Merry Horses

 

I was in Scottsdale last weekend and noticed that the fountain horses had their holiday gear on.  They always look so festive with those pretty wreaths around their necks.  It always reminds me of the lions in front of the Art Institute of Chicago.  It is tradition to put wreaths around the lions necks.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  I'm visiting another New York landmark.

Great Sunset Followed By Rain

 

They predicted rain for Thursday and this time they were right.  On Wednesday evening, the clouds rolled into the valley giving us a spectacular Sunset.

These first two photos are looking southwest where the sun was setting.  The top photo is with my iPhone and this one above is with my camera.

Then I turned around a looked north at the mountains.  Not as dramatic as the sunset but I like the look of the sky and the last rays of the sun on the mountain.  Rain only lasted that one day.  Yesterday was back to sunshine.

Is a Rescue Needed?

 

On my walk yesterday, I noticed that Santa appeared to be locked up in this upstairs room.  I think he might want someone to let him out.

Hopefully, help is on the way so he can get back to his very important work.  There are a lot of kids out there wanting some Christmas presents.

😊

Time to Get Into the Holiday Spirit

 

The last time I walked at the Desert Botanical Garden, I admired the holiday decorations they have put up.  I saw a few more wreaths than they have had in the past.  This large one was especially nice.

It's the first time I've seen one on this wall.  You can also see the luminaries all set up for an evening walk through the garden.  I have reservations to do that late next week.  I haven't been in two or three years so it will be fun to go again.  

Waiting Outside

 

I had to take my car to the mechanic Monday afternoon and I had been dreading it all weekend because the place has a very tiny waiting room and with the surge in covid, I hate being inside public places.  So I decided that I'd wait outside and just take a walk down the street.  

I snapped a couple of iPhone photos on the way.

I found this questionable looking Ethiopian restaurant.  It was located on one end of a rather shabby looking strip center but there were actually three other tiny restaurants and a palm reader in the same center.  They seemed to be surviving the effects of the pandemic.

Next door to the repair shop is a tire shop.  They had these old tires out front as decoration.

Not much to show for my walk down the street but it was still better than waiting inside.

Signs of Winter Approaching

 

Phoenix trees are starting to show some color and dropping their leaves while others are still shades of summer green.  

It's nice to see some natural color showing up around town.  I went out looking for Christmas decorations and found nature putting on a holiday show too.  

Giant Owl

 

Two years ago I posted a picture of the mural that is on the side of this building.  It had an Asian flare to it to match the Asian inspired shaved ice business inside.  When I was downtown recently I noticed that another mural was been added to the front of the building along with the addition of those strange round planters.  I can't decide if that owl would scare me off or welcome me in.  

Participating in Monday Murals.

Make Lemonade

The citrus trees around the valley are full of fruit right now.  

Back when I was actually going into work instead of walking across my apartment, I used to get a lot of lemons and oranges and grapefruit to take home at this time of year.  Many people who have trees in their yards would bring the excess fruit to work to share.  Just another disadvantage to this isolation we are all experiencing.  

I saw this tree full of lemons at the Desert Botanical Garden when I was there on Friday.  I was tempted to pick one but I didn't.  

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns.  I had to do some research to find out where the photos were taken.

 

Observing the Birds

 

I don't have many photos of Verdin because these little birds are simply never still.  They flit around constantly.  I've attempted photos many times but they are just too quick for me.  I finally caught one munching on the flowers of the cascalote tree.  They actually aren't eating the blooms but the tiny, tiny insects inside the blooms.

On the other hand, I have plenty of photos of the Goldfinch.  I can almost always catch some at the fountain in the contemplation garden.

While I was there yesterday, a little house sparrow stopped by for a drink too.

I didn't see any roadrunners yesterday but this little cactus wren landed close to me while I was in that same area.  I love watching these busy birds.

I was passing by the trash bins in the outdoor cafe area and I kept hearing noise coming from the inside the bins.  I waited a minute and out popped curved-billed thrasher.  Obviously he had been scavenging in the trash.  My walk yesterday was fun and refreshing.  

Stopping to Say Hello

 I went for a walk at the Desert Botanical Garden late yesterday afternoon.  I don't usually walk at the garden that late in the day but I've had a busy work week and I just felt like a walk would do me good.  At one spot in the garden, I was looking at some of the holiday decorations that have gone up when I heard something behind me.  I turned around and was greeted by this Roadrunner.

He really was just about two feet away from me and seemed to be curious about what I was doing there.  I think I took around 25 photos of him.  He hung around watching me the whole time I was there.  I enjoyed my walk so much that I decided I'm going back today. It will be a morning visit this time.  

Frank Lloyd Wright Was Here Too

 

You might remember this house.  I toured it several times four years ago after it was saved from the wrecking ball by a man who wanted to restore it and open it to the public for events and tours.  A lot has happened since that time.  The new owner faced a rather hostile uprising from the neighborhood who were opposed to the traffic and noise his plans might cause.  In the end, he sold the place to a group of Frank Lloyd Wright Architectural School graduates who have their own plans.

The new owners want to restore it to its original look which includes a copper roof that was part of the original plan.  The lot this home sits on is unusually large, so they are planning on building at least two more buildings here all based on FLW plans.  I'll keep my eye on this one to see how it goes.

I posted photos of the inside of this gorgeous home back in January of 2016.

Frank Lloyd Wright Was Here

 On the cover of the November issue of Arizona Highways magazine was a picture of a Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in Phoenix that I knew nothing about.  

Wright was friends with the editor of Arizona Highways and in the late 1940's he learned that his friend was living in a small apartment.  He told him "I'll design a new home for you for free.  All you have to do is buy the lot and provide a construction crew."  

From what I've learned about Wright, that offer was very unusual.  They must have been great friends.  

So in 1950, the Raymond Carlson House was built.

I'm showing you these photos from the magazine article because this is a private residence so it's not one I could tour and photograph.  I had never heard of this house before so I was curious to get a look at it.  The article did not give an address and in fact, it said that the house was not visible from the street.  But, you know me, I have to see for myself.  It took some research but I finally came up with an address.

The article was right, you can't see the house from the street.  It is completely surrounded by trees and shrubbery.  The only hint of the place was this turquoise fence at the car port.

I wonder if there are any other hidden FLW treasures around the valley!

  

Theme Day: Comfort Food

 

The City Daily Photo Bloggers theme for December 1st is "Comfort Food" which is something many of us enjoy this time of year.  With Thanksgiving just past and Christmas on its way, a food feast will no doubt be part of our lives.  I decided to feature something more traditional, a comfort food that I enjoy all year long....French Fries!  These fries with shaved parmesan cheese are a specialty at a restaurant that sadly I haven't been to in a long while.

I can't leave this subject without giving a shout out to another favorite comfort food, Mexican Food.  When I moved to Arizona all those years ago, I discovered the delights of this cuisine.  It quickly became one of those foods that gives me comfort.  

To see comfort food choices from around the world, click here.  

The Blue Lady

 

Just around the corner from the mural I posted last Monday was another neighborhood mural.  This one depicts a blue lady with flowing pink hair.  The signature on this mural is Prime After Prime but I couldn't find any information about an artist that goes by that name.  

Taking part in Monday Murals.  

Stalled or Just Slow?

 

Last weekend, I took another photo of what remains of Copenhaver Castle on the south side of Camelback Mountain.  The first time I featured this Phoenix landmark was back in 2008  when I told about its origins.  The original owner went bankrupt and the castle sat empty for a number of years.  In 2012 a new owner purchased it for 1.45 million dollars.  The new owner's plans were to stabilize it and refurbish it.  That was in 2012.

Here is what it looked like in March of 2017 when I photographed it.  You can see those steel beams protruding from the tall windows.  It looked like the reinforcements had started.  

This is a photo I took on November 17, 2019, almost exactly one year ago.  If I compare this photo to the top photo that I took on November 21st, just last weekend, it looks like nothing has happened for at least one year.  I did some digging online to see if I could find out why.  The only thing I found was that back in 2016 the neighbors got a little upset with the owner and filed several complaints about debris and other things.  It's obvious that more construction has happened since those complaints but I'm wondering what seems to have slowed things now.  Maybe it's just issues because of the pandemic.  However, a quote from one neighbor in the article about the complaints said "He's destroying Camelback Mountain.  It's not going to end well."  That sounds rather ominous.  

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  This time it's Rothenburg ob der Tauber.  

A Few Odds and Ends

 

I have a few odd shots today.  Just some random things I've spotted over the last few weeks.  First up is a pretty red leaf that fell to the ground.  I'm not sure what caused the leaf to turn that color because all the trees around here are still green.  It must have wanted to stand out from the crowd.  

This wall surrounds someone's yard and I just liked the way they have planted cactus and flowers on the outside to make the wall look nice.  

Here is a rather unusual cloud formation that I spotted a couple of weeks ago.  It has a rather sinister look to it but no rain or wind ever developed.  

I saw this car in the lane next to me a few weeks ago when I noticed the plate indicating that it was brand new.  That's when I also noticed the RR emblem on the back.  I have never seen a Rolls Royce with this body style before.  

I spotted this "air-bag character" just last weekend.  He was on a corner to attract attention for a yard sale.  Do you see these crazy, dancing "air-bag" creatures where you live?  They are used quite often here to attract attention for a business. This was the first one I've seen in a tux and top hat.  

Old Shoes....New Art

 

Here are two more art pieces from the exhibit called "Reclaimed" at the Shemer Art Center.  Both of these pieces are by Shari Keith.  This one is called "Female".

This second one is called "Assemblage".  These both are very well designed.  There is something about the neatness of the patterns that attracted me.  

Things To Be Thankful For

 

Today is Thanksgiving here in the United States and it got me to thinking about things I am personally thankful for.  Given how awful the year 2020 has been, it took me a few minutes to come up with my list.  So, here goes....

• I'm thankful that 2020 is coming to an end even though much of the world's problems will still be with us, there is new hope on the horizon that progress can be made.
• I'm thankful for the few brave elected or appointed officials who stood up for truth, civility and fairness while lies, acrimony and stupidity seemed to be the order of the day.
• I'm thankful that my two sisters both made it through serious health issues recently and are having a happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day today.
• I'm thankful for my close friends who have found new and fun ways to stay in touch and to make this current physical isolation feel more like a moveable feast.
• I'm thankful for my blogging community.  I get to take a little virtual trip around the world every day. Your photos and words always inspire me. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turning Trash Into Art

 

I've got two more pieces of art from the Shemer Art Gallery's exhibit called "Reclaimed".  Above is a piece by artist Shari Keith called "Snack Food Triptych".  

Here's a close up segment.  It's made from fused snack food bags and wrappers.  The pieces of the bags and wrappers appear to be fused to little pieces of aluminum.  It certainly makes colorful patterns.

And, speaking of patterns, here is another piece with a similar look.  The artist for this one is Heidi Dauphin and it's called "10 x 10 x10 = 1000".

Here is a close-up of this one.  It's composed of colorful squares which might be pieces of painted wood and each square is covered with tiny objects.  

Two more very clever and attractive pieces that would look great hanging on a wall almost anywhere.

"Reclaimed"

 

On Saturday I visited the Shemer Art Gallery to see an exhibit called "Reclaimed".  It's all about art made from recycled (or as they call it, up cycled) items to create unique and interesting art pieces.  This piece is called "Navajo Nation" by artist Chuck LaVoie.  As you can tell, it's made from old license plates but not just any plates but only Arizona and New Mexico plates.  Both states where the Navajo Nation exists.

I wanted to see this exhibit because one of the members of our Art Challenge Group has two pieces in the show.  Tim Keneipp had the above sculpture called "Curl" made from heavy steel and wood.  Tim is a master at creating all kinds of interesting pieces from scraps of metal and wood.

His second piece was this one called "Into the Woods: Where Do We Go From Here?".  This piece is composed from wood, steel and copper.  

The Shemer Art Gallery is a very small art space that I've featured on this blog a few times before.  This show turned out to be a lot bigger than I expected.  Over 40 artists had pieces on display and they were all so clever and creative.  I'll show you a few more tomorrow.