Take One Down...

...Pass it around...

You may thank me later for getting that song stuck in your head.

I don't think you'd probably want to pass this baby around anyway, as it was in a back alley in town...I kept thinking it would make a great picture, but either I am not patient enough, or it was my uncooperative nature that I did not lay down on the ground and take this from a better angle.

Of course, it could be because I was wearing a skirt.

A cold beer almost sounds good in this weather...almost. I'm not a huge beer fan, but I did make a couple last week with a bit of Sprite poured in for good company that were quite delicious. Anything cold and frosty sounds good in this heat.

(then again, I am positively craving pasta lately...I have no idea what that might be about!)

I know that there are places hotter and more humid than where I'm at right now, but I'm not there nor am I trying to one up someone...I just happen to be rather warm lately.

Of course, it's summer...so that could be one reason.

There is a rather large scale home improvement project going on at Foolsewoode this week. It should be wrapped up by today, and you'd better bet that I have taken a lot of before pictures...and will be taking some after pictures as well. I'm rather excited and a bit cautious because it's one thing that I have been wanting to do, but haven't been able to quite picture the end result.

I'll let you decide.

Have an amazing weekend...

Wordless Wednesday...

Eaves...

Not to be confused with elves...

The Wheels Keep Turning...

I was reminded of this fact quite simply yesterday during a walk on The Peavine Trail. I haven't been walking out there in a long time...because somewhere in my mind, I thought I was walking the trail for exercise and when I started attending the gym regularly, I stopped walking the trail. I had totally forgotten that I actually used the trail walking as a form of a walking meditation at one point. So yesterday, after work, I changed into more appropriate clothes (shorts and Chacos...I don't usually wear shorts in public unless I'm walking or hiking) and drove out to Peavine.

I also took a totally impromptu route, and one that I have always wanted to, but never have...for some reason. Yesterday was the perfect day for it...and I found myself veering off into the Riparian Habitat instead of the trail that leads through The Dells. I wanted to be totally enveloped in nature for this walk with no iPod or other stimulation (other than the sound of cars on the highway) and found myself cushioned by trees, sand, and the most wonderful tiny frogs who hopped away from my feet with my every step.

I walked all through the creek bed that is sometimes covered with water...listened to the birds and let myself unwind through the winding of the trail. I finally stopped at a rather large tree that is positioned over a small body of water and watched the huge lake frogs jump away and chirp at me...I noticed one frog who just floated there right under the surface of the water with only it's eye above the water...watching me and gently moving its feet every once in a while. I stood there a long time and marveled that no matter what it is that I choose to do on a daily basis that this life goes on right there. Every day. Even if I have chosen to never explore this part of my world...there are things that still happen that don't depend on me or my input...my thoughts or actions or the chatter of my mind...or even need to be seen by me.

They just are.

And I'm sure they're still there today...living their own life...and bringing a sense of peace to mine.

Weekenders...

I had a lavishly fun-filled and exciting weekend!

The kick-off was Friday night sushi and most of the first season of Weeds with my friend Steven. You may remember that I met Steven 6 years ago while taking Italian at the college, and Steven is currently getting ready for an internship at Disney for the next semester. I am very proud of him! I am also very giggly about Weeds...a very interesting TV drama with some totally surprising story lines...

Saturday, my friend DaNece and I headed out to Skull Valley to visit Molly Day at her Cafe and to support a pretty fantastic local business...DaNece had never been there, and I have been lucky to be there a handful of times. Skull Valley is a picturesque place just down the hill from our fair town...and the cafe is a delight! I would not hesitate to say such a thing even if I didn't know that owner personally.

I tried the tuna melt this time...and I am here to tell you YUM! Molly's tuna salad has apples and celery in it and is delicious...as well as the side salad, which is made from locally grown lettuce. I also split a slice of Coconut Creme pie, since Molly is a mad pie maker now...and there are usually a few tempting pies in stock at all times.

After lunch, we jumped in the car and were lucky enough to find the old depot and now museum grounds open. This afforded us the perfect opportunity take close-up pictures, as well as talk to the caretaker, who moved to Skull Valley in 1945 with his family because his father worked for the railroads.

It was very cool to be that close to the building, as it's usually under lock and key, and the caretaker talked to us for quite a while about the history of the area as he remembered it.

Saturday I hosted a little get-together at Foolsewoode...and I actually cooked! I haven't been cooking a lot lately (apparently, because I found myself really enjoying it as a novelty...good grief) Summer Spaghetti and french bread followed with a most delicious berry pie (kindly brought by an attending guest) and Shandys. (this would be a light beer with Sprite in it...the most perfect thing for a hot summer evening under the stars)

Amy and DaNece were my attending...and DaNece's sweet dog Lola. DaNece and I had discussed her bringing Lola for the evening, because of all the thunder sometimes animals don't do well this time of year. Well, I assured her that Meena isn't too freaked out by dogs and will usually either hide, or stay high up...and Lola is very timid and shy. After seeing Lola set about 2 paws into my living room, Meena puffed herself up and jumped onto Lola...sending her scrambling back outside. Meena then launced herself onto DaNece's leg (claws first) and hung there for a while. I grabbed Meena, and put her in one half of the house and we kept the traumatized dog with us. I was not expecting this reaction. I think maybe Meena sensed Lola's sweet nature and decided to just start their meeting off with a bit of kitty dominance?

So in answer to your question:

Yes. My cat can kick your dog's ass.
(but it's bad manners, and I don't encourage it)

And Sunday? Up to Flagstaff!

I am wondering if this is some kind of train depot post...and if it is, then why didn't I get a picture of our train depot? Because it's totally different from the other two I saw...weird.

Anywho...I roped DaNece into joining me for the jaunt up the hill...and we spent the day meandering around with no agenda other than to spend as much time doing whatever it was that struck our fancy...

DaNece hasn't spent a lot of time in Flagstaff...and I was able to show off some of my very favorite haunts. We stopped in at Macy's for a cuppa and a treat right off...The line was, of course about out the door, but we scored a seat at my most favorite table!

We then moved on to all the outfitters in the downtown, as well as the galleries and the Life Is Good store. Oddly enough, we both bought hats...

The hats came in very handy a little while later as we got stuck in a torrential monsoonal downpour of epic proportions that lasted all of about 15 minutes. This is normal though. When finally braving the small drizzle to the car, we realized we had recently bought hats and could probably put them to mighty good use about this point.

We did.

Then on to Bookman's, where I traded in some books and scored a wonderful new CD! I love Bookmans, and usually have a TON of credit saved up for there...although, I've let it lapse in recent years...but I managed to build it back up again on this trip.

It was a lovely, busy, and fun weekend indeed...and a perfect start to this next week.

Hello Monkey...

A little carved logo from Coffee Roasters here in town...in what happens to be left over from a tree, down in the riparian habitat that is Granite Creek...the creek which runs through downtown (when it has water in it that is) It was a lovely surprise to come across such whimsy in an unexpected place, which is usually a wonderful surprise.

Going into the weekend with lots of plans...meals with friends, a special get together, cooking and nurturing...all with a couple of road trips thrown in for good measure. It's been interesting times around Foolsewoode as of late, and I am looking forward to seeking unexpected whimsy this weekend.

What are your plans?

I'm not afraid of death...

...It's the stake one puts up in order to play the game of life.

~Jean Giraudoux, Amphitryon, 1929

Weaving in and out of gravestones first thing in the morning puts one to thinking.

About one's immortality, sure...but for me, other thoughts as well. Planting myself outside of a local and very historic Masonic Cemetery...peering through the chain link fence, remembering a time when one could freely walk through the stones...

Why must we cage our dead?

Is it from vandals or partiers?

People who are disrespectful of a final resting ground.


It struck me as odd while standing at the gate that kept me too far away from these headstones, that I so badly wanted to get in to a cemetery on a beautiful summer day...

To be totally fair, there are some amazing cemeteries in our little corner of Arizona host to some beautiful and historic grave markers. Cemeteries can be beautifully serene places, if not a little lonely...and I did find myself apologizing in case I was rudely walking over someones grave...as if by this simple act I would disturb them. I marveled at how immediately my mind jumped to various superstitions and the mysterious that surrounds death in this culture I find myself in.


I usually keep myself separate from things such as this.

I was worried I didn't know the correct protocol for walking among the dead.

I found that I didn't want to offend anyone, and I was the only one living amongst them.


I also wonder, as I always have...why do we bury our dead? I think it is for the living left behind, as a reminder of a life once lived...and something to mark that life. But, as I wove in and out of these stones, I felt a heavy sadness for those that are neglected...the one's without the flowers or decorations. (Don't worry, I've always felt this way when visiting cemeteries, since I was a small child. I also feel guilty for not having brought something to leave at a grave...even if I am not connected to those who are buried...I also feel this way when I don't bring duck food to the lake.) I wonder too, about the people who are lying there.

Who were they?
What did they do in their lives?
Where have their people gone to?
Why aren't they putting flowers on the graves of their ancestors any more?


It would seem at points in the scribing of pertinent names and dates, there was an era (if you will, or fad?) when it was important to mention where the person was born and where they died (some of these towns no longer called that in our area) along with the dates of their lives. Living in such a historic town gives one some pretty heady dates and locations of origin (Lot's of people moving west at one point, you know)

Morbidly, I find myself wanting a little booklet with pictures and a story about the persons buried here...these short words and dates are not enough for my curious mind.

A Rose By Any Other Name...

...Would Smell As Sweet.

-Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)

And something just for you...for anyone who hasn't gotten flowers in a long time...or like me, who hasn't bought herself flowers because sometimes I think it's a waste of money (horrible I know, but I can readily talk myself out of flowers and into something else quite quickly...and flowers seem more meaningful when I receive them from someone...I'm sure there's something horribly psychological about that...that may need to result in me buying buying myself lots of bouquets because "I'm worth it"...)

Because of this, I am a big believer in stopping to smell the roses, as it was...and stopping to gaze at all the flower beauty in town whenever I'm out and about. During the spring and summer, we seem to have more than our fair share of colorful petals...I have also heard that flower breeders are breeding out the smell of roses because people don't like it. This confuses me to no end, but luckily we happen to have tons of heirloom roses in our little vintage town, and they have escaped the clutches of the rose breeders for now and currently retain their heavenly smell. I don't quite understand the idea of breeding a smell out of a flower...and I think Shakespeare would have to rethink parts of Romeo and Juliet...maybe something like, "A rose by any other name, wouldn't smell at all anymore, but it still looks quite good! Just like you. So, pretty much could you not kill yourself? Thanks."

Which would probably change the outcome of the entire play.

What a strange world.

To me, the smell one of the best things about a rose...which also may add to the reasons why I don't buy roses.

Of course it could be because I'm more of a daisy or sunflower gal, going for the extreme color and whimsy instead.

World Wide Photo Walk 2009...

I once again participated in Scott Kelby's World Wide Photo Walk here in Prescott. It was an early and wonderful morning full of excitement and meeting new people...There's something about tramping around your own stomping grounds that make you try to pause and see things differently that stretches the imagination. (plus? I was secretly scouting out different things for another fantasy photo shoot...shhhh) I had a great time, and was very grateful that the walk was so early because it's finally heated up in our neck of the woods...so I got to stop just in time to not be so sticky...and I could run home and rescue Ms. Meena from being so hot by switching on our tiny swamp cooler.

I'm trying to remember that these are the summer days we dream about while in the midst of winter cold (although, I'm usually fantasizing about the fall...)

Darling Charlotte...

While blog hopping and visiting all the participants of The Mad Tea Party...I was excited to be introduced to many incredible and talented fellow bloggers. I was utterly delighted at every turn...and on top of all the creative visions out there, many participants were having give aways to enhance the festive atmosphere of Mad Tea Party day...and most of the giveaways could be joined by just leaving a comment.

Well, I happened to win something fabulous!

From The Mosaic Cottage...and to tell the truth, I was in absolute awe when I saw this giveaway because I've never before seen something so fantastic! (so it was doubly exciting to find out that I won this sweet girl) She just arrived yesterday and I love everything about her...She's so perfect and she's perched right in a place of honor on the mantle so that I can smile at her every day. Michelle also painted the box that she sent with the queen of hearts...so, it was just a pleasure to receive this parcel in the mail!

I am still stunned that this little Charlotte has come to live at Foolsewoode...but she's like the cherry on the cupcake!

Jazz Will Endure...

...As long as people hear it through their feet instead of their brains.

-John Phillip Sousa

...And there was a whole lot of toe tapping last night at 129 1/2...our local jazz eatery here in town.

...I'll let you in on a little secret, I happen to know a very talented jazz musician that goes by the name Steve Annibale...mostly because that is his name. I've been lucky enough to know Steve for a long long time (which is weird, because it was his birthday and he's only 23...and I swear we've known each other at least that long...) because he is friends with My Pal Amy's brother...so, we all have hung around each other for a few years anyway. Whenever I know Steve is going to suit up and play, I try to make time to see him (apparently he's going to be at the restaurant on Tuesdays through this month as a duet...that would be him and the piano guy, I don't think he's going to split into another person...although, after what I saw and heard last night, I wouldn't be surprised that he could do just that.)

The thing about Steve Annibale is, no matter how young (or old) he is, he is one jammin jazz man. He plays a myriad of different instruments and sings...and the guy is incredible. I have personally been lucky enough to see him perform for many years, and I have a list of favorites that I can shout out if he gets confused about what to play (like, the fantastic mambo song he wrote or Minnie The Moocher...which kind of means whoever is sitting next to me has to listen to me sing along with him...I don't know what it is about that song...go Cab go) and he hardly ever ever rolls his eyes.

hardly ever.

Last night's performance was extra special though...because it was Steve's birthday...so we all gathered to celebrate with him...family and friends.

(Steve told us that he wanted the 3 F's for his birthday...food, family, and friends...although, I didn't see him eat...but the rest was taken care of in spades)

And the place came alive...musicians from all over came out of the woodwork to set up and jam and celebrate with Steve...and jam they did, much to our pleasure. I have never before been in a room of such talented jazz players and was myself constantly amazed and delighted. I found myself thinking more than once, that you would have to know how to play your instrument pretty darned amazing to just stand on stage and perform whatever came into your head...and have it turn out that good.

I just found a rhythm to tap out with my feet and sat back and watched...my favorite thing to do when watching Steve.

Thank you Steve...for a fantastic night...
And Happy Birthday!!

(Oh...and PS Amy...Steve got out the shaky egg right after you left...I took that last picture just for you...)

Sprinkle Pranks...

Things change.

I get that. I do.

I may be human in my resistance to chance, which has been cited as the only constant. I may pump my fist in the air with the unfairness of it all...that change. And sometimes it's only in looking back do I see the reason that I did not see in the midst...while I was in it, resisting...dragging my feet, and unwilling to move forward, even though I had to move forward, being drug, and pushed kicking and screaming. And then sometimes I say softly to myself, in the very tiniest of ways, Oh...only because I don't have the larger picture, and it's only when things snap into place do I have complete understanding.

And then, sometimes not even then.

Because some changes are just plain confusing...and I don't think I'll ever understand them.

A couple of weekends ago, I was invited to attend a bar-b-q, and was instructed to bring a dish to share...Since there was going to be potato salad, I decided I would bring Rice Krispy Treats instead. The shindig was close to The Fourth of July, and I also decided it would be festive if I sprinkled some red and blue sugar sprinkles on top of the treats...you know, just in case there wasn't enough sugar from all the marshmallows?

Well, I had a feeling that I had used up the last of the red sprinkles when Rozz and I made Christmas Cookies this year (and the bottles were about vintage to begin with...case dang it takes a long time to use up sprinkles) and when I was at the store, I went down the cake decorating aisle and bought both the red and the blue, because I thought I would outsmart the cooking gods, just in case there wasn't enough blue to go around (well that and I was too lazy to check the sprinkle status before I left the house...) and I needed to make three batches of these.

Ha!
(I said this rather triumphantly in my head after carelessly tossing the bottles into the basket)

After arriving back home and whipping up the first batch of Krispy Rice Goodness, I opened up the red sprinkles and generously threw them all about in utter sprinkle abandonment...and then I smelled something. I stopped and put the sniffer to work, and realized that it was a rather cinnamony scent and it was coming from the jar of sprinkles. Well.

This could not be?

Sure enough...right there on the bottle was the word "Cinnamon flavored sugar sprinkles!!" As if this was now the most wonderful of all things in the whole world.

But it was not.

I had a slew of expletives run through my head...because when I picked up the blue bottle of sprinkles it was to my dismay that these were "blueberry flavored!!"

There really is nothing more horrible than feeling totally thwarted in the middle of a project...whether it's being a tablespoon short of butter while making cookies or having to re -thread a bobbin for the last 12 inches of sewing...As I was standing there with my mouth hanging open, a bottle of sprinkles in each hand...and a horrible weird smell that the two made when they were combined lingering in and around my nose...I found myself desperately glancing around desperate for someone to blame.

I suppose in the end though...as I climbed up on my kitchen stool tush up in the air, so that I could dive into the back of the spice cupboard for the non-flavored blue sprinkles I knew had to be in there...I could only blame myself. Even though the thought of "whyinheavensname would someone decide to make flavored sprinkles?! And then stock only those?!" (This was my only choice of sprinkles that day at the store...and I honestly don't know what they are thinking? Those are both pretty strong flavors for something that is supposed to be decorative...) And I know that they actually have pictures of what the flavors are, but I didn't stop to even look because I was so excited to even be remembering to grab the silly things.

So yes, in the end, I only have myself to blame.

I am thinking of starting a letter writing campaign against flavored sprinkles...something along the lines of: at the very least a store must carry both non-flavored and flavored sprinkles.

I do thank my lucky stars that I was making the Treats though, because while cinnamon flavored sprinkles on puffed rice and marshmallows is one thing...cinnamon flavored sprinkles on lemon cupcakes is entirely something else.

Getting The Groove Back...

::Enjoying the Weekend::

Giving the weekend a jump start and finding ourselves at The Raven Cafe for a fantastic DJ, who spun real vinyl believe it or not...Nice little house beats to boot. I love to dance, and we were surprised to find that the cafe was not crowded at all (even though the beats were rocking) so it was easy to find lots of elbow room on the dance floor...in case that's what one needs.

Running up to Flagstaff for the day just to wander around and get out of the heat...which was most certainly accomplished in between monsoonal downpours...and singing joyfully out loud on the way home to good hits from the past.

Watching a herd of lizards (OK...two) literally run over my feet (with their scrabbly little lizard toes diging in to the top of my feet) in grand excitement to get into my house and causing me to jump straight up and turn left and scream...which brought the cat running. I have no idea where they've gotten themselves to at the moment...but, I'm really having a hard time walking through the house without feeling creeped out. It's not that I don't like lizards, I just don't like them running free in the house.

Which means I'm totally loopy from lack of sleep.
(it's the dreams of lizards running across my face while I sleep that's probably doing it)

Watching movies, both Practical Magic (which is incidentally when the lizards decided to join us in the house...making me think this is a very powerful movie indeed) and Seven Pounds...which made me sob. Sob. And then Sob some more...

I think I may already need a nap.

Or an entirely different weekend.

Fluffing the Doorways...

I think we all know that when decorating a space, it's all in the details.

I happen to have a lot of details be-bopping around my spaces. I like to say it's an inherited trait, having two antique and collectible dealers for parents, you slip into that habit early. Plus? People usually love Foolsewoode when they walk in...it's homey, full of fun things to look at...and you can put your feet up anywhere. It's like both of my parent's homes...and it's important for my house to be a home for me to actually live in. This has always been more important than having stuff and fluff floating around...

I'm a big believer in being able to put your feet up.

So now, unless I get busy and rearrange things (which I find myself doing sometimes for fantastic new loves) or clean it out and take it away...my extra space is kind of being used up. But, what do you do when you when you find new things that you think you can't live without? (as in the form of gold carved goodness at the thrift...)

Sometimes I have a list of questions I ask myself mentally...

but in other cases...


You realize somewhere in your mind that you do have some extra space to fluff.

It just happens to be above the doorways...

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...

Mornings at Foolsewoode...

Are not complete without a little cream in your coffee.

During my first trip to Italy (after sleeping not even 15 minutes of the night) I awoke to stagger lightly dance down to the continental breakfast. In Italy, no meal is complete without Espresso (and I'm not sure what they do to their coffee there, but I can drink coffee there all day long and not be one bit jittery...If I did such a thing in the states, or didn't adhere to my strict half reg. half decaf. I would be committed...) and my espresso is not complete without latte.

In Italy, they happen to have warm latte.

This made me put down the latte that first day after pouring it in my coffee, look my companion squarely in the eyes and say, "I am not going to want to go back home!"
(and I actually felt more like that after I'd gotten a good night's sleep later, but for totally different reasons.)

You see, warm latte and not chilled cream, was a total novelty to me. I could add the perfect amount of cream to my coffee and not cool it down one little bit.

LeSigh.

As I mentioned before, no morning is complete at Foolsewoode without a bit of cream...and while I don't actually heat my cream (and it's soy) I do pour it out into a little creamer I rescued from somewhere...so that at least it is room temperature when I pour it into my coffee.

I actually have a few creamers in the kitchen, but I have been using this one the most as it's my very favorite. First, the weight is perfect...it is nice and heavy and sturdy, like vintage restaurant china...and second? Well this is the reason I bought this baby. If you look very closely, under that flower decal someone put on there is the logo for The United States Army...

I am tickled that someone thought to put the little flowers over this instead of getting rid of it because it's wasn't decorative enough for them...

And it's perfect for my Latte...

It Must Be The Moon...

The other night while out slogging hiking through Willow Lake underbrush, mosquitoes...and doing a bit of rock scrambling (which just may be where my sore shins originated) I noticed that when I looked up in the sky to the East, there seemed to be an almost full moon hanging up there...

::blink blink::

Do you think it's natural for one to fall to the ground, curl up in a fetal position and start rocking back and forth when seeing the moon? All while thinking, "Oh no! Now What?!?!"

I mean, I've heard of people changing into werewolves...but this reaction?

I know that the moon affects the tides and a lot of other natural rhythms of this fair Earth (and the moon is in fact 100% full today) but the sheer fact that I winced (and tried to run) when I saw how close to full the moon was going to be...and felt a shiver run up and down my spine made me wonder what exactly is up?

Apparently this particular moon is a Full Moon Eclipse in Capricorn...my sister is a Capricorn and we've been known to butt heads (Ram and Goat? Yeah...) But upon further reading of that link there, I have some positives coming through the career sector...and partnership matters kind of secondary. Well, this explains conversations lately.


I can now say...after looking all of that up, that I feel a little better, and I'm breathing a sigh of relief.

Now I can just enjoy this Full Moon Eclipse as the beauty it brings...and the light it shines down in the middle of the night, so I can see my footing while out walking. Of course, this also means it's shining in my window at night making it very hard for me to sleep lately...Ah yes, this could also be another reason that I panicked when I noticed the moon the other night...little things are taking great hold on me right now...Probably because of the lack of good deep sleep.

Oh wait...apparently eclipses always arrive in pairs...and we will, in fact, be having 3 eclipses 2 weeks apart...is it too soon for the next fetal position?

The Fourth In Photos...

Complete With Commentary...

The start of the kiddie parade
Look at those pinchable (spellcheck is telling me "pinchable" is not a word...but, punchable is. This puts a whole different spin on the kiddie parade however) cheeks...they're so little, I wonder if they even know what's going on?

A Fantastic Cowgirl!
Doesn't she look like she's having a great time?
I am also wondering if that woman in the background is knitting...this makes me feel a bit guilty as I only had my hands full with a camera.

Cattle Roundup.
Using saw horses...actually, dragging them down the street. I wonder at what point someone wished they had installed wheels or in line skates on these babies (what? Cows totally in line skate for your information...)
I love that the boy in the background has entirely given up dragging and just picked his up...probably because the rhythm was drag. drag. fall over. pick up. repeat.

Boy in a wagon.
I have nothing to say about this except that I thought it might make a nice shot...especially if The Square wasn't so crowded. Alas, parades, children, and holidays make people flock here...That's half the fun...the jostle factor.

May The Force Be With You...
In the form of the Star Wars Pooper Scoopers. The pooper scoopers were entertainment themed this year and totally made me crack up! There are a lot of pooper scoopers for The Big Fourth Parade, mostly because there are a lot of horses...
stay tuned for more on that...

Smokey The Bear and Bernie The Sundog (right hand corner)
It was nice to see all the "mascots" out and about on Parade Day...I was wondering though, if they would get in a fight and we'd see fur fly?
They did not and we did not.
(this is what being packed in a large crowd of people who were holding those weird plastic clapper things will do to you...make you think about violence. I am wondering if people are just too lazy to clap using their own hands now?)

The Mountain Men...
This is a loud fun group, but every time I see them, I wonder how they manage in all that leather and fur in the intense Arizona heat?
Maybe this is explainswhy they're always yelling and whooping it up?

The Rodeo Queen...
Love those saddles with all the silver on them...just beautiful.
I included the uncropped photo because of what's out there on the street...oopsie. This is why there's a need for all the pooper scoopers...
Parade Day is a bit messy and quite fragrant when all is said and done.

Howdy.
I included this picture just because it looked as if this cowgirl was posing just for me.
How nice!
(It is at this point that we must face the fact that the heat makes me loopy)

What The???
I was absolutely stymied at this one. I don't recall taking this picture at all, and who are these guys?!
Then I realized that that is John McCain. Yep. Right there. Yeah-huh...he's the one in the baseball cap, chambray shirt, khakis
(not too fashion risky.)

OK.

This is the back of John McCain.
He was participating in the parade and didn't even look over our direction.
People got a bit flocky when he walked by, and it was hard to get a shot in...
(this is my excuse and I'm sticking to it)

Other Observations About the Holiday Weekend:

*The front of my shins hurt. Then again, I suppose when it comes to shins, they only have a front. That being said, I have no idea why this is (why they hurt, not the other part, although that makes one think)
*I badly need a tripod. I did not get one picture of the fireworks this year, and it was the best show I've ever seen them put on. We watched them from Willow Lake. In a swarm of mosquitoes (I used spray and only got bit 4 times!! Cause' we all know what happens when I get bit...)
*I realized on Sunday night in bed that I totally got eaten alive by mosquitoes (20+ bites thankyouverymuch...) but only on the outside of my right thigh. I have no idea when or where this happened? I am thinking at the bar-b-q/party/reunion on Sunday? But then, why didn't they go for my exposed skin?
I am totally confused.
*I had an absolutely fantastic time at the above mentioned bar-b-q/party/reunion on Sunday. I did not even unpack the camera making me wish I had my own professional photographer to follow me around and document these things. I did get a couple of pictures on the cell of very large fish that were caught at the pond
(perhaps the pond is where the mosquitoes were all hiding? Well that, and under my shorts...on one side. Apparently.)

And The Rockets Red Glare...

I hope everyone has a festive and fun Fourth of July!

Myself? I live in the town that boasts The World's Oldest Rodeo...and we celebrate like a real old western town...with a lot of root-n-tootn parades, craft fairs, fireworks, and street dancing. We also happen to have a Boot Race right in the middle of historic Whiskey Row...which is a hop skip and a jump away from Snap Snap.

I will be attending both the kiddie parade (which makes me cry my eyes out, and I'm not even related to anyone in it...it's just the pure joy that small kids that show on their faces when they dress up and people wave at them) and the big parade (which only makes me cry because of the amount of horses and car clubs in it) the boot race (which makes me cry because I'm usually laughing so hard) and I'll probably catch the fireworks somewhere before going home to bake a gross of rice crispy treats for a bar-b-q and reunion of sorts on Sunday.

I'll try to capture something on film...

Focusing On...

::On two different views::

::Things in the Distance::

::Looking into the window...and almost being able to see the mantle decorated for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday...and the lights twinkling therein.

::Another fantasy photo shoot...props gathered, photos taken, stories written...hopefully at the end of this month.

::Designing and completing a book based on the pictures and story from The Mad Tea Party for Clay, Lo Sciocco Favoloso...to express my thanks since he is currently without a computer.

::On things that are right in front of me::

::Kickin guacamole (my own special recipe...and a meal in itself) with a good friend.

::The sound of rain pouring off the roof, flowing right out of the gutters...the thunder in the distance...the reflection of lightning bouncing off the walls.

::My grandmother being rushed to the hospital and having trouble breathing...taking charge of Rozz, cooking her dinner, and watching tween TV. Waiting for updates via cell phone...will GG be admitted or not? She's 95. I don't suppose this is a great surprise, but it always is, isn't it?

::Laughing uproariously during phone updates with my mother about the conversation when she went to get GG...

As my mother tenderly threw her arm around GG, "It's OK mother. We'll get through this together."
GG stopping to look at her, "Good Heavens! Have you been eating garlic?!?!"

::The reminder of the strong women I come from, and the fact that whatever happens, we will indeed get through this together...and we'll be going down laughing.

::UPDATE::

GG was sent home last night after being in the emergency room with my mother for about 6 hours. I "guess" she's fine now, and they didn't really find anything wrong?

In The Fading Light...

...of the summer afternoon, I often find myself on the porch of Foolsewoode...drinking in the last bit of sunlight...watching it shoot through the clouds that often cover our skies. Clouds that make me delirious with joy. I can sit and watch clouds for hours, and I have been known to pull over and grab the camera that sits next to me in the car, to capture such skies.

Sometimes this makes me late to places that I have to go.

It's always moments like this...in this light, that I feel I can do anything. That anything is possible...and it's all at my fingertips ripe for the asking, if I can just compose the question.

Because the dusk is magical that way...chasing away the sunlight before it turns to dark and the stars come out to visit and play.

And then, I totally forget all about questions...my mind drifting elsewhere.

Sometimes it drifts to the corners of my home...to the boards that were replaced many years ago when we first bought this house when we put on a new roof, back even before the we turned into an I. And they still aren't painted? (this is the impatient part of my mind that is logically always trying to whip me into some semblance of shape and order)

But no. They are still not painted. Maybe sometime this year?

Instead, I jiggle my feet which are propped on a chair, and look up and through the branches of the ornamental cherry tree (although, I suppose that isn't fair...because once? Once I found a cherry hanging around in there for no apparent reason other than it just grew that way)

...and then I remember that I'm supposed to be reading. I just started the book Practical Magic...it jumped off a shelf at a thrift, and I was happy it didn't land on my foot. So, I picked it up to take home, and have been lost within the pages since.

Maybe I should ask the dusk to grant me the wish of being able to write a magical story such as this...or lyrics like Iron and Wine. Which is playing in the background.

I have a set of outside speakers that look like rocks, you know.

They match the large rock that my patio is built around (my house has a couple of rocks like this in it, rather than working to remove them...they were just sort of incorporated) A fun game is to turn on music and watch new guests look around in confusion as to where the music is coming from.

Things like this make me smile.

And then my attention wanders over to the portico...and the mercury glass acorns that adorn the entryway to my home. I immediately compose a shot in my head...and jump up to grab the camera.

And then I get impatient again, because as I have the shot already set in my head, and I happen to know it will look better when my colored twinkle lights come on. So, I devise a plan...and come back and wrap my nightgown around the timer (my timer comes on just after dusk, and turns itself off a few hours later...controlled by some high tech light sensitive sensor) and sure enough, after the nightgown is in place...the lights come on. Although, now? I don't know if I got the shot I had intended...

But I celebrated the magic of the dusk anyway...

And then I vigorously shook out my nightgown before I retired for the evening inside so as not to be covered with spiders later, because I don't care how amazing the light is...no one looks good covered in spiders.