Rusty Wagon

I found this wagon next to someone's carport and it brought back some childhood memories.  I used to have a wagon that I pulled all over the yard and our neighborhood only mine was red.  As I recall it was kind of beat up looking but the wheels were perfect and the handle worked beautifully.

Food Art

I forgot to post this photo earlier in the month.  It was a dessert that a friend made for the Fourth of July gathering at Julie and Dave's house.  They are little cupcakes that look like hamburgers with the green and red icing just under the top of the cake so that it looks like lettuce and tomatoes.  In back is a little packet of sugar cookie "french fries".  Isn't that clever?

Bougainvillea

I saw this bougainvillea bush in, of all places, a shopping center parking lot.  The way the blooms seem to be gathered in large clusters intrigued me so I did some research.

The best that I can tell, these are called torch glow bougainvillea.  They are very attractive with long branches that reach out with these clusters of blooms at the end.

Alverado and Ashland

The city of Phoenix has 35 designated Historic Neighborhoods and I've explored quite a few of them and posted some photos here.  I decided that I really should check them all out and see how different they all are.  So I'm going to locate the one's I've never visited and share a few photos with you from time to time.  I'm going to try to do them in alphabetical order and two at a time and I'll post them once or twice a week.  I'm starting with the Alvarado neighborhood.  I've posted photos from here before so this time I chose two houses that I haven't shown you.  The one above is a neat Spanish style.

This one is more of a California bungalow style.  I like them both.  

The second neighborhood I visited was the Ashland neighborhood.  I hadn't really explored this one before so these houses were new to me.  They aren't quite as large as the one's in Alvarado but they are very attractive.

I especially liked this one with the well trimmed hedge and that great front window.  

Green Chairs

I was having lunch and one of my favorite places yesterday and I noticed these bright green chairs at the tables on the patio.  The place is called True Food and they serve healthy food that always tastes delicious.  I posted about True Food a few years ago here.

I also noticed this great shelf just a few feet away from the table with the green chairs.  I thought all that green would make some interesting photos.






Then I spotted those glasses all lined up neatly on that lower shelf.

I decided they might look good in a close up shot.  I didn't notice when I took the shot that one of the glasses appears to be a bit tipsy and the one on right in the back row appears to be stepping out to catch the tipsy one when it falls.

I was just playing around with my camera and I ended up with the saga of the tipsy wine glass.

Door

I did some cruising around a few historic neighborhoods yesterday and I came across this interesting door.  I didn't see any sign to identify the place but, I got the impression that an artist dealing in metal sculptures might work there.  What really attracted me was this very interesting door.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  A peek at a very large monument is on the agenda.

Papago Buttes

There are some great views of the Papago Buttes from many of the trails at the Desert Botanical Garden.  This view is from the new garden Desert Portal entry that was just finished last fall.

Every now and then I'll spot some climbers all the way up on top of one of the buttes and I'll extend the telephoto and shoot a couple of candid shots.  This time it was a family complete with the family dog who appears to be having his photo taken up there.  I hope she got the skyline of Phoenix in that shot of the dog.  There is quite a view from up there.

Big Lens

When I went to the garden last Sunday morning, I wasn't the only one there taking pictures.  This guy had some serious equipment set up and was working away on some subject.  I was never quite sure where he was pointing that giant lens.

The Praying Monk

I've posted photos of this rock formation on Camelback Mountain before but this time I caught this view between two tall palm trees.  The formation is called "The Praying Monk" for obvious reasons.  It does look like a monk kneeling in prayer.  I was riding around in the neighborhood just west of the mountain when I spotted this view between the two trees.

Santa Fe Style Estate

I saw this very large Santa Fe Style home in the neighborhood just east of me and stopped to get a photo.  I love this style but I'm hoping the house has more windows in the back.  There just don't seem to be enough out here in the front.

Trimmed with Orange

All that orange really caught my eye when I passed this house.  They have everything coordinated with that orange trim.  A craving for a Dreamsicle or an orange soda overwhelmed me but it might have been the heat that caused that.

After the Rain

We finally got some rain on Saturday night and that brought the temperatures down enough that I took a 6:00 AM stroll at the Desert Botanical Garden.  Everything seemed to be soaking up that much needed moisture.

It was a pleasant 77 degrees (25C) however, the humidity was up around 70%.  That's okay, all that moisture is good for the complexion.  It dried up quite a bit by Sunday afternoon.  Fingers crossed for another good rain.

All that glitters is not gold

I found this in a craft store and couldn't resist taking a photo of it.

All that glisters is not gold

Often have you heard that told

Many a man his life hath sold

But my outside to behold....

William Shakespeare (The Merchant of Venice)

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm having a "supreme" experience.  

Saguaro Blooms

I saw this one in my archives and thought it deserved to be posted.  Those white saguaro blooms look pretty clean and bright agains that sapphire blue sky!  Have a great Saturday!

Lion in the Garden

I think this lion might be a slightly happier than the lion I featured yesterday.  This one is standing guard near the gate to a Paradise Valley home.  He has all those plants and flowers around him so his duty is a little less tedious.  I would have taken a photo of the home he protects but the gate was solid so I couldn't actually see the house.

Grumpy Lion

Just look at the grumpy expression on the face of that lion.  Maybe he's not happy having to stand in front of this business day and night.

He and his equally grumpy friend sit in front of the Capital Grille located at the Biltmore Fashion Park shopping center near where I live.  It's one of the many restaurants that I could walk to (when the temperatures go down a bit) but, I have to admit I've only been inside this place once and that was years ago.  If you live in the US, I bet there is one of these places near you too.

Low-hanging Clouds

We've had lots of monsoon type, low-hanging clouds lately and many of them have looked like they are about to open up with some rain but, so far no such luck.  Hopefully, that will change soon.  We are due for a good monsoon rain.  Bring it on, I say!

On the other hand, my home town of Quincy Illinois got hit pretty hard with a really bad storm Monday night.  Hundreds of trees are down or uprooted, 85% of the city had their power out most of the day on Tuesday and there were even some walls that came tumbling down.  That kind of storm we don't need here.  Just rain, lots of rain.

Guilty Pleasures

I thought I'd show you what I ended up with for my "Guilty Pleasures" challenge in our Art Challenge Group.  We met last Friday night where everyone had some type of artistic rendition of their personal guilty pleasures.  Mine are champagne, chocolate and photography so I photographed those three together and then did some artistic manipulation with the photo.  I framed it  and it is now hanging in my kitchen.

We were all "wowed" by Jim's hand made cigar box guitar.  Jim collects guitars so that was his guilty pleasure.  He created a cigar box guitar that actually plays so, for the first time at one of our club meetings, we had a little live music too.

Our next challenge is "fluorescent paint".   I'll have to think about that one for a while.

Golden Horses

Just down the street from me is this house with these two golden horses gracing the entrance.  They are most likely just painted gold but, they sure do sparkle when the sun shines on them.

P.S.  Apparently, somewhere between where I was standing and those horses, a sprinkler must have been on.  I don't recall that but, I know for sure that it wasn't raining. 

Let Them Eat Cake

There is a specialty cake bakery located in Scottsdale near Scottsdale Fashion Square and they have some of the most unique cakes on display all the time.  I thought these two were especially nice.  I think my favorite one is the one that looks like a stack of pillows.  They sell slices of cake and specialty desserts too so you don't have to buy a big tall, fancy cake to taste one.  You can get a slice any time.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm off on safari but not where you might think.

Anniversary Post

Today marks seven years since I started this daily photo blog and I'm happy to say that I haven't missed a single day.  Even when I've been away, I managed to post using blogger's scheduler.  I can't tell you all how much I've enjoyed doing this.  This project has given me an opportunity to make new friends from all over the world and to see my own city in a whole different way.  I love it and I think I'll keep on going for at least another seven years!

I thought I'd mark the occasion with a recent photo of the Chihuly Wildflower Towers at the entrance to the Desert Botanical Garden on a rare cloudy day.  You've seen them on this site many times before.  They are so beautiful that my camera is drawn to them almost every time I go to the garden (and that's quite a lot as most of you know).  I probably have more photos of these glass sculptures than any other thing in Phoenix!

Lots of Roses

There is a house very near me that has a long row of rose bushes that line the wall around their property.  A while ago I saw this beautiful cluster of blooms and couldn't resist a photo.  If I'd had some clippers with me, I might have taken them home with me.  :-)

Ice Cream Weather

Make that Gelato instead!  It certainly is the season for this tasty treat.  That's not to say that I don't enjoy it all year round, it just seems to fit this hot weather the best.  I stopped at the local "Frost" (I featured them in a previous post here) store to enjoy a dish of hazelnut-chocolate gelato.  Yum, it was delicious and refreshing.

Mr. Bones

I met this fellow hanging (literally) around the Saks Fifth Avenue store near me.  He's on duty in the cosmetic department and he represents the Kiehl's cosmetic company.  Is it just me or does it seem a bit strange to have a skeleton used as an advertising gimmick for a cosmetic company?  A little sign explains that the original Mr. Bones resides in the Kiehl's flagship store in New York and he was used to "help educate on and demonstrate the causes and effects of various ailments."  Hmmm...I'm not sure how he would demonstrate dry skin or an itchy scalp.  

What a view

Yesterday I told you about staying at Julie and Dave's house because my electricity was out.  This was the view out my bedroom window when I woke up in the morning .  I took this shot with the telephoto lens right through the window.  Camelback Mountain is pretty rugged up there at the top but, it's also very picturesque.

Not quite as planned.....

My holiday plans didn't quite work as I expected on Saturday.  Around 2:00PM, the electricity went out at my place and as I waited for it to come back on I grew more and more worried about my dinner plans.  How was going to shower in the dark?  How was I going to dry my hair after I showered?  How hot was it going to get inside before they get it turned back on?  As it turns out, I can be pretty resourceful when I have to.  A flashlight lit the shower but the hair drying proved a bigger challenge.  Finally, I offered to pick up my friend if I could blow my hair dry at his house.  So, all was well, dinner was great, fireworks were great and then I drove home.  Yikes, the power was still out and by this time, all the emergency lighting had used up the battery supply.  It was very dark.  Using the light of my cell phone, I made it inside my door only to realize it was way to warm to stay there.

Thank goodness for great friends like Julie and Dave.  I gave them a call and then headed over to their house to spend the night.

So, that is me above on Sunday morning, enjoying breakfast on a little retreat up the mountainside behind Julie and Dave's house.  I was enjoying the view and a delicious breakfast with friends on an overcast morning that kept the outdoor temperature comfortable.  A perfect way to greet the day.

When I got home, the work has been done and the electricity was back on.  The electric company had to dig a huge hole in the parking lot to find the problem but they did find it and fixed it.  The house is cool, no loss of food in the freezer, all is well with the world again.

Friday night special...

My friend David and I joined his brother James at the Mix Up Bar at the Royal Palms Resort Friday night for a little dinner and live music.  Performing for us was Jo Watson & the Birdman and the two put on a great show.  That's Jo in the photo above, a beautiful lady with an equally beautiful voice.  I didn't catch The Birdman in any of my shots.  Too many people in front of me.

We didn't know that dancing would be involved but it was.  Yes, we danced!  It was a fun evening.  

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I've taken to the London underground.

Happy 4th of July!

It's Independence Day here in the United States so it's time for bar-b-ques, fireworks and family and friends.  I'll be having dinner with friends tonight and then watching some fireworks.  I do love fireworks so I'm looking forward to a beautiful display!

Patterns!

The Renaissance Hotel in downtown Phoenix has an interesting window design that makes some crazy looking patterns when you photograph it.  All of the windows on the south side of the hotel have this arched look to them giving that side of the hotel a very striking look especially when you zoom in on just the windows.

If you step back you can capture the hotel's street entrance but, it's those windows that steal the show.  

Unique Condos

I recently found this unusual looking condo complex in north central Phoenix.  The actual condo units appear to be two story with flat roofs.  But, what caught my eye was the sign out front and the name "Roman Roads".  Both are very unique.

It was such an unusual entrance that I was compelled to turn around and go back for a photo.

Theme Day - Upside Down

Who put that book back on the shelf upside down?

The first of the month is always theme day for City Daily Photo bloggers and today's theme is "Upside Down".  Since I couldn't find anything (or anyone) that would cooperate and pose upside down, I created my own upside down interpretation.

To see how other City Daily Photo bloggers have represented the theme, click here.