A Longhorn steer and cow stand ready to maul me – the ‘beef-eating-hairless-two-legger”. Their horns are intimidating, well, so are those other things, although they aren’t so pointy and threatening. These ruminants live the kush life on more land than your average Phoenix resident. Not only do they have the acreage, but they also flaunt it right in our city on one of the few remaining properties zoned for agriculture and animals. Their neighbors, though, are a bunch of goats and ponies; who needs that?

This Sword of Damocles stands over Scottsdale, Arizona, where the wealthy are surely not aware of any impending doom. The power of the rich is well entrenched in this corner of Arizona. The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed spire was originally built to stand at the Arizona State Capitol; maybe the city of Phoenix governmental custodians knew the legend of having a sword hanging dangerously nearby.

Here on the corner of Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. and Scottsdale Rd., this 125-foot sword is the Dionysian reminder to party, have fun, and spend, spend, spend. The Promenade Center offers wealthy luxury restaurants, shopping, and office space, all conveniently located between the multi-million dollar homes of Desert Mountain, the Boulders Resort, Scottsdale Airpark with its multitude of pricey private jets, and the Kierland shopping center for those with enough money to know true freedom.

This morning, Caroline and I went downtown to the Downtown Phoenix Public Market. The hope of finding a farmers market similar to the markets we have visited in California was not found here. I have to remind myself that this is not a farmer’s market; it is a public market. As such, vendors are supposed to be offering Arizona-made or grown products, which range from artworks and hand-made soap to homemade pasta and the windchimes above – I’m still trying to figure out the tuna fish vendor. There are a few vendors offering locally grown veggies, which I hope expands as the weather cools and more people learn of this weekly event.

The public market is still relatively new, and maybe greater attendance will bring better offerings. On the corner of McKinley Street and Central Avenue every Saturday, the market is open from 8:00 a.m. to Noon.