Things I love

I inherited my beautiful blue-eyed Sigh Me from an artist and truly lovely lady named Cotsy Engle.
Cotsy died several years ago but when I met her she had two cats and a bird.  She was in her 90's, when she developed Alzheimer's.



There came a time when her family had to find a care facility for Cotsy.  It was then that her son asked me (no, he actually bribed me) to take the cats and the bird.  I already had a very old cat and my fear was that I would become 'the cat lady' in my own old age,  but ...well, some bribes are better than others.



I would go to visit Cotsy from time to time and we would sit on the sofa at the care facility and chat.   Cotsy eventually forgot my name but, for a long time, was  able to recognize me as a friend.



 One day she asked, "Do you have any pets?"
I replied, "Why yes, I have two cats and a bird."
She absolutely beamed when she replied, "Really? Well so do I."
So we sat and chatted that afternoon about our pets, who, strangely enough, had the very same names.



This is the only picture I have of Cotsy Engle.

(The bird is still in my house in Arizona with the renters. The other two cats have died--one from old age and the other from a scorpion bite--such is the life in Arizona. So for now it is just Sigh Me--and I am so glad I have her.  Thank you, Cotsy.)

I love country roads and quiet parks for spending the afternoons reading or walking or napping. These serene little places become my front yard for the day.  After dinner I might go to a movie before parking for the night.



And speaking of movies--wow! What a great year for the screen.  I have seen the following so far and here is my own critique--as if you care:

"Lincoln"--the movie was a great civic lesson and gave me insight as to the difficulties of passing the 13th amendment. Politics is much the same today.  The performances by Daniel Day Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones are superb and deserving of awards. (Esp. DDLewis).  I am not so sure about Sally Field.  She was good but I kept seeing her in all her other roles--and I don't think Mrs. Lincoln was that 'cute'.
"Life of Pi"--The photography is stunning.  The survival story is simple and the acting is very good  but see it for the sheer beauty of it.
"Silver Lining Playbook"--Wow!  The first 1/2 hour of the movie I wanted to leave--I just couldn't feel for the characters.  Then I fell in love with them.  There is a dance scene that is worth the admission to the movie--need I say more.  And Jennifer Lawrence deserves the nomination.  (I haven't seen all the other actresses so I don't know if she is the best)
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"--The movie is 'different' and jarring in its portrayal of poverty in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana at a time somewhere in the catastrophic future.  The narration and performance by 6 year old Quvenzhane Wallis is beautiful and touching in the midst of so much ugliness.  Her charisma is compelling and the words spoken are like poetry written by a 6 year old. If you see it on my recommendation you will hate me but you won't forget her.
"Argo"--Great suspense and marvelous story-telling about the rescue of 13 hostages in Iran.  I knew very little about this and it was an eye-opener and I sat on the edge of my seat the whole last hour.  BTW, I love the path that Affleck seems to be taking with his movies.  He appears to be producing his films-- both as actor and as director--as a real craft rather than as the usual hollywood ego trip--but what do I know?
I still haven't seen Les Miserables, The Impossible, Django Unchained, The Master, Amour and more. If anyone out there has, please let me know what you think before I waste my money.

Sigh Me wants to know when they are going to make a movie about CATS!

 

NYEve, Ron & friends,

Absolutely nothing gives me more pleasure than to have a few days with one of my kids.  Son, Ron came for New Year's and brought his fiance, Loretta, her niece, Vanessa and her nephew, Jonathan.



Ron (center) lives in San Diego while Loretta, Vanessa and Jonathan are from Perth, Australia.  These visitors are also Italian so I enjoyed several days of great Aussie accents and lots of enthusiastic hand-waving.

We did a whirlwind two days of sightseeing and definitely we had to stop along the road and get the iconic cactus photo in Saguaro National Park.
(Vanessa and Loretta)

(Jonathan) 

  Saguaro cactus are accordion pleated so that they can expand and hold more water during rainy times, then they will contract as they use up the water in dry times.  By looking closely at a cactus you should be able to tell if we are in a wet or dry period.

(Loretta and Ron)
Did you Know that a Saguaro has to be about 75 years old before it grows its first arm?  The other arms will develop in less time but the specimen above could be well over 200 years old.



The Arizona Senoran Desert Museum is one of my favorite places.  It is a museum as well as a zoo and   a botanical garden and I know of no better place to learn about the flora and fauna of the desert.

       

   Should have taken another picture of this poor docent--she looks like she is about to cry.  Actually she was telling us all about this lovely little owl that was sitting so quietly on her arm and posing for pictures like a pro.

The snakes are fascinating--as long as that glass is between them and me.

But when I came upon this guy I was certain he had escaped.  A little boy had to come up and put his hand on the glass before I could be sure the snake was behind it.

Tarantulas are plentiful in the desert--and are very docile and harmless.

I still am not ready to name one 'Fido' and take it home on a leash.




The Museum has a small cave....



This reminded me that, in just a few weeks, Tucson will host the largest Gem and Mineral Show in the world.

I am hoping to be back on the road by then--it will certainly save me money if I don't see all those gems.

Look closely,  Can you see him?  

The day was cold but that sunny spot was obviously warm.
Sadly, just a day or two ago one of these beautiful wild pumas was hit by a car on the same road where we took the cactus picture.  Their natural habitat is threatened and they often will venture into populated areas--only to be hit by cars or shot by trigger happy residents.



This is the big guy's mate.  I was able to get close enough to see her beautiful eyes.  I think she might be a distant cousin to Sigh Me.

 

(Jonathan, Vanessa and Loretta. )
The day was getting windy and colder.  It is summer in Perth right now--and just about as hot as our summer is in Tucson.

We finally got so cold we had to leave after covering less than 1/2 this great park.

When we first arrived at the park and were approaching the ticket office a gentleman walked up to us and said, "This is your lucky day!  I have three tickets that I cannot use and they expire today so would you like to have them?"
We took the tickets and thanked the very generous man.  As he walked away Vanessa said, "I love this place. The people here are sooooo nice!"

Good going, Tucson!

Friends and the desert

Today is cold in the desert--but clear and sunny.  Walking the neighborhood around my friend Suzie's house is always picture-postcard perfect and pleasurable....(say that 3 times real fast).



I am no longer sure what  a traditional holiday season is to me--last year I celebrated all alone in the Everglades while the ten years prior were spent here in the desert.  My three kids are grown and doing their own things--one son in San Diego with his visiting fiance,  my daughter in Salem, Oregon working the nightshift at the hospital, and my youngest son and his wife in the Virgin Islands running his charter boat.



Do I miss them at this time of the year?  Of Course I do.  But for me now, holidays are to spend with friends. Above, are Jim, Jody, Suzie and Bill.

Or to relax and do my own thing--explore and.....

 

 
 .... contemplate the nature around me.

(Linda, Nancy, Deb, Suzie)  A favorite spot for lunch with friends in Tucson is on the open-air patio at a very upscale grocery store called AJ's.  There is an outdoor fireplace, the best grilled hamburgers found anywhere,  while the "I remember when..." stories are free-flowing and fun.



Especially Deb's.  Now if you think Deb is giving someone the rude-salute above,  you would be wrong. She is actually telling us about the time a rattlesnake bit her on her finger and she nearly died.  Such is life in the desert.

A day spent with Andrea and Zona is as bright as the sunshine...

And Zona will smile for the camera on cue.

No, Zona did not take the picture of Andrea and Me.

The neighbor took it.  (Presley Grace, Jenny  & Chip)

Presley Grace and Mama, Jenny

Having a family of artists (Jenny and Chip) makes for an interesting decor....

Almost like visiting an art museum.....

Color abounds....

 

And every spot is utilized.

Happy New Year!

Winter Solstice, Festivus & End of the World Party

Last year at this time I was sitting, by myself, in the heart of the Everglades celebrating the holidays with the alligators and mosquitoes.  This year I am in Tucson with the following wild party animals....


Nancy

Don, read his 'burning book' that predicts the end of the world.

Various wild specimens--waiting for the end of the world...or perhaps feeding time.

How many parties have a robotic whale that sails around on the ceiling during Karaoke?

Floating over the Festivus Pole.

If you look closely at the lamp in the window you will note that it is a lady's leg lamp.  The shirt Don is wearing says, "Oh, Fudge" and his all-time favorite Christmas gift is the Red Ryder Air Rifle. I wonder what his favorite Christmas movie is.

We had a beautiful rendition of "Mack the Knife".

David made a great Santa

 

And Lars wore the best holiday shirt.
I drove the RV to the party and parked in front of Don's house.  When I felt sure the world was going to survive--at least for the foreseeable future--then I went to sleep in my RV.  What a great way to go to a party, why didn't I think of it years ago?

Mt. Lemmon

Four ranges of mountains, at heights over 9000', surround and cradle the city of Tucson.  The mountains that can be seen from my friend's backyard, are called the Catalinas.   One morning last week the first snowfall of the winter arrived on the mountaintops in time to set the stage for Christmas.



The city itself seldom receives any snow and experiences only a few days per winter of temperatures below freezing.   But a mere 25 miles away at the very top of Mt Lemmon is the southernmost ski area in the country where 65" of snow fell last year.



Soon after I arrived in town--and before the first snowfall--I got together with my dear (and funny) friend, Suzanne, for a trip to the top of the mountain. Suzanne is a caregiver for a lovely 92 year old lady named Belle, who bravely came with us for the day. (Belle wouldn't get out of the car for the photo--I think she is afraid of the heights.)

 
Though only 25 miles to travel, the road is windy and spectacular with breathtaking views and changing vegetation the higher you climb.


Over the years a few vehicles did not make the curves.  This old VW bus has been here for decades as a reminder to slow down, enjoy the view and don't smoke pot if you're driving. (That's just a guess on my part--but if this accident occurred in the 60's or 70's there is a good probability.....)



The climb from Tucson to the tiny town of Summerhaven at the top covers 6500 feet in only 25 miles.  Two years ago in October the first Mt Lemmon Marathon was held and 800 people actually ran all the way up that mountain to finish the race.  Of course, at the end of the day, the road up was littered with heaving, panting, quivering bodies who failed to reach the top and sincerely regretted that New Year's resolution they'd made the previous winter.



I would hardly be able to run--or crawl--to the top.  But from the car window I could imagine the climb--while I worried that we wouldn't run out of gas.   Rock formations are like sentinels watching the city way below and it is easy to see why the Indians of the area gave this mountain spiritual significance.

We had started on a very warm day in the desert.....



But discovered a cool sweet-smelling pine forest at the top....



with a ski area waiting for the snow that would come in only a few more days.



We found a restaurant for lunch in the quaint little alpine village....



And Belle finally decided it was safe enough to get out of the car.  
  

Much of Summerhaven is brand new.  In 2003 a truly devastating fire raged across the top of the mountain and destroyed the downtown,  250 of the 700 homes, plus  great stands of the beautiful pines and aspens.

A fundraising program callled "Lemmon Aid" has helped to rebuild the town...

 

But remnants of the tragedy are everywhere.  I remember one night standing in my own backyard in Tucson and looking up at Mt. Lemmon, watching the fire.  The mountain looked like a raging volcano and for nights the flames reminded the people of the city that they were witnessing the demise of their beautiful summer haven retreat.

  

 

But it's coming back, better than ever.  And when Tucson temps in the summer reach 110 degrees it takes only 1/2 hour to be sitting on the mountaintop in the cool air sipping a lemonade.