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#WeekendCoffeeShare Elevation
June 24, 2017
— 8 Comments
soda pop crash
soda on the road
Globe, AZ
If we were having coffee this morning I would have to serve you motel breakfast….I am on my third cup of coffee because I had to come to the lobby to make contact with the WiFi this morning. I don’t bother with the food at motel breakfast because powdered eggs and Danish pastry is not my style. In a couple of hours we will proceed to the Show Low, AZ farmer’s market when it opens at 9 am. I will find some tasty cuisine that suits my vegetarian fresh food habit.
Motel Coffee Today
We left the heat in Tucson for a couple of days of relief. The drive up here included two detours/delays caused by traffic accidents. In Oracle, AZ the road had been blocked to clear a crash, so we had to drive around the incident. The route took us through San Manuel. a deserted town that used to have an underground copper mine. These copper towns belong to the companies, so when the mine closes, the entire town closes. It is eerie to see the remains of what was once a center of industry. I was particularly struck by the “country club”, an 18 hole golf course that has been abandoned for about 10 years. Large dying trees and expanses of dust where there once were golf greens are a strange echo of the past. There is still an airport in San Manuel, which only existed so copper executives could fly in and out of the place. From that ghost town the winding roads we traveled took us through several copper mining towns with open pit mines still in operation. These isolated towns owned completely by copper companies are the present day versions of Tombstone and Bisbee. The abundance and wealth produced in them does not tarry very long in that place. Miners do dangerous hard work and have to live in a town where the company owns the only place they can even buy groceries.
When we started to leave Globe, AZ we were advised that the road to Show Low, our destination, had been closed to clear a crash. We decided to drive back to town and discover Globe rather than get stuck in a line of cars waiting for a wreck to be cleared. That was extra fun. We cruised the neighborhoods on our way to the old downtown. I loved the old homes and the old downtown is in good shape. There are chain restaurants and stores on the main hi way, but individual shops, galleries and eateries are thriving in the downtown. We ate a really good lunch at a Mexican restaurant, and lingered trying to wait out the problem on the road. It was a good call because we did have to wait about 20 minutes at the site of two semis that were scattered on the road and the mountain. It was not clear how it happened, but both large trucks were full of soda pop, which has been collected. We saw the giant tow truck pull the overturned semi back onto the road. The crew was expert, and still had hours of work ahead of them when they let our lane of cars drive through to Show Low. I was happy I had neither been in the soda pop truck or the cars stuck in the beginning of this wreck. Compared to what..right? A few minutes delay on a day with no plans is not a big deal.
We will drive to Snowflake, AZ later this morning to discover a new part of the White Mountains. The lavender festival awaits. I have read that the area contains sinkholes and unusual geological shapes. The sinkholes have been use by Native Americans as well as the Mormons for amphitheaters. The Petrified Forrest is close, but I refuse to go back down in elevation because the heat actually followed us up here. All the days last week and next week have been and will be a high of 85, which is dreamy . However, both of our days up here the temperature will reach 97….There is air conditioning, and we will use it. We are still very pleased to get out of Tucson and see all the amazing geology and botany on this drive. It is gorgeous, if a little bit too hot.
If we were having coffee at the Best Western Pony Paint Motel in Show Low, AZ, I would invite you to come along with us today. If you are too busy to tag along I will update you next weekend about the events of this weekend. My writing is going well. I am really enjoying the tea review posts more than I expected. I now have infinite material for my Tuesday posts. I will never run out of teas. I am listening to a book Bread, Wine, Chocolate, The Slow Loss of Foods We Love, which is fascinating. I am being influenced heavily by what I am learning about our lack of biodiversity. I recommend it to anyone who eats or drinks. We all have a part to play in saving biodiversity on earth. Some of us do it by careful consumption of the foods we want to save. The author’s detailed and accurate descriptions of flavors have inspired me to expand both my vocabulary and my sensitivity. This is helpful in developing my tea language. I am enjoying it.
Bread, Wine, Chocolate
If we are having motel coffee this morning I would promise a much more gourmet selection of digital beverages next week. Coffee is one of the subjects covered in this book. If you are a real coffee lover you might like to learn more about it by reading ( or listening to ) Simran Sethi’s discoveries, who traveled all over the world to research this book.
#WeekednCoffeeShare
Thanks for joining me this morning. Please visit our hostess, Emily, at Nerd in the Brain, for the full shebang. Visit with writers for around the world and keep up with our movable feast here. Join the party every weekend on twitter using the hashtag #WeekendCoffeeShare.
#WeekendCoffeeShare Cannabis And Lavender
June 17, 2017
— 11 Comments
Red Rock Lavender Farm
If we were having coffee this weekend I would offer you a large helping of iced tea. The heat is scorching with no end in sight. The heat draws the moisture up from the south to create our monsoon season, but so far there is a tragic lack of moisture. We are baking in the desert. Stay in the air conditioned comfort and drink loads of tea to stay hydrated during your visit. I will send you off on your trip home with fresh watermelon juice, which I find is the most cooling beverage in the world. Relax and tell me about your week. Did your writing go well? How about life?
If we were guzzling iced tea together I would tell you how much fun I am having at my new job. I am now licensed as a dispensary agent by the state of Arizona. I work at a medical marijuana grow harvesting and trimming weed. I only work 12 hours a week in that capacity, but I am developing new ways to serve the patients. I want to create a cannabis catering department as well as an excursion department. I am new at this business, but have lots of experience in the travel industry. I believe the patients are a perfect group of people to put on a party bus for short trips.
The best part of my job is getting to know all my new colleagues. They know a lot about cannabis, but I have miles to go before I will understand all the various new concentrates being made, and the various strains being cultivated. I learn every time I go to work for my four hour shifts. It is surprising to me how much finesse is required to trim buds. Each variety has different qualities and must be handled differently. It takes focus, but we can still chat and listen to music as we work. The people with whom I work are very good natured (as you might expect). I plan to feature short educational segments on Wednesdays, #WeedWednesdays, featuring our expert grower. There is endless information as well as interest in this subject.
Cannabis
Big Farma
If we were on our third glass of iced tea by now I would tell you about our plan to escape to the White Mountains of Arizona next weekend. We are going to a lavender festival near the town of Snowflake. Just saying the word Snowflake is pretty exciting when it is 115 outside. We will drive up on Friday and stay in Show Low, AZ. On Saturday we will attend the Lavender Festival at Red Rock Farms. This event promises to be the exact opposite of burning up in the heat. We will romp through the fields of lavender on a pick your own adventure, then attend cooking demos and wine tastings at the farm. I can’t wait!!!! Saturday night we will check in to an historical bed and breakfast downtown Snowflake, which I will also like a lot. We have to drive home on Sunday, but we can linger in the mountains on the way back. We need to make the most of our “cool down” because the following week will be a furnace down here.
Thanks for joining me today. Use sunscreen on the way to your vehicle. You would not believe how quickly you can be burned to a crisp. Please visit our hostess Emily at Nerd in the Brain for more coffee shares. This movable feast takes place every weekend. Join us to read, comment, or submit your own digital beverage post.
Frida And Diego At The Heard Museum
May 22, 2017
— 2 Comments
photo in exhibit
photo in exhibit
Frida and Leon Trotsky
In Arizona Frida Kahlo is a giant cultural icon, representing the art and rebellious spirit of the Mexican people. Her famous muralist husband, Diego Rivera, is less well known, or at least less of a modern figure here in the United States. He was very famous before they met, and she became famous after her death. They were highly influencial in the Mexican Revolution, Diego often painting large murals about the oppression of the masses. Frida had an affair with Leon Trotsky, who was in Mexico City after the Russians exiled him.
The prestigious Heard Museum is now showing an exhibit of their work, some original photos, and a wardrobe designed to show the way Frida distinctively dressed herself in indigenous hand woven garments. She changed classical art in Mexico by introducing the elements of folk art that she included in her clothing. She honored the colors, symbols, and methods used by Native Mexican tribes to bring new life and meaning to her paintings. Her political beliefs were expressed through her art.
This wonderful visiting exhibit is well worth the extra $7. It will be on display through 20 August. Prices go way down everything in the summer in Phoenix. The accommodations will be generously discounted when the heat rises. This makes it a perfect time for a bargain excision to the big city.
The permanent collection includes incredible Native American art. The book store and cafes are lovely. The gift shop is curated to offer the public super high quality work of Native artists. To look closely at the entire collection takes a few hours and some concentration. I am particularly fond of the kachina collection, full of detail and meaning. I recommend this museum to anyone of any age.
her wardrobe
exhibit at the Heard
the famous couple
#WeekendCoffeeShare The Heat Is On
May 20, 2017
— 6 Comments
vintage cookbook and tickets
If we were having coffee in Tucson today I would invite you to take a dip in the pool because it will reach 100 degrees this afternoon. I am drinking coffee in the early morning as we prepare to spend the day in Phoenix. I know it sounds counter intuitive to go down to the valley of the sun when the heat is cranking up. Here is my logic. This weekend will be a slow one at the Heard Museum, where there is a special exhibit of the paintings of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The universities have graduated the student population, and the snow birds have gone back to the north woods, so this is SLOW season in all of Arizona. It will reach 100 for the next 5 days in a row, which will just be a warm up (pun intended). We get good deals on hotels and other things in the summer. Natives handle the heat by going inside to air conditioned comfort in the middle of the day. Our reservation for the Rivera/Kahlo show is at 1 pm, which gives us time to see the rest of the museum. We have not been there for many years. The permanent collection has some amazing Native American art, including Barry Goldwater’s kachina collection. I am a real museum nut, and Bob does not mind spending lots of time checking out every detail of an exhibit. After you finish your coffee you can ride along in the red Mustang for the trip if you like. It should be a fun day. I plan to have crepes for brunch up in Tempe.
If we were having coffee today I would tell you a funny story about clearing clutter, about which I write frequently, and actually accomplish with less alacrity. I managed to take a large box of books to the used book store last week. Although they only purchased one book, I left the entire box for non profit organizations that pick them up there. I felt proud because I even managed to ditch some of my beloved, and never used, cookbooks. Yesterday in a Facebook group of people who used to live in the boonies in petroleum camps in Eastern Venezuela folks started saying they would pay to have a certain cookbook copied. I happen to have a copy, much used, and very special to me. The pride in ditching the old books has been replaced by pride in keeping the right one, San Tome Gourmet. San Tome was the name of our petroleum camp in Estate Anzoategui. It does contain some killer recipes. I have preserved history and culinary authenticity in my cookbook hoarding practice, so it is now very cool.
vintage Venezuelan cookbook
vintage Venezuelan cookbook
vintage cookbook
Tell me how your week and your writing has been. I have skipped too many days posting here this week, but did manage a couple of poems. Maybe next week I will be more productive and creative. I am calling on my summer muse to show up and inspire. She always shows up sooner or later…she is a little late. I hope your muses are serving you well and keeping your creative juicers flowing. Thanks for visiting this week. For those of you who want to keep up with bloggers around the world each weekend, check Nerd In The Brain for party invitations. Read, comment, or write your own digital beverage post. All are welcome.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
#NaPoWriMo Guilt Trip
April 24, 2017
— 1 Comment
love of the environment
I find that after a weekend away that I am far behind
In my goal to write a poem each day in April this year
Instead of writing poems I left my home and daily grind
To drive in the desert and sleep where I could not hear
A single sound in the night while wildlife crept around
A tiny slice of pristine wilderness preserved for the future
tools of the trade
Join the poetry party all month at #NaPoWriMo website, or by following the hashtags on social media. Read, write, recite , enter contests, and find new poets. Somehow today I will catch up by writing two more poems. Then my guilt will be gone.
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- #GloPoWriMo
#WeekendCoffeeShare Earth Day Edition
April 22, 2017
— 6 Comments
antique glider
If we were having coffee this morning I would invite you to sit in the antique glider that sits next to my desk (since last week when we spotted it at a yard sale), and chat with me while I take care of all my office and internet chores. We are taking off later this morning for a night in a tiny house on a farm in Patagonia, Arizona. Nothing could be earthier. There is no internet, which is fine since it is only an overnight trip. I am not constantly connected anyhow, but this will be a tiny earth house kind of disconnect. I am excited because it is a big time for the humming-bird migration, and Patagonia is right on the flight pattern. It will be a lovely place to take some photos. I will fill you in next weekend over coffee.
If you were in my office you would see that since taxes have been filed my excuses for the big pile of paper on the desk have vanished. The desk is clearing up, and I am tossing out old stray junk from the office closet as well. I am rounding up some books to take to the used book store while examining my own need to surround myself with cookbooks. I love to read them, but seldom actually follow any recipe. Ditto with all the yoga books in my library. I feel secure somehow owning them but never pull them off the shelf. I had the occasion to want a yoga book recently and it took me a while to locate it. That is just silly. If I trim down the total number of books and make sure they all give me great joy, as the Japanese tidy lady advises, I believe my whole life will improve. That is my next great task. I do own her detailed tidy book on kindle, but I am not following her recipe. I am starting with books and office clutter. I may discover my need to own all these rules and directions I do not obey. There must be some crazy thing going on there. I had some issues about buying the very chair in which you are gliding, but decided it was an asset and it does bring me joy. I hope it is bringing you some to sit in it while I type.
cookbooks
I am not in danger of becoming a minimalist any time soon. I think that is what Earth Day really should be, a celebration of using and owning less. I will consume a bunch of gasoline to go assume my minimalist tiny house on a farm lifestyle for a night. Then I will drive back to Tucson on Sunday where it will be time to start air conditioning the condo. It will be hot today while we are down south at a higher elevation chilling. I will check in at the library in Patagonia to use the internet and post my daily poem for #NaPoWriMo this afternoon. All this is making me realize how very high maintenance I still am.
I want to know how your life and writing projects are going this week. Fill your cup and then fill my ear with your stories. I look forward to hearing the news from this talented and diverse group of writers. Nerd in the Brain hosts this lavish party each weekend. This is where you go to submit your own coffee share post, or keep up with the news of others in this lively group. Thanks for visiting today, and happy Earth Day to you all.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
Arizona Highways #NaPoWriMo
April 7, 2017
— 1 Comment
palo verde
wildflowers
prickly pear
fairy duster
Riding in the red Mustang down Arizona Highways in the spring
Psychedelic colors flash like cartoons across the landscape
Brightly blooming trees and cacti light up the desert and sing
Mysterious, haunting, and otherworldly, it is here we can escape
Taking in the wonders of nature, we heal our weary souls
Retreating into the beauty of the season we are made whole
We run with the roadrunners and hum with the hummingbirds
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- #GloPoWriMo
Please ride the poetry train this April at #NaPoWriMo. You are invited to contribute, read, comment, or participate in some of the many contests happening this month. You can follow both #GloPoWriMo and #NaPoWriMo on social media to discover more poets.
Musical Instrument Museum
March 15, 2017
— 4 Comments
Dragons and Vines Inlay
Dragons and Vines Inlay
Dragons and Vines Inlay
Dragons and Vines Inlay
Dragons and Vines Inlay
Dragons and Vines Inlay
The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix is a destination worth a lengthy visit. I spent the day there recently in complete awe. The special exhibit on display now is an incredible collection of artfully inlaid instruments. They exhibit includes videos to show the methods and makers of this specialized art. The intricacy they achieve is impressive, and almost impossible to discern with the naked eye. The museum furnishes the visitors with little flashlights to illuminate the inlay for better appreciation of the detail. This show is all in one large room, but is packed with amazing art. The exhibit is both enlightening and inspirational. I have a new appreciation for this fine craftsmanship.
The well designed space tells the story of the history and evolution of music all around the globe. There are instruments and videos to explain the origins and uses of them arranged by geographic region. Plan to spend a long time, or go back more than once to see the entire space. I took out some time in the afternoon to attend a concert by the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra in the small acoustically perfect theater on site. The selections played were very special for the small space, and I had a front row seat with a direct view of the conductor. It was intimate and wonderfully transformative. I enjoyed the concert immensely, and would return for another matinée the next time I plan a trip. The concert/museum combination is hard to beat. The concert series offers all kinds of music, and the prices are very reasonable for the quality. The concert hall is a real treat in itself. I highly recommend this museum for an hour or a week. It is fascinating, and feeds the soul.
quotes
concert
antiques
mini glass orchestra
antiques
bagpipe
Ella Fitzgerald’s dress
harmonicas
Value For Dollar, Air bnb
March 13, 2017
— 1 Comment
I was a travel agent for many years, and have not lost my love of hotels. There is nothing like a stay at a first class establishment to make you feel pampered and rested. I prefer to save up for a special stay if I want to stay in a hotel. When they converted the Waldorf-Astoria to apartments last week I was really happy I had stayed there a couple of times. Once I talked the sales representative into giving me a two bedroom suite for the price of a double room. It was spectacular, and I will never forget it. The Sunday brunch was also to die for. Five star hotels are memorable, but they are not the only way to have a special vacation. Since air bnb started I have used it for particular locations. Sometimes the most important aspect of the stay is the exact location. Air bnb has expanded my choices when I travel to include a large and growing number of private homes, guest houses, and rooms for rent to paying customers. I used to rent private flats in other countries, and it was tricky. Now this has become easy and safe for all involved parties. Air bnb connects renters with exceptional spaces to rent.
The company carries insurance for both the renter and the property owner. There is a vetting process, and the reviews are made public. If a guest is undesirable and is reviewed as a bad prospect, other owners will not want to rent to him. Conversely, if an accommodation is reviewed as less than perfect, prospective renters can take this into account when deciding on a rental. I have only had one property that worked out well for me but I declined to review because I thought it was not appropriate for most travelers. I have been around the world and have a pretty wide range of tolerances, but this is not the case for all clients of air bnb. The base of customers and rentals is growing, which means there are new places on the rental market all the time. I keep some wish lists of properties for future reference. This helps me check certain cities for my dream accommodations quickly. There are many choices, and trip planning is a sport for me. I can get lost in the air bnb site for hours, just doing research on new locations.
I go to Tempe, Arizona at least once a year for a weekend. I like to live like a regular person in the neighborhood when I am there. I don’t always cook, but I like the option of a kitchen for flexibility. This is one of the major advantages to hotel life in my mind. Each host is different, but generally the renter is given free use of the kitchen, and normally the outdoor barbecue, if there is one. If nothing else this allows me to store any produce I pick up at framers markets, and gives me a place to make my coffee in the mornings. Hosts almost always provide coffee and tea. Some go all out with gifts of food and wine for the traveller. I have moved in to find a case of fizzy water and other goodies left by the previous tenant. The host describes what is provided so there is little chance of surprise. Being accurate in the description is an important issue to the company. I find they are all good at that. Obviously, some personalities will fit better than others, and staying in someone’s home is intimate. All my hosts have been just right for my tastes, usually leaving the premises, and leaving me alone. Many will leave a key or a lock box for convenience checking in while they are at work. My recent stay at Larry’s place in Tempe worked out very well for my needs. I would recommend his property for anyone. He is friendly, but low key. His very well presented guide book helped me navigate the area when I arrived. It was very helpful.
Larry’s yard
Larry
The referral and vetting system is similar to Uber or Lyft. If you use my invitation link to sign up , you will receive a discount of $40 on your first booking. I will be rewarded with $20 in credit after you take your first trip. It is a win/win situation. Have you tired using air bnb, gentle reader? It is becoming much more popular all the time.
#WeekendCoffeeShare Spring Fever Edition
March 13, 2017
— 1 Comment
aloe
aloe
bees on lavender
aloe
aloe
If we were having coffee this weekend, you might notice I have not shown up until Monday morning. No real impediments kept me from meeting my own deadline here. I have just been feeling spring fever. I have been particularly lazy on my blog, although I did manage a short piece of fiction this week. After my quick trip to Tempe and Scottsdale last week I started to shop around on air bnb for other wildflower destinations. I told myself I would fit in one more photo safari on this exceptional rain year when I am finished preparing my income taxes. I found some excellent options near Anza Borrego, California, where there is a gigantic super bloom happening now. It is very tempting to just pick up and go, but I do need to consider finances.
My vacation and photo shoot quickly turned into a spa staycation when a surprising turn of events changed my financial picture. The cheap knock off vibration platform I have been enjoying daily kicked the bucket. This was distressing because I am now addicted to using it, and must replace it with one that will not break after two month’s use. I read reviews and did more research than I did the first time, including calling an old friend who is a vendor of the Power Plate brand. The superior quality as well as the warranty convinced me to order a Power Plate platform. It will arrive tomorrow. I have a new appreciation for it, and see it as a good exchange for a short vacation. This will contribute to better health every day. I have become accustomed to the convenience of using it whenever I want at home. The wildflowers will have to wait. I have invested in my home spa gear and my every day pleasure. This investment will pay off in the future.
We are still finishing the ruby red grapefruit, and Bob brought home two cases of mangos from the produce distribution in the neighborhood on Saturday. He arrived as they were leaving, and wanted to get rid of extra tomatoes and mangos, so he took six cases of tomatoes, and two of ripe mangoes. They are in perfect condition, so I was roasting and simmering stroganoff and soup yesterday. I still have many tomatoes, so today I will set up the food drier to take care of more of them. I will make a batch of mango chutney and some salsa today too. I love the smell of chutney while it simmers. Please help yourself to fruit to go. We are overstocked once again.
If we were having coffee I would ask you to enjoy the scent of the lemon tree blooming in the back yard and the pink jasmine and white roses blooming in the front. The perfume of spring is heady and floral. It is warm and sunny. We cleared out all the wood from the garage, not expecting to need another fire in the stove this year. Tell me how your writing has been going. I hope you are not on a lazy streak like I am. This is not writer’s block. This is plain old procrastination. Do you suffer from that? It seems like after I miss one day of blogging it is easy to skip another. I need to jumpstart that writing engine and get in gear. Thanks for sharing stories and digital beverages this week. Pardon my tardiness, please. I will work on that for next week.
If you would like to connect with a group of talented diverse writers, check out Nerd in the Brain, our gracious hostess.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
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