Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 2

Our Proud Sponsors...

While Tsunami on the Square is a totally free event to attend for the public...it is by no means free behind the scenes.  Tsunami prides itself on paying, feeding, and sometimes housing all their performers!  This Festival now in it's twelfth year, is a Community Sponsored Event, meaning that there are a lot of businesses and members in our community of Prescott AZ (along with grants from other places) that ensure this festival can be continued year after year.

With so much talk about the down economy...Tsunami lost some grant money that they've counted on in the past.  This gave those of us behind the scenes the opportunity to really become creative and invited us to get out and talk to our fellow community leaders, members, and business owners...and they didn't let us down.  I personally thought it was exciting to give everyone in our community the chance to help sponsor what has become in some people's eyes, a favorite event in Prescott.  Snap!  Snap! has been overlooked in the past as a sponsor and I jump at the chance to back this event...I personally wanted to give everyone the opportunity to do so, and in turn give the people of Prescott and our other audience members a chance to see how we local businesses and private parties can come together and really put on a show!

Prescott didn't let us down...they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and helped in any way that they could...even people who had never sponsored Tsunami before gave me a thumbs up...we brought in the Antique Stores (who have been a constant support to the local economy) Pasquales Place (a family owned Greek restaurant)   And here we are, dancing on the doorstep of another fabulous Week of Tsunami on the Square because of it!

In fact, when you're at The Festival this year, take a moment to pause at our Donor Information Booth.  There are a lot of good community members represented there...and hard working people who helped bring you Tsunami on the Square once again, and I know they would both appreciate your support and they would also love it if you gave them a thank-you the next time you were visiting them for their involvement in Tsunami or heck, take a moment to tell them how much you enjoy the festival.  As a business owner of fifteen years in the community, I am honored to be included in this list of fine Prescott establishments...and I am tickled to death to be able to sponsor Tsunami for my own enjoyment...and heck, if you're down on The Square on June 19th...come and enjoy it with me!

On my morning walk downtown, I couldn't help but smile when I saw all our colorful Tsunami posters right next to the Rodeo posters and fliers for other goings on.  We have so much community support now, and it's making Prescott a more colorful world indeed!

Here's at list of the 2010 Tsunami on the Square Supporters and Sponsors:

New Frontiers
Prescott Coffee Roasters
Monk's
The Raven Cafe
Bill's Pizza
The Frame and I/The Art Store
Bucky's Casino
Prescott Area Arts and Humanities Council
Child and Family Support Services
Academy of Performing Arts
Rich Charpentier
Pangea Bakery
Snap! Snap!
Firehouse Kitchen
Taj Mahal
Prescott Convention and Visitors Bureau
ASIS School of Massage
Dr. Susan Godman - Partners in Healthcare Naturally
Sun Qi/Defreitas Landscaping
T. Barnabas Kane Landscaping
Unitarian Universalist Church
Prescott College
Van Gogh's Ear
The Cortez St. Antique Shops (including:  Penningtons, Keystone Antiques, The Crowded Attic, Lost in Sports, Gypsy Street Antiques, The Merchandise Mart, DeJa Vu)
St. Michael's Alley (including:  The Silver Elephant and Solstice)
Springhill Suites/Marriott
Prescott Community Access Channel - Access 13
Out of Africa

The Motor Lodge

Eye on the Mountain
Arizona Commission on the Arts

Coyote Joes/Annies Attic

(and I could have left someone out...I'm sorry for that.  We also have an amazing board and a crew of volunteers that make me want to stand up and applaud)

Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 1

Today starts the Official Tsunami on the Square week countdown here at Foolsewoode!

(it's because I'm on the board and we've all been working our tails off to bring the good people of Prescott an outstanding Festival)

(oh...and because I love my Tsunami!!)

I personally began the morning running a whole bunch of posters and lobby cards I'd made...along with some of my vintage umbrellas down to National Bank for the lobby display.  National Bank gave us Business of the Week this week...which is perfect, because it will lead right up to the day before Tsunami.

  So, if you're in the downtown area and want to start getting excited for Tsunami, visit National Bank on the corner of Gurley St. and Cortez St.

You will also want to swing by the Prescott Public Library and check out the Tsuami display in the large display case...I didn't personally have more to do with it than the loan of a couple more umbrellas...and when I went to put them in the case I was blown away!  It is an awesome display designed and installed by a couple more board members and I just adore it...It brings a ton of color to that corner of the library.

Today is also the official start of Circus Camp...Which is a much anticipated event here in Prescott for children and young adults.  The Camp runs for 4 days:  The 14th-17th from 9-12:30 and is an amazing deal at only $12 per day...and it happens to be right behind Snap! Snap! in the Middle School football field...so I had to run down there and take a picture of this fine group of children...because by the end of the week, most of them will be on stilts and juggling and in costume!

I actually have plans to go to Circus Camp on the last day, so I will try to remember to snap some pictures while I'm there.  A lot of my friends children have attended Circus Camp over the years, and many of them are down there today.  One of the best things about the camp besides learning really wonderful and unusual skills is the fact that the kids are all invited to participate in the Kick-Off Parade at Noon the day of Tsunami.

Also?

It's like we're training a whole group of home-grown talent for future festivals...how great would it be to see The Square filled with past and current participants of Circus Camp from Prescott?

I think that would be pretty awesome!

Please remember to set your watches and mark your calendars for Saturday June 19th at Noon and join us down on The Square for an amazingly magical day!

The Flamingos Have Arrived...

When one thinks of flamingos one doesn't necessarily immediately think of Arizona.  In fact, when I think of flamingos, I usually think Florida, or the Zoo...or even Airstreams (as they are kind of the official mascot of the silver traveling twinkies)  And I thank the heavens above that someone out there decided at some point in the past that everyone should have a shot of owning a couple of flamingos by making them into iconic yard art.

Maybe tacky?

But come on...

Where else is a girl going to get her hands on flamingos if not in overly colorful plastic yard art?   I mean, real flamingos need water and special plankton to make their feathers colorful, and I have no idea that even if I provided these things how I would be able to keep a couple of rather large birds standing in the yard exactly how I want them?  So, it's safe to say that this girl has always wanted some fantastic pink plastic...and would love to have held out for the vintage concrete ones, but I think they're far and few between.

So, yesterday while out looking for things to complete the costumes I'm making for my participation in the Tsunami on the Square Kick-off Parade I stumbled upon these beauties that practically squawked to go home with me...winking their little eyes and wiggling their tail-feathers (which one can agree is most difficult when twistie-tied into cardboard packaging)

I hesitated just a moment when I walked around the corner of the store to see there was also a lovely solar Tiki guy, who's eyes light up after he's been charged by the sun...but I just had to go back and grab these pink plastic beauties.  And you know I'm still thinking of that solar Tiki God...

My friend Arthur who manages a nursery immediately informed me that they have Skeleton Day of the Dead flamingos in his shop...and he seasonally gets in flamingos dressed as Santa and a reindeer.

Swoon.

Just think of the seasonal flamingo possibilities!

Tacky yard art knows no bounds...

Mostly Wordless Mural...

Saturday I was lucky enough to go to Acker Park here in Prescott and attend the very last mural dedication of the five murals painted in Prescott in five years by The Mural Mice.

I would love to direct you to their website as their work all over town is inspired and beautiful, but their server is down.

This is why.

I have been personally watching the Go Green mural evolve on the wall of my old elementary school Miller Valley for a long while now.  It is on the route I take home from the gym in the morning and it's be fun for me to see it come along.

I personally have no qualms about the image as I think it is beautiful, and the only real thought that goes through my mind is, "how do they paint so well?!?!"  I was also slightly worried about painting on the bricks of the building, but if I can recall correctly, that was either build while I was attending school there or re-done thereabouts...there has been some grumbling about this, but I'm pretty sure that they didn't build a 7,000 square foot school out in what would have been the middle of nowhere in 1912 (or around then) So that is more new brick and not the actual historical part of the school that lies off to the left of the mural on an entire different wing of the school.  R.E. Wall, the mural artist also said that he was so excited to be able to paint this particular mural with the children of the school...and it sounds as if the children were happy about this project.

In fact, the kids on the mural were models for the mural itself.

Which is why I cringed when our local councilman Blair started talking about the color of their skin.  There's really nothing positive to follow a statement that begins, "I am not racist but..."  And R.E. Wall and his team lightened the color of the childs face up...on a project that had already been approved by the powers that be...but apparently not Blair.  These children are human beings, they are a part of my community and the color of their skin is fine.  They are fine just the way they are...they add diversity and excitement to my community.

There was a protest last Saturday with a rather large turn out...because not everyone in this community thinks that cultural diversity is a bad thing.  Blair was fired from his radio job, the school apologized (and there's been talk of restoring the childs face to its original color) and there's a petition going around asking for the resignation of Blair from the city council.

I respect that in America everyone has a right to their opinion and I'm not sure what the best way of going about this would have been for Blair...but this got a lot of national attention, and there was a collective cringe from more than a few of the people that live here.  I am proud to live in a place where people can gather together, where people can talk and express themselves...and best of all?  I'm proud to live in a community that has been made more beautiful by five murals scattered around the town reminding me that this is a beautiful place in more ways than one.

Good Job Mural Mice!

The Posters Are Making Their Debut...

After a short meeting with Andrew, the executive director of Tsunami on the Square 2010 last evening, I happily left with a stack of posters in my hot little hands.

These posters were designed by Ms. Dina...and we all remember her and her fabulousness!  She certainly did not disappoint this time.  I have to admit, being on the board of Tsunami on the Square means that I actually have been looking at various forms of this design for a while now, and I've been impressed all along.  I would like to say I had more of a hand in the design, but all I did was open my yap about being on the board and Dina just wanted to jump right in with her talents!

(it's so nice to be connected)

This year for The Little Wave That Could, Andrew wanted to introduce a more comic book/pulp-fiction theme, which I think was greatly captured here and will be repeated on T-Shirts and Programs...I am very very excited for those to come out as well!

I am proud to say that Snap! Snap! was the very first business in town to receive a poster this year (mostly because we met up the street, so I popped one in my window last night.  I don't usually pop anything in the window, so this was a BIG deal for me...things usually go up on my community board instead)  and is being quickly followed by people holding their hands out for this particular piece of art.

Honestly, after fundraising?  There's nothing like being welcomed with a big smile and excitement when you walk into a business to hand them one of these posters.  Tsunami is a favorite event with a lot of business owners downtown.

The event itself brings about 7,000 people into the area for the day and these people love to wander in and out of the shops and restaurants...Not to mention that the festival itself is a full day of amazing performances...and I am happy to say that we have had an extraordinary amount of local support this year...

Which makes me very happy to be a part of this amazing little community...and exactly why I proudly hang my Tsunami poster in the window of my shop.

I love my Tsunami!

Food Fights For Freedom...

OK...while it's totally not accurate that I'm running around lobbing bits of food at people in the name of freedom, apparently this was the case in World War 2 here on the home front.

I've heard of victory gardens of red, whites, and blues, and collecting scrap metal, but never did I expect that people would be throwing around a valuable commodity such as their bread and butter.  Literally.

Oh wait.

You're totally right.

I read that wrong didn't I?

Well, there goes the image of someone running down the street yelling, "Live Free or Die!" while throwing eggs and tomatoes at your windows.

During wartime rationing, it was responsible to treat your food with respect and learn how to stretch it as far as it could possibly go...along with your budget.

Responsibility in rationing, but probably not as fun as it would be to hold a gigantic food fight in your neighborhood while wearing red, white, and blue...But, perhaps something to think about this Independence Day!

I may bring some old food I'm not using any more to the Fourth of July Parade and see how that goes over.

Then again, this is the Wild West, so maybe not so much on the old food thing.

I just acquired this little Wartime Meat Recipe Book a little bit ago from one of my mother's stores Gypsy Street Antiques.  As you know, I happen to collect little premium recipe books and I just adore this one.

What really drew me to this particular book is not the varied and odd ways there are to cook meats and other organs, but the fact that I totally look like that when I'm in the kitchen...Like a fabulous Pin-Up Girl Kitchen Hottie.

I keep wondering how the heck someone got this rendering of me without me knowing it?!?!

Fine.

I don't look like that (my hair is much shorter) I wish I looked like that.  Sometimes I feel like that in the kitchen...And, I probably have that particular apron tucked away somewhere so that's gotta' count for something.

I also really adore the fact that this cook-book of Meat Point Pointers (although a good pointer for me would actually be the definition of a Meat Point...?  Cause the only pointy thing I see on this cook-book is the thing in her hand, and I'm pretty darned sure that's the pencil she uses to make her grocery list...or mark something off in what looks like a Ration Book that she's holding...) was from a time when people really needed to watch their budgets and get a little more creative.  Kind of like life now...And the fact that it was given away from a little Home Ice & Supply Compnay that sold Ice, Coal, and Food Lockers!  Now that's a business worth having...

I'm still threatening my friends and family that I will someday be going through all of these books and having various dinner parties centered around some of the more colorful dishes...

Which may mean that I, myself, may either get rationed from my friends or have a whole lot of food fighting going on at Foolsewoode.

An Open Blog To The Gray Hair That's Taken Up Residence In My EyeBrow...

Are you kidding me?

Look what I found this morning during my regular spiffing up routine.  Right in the middle of putting on my face (this is what my grandmother always called it) I found a big ole' long gray hair in my eyebrow.  And by long I mean, how blind have I been to this?  I mean...it's a mostly stark white gray hair in there...nestled amongst the other ones...and it's long.

These things can't grow overnight can they?

I refuse to believe that my new contacts are the wrong prescription.

(or that I'm not that aware of the things that are growing on my face)

I understand that as we get older there's some sort of chemical scientific nonsense that goes on in our bodies, like the fact that they're wearing out, that makes us not be able to grow our every day normal colored hair in places that it's been growing just fine and dandy for years.  It's like our bodies are giving up being able to expend the extra effort to add color...or keep our skin firm.

I get it.

Clairol gets it...

I get it so well, that I totally got it in my twenties...when I changed my hair color from a graying blond to a red head  (we gray extraordinarily early in my family.  I'm unsure whether the cause it genetics or our own personal life choices...)  And I remember having to hold my sister up from fainting dead away when I showed her my first grays.

She doesn't like anything that may hint that anyone is getting older.

Somewhere my sister is fainting over my eyebrows.

I, however, realize that this is a necessary fact of life, all this aging and graying and sagging...I figure if I grow in wisdom that's bound to make up for it (although, I'm looking at the fine lines that are popping up on my face and I'm starting to wonder)  and looking back over my life, I can point out several things that may have caused gray hairs.

But in my eyebrows?

We can only guess at what's coming next in the gray area.

And I have no idea what to do with it.  I don't think I can dye it to match the head on my hair, because I think there's a big warning on the box because it's too close to your eyes?  I honestly have no clue, but I personally would imagine it's because the dye would not stay perfectly in place on my eyebrows and would then drip down my face, and in the course of waiting for all the grays to go, I would have have drips dyed onto my skin.  Which is fine if one is say, Alice Cooper...and he does live in Arizona, so I'd hate for people to get us all confused.

Do I pluck it?

I mean, once you start plucking hairs don't they grow back two-fold?

Yeah, after all the care I try to take in applying make-up, anti-aging salves, waxing, shaving, working out, and any of the other voodoo that I participate in to keep myself young and healthy looking, that's about the last thing I need...big bushy gray eyebrows. 

Great.

I suppose it's just a matter of time before I look like Einstein.

Ink...

About 3 weeks ago I had an appointment to see a guy...

about a tattoo.

I'd actually made the appointment on a whim about five weeks earlier.  If you consider a whim to be about twenty (cough cough) years of planning, scheming, and designing what my next tattoo would be after getting The Cat in the Hat on my shin...then it was totally spontaneous.

You see, after getting my first tattoo I knew I wanted another one, I just didn't know exactly what that would be.  I knew I wanted an arm band...and here I am at that age this year wondering what to do special for myself?  How do I mark time?

Yes, I got the contacts which I am delirious to have...but one morning at the gym the perfect design idea popped right into my head and I moved forward...the next day.

I designed the arm band around an image I'd shot when I was in Prague in 2006...an owl in a doorway between 2 Art Nouveau nudes extending his wings.  I figured that image would look pretty neat as an armband...

Making the appointment was easy, Tattoo Tony is a great guy, handlebar mustache and all...and he was just as excited about my design as I was, so that put any fears at ease that I had.  Also?  He comes highly recommended in my town as does Hold Fast, the location he parks his ink and his reclining Naugahyde chair...and I think he did an amazing job (so does everyone who's seen it in person)

Waiting for the appointment was sort of easy, because it was kind of a scribble it in on the calendar and forget about it thing.  Except that I kept wondering what it would look like on my arm...

Every time I looked at my arm or passed by a mirror...or a glass window.  It's lucky I didn't get hit by a car and actually made it to my appointment.

It was only the day before and the day of the appointment that I started to get nervous.  I ran over after work and sat in Tony's chair for about 2.5 hours while he worked applying the ink...and I know what you're thinking...no, it didn't hurt that badly.  Really.  It was only slightly uncomfortable up towards the tops of my arms on each side where the end of the owls wings stretch...but, I was able to remind myself that I had decided to not get the owl in color, and the shading would be easy and over in a minute.  Plus?  Once your endorphins kick in, you kind of go numb after a while.

It's a little larger than I had originally pictured it in my head, but only by a half an inch in height...making Megan exclaim, as she walked through the door of the tattoo parlor, "WOW!  It's bigger than I though...but you know?  If you're going to do it, you should really commit!"  And really, the detail Tonly was able to put in the image is stunning, any smaller and I would have lost quite a few feathers on this little guy.

I'm pretty healed up...which was a little painful at first, like having a fever in the area of the tattoo because it is an open wound so it does get a little hot...but that situation went away by the second day after airing it the area out and icing it.  It's healing beautifully now (or rather, it's pretty darned healed up) and I just followed Tony's instructions.

He wrapped my arm in saran wrap before I left the studio and I was instructed to keep that on all night and then take it off in the morning.  I read some things on the Internet and there are a lot of opposing opinions on that (which of course, made me panic) but I took the wrap off in the morning and washed the area with white soap 3 times a day (gentle, no real scent) patted dry and after the 2nd day started applying Lubriderm 3-4 times a day...keeping the tattoo aired out, but gently covered with my shirt (nothing tight)  No sun, or submerging in water for any length of time...

Yes, it did peel...or molt in this case (heh.)  And yes, it itched like the dickens for a couple of days, and I did take a week off from the gym to let it heal.  But that part's behind me now...

Only not really.

Because at the end of this month, I will be going back to have the rest of the tattoo inked on.  I will continue a design starting at the end of the wings towards the bottom that will wrap around under my arm.

yeah...

It may be more painful...but it can't be as bad as childbirth right?

I mean, I haven't actually had a baby, but I'm always comparing things to that particular act anyway.

The next part of the design will be in color...but I'll keep you in suspense for what exactly it will look like.  But just like the owl, it's full of personal symbolism.

We're big on symbolism here at Foolsewoode, and the owl is a particularly meaningful symbol in my life.

I think though, unlike my ankle tattoo...this will be it for me.  I am totally and wholly satisfied with this amount of ink on my body.

Memorial Weekend...

Welcome to my two days off in a row:

• Cleaning the bathroom, making room (...and then discovering the shelves you're wiping down are not coming clean.  Fine.  I will paint them instead) Painting shelves in bathroom and reorganizing items in said bathroom (wondering why in heavens name I own so much soap and product?!  I should be the youngest, prettiest, and best smelling person you know) Packing away items I'm not currently using, but will in the future.  Putting large bin in basement.
• Cleaning sinks, toilet, bathtub, little organizer things buy new organizer things...realize the silver plated items I use to put hand soap and toothpaste in need to be wiped down Completely Polished...Figure since I'm standing there doing it, I might as well polish the silver tray the cat's bowls are on.  Silver polished.  Bathroom clean, and organized stuff put back in good perfect acceptable order.
• Realize I'm going to Megan's for a bar-b-q on Sunday and I will attempt to drag out the material the I acquired for a commissioned flag banner she sweetly asked me to do for her porch...oh, about a year ago.  Yeah that sounds right...Ahem.  So I can stare at it before probably putting it away again.  Decide it wouldn't hurt to just start cutting some of the triangles out to get ready to maybe sew it before I go, because I have a meeting for Tsunami Sponsors in about 2 hours...so there's no way I can get started on the banner now.
• Cut out triangles and arrange them in order I'd like to see them in when I sew them to their respective rick-rack...decide I can pile them up and at least iron them to get them ready...and look at the freshly ironed pile and think, well...I can at least pin them to the rick-rack to get them ready...Sew the entire banner in less than 15 minutes and then wonder why it took me so long to start and complete this project in the first place?!
• Went to Tsunami meeting and had a coconut Italian soda...met My Pal Amy after and went to Snap Snap so she could shop, wherein I ran around straightening things before I hit the tired wall.
• Went home to collapse on the couch with the fourth Percy Jackson and The Olympians book.
• Sunday I did a facial and pedicure at home...
• Went to visit my friend Wendy at The Silver Elephant in the St. Michael Alley of Shops so she could re-do the little Thai wraps she put in my hair a month ago...they're like little thin strands of tinsel she ties onto individual hair on your head that then look like very sparkly highlights, only better.  People stop me everywhere I go...Wendy matched them as red, magenta, and maroon to my hair and they're subtle and fun.  I have washed, blow dried, styled with an iron, cut and dyed my hair and they stayed in for well over a month...fun fun fun!
• Cleaned the outside and inside of the car and got gas.
• Picked up My Pal Amy and went to Megan's for a lot of fantastic food and relaxation and the hanging of the banner...which probably almost made her faint.  The baby kept looking at it, and while she certainly approved I had to whisper into her ear that it may seem impressive, but in all reality I'd been asked to sew this before we even knew she was going to come into our lives...and it doesn't quite stretch around the whole porch, so I need to get back to cutting and sewing again.  Hopefully I'll get it completed the next time I lope over there for a good time.

So there you go...Now I'm at Snap Snap for the day to see if I can get things organized here and greet all the tourists and locals who are out wandering around on their days off...I hope your weekend was full of fun and you are enjoying remembering those who have passed on before you.

Un-aging...

Apparently I'm un-aging.

I have had an extraordinary amount of people tell me lately that I am.

The conversation goes something like this, "Sadira!  You look so (pause) great...It's your hair, um...smile...outfit...(pause)  Actually?  You look younger..."

Really?

Cause after putting in some serious time at Snap Snap the last two weeks, my body is feeling kind of what Atlas must feel like at the end of the day holding up the World...while my mind feels young (which is not to be confused with immature) (I hope) But I certainly appreciate the compliments, because they're leaving me shocked and a whole lot of smiley...because for the amount of times I have you said, "If I could go back and do everything over with what I know now..."  I'm starting to wonder if I'm actually going to achieve that?  However, and don't by any means get me wrong here, it makes me ponder, if I look so young now, what the heck did I look like before?

(It's like my mom grumbles under her breath in answer to the phrase, "You look exactly the same!!" "Gawd...I looked this old before?"  sigh.)

I'm chalking it up to the fact that I maybe I didn't um, look so appealing before?  So perhaps I just look my age now.

Whatever.

I'm just chalking it up to putting on the right outfit before I leave the house in the morning and I try not to smile too enthusiastically, because I crinkle...and surely then you can tell my age?

Specially right around the eyes.

Even the mailman noticed yesterday as I walked outside after the easel that Snap Snap blew over in the spring winds and Marilyn Monroed my way through picking it up...bending over in the wind in a dress and not exposing your naughty bits is not as easy as it looks.

Believe me.

I chalked my youthfulness on the fact that he was all the way down the block eating his lunch when he saw me...Surely everyone looks younger when you're down the street, and when you're trying to keep your dress from blowing up over your head?

I hope everyone who's staring down a 3-day weekend uses it to have fun...because fun has got to be the number one way to de-age yourself.

And chocolate.

Chocolate is totally in the menu of youth.

(I'm sure exercising, eating right, a flattering hair cut, just the right fitting clothes, knowing how to Spackle apply make-up, and laughing a lot is somewhere in the mix...but fun and chocolate are definitely at the top)

The Color of New Happens to be Fluorescent Green...

...just in case you were wondering.

You just never really would know that pine trees leaf out needle out have new growth in the Spring unless you happen to shade your eyes and glance just right up and over your shoulder out of the corner of your eye and notice that all the ends of the pine trees that surround you seem to have fluorescent needles on their tips...because they're brand new to the world.

Or

You could be like me, and have an observant guide with you that points it out...and you go, "ohhhh..." and snap a picture like a Bermuda-shorts-wearing-tourist...and then go back to hiking and falling down.

This fluorescent green is reminding me of new growth...new things, just right around that corner up there...which I can almost see around if I stand on my tippy-toes and crane my neck just right.  Before I slowly sink down to the path again, because I know that the only real way to see around that corner is to keep moving forward.  Perhaps I could just stand on your shoulders and see.  But you're right, I don't have that great of balance and I'm slightly afraid of heights.  So, I'll just take it all in and look at all that new growth that's around me instead.

Only...I just happen to keep picturing flowers on the ends.  Of all that change and newness...and I'm kind of wondering what what colors the flowers would be?

Nestled in all that green?

I mean, the trees already happen to have all the tiny sweet brown pine-cones growing on them...and I certainly wouldn't want to change that, but pine-cones often happen to house seeds, so I'm kind of thinking they're more like fruit.

So, maybe orange.

Or pink.

Or iridescent...

(although, that might scare away the owls and the horned toads...but I'm sure faeries would love it!)

So, no flowers for the pine trees...because they're really just fine the way they are.  Unfolding up there on that mountainside season after season, just like the rest of us...only more quiet and observant.  Sometimes I wonder if pine trees weren't so standy and wish they had legs, so they could move and dance and twirl?  I love to dance, and I can't imagine not being able to dance...especially in the forest.

I'm sure they accept themselves just as they are...

But still.  I wonder if they know what they're missing?

Maybe next time I go up onto that mountainside I will paint my hands green and bring flowers to hold and twirl around just so they're included in the dance...

Or the falling down.

You know how I am.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...

Lately.

Bringing light to the shadows...

And listening to The Beatles.

We were talking-about the space between us all
And the people-who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth-then it's far too late-when they pass away.
We were talking-about the love we all could share-when we find it
To try our best to hold it there-with our love
With our love-we could save the world-if they only knew.
Try to realize it's all within yourself
No-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small,
And life flows ON within you and without you.
We were talking-about the love that's gone so cold and the people,
Who gain the world and lose their soul-
They don't know-they can't see-are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself-then you may find, peace of mind,
Is waiting there-
And the time will come when you see
we're all one, and life flows on within you and without you.

The Art of Wearing Hankies...

I decided to wear my new skirt, even though the weather report showed cool air hanging around outside...I figured if I paired it with a pink cardigan and my sparkly pink Chucks I'd indeed be warm...

Pink sparkles do that to a girl you know.

I want you to know, even though I didn't take a picture, the hankie pattern in the back of the skirt showcases a whole other set of different US hankies in almost the opposite colors (even though they somehow all go together) making me think that if I turned completely around and walked backwards I could totally wear a whole different color scheme and get away with it.

Or...

I could turn the skirt completely around and walk like a normal person.

Probably though, being normal is overrated.

(somewhere a teenage version of myself who is desperately trying to fit in by blending it, just cringed)

And.  Since the vintage red rick-rack as a hemline trim was just enough whipped cream for the skirt...I thought I'd dig out my sweet silver Illinois charm bracelet to further compliment all the states that are represented by this hankie print and whip cream up my wrist as well...and mostly because Illinois is not on my skirt.

Arizona oddly enough, is not on here either, but since I happen to be standing in Arizona at the moment, I think that counts for something, don't you?

Creativity Rick-Rack Whipped Cream on Top...

Starting the one day weekend with some very thoughtful dessert love from DaNece, whom joined me on when my weekend would usually begin.

I just happened to be a day late for two-full days off.

Meh, I tell you...after getting into the rhythm, I could probably keep working 6-days in a row...it's a busy-rhythm thing.  In fact, when checking my horoscope this morning (this is the one that I'm was going to toss because it usually makes me to stressed out to have a good day, and I forgot and looked anyway, and really...who needs that pressure?) said that I need to hit the ground running and it's not about what I accomplish, but it's about the crazy pace I need to keep up...

Yeah.

I got news for you on that one.

I'm an Aries, I got crazy pace down to an art, and sometimes...just sometimes, we do crazy here very well indeed.

Also on my one day weekend, my friend Ken and I were able to get together and hike.  Hike all over the glory that happens to be Springtime in Prescott...

Green and lush, flowers and water...

And wind.

This wind.

Blowing like crazy...it actually blew cold weather in.  I mean, my heat kicked on at Foolsewoode last night and scared me to death.

We decided that this may indeed be a good day in which to learn to fly.

This wind.

As it was, Ken swept us up one of the hillsides in Groom Creek where it seemed to be a little more protected from all the blustery-ness.  As we hiked up the hillside stopping to search among the trees and seek out all the beautiful green, I half expected to see Pooh Bear and his companions go flying by on this blustery day.  I didn't see them, but I did spot an Owl's nest way high in the pines...which actually looked quite dreamy as the tree was gently rocking back and forth.

And?

I only fell once.

I know.  That's good for me!

I usually fall at least one time when I'm hiking...and this time it was on flat ground (which more often than not is when I do it)  I guess maybe I'm more careful on the rough patches when I keep telling myself in my head that I'm going to fall, and then when I'm least expecting it?

Whee!!

I also crossed a fallen log that was suspended over moving water...conquered both fears on that one:  Heights and running water.  Actually it was more of my standing there raising my left eye-brow while saying, "if you think I'm crossing that, you've got another thing coming..."  Which prompted Ken to hold out a hand, he's very good like that.  I'm getting a wee bit better about asking for help when I'm out hiking...and thank heavens I usually get it.

Although, I kind of wonder what my hiking companions think?

And we found waterfalls...and swimming holes...and more than a few Ziploc bags full of water hanging from trees.

Yeah.

The natural landscape of the forest.

Honestly...it was so weird for us to keep spotting them.  Perplexing even.  I should have taken pictures of the confused faces we were making...

To tell the truth, I honestly couldn't believe there weren't goldfish swimming in them...

Surreal.

And off we went after all that silliness to visit my mother and have some Mexican Crack at Sanch.

I picked up this bit of really great cotton fabric that looks like vintage hankies at one of my mother's shops and had to quick whip it into a skirt when I got home.

Yeah.

I was shocked too...probably not as shocked as my sewing machine, but there you go.

Now I have a sweet summer skirt to wear when it finally gets warm (seeing at it was in the 30's when I hauled tush to the gym this morning...sigh) made totally complete with the addition of some of my vintage red rick-rack on the hem-line.

So, I started the weekend strawberry with whipped cream on top and ended with creativity rick-rack whipped cream on top...

Sunny Day...

...Sweeping the clouds awaaayyy...

On my way to where the air is sweet...

Can you tell me how to get...

Ah ha!

Caught me singing did you?

Spring had finally after  a long and hard labor once again birthed herself in our corner of the world.  I am in no way complaining of the mildness that has been Northern Arizona's weather this year, as I prefer to see the forests and lands soaked with water and springtime flowers bursting forth everywhere I look...Including this sweet baby that props herself at my front door  and takes the chance to greet me every time I happen to glance her way.  But, it's been nice to wake up to the sun more and more...even though once it's decided to do something in Arizona (like be sunny and warm, for instance) it does it with gusto.

We're so dramatic here.

I think that's probably why The Grand Canyon lives here.  She's a pretty dramatic place herself and enjoys Arizona fully...which is also probably why the red rocks of Sedona have plopped down for a while to sit back and put their fee up.

So to speak.

Nature generally doesn't have feet per se, it's more of a place to put your feet...digging in with your bare toes and relishing the new warmth of the Earth and the smells and sights of Spring.

I hope whatever you do this weekend, you make it a special one.  I for one, will kicking off my shoes and dancing around my neck of the woods and giving Mother Earth a little tickle...reminding both of us that I'm still here.

Tooled...

In the form of this lovely little vintage leather clutch which is currently waiting for its forever home at Snap Snap this week.

I get so excited to rescue and offer vintage western items at the shop...I mean, heck yeah we're a western town...and we're the original territorial capital (twice), and we are home to The World's Oldest Rodeo...I mean, the Earp Brothers used to hang out on Whiskey Row, which of course means we're legitimate vintage, but that doesn't mean we're full to the bursting of vintage western that you can just hold in your hands and walk around with.

(we don't take kindly to looting the historic buildings here)

(besides...have you ever tried putting a courthouse in your pocket?)

(Precisely...)

Yes, vintage western is getting as scarce as most vintage eventually does.  I chalk it up to the romance of the cowboy and the Wild West...it's a love affair that runs rampant through our own American culture as well as a whole lot of other countries in the world.  So, I tend to snap up any vintage western that meanders across my path and direct it into Snap Snap (gently, but with a lasso)  to sit and wait for the perfect person to go home with.

The wild west is a very cool place...

Especially when you can dress it up in tooled leather and put your change, ID, and family photos in it's sweet red leather interior.

Or photos of you in a rodeo.

With that big ole' buckle?

Whatever.

R.I.P. Born...

Well here you are...proof positive that

Number one:  I have very skinny ankles

Number two:  These shoes have major problems

They're not supposed to be flng-flongs and yet, there they are with their fronts flappin like a 92-year old woman's under arms in the breeze when she's wavin' good bye to her grandkids.
Not a good look for a loafer.

I ran and got a tube of Krazy Glue...you know the stuff?  The one that glues that construction guy's hard hat to the rather large steel beam while he suspends himself several stories over the ground flinging his legs around all Krazy like?

Yeah.

It didn't work.

Unless you consider gluing your finger to your shoe while having your shoe sole not glued together working.

Yeah.

Me neither.

But this is just typical Krazy/Super glue behavior in my book.

It's been that kind of day really...now you'll excuse me while I go pry my finger loose from the sole of the shoes that will now be thrown away...

Is that Taps I hear?

Ready. Set. GO...

That was one long weekend.

Phew.

Wait.

No it wasn't...My personal weekend was only one day.  Same as this week...yes, two 6-day work weeks in a row.  I'm wondering how I'll handle that.  I can get really attached to my two days off in a row...but you know?  I'm OK so far.

We'll check in again with each other about all of that on Friday, shall we?

As it was and knowing that I have two full weeks right in a row, I am remembering to be infinitely patient with myself and give me as much down time as I can muster.  When I remember that is.

I was able to pull off getting together with a whole lot of people this weekend...threw in a breakfast date at The Dinner Bell (whom happened to be featuring my most favoritest omelet they make so I was giddy...of course it could have been the 15 cups of coffee I also consumed...)  Nabbed my next pair of free panties via Victorias Secret...and spend the most of the rest of my day off at a fundraiser for Tsunami on the Square at a local watering hole here.

We had a great turn out for the event...we hosted a silent auction, a raffle (that will be for some very fine art pieces and will be running through the main event on The Square), a home-made enchilada supper (which was divine), a whole lot of local bands and talent, flamenco dancers, fire throwers...people on stilts, a dance contest...you know?  The usual fun Tsunami activities...If I would have remembered to bring my camera, I would have had a whole lot of fun photos (it must be the lack of putting my feet up?  OR my old age...grumble grumble)

I finally excused myself after drinking my weight in water to go home and put my feet up for a brief moment before passing out tired.  But, it was a heck of a way to wind up my one-day weekend...although my weekly relaxation and renewal yoga is looking mighty inviting from where I stand now...

New Shoes...

I love shoes.

Absolutely.

In fact, I have so many pairs my sister calls me the Imelda Marcos of Prescott...which is funny, but we have to consider that this particular source has only a handful of shoes and instead finds herself drooling over jewelry...so there's that.

But, I do have a lot of shoes.

Of course, I do buy a lot of my shoes on the secondary market.  Hardly worn shoes are easy to come by and often a great deal.  Snap Snap carries a lot of shoes at any time of the year and is one of my favorite sources for a great deal on good shoes...those who buy resale shoes when they come in agree.

Yesterday I found a positively new pair of Born shoes at The Thrift for a steal...hardly worn, a wonderful style...my favorite brand (almost...don't get me started) As I found myself picking out today's fashion statement (and since it's still quite chilly up here in the Northcountry) I found myself gravitating towards wearing these shoes...and since I was going to get my hair cut, on they went and out the door I flew.

It was sometime later after my new coif that I noticed a funny plasticy ridgy feeling on the toes of my right foot...reminding me of the feeling you get when the insert of your shoe moves around and you're left with the confrontation of the plastic foot bed/sole of the shoe itself.  I didn't think too much about it and went on with my business until it happened again, and while it was happening I noticed the toes on my right foot were feeling a little cold.

The whole front of the footbed had come entirely disconnected from the sole of the shoe itself making it very easy for me to count each of the piggies there-within.

Gasp.

I quickly pulled an Igor and slid-shuffled my way out of the store and hobbled to my car without trying to attract too much attention...to examine my now oddly defunct shoe.  Upon closer inspection, I discovered the leather upper had become unglued from it's counterpart...and become rather flippy-floppy, but not in a good way.  Personally, I find the whole thing a little confusing as I thought that Born sewed their uppers to the soles of their shoes...But there was even little wavy indentations on the soles so it would look as if they were sewn, not glued...which is what one would hope for if they bought them at the retail price of $85+ (as it is I'm not too far invested, so that it good)  I have never actually had this happen to a pair of shoes before...

I had to run home and change them before I attempted the rest of my day...And put Super Glue at the top of my to-do list.

Twitchy...

I'm currently battling with a blinking cursor.

I keep popping over here only to push "New Post" and then sit and stare at a blank page.

And twitch.

Because my forehead is currently twitching.  Which is slightly more annoying than a random eye twitch (which, come to think of it, was happening early at some point some time very recently) and it's making me think that if you were to stand here facing me, you might just see my entire forehead jumping up and down on my face.

It's like a self-induced face lift.

Which must mean I look younger.

Thank heavens.
(oh but really, only in 2 second intervals.  Drat.)

And still, the cursor blinks on.

It may just be taunting me you know?  Maybe my face is twitching in solidarity with the blinking...blink  blink.  I mean, it's not like I have nothing to say, I am doing plenty...but my tongue, my writing tongue seems to be tied.  Or at least resting in the bottom of my mouth.  Sometimes you just can't find the words...or I don't know how to say what I need to say, or if I should.  Sometimes certain things don't belong in this space.  Or I just feel like I've said most everything and I would just be repeating myself...and when I think that I might just have something new to say, I have totally forgotten my camera...

Because you know how I hate to post without some sort of picture.

It's probably an obsession, and totally the cause of my recent facial twitching.

Yeah.

Twitchy.

Of course, it could be the gale force Spring winds, which have made me want to go out and face them and yell.  Loudly.  And share all of my secrets, worries, stresses, anger...just let them go.  Let them blow away somewhere else instead.  Everything.  And then start with a new clean slate.

But all that yelling would probably just make Mena twitchy instead...and there's nothing worse than a twitchy feline.

Attempt at a Haiku...

I decided this morning upon waking to a lovely Spring day I was feeling mightily poetic, which is unusual because I'm not a huge poetry fan.  I just don't really "get" a lot of the poetry out there, I read it and sort of drift off somewhere else...which is fun, unless I'm driving.  Or I want to enjoy the moment, I may be more of a Haiku/limerick person...As I sat and mentally wrote out my Haiku this morning (being so inspired) this is what I came up with:

Sweet Sweet Spring Weather

coming on wings of angels

it's about damned time.

I thought it captured the essence of our unusual but not really unusual if you've lived in a place a long time, because you remember what it used to be like...winter, cold, snowy weather.

I mean.

It was snowing a week ago.

And now it's 77.

Which is perfect hiking, camping, and picnicking weather...all of which I happen to be dreaming about right now, but don't necessarily have time for...which is all fine and dandy because being in AZ means we have a whole lot of chances at sunny days.

Which may in fact be why most of us complained about the Winter this year.  Even I, who likes to not complain about the weather...finally gave in and complained.

(hangs her head in shame)

A Pause in Which to Take a Breath...

According to my friend Monika on facebook, today is the National Day of Prayer.

I love Monika...she's always so positive.  I also love that we have a National Day of Prayer.  There's nothing more comforting than the idea that we can find a quiet space to ask for what we need, give gratitude, or hold someone else in our thoughts and wish them well.

Whether you meditate or pray, walk or sit in nature...whatever your creative way is to interact with your part of the world's beliefs...it's nice to be reminded to take a little time out to do that.  I know sometimes I have to be reminded...although, it's been a bit of a week for me, so there's been a lot of moments when I've taken the time to stop and be mindful and ask.

Ask for me or someone else, or just breathe and concentrate on finding the beauty that surrounds me that every once in a while I'll totally not notice because my attention is focused on other things...things that I think are important.  This week, what's come with the important has been hand and hand with a lot of emotions.  Oh those emotions.  But, it's amazing when you can remember to take those moments to pause and take a breath, because sometimes you can get in touch with what is more real for you.

And now we have a reminder of a whole day of that.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...

There just happens to be a box of sock monkeys in my living room...they've been there since my Birthday.  They were a gift from my father.

They look like they're using the box as a boat, and I can hardly bear to move them.

And not just because I'm lazy, but because they look like they're having so much fun.

Also?

The sock monkeys live downstairs in a large group pile herd tribe, so maybe it's a little of the first one.

It still amazes me to this day that out of all of the sock monkeys that are gathered at Foolsewoode, each one of them is totally different.

Kind of like snowflakes.

Or fingerprints.

Or the kind of hangover you get depending on the type of alcohol you drink...

Tuesday News...

...as promised.

I have a bit of news for you that seemed like it would be a Tuesday kind of thing...mostly because it was an idea, then an invitation, then a vote.

I am proud to announce that I am the newest board member of Tsunami on the Square!

If you aren't local and have no idea what I'm talking about, please click the above link and see for yourself.  Tsunami is a multi-cultural performance festival that invites locals and non-local artists and performers to perform at The Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott Arizona.  Which includes, but not limited to:  Various ethnic dancing, circus performers, hula-hoops, puppets, black light acting...and more often that not...a fire performance.

The bestest part of all?

It's free.

Noon-11pm
(with a break)

Totally and completely free for your viewing pleasure!

There is the Main Stage, a children's stage, a vending area...and a few new surprises in the works for this year.

While Tsunami is typically thought of as a one day performance, there is actually other tie-in performances the week of, along with Circus Camp for children, and the newest addition Family Circus Camp (for families and children) happening quite a bit before the Tsunami wave hits the downtown.

It is such a fun and amazing performance and I have been lucky to be on the sidelines watching for the last 12 years and sponsoring through Snap Snap...but this year something changed.  I have been feeling the push to find something more creative I can do in my community...a place in which to volunteer my time and energies, and something I could really get behind.  I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity and one presented itself in an almost accidental way.  So, I jumped on board the ship (so to speak) and found myself riding the Tsunami into downtown Prescott.

And the above picture is one I snapped at the Prescott Area Arts and Humanities Council and includes Executive director (and good friend...and the person who interviewed me for a blogging area gathering for the radio...when I found out that I totally love to talk into a microphone on the radio?  Like...I should get a job on NPR like?)  Andrew Johnson-Schmit, our board president, local hula-hoop board member, Prescott's Mayor, and long time resident Elizabeth Ruffner (her family is a founding family of Prescott)  It was such a great ceremony and one that I felt so lucky to attend as I sat in my chair and felt quite choked up to be in a room full of organizations that are promoting the Arts and Humanities in our area...we are so lucky.

So...

If you are able to be in the area at all please stop by...we would love to see you!

The performance is set for Saturday, June 19th...The Little Wave That Could...with other activities happening in and around town the week before (although, Family Circus Camp just started and is each Saturday of May and you can drop in any time with your family) for anyone who has found themselves complaining that we don't have any culture here in Prescott...this one's for you!

And if you can't be here, then you can certainly check out the website...it is chock full of goodies.  Sign up for the newsletter.  And donate...Donate to keep the arts alive and well in Prescott.  No matter where you are...please support your arts communities in some way.

We're also on facebook...

I've taken to placing lit candles in the front window of Foolsewoode in the evenings...

This is not a new tradition by any means, but one that is new to Foolsewoode...as far as lighting candles goes and placing them in windows, I usually have candles just sitting around the house in various places.  To me, these candles symbolize the warmth and security of the family hearth and are signaling loyalty and safety to family members and loved ones who are not currently at home with me...and a sign that I'm still here...

They're pink in color, for love...and there are three for Past, Present and Future.

And not to be confused with candles in the wind.

We have a lot of Spring winds in our parts of AZ and I wouldn't want my curtains to catch fire.

I am especially enjoying the warmth and glow they give to the room I spend most of my time in (if you don't count the sleeping part of the time I spend in the house) and the way that they reflect off of the window...giving the illusion of a double glow...which brings even more light and warmth into the house.

I don't usually find myself lighting a lot of candles in the summer...since the sun's light stretches farther into the days, and somewhere in my mind I associate candles with warmth and winter.  And heaven knows that we have an overabundance of warmth in the summer in AZ, but I have a feeling that this year is going to be different.

There's something sweet and ceremonial that I feel lighting these candles and they are also helping me to signify the end to the day and the transition into the time I get to put my feet up and relax for a bit before I sign off to start another day.

Which when life gets busy, is sometimes just what you need.