30 April 2010

Missing Out...


I feel like I've seriously been missing out here in Bloglandia as of late...mostly because I've been boozin it up with my friend Ziggy up there.

Just kidding.

I haven't.

I have some fun news to share about why exactly I've been so busy and not able to check in as regularly either here or any of my other favorite haunts, but I'm going to wait for the official thumbs up to give you the scoop.  It's coming on its own merry little way...I'm just thinking it will be more of a Tuesday kind of news rather than a Today kind of news.

Until then, I can laugh it up with my pal Ziggy on an official Ziggy sudZmug that I picked up for a song when my sister was here visiting and we were out thrifting one morning.  I thought he'd be a nice addition to my glasses.

Kind of.

Actually, I thought he was an insanely weird mug theme seeing as I only really remember Ziggy as a kind of depressed and rather mellow comic strip character, which isn't someone I'd usually think of calling before I went and grabbed a beer.

But, at half price, I couldn't very well leave this little contradiction to the fates...and when I have the time I think I'll try to sit down and enjoy a frosty cold one with my friend Ziggy.

27 April 2010

Authentinc Vintage Ye-Haw!


In the form of a peach embroidered YoungBloods brand cactus, wheel, and century plant shirt!  The maroon and silver threads contrast nicely with this awesome snap front vintage Western treasure...

Just in at Snap Snap this morning fresh for the picking.

I sometimes find it hard not to save all the great Western shirts that pass through my hands...especially since I live in a town that boasts The Worlds Oldest Rodeo, and I actually have reasons to wear them more than a few times a year.

And especially when they're in a men's medium.

And embroidered...with some pretty serious iconic western images.

And getting much harder to come by these days...

Really...there's so many reasons I could fall in love with this shirt forever!

26 April 2010

The Urban Wine Walk...


I spent the last weekend down in The Valley.

I was celebrating my Birthday with Claudine and Amy.

I know.

It's been about two weeks worth of celebrating, but to be totally and completely fair...since I really wanted to go camping for the day, these ladies couldn't make it...so I went down to them instead.  This way I could totally tap into my love of camping and nature and my love of cities, shopping and urban sprawl.

Claudine put herself in charge of festivities...as you'll remember, she was the one who came up with The Willo District Home Tour in downtown Phoenix that I had the pleasure of attending not too long ago.













She did not disappoint this time either.  When I started getting texts with the words, "Do you like wine?" I knew I was in for some fun.

This year was the start of what looks to be an Annual event, in the form of an Urban Wine Walk.

Which consisted of printing out a map and taking yourself a self-guided walking tour to different restaurants around the down town for $1-$2 tastes of various wines and some light snacks.  It didn't look as though there were a lot of places participating, but in between walking it and drinking it...and the heat.  I'd have to say that it was the perfect amount.

Plus?  It's been so chilly up here in Prescott it was like heaven wandering around in the sun.

We started the day off by boarding The Light Rail system and taking it to various locations around Phoenix and the outlying areas.  I can never figure out what those are, because it's all kind of down South that way to me, and it's  a city, so you drive.  This was my very first time on the Light Rail...

It was awesome.

I love mass transportation.


This is Amy crossing where it says "Do Not Cross Tracks".

This was extremely hilarious to us for some reason.

It could be that we were quite advanced at our wine tour at that point (1-2oz of wine doesn't seem like a lot.  But, it kind of makes you start smiling a bit after a while)

It could also be that The Light Rail doesn't move all that fast and you could probably jump out of its way and spare your life....that and there's no electricity on the ground for it, just tracks...so there's no danger of touching The Third Rail and becoming electrocuted and whatnot.

You really know who your true friends are when you can laugh uproariously at breaking what seems to be silly rules...











Of course, I think we could have almost predicted such a thing as we were just fresh from the lobby of a very swank hotel (where I know I saw handfuls of famous people.  If only I would have known who they were.  Honestly, out of everyone in my family I'm the worst when it comes to celebritydom...honestly?  It probably stems from the fact that I can't wrap my mind around the fact that I am not famous, so really?  Why keep track of anyone else?)

So, at this particular swanky place, we sat at marble tables...that according to Claudine were a bit on the tippy side, so she immediately dug into her bag of holding grocery bag purse and grabbed a Sucrets tin...which almost helped. 

But not as good as her checkbook.
(The Sucrets tin got all bendy)

Which made Amy cringe because she was sure we'd forget it.

So, Claudine did what any sane American woman would do.  She rooted around in her purse for something we could put on the table so there was no way we would forget her checkbook.



Her box of homeopathic eye drops.

Obviously.

(did I mention that the goal at one point was to drink 40oz of wine?  One for each year of my life)

(I wonder if that was individually or together?)
(That may have been helpful to know before we started in on that goal)

So, we did not forget the eye drops...or the checkbook for that matter.

In fact, the only casualties of the day was one bottle of water...which we set down somewhere.  Actually I think it was at that Swanky hotel lobby, and I think it was Amy's...Oh, and Amy's phone...but that was later found in her couch cushions, so we hadn't had it with us in the first place.

I think Amy needs a box of homeopathic eye drops so she will remember all of the things she keeps replacing.

At the very beginning of the day we started at a little organic market where we ran into Damien...a freelance photographer for azcentral.com who asked if he could follow us and photograph us.

See?
Weird things like this happen to me all the time...
I still can't figure out why I'm not famous and being followed by photographers all the time...at least I was for most of the day...

Damien posted some good pictures...I especially like the one of me inspecting my glass for what he called, "visible solids"  which makes me sound all sorts of knowledgeable...when, if you cared to check the notations I made about the wines we tasted, I said things like:

:) --> :(
(started out good...then got icky)

Bitter and Angry...Perfect wine for a divorce

Fruity and Juicy
and other priceless gems...
When really, I was checking my wine glass for floaties, because there was a lot of things floating around in my wine.  Which either means, it was a first pour, a last pour, or a poor dishwasher.

LeSigh.


I tell you.

It was a pleasure to attend this event, not only because I was with Claudine and Amy...who know their way around well, so really I totally would have been wandering around for heaven knows how long if they hadn't been there...but also because I can't ever remember a time when I walked around downtown Phoenix.  Which happens to be enjoying a kind of resurgence and renewal, as Urban cities are kind of the new it places to live.

There are not a lot of retail stores downtown yet, but there are a lot of restaurants and whoever is in charge of the building and planning is doing a great job.  There are still a ton of historic and cute buildings mixed in with the large high-rises.  I don't know if it will stay like this forever, but it's just wonderful right now...so much sweet history and design side by side.  Including a very weird Gothic style building that we decided was Bruce Banner's winter home (Phoenix is much too hot for black latex Bat-suits during the summer) The whole area has a great feel to it...and the Willo Home District and Encanto is right next door.

So.

That's that.

Oh, and as to not forget our wonderful giveaway from Friday for the winner of the calendar:

I put all the numbers together in a big ole' random number generator and came up with:

#6:  Rhonda Roo said...ohhh if only i could get my peeps to play like this. they all adamantly refuse to be seen on film. something about the FBI or fuzz. grr..
so thanks for showing us the linky!

xoxoxroo


I will be contacting Ms. Roo toot-sweet to get this right out!
Thank you all for playing along...

23 April 2010

2 Kids and a Dog *AND* A giveaway...


I would like to introduce you to my new found (and quite fabulous, I might add) friends at 2 Kids and a Dog.

We met quite accidentally through a mutual friend Bleeding Esspresso at least a month ago...but became friends quite fast.  I mean, as fast as you can become friends, via email half way across the world while the person on my end does a whole lot of happy clapping and uproarious laughter.

You HAVE to visit their website immediately and familiarize yourself through the magic of video with this enchanting family of talented actors.

You won't be disappointed.
They're a hoot.



How can you not fall for a family that is so creative and takes such wonderful photos?
I ask you. 
Seriously.

I remember reading that Alexia and her family were looking for a unique and fun Christmas gift for their family, and since they are actors...they dressed up as different families to take self-portraits and made a calendar.  Which was such a hit that it has blossomed into videos and more pictures.

I think I have a crush on this entire family.

One of the things that made me sit up and take notice when I wandered over to their site (I mean besides the total creative and hilarious photos they produce, seeing as we have that in common...) is the fact that the whole family...including the dog...are totally involved with this project...and they all look like they're having so much fun with each other as a family!  What a perfect group of role-models. I grew up in a family who laughed a lot together and it makes me so happy that through creativity, photography, a video camera, and a whole lot of love, that someone out there is sharing this with us world-wide.  It makes me a little jealous, but I have decided to adopt myself right in to their family (plus we all know how much I love Italy, so it's like having another home there)  through viewing their videos and laughing right along with them...

I love a good storyteller.

Who doesn't?

(and they have rightly inspired me to move forward with more photography projects for myself)

After trading emails with Alexia, she sweetly sent along one of these calendars for me to view with my own eyes.

Again.

Crush.

The calendar is a full color, beautifully detailed photo extravaganza...full of humor and wit not to mention, the best titles for pictures I have seen in a long while.  The calendar is something that will make you smile again and again as you walk by it...I have been doing this all week myself.

There's nothing like someone who brings laughter and a smile into your world.

Through the magic of the Post Office and a couple of emails and a big white envelope, I have a very special announcement:

The 2 Kids and a Dog Mini Wall Calendar can be yours!

Yes.  It's true.

Just leave a comment in the comment section of this post and I will randomly draw a name out of a large collapsible top hat or some other crazy means...and YOU could be the lucky winner of the perfect wall art.

Good luck and I'll see you all back here on Monday.

You can also follow 2kidsandadog on facebook.

21 April 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


The newly remodeled (to me...but probably not Bagdad) Diner in Bagdad.

I'm not sure what the name is, as there is no sign...although, I heard it's one of only 3 restaurants in this little mining town, so I suppose if you want to meet there saying, "Meet me at the Diner" are probably enough words to get your meaning across.  There were some rather lovely planters out front with flowers in them...but I kept thinking that the place needed a little more...maybe in the form of a vintage Coca~Cola button?

(hold on...after about 2 seconds on Google I found out the name is The Diner on Main...catchy!  Holy cow...their even on facebook...these crazy Internets!!)


It is a spectacular diner in person...although, we pulled up only about an hour and a half after they closed for the day.

Napping you know...

They are open Tues - Sun
6am - 2pm


I tried to talk Rich into going back the next day for lunch and a photo op with the Airstream parked next to it's much larger and more stable cousin...but it was a no-go.

We did happen to drive through Seligman however, and made a stop at the Sno-Cap, so it was almost as good.

Besides, I have been formulating a plan in which to get myself and a car load of fun seekers up there for a quick bite and then back to Burro Creek to enjoy the water...

I'm totally seeing that plan materialize in the near future.

20 April 2010

Bloom Where You're Planted...



And who says the desert isn't colorful?

Or that it's dry and drab?

Well, that may ring true for a lot of the year, but during the Spring (especially when we've had a lot of winter water) the desert is an unexpected paradise...mostly because you're not expecting to see and smell such beauty in such a desolate and arid world.


So many of the plants that flower are also covered with spiny thorns...to keep the various water seeking animals out of the supply they have stored inside of their succulent branches.


And for the few that don't bloom...they can find themselves totally surrounded by other colors...like bright yellows and oranges of lichen that attach themselves to the rocks.



And who can not love poppies?

Especially in this setting?

Or any setting, seeing as they love to seed themselves wherever they want, which usually doesn't include where you put them in the first place.

Silly poppies.


And still a few of the flowers have prickles themselves as a part of their beauty...like thistles.  Wonderfully  majestic to look at, but I don't ever want to touch them...



The Joshua Trees that dot about and also forest themselves in a mini Joshua Tree forest even bloom...their twisted and pod-like flowers reaching for the sun...their branches corkscrewing to follow.

At one point, we passed a sign by the road that said:

Joshua Tree -->

and I almost spit out my Blizzard.

I know.

Can you believe I had a Blizzard?

We pulled over to get gas, and there conveniently happened to be both a Jack in the Box and a Dairy Queen sandwiching the mini-market, and I just couldn't resist.

To my own credit, I haven't had one in 4 years, and I probably won't again for at least that long.

Anyway...that Joshua Tree sign cracked us up.
I kept wondering for the rest of the trip why there weren't more that said:

Saguaro -->

or

Ocotillo -->


And one of my most delightful finds was this flowering bush that looked as though it had little pink paper lanterns hanging all over it.  I can't ever remember seeing this particular flower, but I found myself totally and completely smitten with it's beautiful delicateness.

Although, the thing about seeing any kind of flower in the desert makes you really consider it's delicate beauty and purpose...they make the bees happy for sure, and I can only imagine what the honey tastes like in this region.  But perhaps the most astounding thought of all is that no matter how isolated any of these plants and flowers are, there they are minute after minute...totally blooming and fulfilling their destiny, whether anyone is there to notice or not.

They don't care.

They just are.

Which I thought was some pretty perfect miracles to witness on my 40th year on the Earth...Even she, the Earth was busy celebrating.

How perfectly lovely.

19 April 2010

In Which She Turns 40...And Camps About It...


My Birthday started with hitting the road, Airstream in tow...at a rather decent hour.

You see, a couple of months ago when asked what I wanted to do for this big birthday milestone, the words, "I want to go camping" burst out of my mouth.  There was also a lot of people excited about joining me, but when it came down to it...the only person left standing besides myself, was Rich.

Rich was kind enough to be very excited about getting out of town no matter what the plans changed around to...and decided at the last minute to hook up the Airstream for a more cushy trip!


I had just spent the previous evening out dancing at an 80's Night here in town.

Getting older has never been a big deal to me.  It's more of an exciting process, and it may seem morbid, but at the rougher points in my lifeline, I've felt a bit of relief knowing that it may not all last forever.

And, here I was dancing the night away to some of my favorite music, and a song by A-Ha came on, and I leaned over to Kim and remarked how much this song reminded me of Heidi.  I didn't think much more of this harmless little remark until the next morning when I was talking to my mother...and it occurred to me that this life?  While I was the person living each individual day of the past 40 years and I didn't just wake up one day all of a sudden older...That just for a moment, it seemed like this whole thing has passed with the snap of a finger.

Which made me cry.
(it's not that I haven't accomplished anything...it's more like a door that has been standing ajar has suddenly with some great force, Closed.)

So, it was with great joy I opened a little box (with only one air hole) when I arrived at The Airstream that morning, and out popped a Vermont Teddy Bear complete with a Birthday hat and bow tie, fortune cookies, a noise maker, and some chocolate.

His name is Jake
(because I thought it fit him perfectly)

He also had a great trip (even though I may have to get him a backpack and a sleeping bag) and hung out a lot with Rich's moose and elf.

We're nothing if not partiers.


We headed down towards Nothing.

Which coincidentally is by Nowhere...

We're creative namers here in AZ.

Nothing was aptly named because Nothing has ever happened there.  But, after stopping I beg to differ as by this dwelling that apparently once housed it's 4 population was looped a whole lot of orange Bio-hazard tape.

So something happened.

But, there just wasn't a historical marker to tell us what that thing had been.

I'm worried it had something to do with the wood fired pizza.

?


Because of the extraordinary amount of moisture we've gotten this winter, the wildflowers were out in full bloom and ready to play.

I'm telling you.

There were several times where the perfume in the air was so heady that I was literally swooning with fragrance love.  There's something about being in a mostly arid country side dotted with saguaro and other various cacti, with no visible water about and feeling the landscape gently heat up (at this time of the year the heat is more sneaking and gentle, in another few weeks it will be like a raging inferno) and through the heat, the flowers and grasses loosen their fragrance.
If you haven't come here and sniffed about, you really should consider doing so.  But remember, Arizona is very dramatic, weather wise...so you have quite a small window of opportunity to do so.

There's nothing in the world quite like it.

After various stops along the roadsides...we made our way over to Burro Creek.  I was just informed about Burro Creek a couple of weeks ago...being a longtime resident of Arizona makes me think that I know everything about Arizona.

Which of course I don't.
(but don't tell my ego that)

Most of the time when I'm confronted by the newness of enthusiastic AZ implants I brush them off with a slight nod of the head and an indulgent smile.

But when they come back with some new destination that would seem obvious, I can feel a little stabby...and insist when they say, "How is it that I just got here and you've been here all this time...that you didn't know about this?!"

Well I'll tell you why sporty.

I was either trying to get old enough to drive...

Or make a living.

So there.

Also?

Most Arizonans know a thing or two about water as well...let me tell you.  We usually make it our business to know where all available water sources are...being that we spend so much of our time under clear blue skies with the hot hot sun as a companion...these are just things you find yourself putting into the file cabinet in your mind.

We also dabble in the fascination that clouds are.

So, we're mostly water and cloud experts...both stemming from the needs to stay hydrated and in the shade...this crazy sun we have here.

I am stymied about the simple fact that I did not know of the existence of Burro Creek...seeing as it's not too far away from our fair town.

It's a canyon system interlaced with Joshua Tree Forests, Saguaro Forests, slot canyons, regular canyons, bridges,  hot springs(which we didn't find), wild wandering burros (which also didn't show up, they NEVER do)...a whole lot of birds, frogs, some rather large fish...water,  water falls, algae, shade...and a whole lot of little sandy beaches.

With shells.



It was like the universe was trying to bring together all of my favorites:

  • People to celebrate with me for at least two weeks (we've got to draw these landmark occasions out you know) (cause I've got me some diversity...camping one weekend, pedicures the next)
  • Dancing to fun music...including leaving after my favorite Depeche Mode song (Everything Counts)
  • Chocolate cake, brownies, and their stand alone counterparts.
  • Cards and packages arriving in the mail...along with well wishes from friends near and far.
  • A bouquet of flowers.
  • An Airstream trip.
  • A Road Trip.
  • Water (and shells...making me feel almost like I was at the ocean)
  • Great food.
  • Hiking and exploring new terrain.
  • Relaxing and being busy...
  • Camping and officially welcoming in a whole new decade out under the stars...being totally embraced by Arizona.
I know how lucky I am to have all of these presents in my life...and each one of them means more to me than you'll ever know.
I am happy that I am realizing at this advanced age, ahem...that I have the ability to slow down and recognize and appreciate each and every one of them, their origins, meanings, feelings, and experiences...so that maybe, just maybe I can slow the snap of the fingers down a bit to more of a smile and a wave...



15 April 2010

Chocolate :: Birthday Week


Birthdays.

Full of presents, surprises, family, friends...sweetness.

Treats.

This year, it seems like there is a whole lot of chocolate ushering the 30's right out of my life.  And really, if we're going to use chocolate as a final farewell, then maybe this getting older thing isn't going to be that bad after all.

(although, I've had my suspicions it wasn't in the least)

Last night during my family celebration, I enjoyed a double layered no gluten, no dairy, no egg...chocolate cake.

yum.

Last night I did a second round of chocolate for another group I'm celebrating with (and perhaps taking on my birthday trip with me...if there's left overs that is...) in the form of rich chocolate brownies with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting.

All night long when I woke up, I inhaled the sweet smell of chocolate.

This is the last official day of my 30's...and chocolate is leading the way out of the 30's tunnel and into a totally different decade.

I'm the one eagerly following with a fork.

14 April 2010

Happy Surprises :: Birthday Week


Has this ever happened to you?

You're moseying along in your year (and years) and right smack dab somewhere in the week falls the anniversary of your Birth...which then brings up all sorts of happy memories of Birthday Celebrations gone by?  One of the benefits of having lived many years on the planet is how many memories one amasses, that is if you can indeed remember them all.  I can't remember all of my Birthday's, but  luckily I've tucked a few away for just such an emergency.

The year my father bought me my very first Swatch watch.  It was the Jellyfish one, which was (and is, because it's still in a drawer at home) totally see through.  I actually unwrapped it, and had no idea what it was, or what it's coolness value would become shortly.  Dad lives in CA, so he always picked up on trends before we here in AZ got wind of them.  This is the watch that not only started it all for Swatch, but the one that started it all for my personal love and collection of watches.  Oddly enough I don't wear a timepiece now, but I still have some of my watches saved in memory.

The year that my High School friends planned a Surprise Sweet 16 Birthday Slumber Party for our mutual friend Heidi (who happens to have a Birthday that falls a couple of days before mine) and we all went over and decorated and hung up balloons and got all excited and yelled, "Surprise!  Happy Birthday!!" to her when she walked in, only to see her look a little confused and say, "Oh...I missed it!"  while everyone shushed her (this in retrospect...you'll understand in a minute) We ate cake, opened presents and went downstairs until each person left the room and I was left there with Stephanie, who suggested we then go see what happened to everyone.  Upon walking upstairs, I was met with, "Surprise!  Happy Birthday!!"  They had planned a double surprise party all along...my mother had been in on it, and dropped off a cake, and all the signs that had read Heidi minutes ago...all had my name on them.  I can't think of a better Sweet 16 Party!

There was the year I spent my Birthday in Italy on the hillsides...as my birthday fell on Easter...

And yesterday, while at Snap Snap as a sweet delivery girl (and customer) walked in with this big bouquet of flowers that was sent with a touching note from Claudine and Amy...to celebrate this big number Birthday.  I am sneaking away this weekend to go camping (what I chose to do to celebrate this milestone) and they thought I should enjoy my flowers until I go.  I was so touched and so surprised.  It's been so long since someone's sent flowers my way...

And Honestly?

I find myself looking forward to Birthdays more and more.  I look forward to getting older...for the chance to remember all the love that has been poured upon me for all of my birthdays so far...and for all the memories that are yet to be made.

13 April 2010

Begin :: Birthday Week


Photo:  Myself, My Father, My Step-mother Patti
(reading from left to right respectively)

(although, I'm sure you could figure this out...cause you're smart like that)

This group (which also includes my sister) rolled into town this morning, and Dad and Patti will be rolling out again this afternoon, leaving Thais here to celebrate and recoup for a week.  It was a short visit, but we did manage to:

Eat breakfast out at The Dinner Bell Cafe.

(which is a lot for me, because I never open until the actual day...but really?  This was a very special circumstance gosh darn it!  And my sister can help teach me how to use this machine while she's here)

Visit.
Let the Birthday Week commence.

It's a big number year for me, so I'm squeezing that last bit out of The 30 Decade that I can.

12 April 2010

Stepping In...


Well.  That was a relaxing weekend.

Spent mostly doing nothing too planned out, and just what I wanted to do.  If I didn't want to do it, the thought slipped through my fingers like the blue blue waters of the Borghese  Herbal Bath Soak I scored for half off at the thrift.

That's not to say I didn't accomplish anything.

Errands were run at CostCo and the grocery...preliminary shopping for a camping/Birthday trip.

Intuitive Conference Phone Call was attended...putting into place some openness and creativity (I actually reconnected with Jack in person as he is a good friend from the past.  Although maybe a good friend from the now that I knew in the past would be more accurate?  We were able to sit and enjoy each others company last week until 10 to 11...and then we both had to depart into other parts of our worlds again.  It's so wonderful when the edges of your world can open up to embrace someone elses edges...the conversation was deep, inspiring, thoughtful, and much needed by me, and I feel so lucky to be back in touch with Jack again.)

A six mile hike along The Peavine with DaNece and Lola...jump starting our bodies for summer hiking and other various warm time activities.

The annual cleaning of the closet...or The Chair In The Studio Can't Hold Any More Things And Will Probably Break Unless You Do Something About It (because I have small vintage closets and I like to just throw things on this Postal Chair, instead of hanging them up properly.  Ahem.)

Cleaning the Living Room and other parts of the house including, but not limited to, vacuuming the downstairs and upstairs, doing laundry, and tackling the clean laundry, sorting and organizing...phew!

Entertaining Guests on Saturday Night...

Really, the list could go on, but the oddest thing is?  I feel like I had just the perfect amount of time in which to relax and renew in the middle of all the hustle and bustle.  There were times where I parked the car and didn't get back into it until the next day.

Perfection.

I felt like I could totally welcome Monday and step out of the blue blue waters and into another week.

Which is good, because I think this week is going to be a little nutso.

07 April 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


I take my morning cuppa with cream (or various cream substitutes, as my body doesn't do well with lactose) Couple that with traveling to Italy...and I at once become spoiled.  You see, in Italy they bring you your morning cuppa steaming hot in a pitcher...and if you want, they sweetly pair it with a steaming hot pitcher of milk.

Hot.

So when you pour the cream into your coffee it doesn't cool your cuppa down.

It enhances it.

Italians know how to live.

Upon being confronted with this simple fact during my first morning in Italy...even though I hadn't slept in 24 hours, I remember remarking, "Oh.  Well.  I'm never going to want to go home...I can see that now."

(I also felt sure of that after I finally got some sleep)

But, wouldn't you know it?

I do not warm my cream up at home.  It's too much of an effort for me apparently (I can't even program the machine to make the coffee so it's ready after I get back from the gym...which always makes me happy because then I think little coffee faeries have been there, and I feel all taken care of...)   I do pour my cream into it's own little pitcher and set it beside the coffee maker.

And then?

I realized that after I get the maker all set up, and pour the cream into its pitcher...if I then set this full pitcher on top of the machine and brew my coffee, the warmness from the steam and brewing heats it up.

I know.

I'm an inventor.

Although, now I am stuck cleaning the top of the coffee maker every day.

Condensation you know.

But it's totally worth it.

06 April 2010

Abs of Steel...

Rusty and Ken were in town briefly.

However, it was long enough to check in at The Motor Lodge and see two of my favorite hotel owners and play a bit of catch up...before heading out with the happy couple for some Mexican Crack (we gotta take our crack where we can get it)  Where I fear we may have annoyed everyone within earshot.

Let me explain.

Rusty and I met back in good ole' Junior High...see?  Way back before it was called Middle School.  We also happened to live in the same neighborhood, which may have meant we rode the same bus...although, I can't actually recall the details of our first meeting...but, there you go.

We became fast friends...I think due to our superior intellect, or maybe our fantastic good looks...then again, the more I think about it, it was probably due to our warped odd over-the-top sense of humor.

My mother has been known to say that Rusty is one of the funniest people I know.

It's true.

And when we get together, hilarity ensues.  This comes in the form of side-splitting laughter (which may or may not be loud and annoying to diners)

(or anyone else in a 100ft radius)

After visiting with Rusty I can usually count on all of my makeup being washed off by various tears streaming down my face and having sore stomach muscles for a long while after she leaves.  Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we spent a whole week together?  I worry that we may end up rupturing something important, at the very leas we would develop abs of steel...and Ken?

Hysterical as well...he described someone in their life as having an, "Unfortunate Smile"

Which set us off again.

Honestly...those two words say so very much, and I can totally see an Edward Gorey sketch to accompany my visual.

There's nothing more sexy than a sense of humor...

(which is obviously why people are fawning all over us at any given time)

(obviously)

I saw them off this morning as they're tooling around Route 66 via a quick stop at the set of Kingdom of the Spiders (of which I've never heard of much less seen.  I know.  Tragic.  Gotta put that on the que)

05 April 2010

Official Spring Wind Advisory...


Today.

The day after Easter and the first day that the weather is complying with the Wind Advisory that was issued.

Spring in Prescott.

This wind.

(This is what Steven calls it.  This Wind.  I find this a perfect description, those two words describing exactly what it's like to be in Northern Arizona in the Spring.)

This wind.  Coming on the heels of a rather empressive earthquake rolling up from Mexico across California and into Phoenix.  It could have been felt up here, but I have no recollection of this event yesterday, nor did I hear of anyone else feeling it up here.
 


I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you.  My personal Easter Bunny brought a vintage German Easter Egg filled with goodies.

This large floral and gold egg will be in good company with the pile of vintage German eggs that adorn Foolsewoode this time of year.  I adore them, and they are so impressive in their rather large and growing group.

The Easter Bunny also brought me a peanut butter filled egg entitled a "Resterbunny!"  (from our dear and lovely friends at the Recess peaunut butter cup factory)  Apparently, my personal Easter Bunny saw this package of chocolate and peanut buttery goodness at the store and couldn't stop laughing...which could either be caused by her fantastic sense of humor, or the fact that she's running 2 antique shops (when she's not delivering baskets and hiding eggs) and may need a vacation.

Whatever the case, it was a lovely day...full of family, food, and treats.

Now to officially blow into Spring...

04 April 2010

Happy Easter...


Look at what the Easter Bunny Left...

They are so very beautiful as they are I may not even color them further after they've been boiled within an inch of their life.

Sweet Sweet Fertility.

I hope wherever you are you celebrate the coming of Spring and the renewal it brings however is special to you.

I shall be partaking in the annual making of something out of strawberries...

And the eating of really good chocolate.

01 April 2010

Liquid Sunshine...


I am on facebook quite regularly, and I am not afraid to admit it...not one bit.  For all the silliness it's worth, it has allowed me to reconnect with friends I may not have otherwise.

For this I am thankful.
(also for all the time wasting...this is good for the soul as well)

A good friend mentioned rather casually that she was having a time figuring out what to do with all of her stupid lemons.  It would seem since she lives down in The Valley, that she has an overabundance of lemons and they have become rather stupid over time...I chimed in about the intelligence of said lemons, thinking that they may be much smarter in higher altitudes?

And this week her father came in.

With a huge bag of stupid lemons.

Huge, stupid, beautiful, yellow, fragrant, organic, amazing lemons.

Which have taken residence between my mother and I's homes...

I have not found them to display any sub intelligence so far...but only true beauty as they have found themselves delightfully integrated into my glasses of water, sprinkled over my salads and pasta...and may further find themselves baked into bars.

Stupid
Lovely
Lemons...

Liquid Sunshine.

I mean, I have been inexplicably drawn to wearing the color yellow this season...why not wear it inside and out?

Thank you Jamie.
From the bottom of my stupid lemon loving heart...

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