Here's an interesting mural that I recently spotted. Can you guess what kind of business is in that building? It's a marijuana dispensary. There was no artist signature on this one which I found strange. I usually find signatures on all the newer murals.
Taking part in Monday Murals.
The bleached scull of a steer or buffalo is seen a lot in southwestern decor. I didn't realize that the use of them as decoration goes back way further than the American Southwest. I learned that when I researched the word "bucranium". This particular one was hanging on the wall of a Scottsdale resort.
The simple background for this photo made it another good subject for some experimental photo editing. I like the one above very much. It looks like a southwestern painting.
This one has exaggerated the colors making it look like it has lights glowing from behind it. Neither photos will win any prizes but it was something to do on a day when it's too hot to go outside to take new photos.
I read somewhere that today is International Tiger Day so I decided to dig into my archives and see if I had some good tiger photos. I found these images from the Phoenix Zoo taken several years ago.
International Tiger Day was set aside to recognize conservation efforts to protect these beautiful beasts. The tigers at the Phoenix Zoo have it pretty easy. Someone brings them their food while they relax in the shade. (I hope they are relaxing in the shade today. It's pretty hot even for tigers.)
They even have a few trees in their enclosure that they can climb to get a better view of all the guests who are admiring them. Don't you wonder what he's thinking?
I spotted these two ceramic sculptures in a Scottsdale gallery shop window.
I couldn't resist taking a photo of them. They are pretty unique. Some might say, just plain ugly.
I'm not sure what decor these would go with. They would certainly be a conversation piece anywhere they might dwell.
I was scrolling through my photos from the Desert Botanical Garden taken this last spring and I found some close up shots I took of different aloe blooms. There is a pattern to these colorful blooms but if I get close up to them, they look very abstract.
I'm missing my walks at the garden. I'm also hearing that a few of the plants there are struggling with the intense heat we have been having. I hope they are able to survive. I am looking forward to seeing them sometime soon.
Those of you who have been following my blog for a number of years know that I have a "thing" for interesting dishes and tableware. Before I moved to where I now live, I actually had 12 sets of dishes. I've cut that down by half since then. These days, I'm still drawn by the lovely patterns but I tend to take photos of them instead of buying them. That's how I ended up with a snapshot of this set honoring the humble (but very necessary) honey bee. I think the whole set is very nice.
On the table with this set of dishes was a bottle of The Bee's Knees cocktail mixer. This one says it's lemon and honey flavored. I have no idea what it tastes like but it goes perfectly with the dishes.
Occasionally, I will meet a group of friends for drinks and snacks at a place called Postino's. You might call it our local pub. One day about a year ago, we were seated at a great spot under this colorful chandelier. I snapped a photo of it because I liked all the colors.
A few weeks ago, I met my friends there and noticed that the chandelier looked different. I discovered that the little corner of the place where we usually sit had been refurbished with new wall color, new art work and this new chandelier.
It's similar to the old one but just slightly different. If I hadn't taken a photo of the first one, I might not have noticed the change at all.
I photographed this plant back in early June when I was at the Desert Botanical Garden. There wasn't a sign on it so I had no idea what it was.
The bees were showing an interest in it too but I'm betting they know exactly what it is. Bees are plant experts. They just don't speak my language.
Here is another house I found in the same historic neighborhood where yesterday's houses were located, the Windsor Historic District. This one has some palm trees surrounding it also but they aren't as tall those featured in yesterday's post.
What caught my eye about this place were the planters at the end of the front walk. I love how the plants are tumbling out of each of those shiny pots.
Two houses in the same historic neighborhood are surrounded by very tall palm trees. The trees around this house are especially tall. I would hate to be the tree trimmer who has to climb to the top of these trees to give them a trim. From the looks of the trees they have recently been trimmed. Bravo to the brave souls who did that job.
These trees are not quite as tall as the those in the photo above. Both of these houses were found in the Windsor Historic District. One of the many historic districts in the city of Phoenix. I love looking at the homes in these areas of town.
This lady resides in one of the windows of Hanny's restaurant and bar in downtown Phoenix. It's one of many life-sized sculptures that both Hanny's and AZ 88 in Scottsdale have displayed from time to time. This one is covered in all kinds of beads and baubles.
This lady is found in another one of the windows.
She is covered in what looks like rusty cloth or rags and is crowned with a very unusual hat.
While these sculptures have been in the windows of Hanny's for several years, the sculptures at AZ 88 have since been removed. Remember the lady pouring paint over herself?
The tops of two midtown buildings that I've featured on this blog before. The glass building to the right is the One Lexington condo building located on Central Avenue. Around 3 years ago, I posted some photos taken in that penthouse at the very top of this building.
The other building is that big curved building I've featured many times on this blog. It's the one that people have nick-named the piano roll building. You can see it here and here.
This is the latest iteration of murals on the side of Just Blaze, the business that sells paints and supplies for mural and graffiti artists. This particular wall changes periodically and it's always interesting to see what the latest version has to say. I see that the mustachioed gentleman has "Suns" tattooed on his fingers and "Just Blaze" tattooed on his arm. This must be another tribute to our basketball team, the Phoenix Suns as well as a shout-out to Just Blaze.
There is a sign in downtown Phoenix, just across the street from City Hall showing all of Phoenix's "sister city" affiliations. They are:
The only one I've visited is Calgary. My friend David was lucky to get to go on a city trip to Prague about 10 years ago. He enjoyed that very much.
A little over a year ago I was with my friends on one of those special home and garden tours that happen in the spring. After touring all the houses, we drove around up on one hillside to take in the view. A long way across the valley, I zoomed in on a house I saw that looked like it was carved out of the side of the mountain.
I zoomed in a little closer and it certainly does look like the space for the house was actually scraped out of the side of the mountain and this very large house was fitted into the space.
The funny thing is that I could never find this house again. I wanted to get a closer photo but I simply could not find the place back again until....
...I finally saw a few days ago. I snapped this shot with my iPhone, so I wasn't able to zoom in this time however, you can see the house to the left in this photo. Now if I can find that road, I might be able to drive up there and get a closer look at this place. The way that mountain appears carved around the house is very intriguing to me.
I recently turned down a street lined with some cute little houses and the word "bungalow" popped into my head. So I got to thinking; what is a bungalow anyway. I looked the word up and learned that the name is derived from Bengal and the word 'Bangla' meaning a house in the Bengal style. I had no idea the word had foreign roots.
The word bungalow is used to describe a small house, typically one story similar to a cottage. The houses on this street fit that description perfectly.
However, this tree construction can't be called a bungalow. It is definitely a treehouse and a rather fine one at that.
I have lunch at the cafe at the Heard Museum pretty often but I usually sit outside. However when it's as hot as it has been the last two or three weeks, dining inside is the only option. So when I went inside yesterday, I was surprised to see that the cafe was sporting some new chairs that look very nice.
Phoenix Daily Photo blog turns 15 years old today. When I started this blog on this day back in 2008, I had no idea that I'd still be doing it 15 years later. What can I say, I love doing it. It has never become a burden or chore. I love taking photos and I love sharing those photos with others. And, I truly enjoy reading your comments and seeing the photos you all post and learning about other places and adventures around the world. I'll mark this milestone and keep on blogging as long as I can!
About this photo: I started this blog with a photo of the Arizona State Capitol. Rather than repeating with a photo of that building, I decided to zoom in on the "Winged Victory" weather vane at the top of the building. It has been perched up there since 1901 however, the Arizona Territory purchased it in 1898 when construction of the building first began. It cost $150 and is actually a 17-foot-tall, 600 pound wind vane. She's looking pretty good for her age!
I came across these photos in my files and they reminded me how much I miss this former annual event at the Phoenix Art Museum. It was called "Arts & Flowers". The museum would let floral designers choose a particular artwork and then they would create a floral arrangement to compliment that piece. The painting above is Lady with Beads by Kees Van Dongen.
The abstract painting above is called City Dynamism by Raymond Jonson and the floral arrangement to the left is the complement to this painting.
The last event like this at the art museum was back in 2015 and I really miss that weekend of flowers and art very much. When I was working full time, I'd actually take a day off just so I could be at the museum when flowers were fresh and fragrant.
The Kahinde Wiley painting above was paired with this arrangement back in 2015. I like how this arrangement is made of floating flowers just like the background of the actual painting.
It really is too bad the art museum doesn't have this event any longer.