extreme Arizona weather kind of does that to buildings...even if you're actively taking care of them!

I found myself walking around with a headache in the front part of my head like I usually do at these ghost town places...It's probably the energy that makes my head slightly ache and make myself feel more tired...because after we pull away, I perk up a bit and feel fine. Molly...is there something out there I can take for this? I suppose it's the simple fact that most Arizona ghost towns were founded around some sort of mineral deposits...and with mineral deposits/mining claims/making money from panning or mining came some serious corruption, jealousy and down right shoot outs. Leaving some pretty heavy stuff behind when these places were later deserted. I mean, according to our ghost town guide book...some of these places were only towns for 9 years...and poof. Everyone gone.

It was also quite pretty out in this middle of nowhere...and even without the gold I could almost sort of see why one would settle out there...you know? As long as there was some sort of water source. Maybe it takes a special kind of person to see the beauty in certain parts of Arizona...but, with Arizona, there's always something very unusual to see...snow, rain, sun, canyons, cactus, sand...rocks. We've got it all.

So,
this has definitely been our most surreal adventure yet...but made us both wonder about the possibility of panning for gold...

You know?

For fun and profit...

11 January 2009

Weekend Starts...


Well Well...

Thank you for all the hair love.

I am still making my peace with it, which seems kind of nuts seeing as so many people really like it. I am finding it hard to put the right face on in the morning. I mean, it's always my regular face, but I'm thinking it needs some extra color, but not color like a clown mind you...natural color...like an airbrushed model.

Or darker lipstick.

Something like that.

I noticed that I missed some blogging days last week didn't I? Sorry about that, I want to think it's less to do with me feeling out of sorts (stupid full moon) and more to do with the Facebook addiction factor instead, so we'll just go with that.

Apparently?
I'm addicted to Facebook...it's like high school. Mostly because it includes a lot of the people I went to high school with, and we're all talking to each other...only I'm not so awkward. Mostly. Mostly I still am.

Damn.

But, the cool thing is that I can IM with various people that I don't usually do that with, but that I still love to stay in touch with...via email. Or once a year phone calls. This is all sounding a bit strange, even to me.

It's been strange around here.

I did vacuum and do some light cleaning this weekend, and haul up Mt. Laundry from the basement (although, I didn't fold and put anything away) I went out with the girlies on Saturday night (and stayed up past 9! I actually came home at 9:02...so HA!) I ran errands (bought food, and put it away) and then I went through some of my clothes (I had a weird idea at Anthropologie, that from now on, I would only have a few things that look really good on me, and that it's crazy that I have so many clothes. It must be the music in there, or the simple fact that I'm surrounded by fantastically expensive clothing that most often looks good on someone...the fact is, I kept a lot of things, but still decided to take a lot of things into Snap Snap) chatted and caught up with some friends via phone, designed a brochure with Dina...

And? I still have a whole day off until my work week starts again.

I know you're jealous.

But come on. I don't get Saturday's off anymore.

I am going to chase down a ghost town with Rich tomorrow though. So, that should be fun! I'll be sure and take lots of pictures...like I usually do.

But for now? For now, I'm going to crawl into a bed with clean sheets and sleep, so I can get up and go to the gym bright and early...and then run around before we take off...

Happy Weekend everybody!

07 January 2009

New Year...New color?



I died my hair today.

I died it the wrong color.

After stepping out of the shower and toweling myself off, I looked up to see my hair, raised my eyebrow and thought, "hmmmm...That's not right..."

It's darker.

Much darker.

Crab Nuts.

So much so, that I had the thought that maybe, just maybe I look like my evil twin in a 1960's sitcom...you know? Like when Genie or Samantha's sister visited...the more naughty sister?

And they looked exactly the same as the good Genie and Samantha, and the only way you could tell them apart was because of their much darker hair hair?

Yeah.

Kind of like that.

But...I suppose it's not all bad because everyone who saw me said I looked great. I even had one gentleman tell me that I looked so good that he didn't recognize me.

Well then.

Thank you.

I think.

I hate that I have absolutely no recollection of what color I dye my hair...and it happens every time I go to buy the dye...ever since college (when I was a blonde...my natural color)

I'm actually entertaining the idea that not only do I look younger with darker hair, but it makes my eyes look bluer too...

I know for sure that it's kind of making some of my clothes look different.

And in these pictures I probably could have used some lip color...

But, I guess I'll keep it, you know?

For the time being.

06 January 2009

Home...

Hello! Did you miss me? I was so busy yesterday...I almost missed myself.


We made the trek home, completely avoiding Phoenix and the insane freeways all together...and coming up the back way...just in time for a light dusting of snow. And, I am now settling in to home again:


  • Taking down all the Christmas decorations and putting them away until next year...
  • Noticing a few decorations that I missed (isn't that always the case?)
  • Putting away stuff...sort of, at least I see it in piles all around the house...
  • Unpacking
  • doing laundry
  • fully intending to wake up at 6 to go to the gym (because my calves are killing me from so much siting in the car...and I don't want to loose any of the muscle I've built over my stay at the gym)
  • but, the alarm didn't go off...so I'm a little happy about that. I'll go tomorrow.
  • finding myself totally addicted to Facebook...if you haven't joined yet, you should...it's a hoot and I will totally be your friend (although, I think you know that already) Thank you Amy...for the fun alert on this one!
  • Taking a bubble bath and conditioning my hair, because I didn't bring any conditioner on the vacation thinking Rich probably had some. He doesn't. I don't know why I would think that he would, only I think that everyone would...silly me (with fly away hair)
  • Getting ready to go to work and see what fun things went on at Snap Snap while I was away...perhaps I am a millionaire and I can retire and travel full time...
  • Taking my old wall calendar to work to transfer important dates and reminders to my new wall calendar (because I am a dork) so that I can hang it up, because there's this blank space on the wall in the kitchen and it kind of freaks me out every time I walk in there now...
  • Thinking about writing a trip synopsis that doesn't include bullet lists...

04 January 2009

Running out of Steam...

Isn't that always the case?

I mean, I go into these vacations/get aways with the intention to blog my little heart out, and then I'm like...phooey. I'll post it when I get home. But, that's just plain nuts...I'll be home tomorrow, and I think I'll be feeling a little let down about that and maybe, just maybe I won't want to blog about it...in particular. And sometimes I don't' really tell all about my feelings in this space but believe me, even though I'm not an actress, I still have all the feelings (summary of a quote from The First Wives Club) I just choose not to share them all here..I'm a bit internal like that.

So,
we'll press on with the vacation, what's left of it...and I'll do a bit of summary of yesterday:

*Woke up
*organized Airstream for flight
*said good-bye to Bisbee
*drove past more than one truck wash (making Rich and I shake our fists in the air, as he's been trying to get the Airstream washed for over a year...)
*arrived in Tucson
*unhitched the Airstream
*ate lunch
*Drove to San Xavier Del Bac
*too many people milling around for us to really stay and take a lot of pictures
*navigated the mostly closed freeway to find Anthropologie and the Mac store
*shopped Anthropologies fantastic sale (yippee!!)
*drove back to the Airstream
*tried desperately to find Ruffles bar-b-q potato chips resulting in a trip to a Food city that had an entire aisle for tacos and one for tamales...resulting in even more giggles...
*ate dinner
*Met Marla at the RV office and went out and actually found bar-b-q chips
*had a fantastic visit with her and her sweet 2 year old (who did a lot of hugging and flirting with Rich...and I think she would not have minded if Marla and I left...)
*said good-night
*went to bed

I have a ton of friends down in Tucson, and I really had no idea when we would be down there, and then for how long...and instead of alerting everyone, I decided to take the easy way out and hide about it. This does not mean that I don't love and appreciate any one of you, or that I didn't want to see you...I just didn't quite know how to wrangle it, and it's hard for me, while on vacation, to make a ton of plans and meet ups, especially since we are flying by the seat of our pants.

Today found us up and re-hitching to travel to Picacho Peak State Park to meet up with Terry and Greg, some fellow Airstreamers. After driving by Picacho Peak for years, my first thought was "why there?" I mean, it's just a rather large outcropping of rock in the middle of an otherwise flat desert. But, after we drove in, and got to the state park, I understood why. It's simply beautiful out here...

It may be the crazy rainy weather we're having, making everything more wet and colorful...but it's amazing here. I wish that it was a little less wet, but I think I shall go out for a hike soon...until we pack up for our final stop. Home...

Where I can have all my feelings.

02 January 2009


Today we were supposed to be up and early to catch the perfect morning light and the empty streets of Bisbee. Well, I'm not sure if the streets ever entirely empty out seeing as it's a bit hilly like San Francisco here and people need to park somewhere...and Bisbee is surrounded by little mountains finding itself in a valley...meaning the morning light is a little late in reaching the town, and it goes away behind the mountain about 3...

Making us both tired early. Well actually, it was Rich who was tired and suggested we come home in the early evening and it was me who fell asleep after laying down to rest my eyes...ahem.

But, to be fair...we had gotten an early start.

After a quick stop at the scenic viewpoint at the Lavendar Pit Copper Mine (complete with framed openings in the tall surrounding fence just for us peoples with cameras, so you can get a truly good view of the pit...and what the heck is that weird black stuff in the bottom there anyway?!?) we headed into town and proceeded to start climbing up the many sets of stairs surrounding Bisbee trying to get to that perfect point in which to shoot the whole little town.

I then had a bit of a blood sugar melt-down because I had my morning juice and a bit of decaf and forgot to eat. Mix that with some serious stair climbing and I was feeling a little shaky. Usually Rich and I pack enough food for several people when we're out travelling, but we had about 3 rice cakes and some peanut butter pretzels. Luckily, the little coffee house in town was open, so I was able to get a fresh blueberry muffin.

Which was a good tie over as we headed to Toombstone, Gleeson, and traveled town the Ghost Town Trail to Pierce, before heading back to the park for some more substantial food. We were able to stop many places along the ride and photo our little hearts out while experiencing the ghost towns that are littered around the hills here.

We also talked a lot about the fact that anyone could figure out where to dig to even find silver or gold...how did they know? I mean, there was a huge silver lode in Toombstone...so there was a flurry of people living there, and then the lode dried up...and poof. Ghost town. I mean, there was a whole slew of people living in Toombstone, including the Earp brothers, Doc Holiday, Big Nosed Kate and the like...and there was no water there. None. They had to go to "Millville" (named because someone built a mill there) just to get water...We were driving along at one point and up popped a cannery. A nice new cannery...which left me looking around at the desolate area wondering exactly what they grow that needs to be canned down south here?

There are so many isolated towns, ranches...or just weird houses in Arizona, and I always wonder what these people do for a living? Why did they move to such an isolated place? Why are they still living in these little ghost towns? I mean, we did actually see signs for the Rattlesnake Art Studio...as seen on the Today Show.

Good heavens.

We didn't stop...we had to get to more ghost towns and back to Bisbee to stroll the art galleries and shops instead...

01 January 2009

Follow The Sun...

...To the Shady Dell in glorious Bisbee Arizona!

After driving down down down and across Arizona, Rich and I landed in Bisbee Arizona at the most wonderful little trailer park called The Shady Dell...The Shady Dell is made up of several vintage trailers you can rent for the night, and also includes some spaces to park your own trailer if you're so inclined. The owners are wonderful and friendly greeting us by name as we walked through the office to check in (their kitty curled up on the HP printer in the window) There are tons of wonderful vintage accents throughout the park, 50's music plays at the gazebo in the center of the space...and there is a fantastic vintage historical diner (which is currently being restored further and will open quite soon) the whole thing makes for an enchanting back drop in which to spend the first day of 2009!

After unhooking the Airstream and getting situated...taking respective showers to wash off the travel grit, we ran into town. This is Rich's first visit to Bisbee, and only my second. It's just as fantastic as I remember it. I came down years ago for a good friends grandmother's retirement party (she later became the mayor of Bisbee...the grandmother, not my friend) and we mostly visited with family rather than checking out the town. Today gave us a good start to checking out the town...

We have bigplans to check out even more tomorrow...officially starting Tour De Ghost Towns 2009: The Arizona Edition (where we are attempting to visit myriads of different ghost towns in Arizona and documenting our journey) and are looking forward to waking early to photo without all the people and cars here in Bisbee, and to visit the many shops that sprinkle the downtown (most of which were closed for New Year's Day) and Rich will be checking his book to send us to many other ghost towns down this way. Of course, he's realizing that there might not be enough time to do everything we want to (I warned him this may be the case) and I see some more trips in our future...

I did pop into an antique shop this afternoon and found some fantastic vintage Gurley Christmas candles that I will put into my collection (both a huge tree with gold glitter and a huge huge Santa in its original shrink wrap...I got them both for a song!)

Well...I'm wrapping up from the road to eat some early dinner and some after dinner photography before enjoying the rest of the evening in this enchanted little place...why is it every time I visit Bisbee I want to move here? You would too if you saw how cute the downtown is, and how fabulous their old buildings are...Then again, Rich and I have looked at each other several times wishing we owned this little park...both remarking how jealous we are and how much fun it would be to do this for a living...

I wonder if Prescott is ready for a vintage RV park/motel?

(See Dina? We could also have our diner too!! Hon...)

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