the strange and unusual

Yesterday, I stumbled upon an antique store. It was very large and had a wide assortment of the usual things you find in antique stores. In the very back of the store I saw something that I would put into the unusual category of finds in an antique store. It was this painting:

"Well Norma, that is not so unusual"... you are saying to yourself. I know, Leonardo da Vinci, famous painting...why so unusual? Okay, what if I give you this view? 

Or this view?

This one? Are you with me now on the whole 'unusual' concept?

It was one of those things that I stared at for awhile, trying to decide if someone is trying to have  a sense of humor with their display. Or, if (because of the ladder) this is a work in progress and an artist is recreating the painting...'life' like.

 Having worked in the retail world quite some time ago, I can recognize these mannequin parts. I struggled with those hinges on the shoulders so many times to get them put together. Although, the ones I mostly dressed were womennquins. And, although the joint pieces look the same, I can see that they have made cuts and have re-pieced the elbows together to give them the arm positions that they want. And, the faces are pretty darn life like. Notice I said darn. Even though I'm not one to swear much, I sure wouldn't want to with this group. And what about this guy on the table, with his head on a block of wood?

While hanging out in the art department in college, I would see some pretty interesting final projects that the art majors would do. There was one with Barbies that was pretty strange. It kind of reminded me of this. You're not sure if you are suppose to laugh or say "that's strange". Or, "how nice...I wonder how it will look when it is finished". Or is it already finished? That's the crazy thing about art. Interpretation you know.

So, like I said, is this a weird display that someone put together to be funny? To get people's attention? Is it a work in progress for a different venue? Was it part of an auction lot that a dealer bid on and the men came with the paintings?

I'm really not sure.

I do know that I walked away feeling like it was a little strange. And unusual. And maybe a little creepy.

And then I put it out of my mind and started thinking about my drive home and what was I going to fix for... supper.

Thanksgiving weekend in a nutshell

It was a nice weekend all the way around. The only problem? I completely forgot to get my camera out and take some pictures. We will embed that one into our memories and fondly look back on the great meal that was shared by family. I do believe Thanksgiving turkey with all the accompanying side dishes is always a favorite. There is just something about the combination of turkey, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes, dumplings, gravy and cranberry sauce that is just pretty hard to beat. And then there are the pies. Oh, and then the fact that I just don't have to do a whole lot of cooking for the rest of the weekend because of the leftovers . Yep, it is a win, win meal... that is for sure.

Saturday I did a little craft fair shopping with my in-laws. It was probably the largest assortment of crafts and jewelry and jewelry and all the extras that I have ever been to. I was even treated to lunch afterwards. 

Sunday ended up being a surprise treat. The dad scored some free tickets at work for the Nutcracker. Three of them. So it was a Sunday morning treat for the girls.We drove to downtown Phoenix to the Orpheum Theater. What a great building! You can click on the highlighted words if you want to read about its history. It was spectacular!

 There is nothing quite like an old historic building. Give me old architecture over new any day.

 Everything about it was grand. The lighting...

 ... the staircases, the carpeting, the ceilings. It was amazing.

 Inside the theater, the ceiling was arched and recessed back with a 'sky' that changed colors.

Look at the detailing on the balconies!

                                                   There were beautiful murals.

   And the arched columns around the stage were spectacular. I didn't really get a picture that showed the detail. It was just beautiful.

I just got one picture of the dancers during the finale.

I have never been to a production of the Nutcracker. I always wanted to take the girls when they were younger, but it just never worked out for us to travel over the snowy mountains to get to the big city. Now, the big city is just a highway drive away...and when it's 75 degrees on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it makes driving so much easier. In fact, with the college girl home for the weekend, I didn't even have to drive at all. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and were reminded of the days that they were part of a dance studio for quite a few years. I sat thinking about all of their little costumes and pink ballet shoes with very fond memories.

We were also blessed with a special number during this Nutcracker performance. They had a group called Motion Emotion that performed one dance. It was a group of dancers with mixed disabilities. That really reminded us of their days at our small town dance studio. Our dance director incorporated a group of kids with disabilities into her studio. All of the kids loved working with them and performing with them during the recital. It was a very heartwarming experience and as the three of us watched this group yesterday, I think we thought of the group that they were a part of so many years ago.

I think I will be hooked on the Nutcracker now and will try to see the Phoenix Symphony performance some day. I will also be looking at other events at the Orpheum. While walking through buildings like that I like to imagine how all the people looked so many years ago. The men in their suits and hats and the ladies in dresses with gloves and hats. We were definitely a more modern crowd. Most especially modern with all the cell phones up in the air taking pictures before the ballet started.

The Nutcracker was a great way to end our Thanksgiving weekend.

javesnack

Javelina. Remember how to pronounce the word? Like this: 

Have a leena.

Some time last year something/somebody broke off a big arm on the prickly pear cactus in our backyard. The cactus is way up on a higher level of the yard where creatures really can't get to, so it was a mystery as to how it was broken off. There were little chew marks on it that added to the mystery. We carried the big piece over to our potting shed area and planted it in a big trough that the previous owner had set up for planting herbs. We were not sure if it would do much of anything but decided to give it a try. It sprouted roots and started growing like crazy putting out new shoots or arms. Then the wind knocked it over and many of the new arms/paddles broke off. So, we stuck those back in to the soil and they rooted and grew too. After about a year of being in the trough, growing and getting healthy once again, we decided to plant all the pieces. We thought they would look nice out in the front.We put  a few along the drive like this. 

Yesterday, less than one week of our planting them, they look like this.

Remember how you pronounce javelina? My title for this post...javesnack? Pronounced... have a snack!

           Javelina have a snack.

           Go ahead. Make our day.

          Make a mess.

        Leave your hoof marks and snout prints so we know it was you.

Don't bother eating just one when you can nibble and trample all of them.

Get all the juicy tenderness you can.

Oh...and while you are at it, dig big holes for no other reason then to make an even bigger mess.

Yes you... you are the guilty one.

 Javeniceday!

on becoming smart

This week was pretty monumental for me. I got a new phone. A smart phone.

That's what they call the new ones... smart phones... that have all kinds of programs for just about anything you want to do. Text, talk, play games, take pictures, listen to music, see what the current time is in any given country, check your e-mail, look up driving directions and/or pin-point your exact location no matter where you are...and the list goes on. It was an upgrade for me. I'd earned it.

That's my old dumb phone on the left in the picture next to my new smart phone. I've had it for a long time. I've given my upgrade points away to my kids several times in order for them to get new phones. But, I really didn't mind it so much. I was use to my little phone. Besides, I was told I probably can't handle a smart phone. 'Technologically challenged'. I'll admit it. But, the salesman at the phone store said I could handle it. His Mom figured it out  and "if she could, you can too",  he assured me. I told him I have a really old phone. Really outdated. "A...sshh... flip phone" I said. I could see him smile and nod his head with understanding. "You can learn how to use it...I promise" he again assured me, "really, they're a lot easier." Then he asked to see my old phone. So, I pulled it out. That's when his eyes got big and round and he said "wow, that is old, I haven't seen one of these in a long time!" He tested his phone salesman knowledge and even tried to remember it's style number and rattled it off to us. I wanted to say, "wow, you've been in the business a long time", but didn't.

So, we looked at all the phones with all the different features. Looked at some that weren't smart phones and some that were. In the end, I chose a smart one. I liked a few of the features. When they set up your new phone, they can plug your old one into a machine that will transfer all of your phone numbers to your new one. He wasn't sure he could do that because he didn't know if they still had one of those cords for such an antiquated phone. He found one. We made our purchase and then he gave me a quick mini-tutorial on how to use it. He told me he would give me his business card in case I had any trouble or questions. I could call him anytime, no problem. Then he showed me what else was in the box. The charger, the headphones... I said "headphones? What do you do with those?" He looked at me and said, "it's for listening to music on your phone". Then he laughed and said..."I think I will take my business card back now." Ha! funny guy.

After my tutorial we left. I had my new smart phone. Woo wheeeee!

I'm still in the learning curve mode. But, I'm confident I can figure this thing out. I have already taken a picture and sent it to my e-mail, texted, retrieved a voice mail, looked up an address for driving, and even talked on it. I talked on my phone. Imagine that! I keep it on the counter and I keep looking at it, waiting to see what will happen next. I slide my finger across the smooth screen, unlocking it, to see if I have any messages. Any missed calls. Anything.

The other day, I was at home talking on the phone to a friend in Colorado. We had been talking for quite some time. Long enough that I got concerned that I might have a message on my new phone. So, while still visiting with her I went to check. I went to the kitchen counter...no phone. I went to my bedroom, no phone. I kept listening to her while I kept looking for my new phone. In my purse? No. In the laundry room? No. Where did I leave my new smart phone? I was calmly listening to her while I was silently panicking. Did I lose my new phone?

And then it occurred to me...I was talking on it!

I'm getting smarter all the time.

bountiful

They say fall is the time to plant your vegetable garden if you live in this part of Arizona. The garden stores have new herb and vegetable plants to entice you. It is one of those things that is still hard to grasp. You know, not planting your garden in the spring so you have a summer bounty of produce, but rather in the fall so you have garden fresh vegetables for Thanksgiving.

Well, Chuck decided to give it a try. He bought a little tomato plant. Just one. He carefully watered and fertilized it and entrusted it into my care while he was out of town. It set a few blossoms on and they grew into tiny little tomatoes. Oh the excitement! We have been nurturing this little tomato plant just like we use to nurture our larger vegetable garden in Colorado, with the hopes that we would have a small bounty of homegrown tomatoes for Thanksgiving.

And then we got a bit of a cold snap. And the really cold day when it hailed.

It looks like I might be trying a Southern recipe this Thanksgiving.

Fried green tomatoes!

11-11-11

 
                                Today is a day with a very unique date.
                                I hope that it is a day like any other  day.
                                         Nothing crazy or unusual.
                                                 Just a good day.
                                                   

                  Thank you to to all those that have served our country.
                                                 

the bird from hail

Remember this roadrunner that visited us one day last summer?

The one that I saw lurking and stalking and eventually grabbing a sweet baby cardinal for its afternoon snack? You can click the 'roadrunner that visited us' above to remind you of that ugly day.

When we returned home from the Dr.'s appointment the other day...the remnants of the hail storm made the back yard look like a light snow fall had dusted the backyard. It was pretty. As I was standing at the kitchen sink washing my hands, I noticed some movement in the corner of the yard. It seems as though "that corner" is the prime hangout area for all things that like to move in our yard! I couldn't tell what it was for sure, so I grabbed my camera and moved to a different window.

At that point I could see that it was a carnivorous roadrunner. That is not my adjective for the bird, carnivorous is actually the grouping of birds that they are categorized in. You can read more about these birds and their eating habits here. I could see the roadrunner had something in its beak, but I couldn't tell what it was at first. The roadrunner, in the aftermath of hail, was lifting its head up and whipping it back down to the ground, slamming what it had in its beak to the ground. Pounding after pounding. Beating after beating. Bringing its catch to the cold layer of hail over and over again. I watched in horror, not able to capture that part on film. (can you use that statement anymore? film? seems strange to say..."I caught that on digital") Ok...back to the beating. It continued to slam what was now recognized as another bird. When the bird was finally limp and thoroughly pulverized ( that is what  they do, they beat their catch until the bones are pulverized) the roadrunner made its way across the icy, hail covered yard.

And this is when I was able to get a few pictures. After he had pulverized his catch, he was now ready for the escape from our yard. He dashed one way...

looked over his shoulder for an easy way out...or to make sure nothing was moving in behind him to steal his recent tenderized kill and...

      after pausing for just a moment he jumped up and disappeared over the fence.

I have decided I do not like these carnivorous birds very well. They are creepy. A little too violent for me. If you choose to read about them, you will learn that they actually do this to snakes as well. Rattlesnakes. They pierce their heads over and over again with their sharp beaks and beat them... and then it says they begin to eat them whole. One end goes in and they swallow as much as they can. While waiting for the stomach acids to start digesting that end, they let the other end dangle out of their beaks. Then they swallow a bit more until all of the snake is digested.  Do you know how long those snakes are? Although, I would not mind them keeping the snake population to a minimum, if I ever witness that particular *carnivicousness ...

I think I will feel like I am being pulverized on a cold day of hail.



* carnivore + viciousness =carniviciousness . Spell check does not like my made up word!

dark soggy clouds

Yesterday, I put away the sandals and put on socks and tennies. 

It was cold. And it was rainy. Leah was home (today too) because she is not feeling well. We were sitting at the table having lunch, when the dark cloud that had been looming overhead cracked with a bolt of lightening and a jolt of thunder. And the rain came pouring down.

And then it started to hail. Little tiny icy hail balls. And more and more rain. In fact, we said, "hail... that is a lot of rain"! Within minutes we watched the level of the pool rise and the accumulation of hail balls looked like snow. The snow lover got pretty excited!

See, little icy hail balls. Or, if you miss the snow... little perfect snow balls!

Looking out the front and across to the neighbor's house, it did look like a light dusting of snow.

Only, it was still raining along with the icy snow balls.  Leah said "YES, we have a moat around our house!

We had to leave for a Dr.'s appointment.  Since we had that small moat around our house I could only imagine what the washes were going to look like. They were not bad, a small run of water but not gushing like they sometimes do. As we were driving, the sky started to lighten up in front of us. As I looked in my mirrors, I could see that a big black cloud was over the mountain behind us. (also our house). To the south, in front of us it was fairly clear. It was raining on us as we drove. I watched the temperature rise on the car thermometer 10 full degrees in the 25 miles we drove. We were dressed for winter in coats and even a scarf for me.

As my "not feeling very well" daughter looked out the car window up into the dark, soggy, rainy sky, she said...

"I'm so under the weather".

                                       

hiking in sedona

I mentioned that we had taken a couple of hikes while we were in Sedona. The weather was perfect for getting out and enjoying the scenery. Chuck was in meetings in the morning, so Leah and I went together one morning and the two of them went together one afternoon. If you have not been to Sedona, you should some day. The rock formations are really amazing and this time of year, the contrast to the blue sky is beautiful.

These first three were up by a chapel that is built into the rocks. We did a couple of senior pictures here which turned out nicely with these red rock beauties in the background. Oh, and the beauty in the foreground too. I'll share some of those soon.

                               The fruit left after the cactus had bloomed.

 These are from the next day. Just after we started out, about 8 men came by on their bikes. It was pretty rugged terrain for biking but they were determined. Even after they past the signs that said "no motorized vehicles or bikes beyond this point". At one point, they actually had to get off of their bikes and carry them up some rocks. They continued ahead of us and we never saw them again.

Being a little higher elevation than where we live allows pine trees to grow along with the cactus. We enjoyed seeing the pine cones and smelling the sap from the trees.

                                     The views are great no matter which way you turn.

      What a great old tree that had grown up twisting its way toward the sun.

 There were a couple of these big wash areas that we could imagine must really gush when the monsoon rains hit.

         And a few old century plants with the skeleton of its bloom left.

                                                Another angle.

                                  Ta-Da!  The girl loves to hike and be one with nature.

                    Later on, we stopped to grab another photo as the sun was going down.

It's amazing how the different times of day and the angles of the sun make the rocks look completely different.

These next three pictures are from the Dad and Leah's hike. These were taken with his phone camera. Pretty nice sun rays don't you think?

 We love the light and the shadows on the cactus. Look closely, you can see Leah in the background.

 And the sun was going down. Their hike was by the Oak Creek River. More green than red but they said it was gorgeous.

It was a great weekend and we felt refreshed after spending some time in the warm sunshine and cool night air. It is a pretty area.

Sedona, we will be back.