Refreshing Storm

A refreshing monsoon storm rolled into the Phoenix area Friday and saturated the area with some much needed rain.  After it rained heavily for about 30 minutes, the sun peeked out from the west in the early evening when I was headed over to Julie and Dave's house for one of our art club meetings. The low sun shining on Camelback Mountain with the dark skies behind the mountains made a dramatic backdrop.

When I arrived, I saw a pale rainbow forming against the dark background of the sky.

And then from the patio, a dramatic looking sky with the sun going down behind the clouds that were starting to break up.  It wasn't quite over yet though, after dark we could still see bright lightening in the northern skies.  It cooled things off enough for me to be able to sit outside for a bit on Saturday morning.  

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm visiting a priceless work of art in one of my favorite cities.  

The Color Purple

Something bright and cheerful for this Saturday!

Downtown Shopping Center

I've featured many photos from the downtown shopping center called The Arizona Center before but, this was the very first time I noticed this shade covering with the great patterns.

The stores in this center have changed over the years but it still appears to be going strong.  The multiplex movie theater and the multiple restaurants have a lot to do with that along with the ASU downtown campus.  It's a great spot to meet up with friends.

More Santa Fe Style Architecture

I found this Santa Fe Style office building in the heart of Scottsdale.  The color of those walls make a nice contrast with the blue sky.

This is a small courtyard at the same building.

I do love this style.

Phoenix Bird

I told you a while back that I wanted to do a series on the many versions of Phoenix Birds that appear all around the city so I'm going to pull some in over the next few months.  I found this one just this last weekend on the front of a mid-town hotel.  This style of Phoenix bird is an almost exact copy of the one that is used on all official City of Phoenix documents, business cards, etc.

See what I mean?  Here is a copy of the official bird that I found on the internet.

Above is a photo of where I found this Phoenix Bird, at the Clarendon Hotel.  The hotel is located in a very unlikely spot on a quiet street in the mid-town area of Phoenix close to where I used to live.  It was purchased a few years back by a new management company and they have turned the hotel into a very eclectic place.  

Shaggy Trees

While I was cruising around some of the historic neighborhoods over the weekend, I came across these two rather shaggy looking palm trees.  They both appear to be very large but, they could use a good tree trimming.

As a bonus, I'm throwing in this shot of another house I saw in the Brentwood neighborhood.  It's unusual to see a mural painted on the side of house but here is one.  It makes me wonder if it's a caricature of of the owner.

Brentwood and Campus Vista

Today I have the next two historic neighborhoods on that list of 35.  Brentwood and Campus Vista.  Brentwood was new to me.  I don't believe I had ever roamed around that neighborhood before.  It appears to be an area that is making a comeback.  Some of the houses have been maintained beautifully but, there were a few that were in serious need of repair.  The one above was neat and tidy and painted in southwest colors.

This one has some real character.  I love the arched entryway and the large chimney.  I'm not sure what is wrong with the trees.  They should be full of leaves but, it appears they have died.  That's a shame because they are beautifully shaped.

Campus Vista is a neighborhood that I'm very familiar with.  It's where I used to live before I moved last fall.  The house above belongs to dear friends and it has been lovingly remodeled and maintained.

This is another house I admired.  I love the brick and the tall trees.  

Weather

We had a good sized storm move into the valley Friday afternoon.  When I noticed it, I drove over the the shopping center and went up to the top of the garage to get a better view.  It was windy and the clouds were swirling all around but, would you believe there was very little rain at my house.  News headlines said it rained very hard in different parts of the valley but at my house, nothing to speak of. What crazy weather.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  Mustangs make an appearance.

Theme Day: Bicycle

I've posted many photos of bicycles on this blog so you would think this would have been an easy one for me.  But, I could never find a shot that stood up to my all time favorite one here.  So, yesterday I was on a mission to get an interesting bicycle shot.  I was driving down the street when I saw this gentleman waiting at a bus stop.  I quickly pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store right next to the bus stop, rolled down the window and waited for the bus I had just passed to stop here.

It stopped, the man put his bicycle onto the bike rack and climbed aboard.  The bus driver appears to be looking right at me.  Probably wondering if I had this guy under surveillance for some reason.
So here's my contribution to the theme.  Compatible transportation modes in the city of Phoenix,

To see how other City Daily Photo Bloggers represented the theme in their cities, click here.

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.