care free and pumpkin folly

                 Well, by golly, it's time for a little lighthearted pumpkin enjoyment, don't you think?
I know the 31st has come and gone, but these pumpkins were too cute to not share. I want to get some of our 'fallscapades' on the blog before Thanksgiving and Christmas come and go. And, I just think getting lost in my pictures is a good thing to do right now.

I mentioned in my last post, that Ray Villafane, the master sand sculpture that did the incredible elephant in the plaza this summer, did this clever pumpkin display. He, by fame, won the pumpkin carving challenge on the Food Network some years ago. He lives in the area and we are lucky enough to get some of his talent right in our neighborhood.

So...pumpkins.

This photo was taken while it was still a bit light out. These saguaros are fake with a real pumpkin submerged in a vinegar solution to preserve it. 

Here is that pumpkin, taken later when it was dark. The facial expressions and details are really amazing.

                               Another one. The colored lights change as the night goes on.

Besides the sugauro pumpkins, there were vignette displays all throughout the plaza. This is the mad scientist in his laboratory classroom. They had really great old pieces incorporated within the displays.

                                   A hammock with a little guy just chillin' in the night air.

 A few more photos of the real carved pumpkins in the solution. I thought this one was funny. "Do you like pumpkins with prominent upper teeth?"

They put what looked like glass eyes in some of them, which added to the coolness.

  A side view of the one above. A bit of an interesting angle with the curve on the glass front!

Another vignette.

Close-up of the guy on the porch. Oh hey there!

  This one had a hay hook that "caught" some of the little guys, taking them up to the hay loft.

Any ideas?...

Yep, the out house.

The saloon. It's a bit hard to see all the details in the photo, but the guy running out the front door was the card shark making a fast escape. The other guy was heading up the stairs, where the lady-of the-night was looking out the top window. 

And this guy, face down on the porch...most likely having indulged a little to much in the drink.
                  Consequences. Always consequences.

  This one was funny...look closely and see that the guy below narrowly escaped his fate when his                  stem broke off in the noose.

  The fight.

This one caught...presumably the next subject for the science lab around the corner.

Poor guy being roasted on the spit.

A closer look.

  Showing off some 'almost' pearly-whites.

                                          Here is the whole science lab.
Zombie's, torture table and mad scientist, all conjuring up their next victims fate.

The pearly white teeth guy after the lights changed color.

As the bad guy passed-out from too much moon-shine...the pumpkin's tried to rescue their friends.

The distillery.

The whole event was clever and a nice way to spend a little time one evening. They were doing a workshop that night, teaching a large group of kids and adults how to carve the pumpkins... Ray's way. Creepy, funny, interesting and most of all...full of detail.

It was a gourd time!

fast lane

October skated in and zoomed out so fast for us. I knew, at the beginning of the month while looking at all the things marked on the calendar, that I would turn the page to November and wonder "what happened to October?"

But autumn happened. And, if you know Arizona like we do now, you know fall doesn't really happen here the way it should. So, getting to see it in some of its splendor was really a treat!

We spent some time in New Mexico for a conference and a little extra get-away. We were home for two days for a quick re-pack and we were off to Chicago for a pleasant few days seeing family and enjoying more fall color. I will get some photos uploaded and do a little catching up on my blog soon.
I have a few stories to share.

This little pumpkin cutie was part of the town display by the guy who did the amazing sand sculptures back in the summer. Wow! He's so very creative and it was a treat to wander through all of the  pumpkin displays. I'll try to get those posted here soon.

Until then...Happy November!

quote monday on tuesday

                                        Autumn carries more 
                                           gold in its pocket 
                                      than all the other seasons. 
                                                                                              ~Jim Bishop

This is New Mexico.

Wow was it a beauty this past week.
There were so many pockets of gold...especially along the Rio Grande river.

And let's just talk about that sky a minute, shall we?
Having lived in all four corner states and appreciating some really. amazingly. beautiful. attributes of each state, we think...hands down...the sky in New Mexico is the mostest.

The most beautiful.

They call it 'The Land of Enchantment' for a reason.

Happy Monday!
~norma~

taking [fright] flight

We've had a little activity in the wildlife arena lately. 

a.k.a.  Our backyard. Front patio. House.

A couple of weeks ago, this guy was sitting by the edge of the pool where a puddle of water usually accumulates after the yard sprinklers have run.

Even though it was through my lens...it was a pretty close peek at one of these hawks. They are around quite a bit, usually flying and circling in the distance.  For some reason, they like to play a cat and mouse chase game with other birds while flying around, and occassionally will land in the trees in our yard. We had one that I was able to get photos of that hung around the fountain in the front one day a year or so ago. Evidently, they enjoy a little water to quench their thirst or splash around on their feathers once in awhile.

This one didn't say long. I snapped a couple of pic's through the kitchen window before he looked over his right shoulder...

and took flight up and out of our yard.

It was there and then it wasn't.

And that is how the other wild things have been making their appearance. Here one minute and gone the next. The bobcats have been drifting through lately. Usually just a quick glance as they pass through is all we get. Until the other day...

This guy laid right here in this spot for a couple of hours. The sun went down and I couldn't see out there any more so he may have been cozy enough to spend the night. I'm sure this happens more than we ever see. I believe this one was enjoying our new winter grass. Yes, we will have this green grass though the winter. It is pretty and such a difference to the heat choked summer grass.

We are never surprised and always amazed at the strange things that show up around here. I've said it before...never do I not look down while walking!

This big lovely thing was on the front patio last week!

If we had tomato plants we'd call it a tomato caterpillar. But we don't so I won't. I'll just chalk it up as a mystery.

And this.

It was crossing the street when I drove around the corner here in the neighborhood the other day. I had to get out of the car to get a couple of quick photos. WARNING: Tarantula crossing!

In the last month we have had two...TWO... tarantula infant sightings. One was JUST inside the outside door to the garage. The other was just INSIDE the door to the hallway by the bedrooms. Two out of how many did the little mother tarantula hatch is what I want to know?

I do not like them in the rocks.
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them in my house.
I do not like them nope I don't.

quote monday

                                                   It is 
                                             the sweet 
                                          simple things
                                               of life
                                            which are
                                         the real ones
                                              after all.
                                                    -Laura Ingalls Wilder


When the brilliant colors of a sunset can still shine below the dark clouds.

Happy Monday!
~norma~

quote monday and a cute face

                    All seasons are beautiful 
                           for the person 
                   who carries happiness within.
                                                                                                 -unknown
                           

It is October, which means, autumn is upon us.
Today the windows are open and a light, coolish breeze is drifting through the house. That is a very welcome relief around here. I haven't gotten out any kind of fall clothing yet, as shorts are still the wardrobe of neccessity. But soon.

We had visitors this weekend, Luna the cute faced dog included. I gave her a new nickname.
It is Soft Pretzel. She really is the color of a soft baked pretzel. Golden brown on top. Soft and doughy underneath. And, most of the time while sleeping, she is curled up like a pretzel.

    See what I mean?


She's a good girl.

Happy Monday!
~norma~
                              

quote monday

        Let a series of happy thoughts run through your mind. 
                           They will show on your face.
                                                                               -Norman Vincent Peale

1980 was a pretty good year, wasn't it?

This photo was taken last fall in Spain. A cute narrow street had many of these giant mushrooms. A magical little play area for kids and adults. I loved it. It was a happy street. They call it the Mushroom Street.  

Good memories.
Happy Monday.
Have happy thoughts.
~norma~