Unfortunately, I have a two-week gap here where photos should otherwise be. After my mother-in-law returned to Germany, it was time to shake off the visitor, return to privacy, do some spring cleaning, catch up on mail, and make new plans. Photos were the last thing on my mind; my creativity was sapped. Slowly, I return to normal, and guilt takes its place in motivating me to either post new material or do something else with my website. The worst thing about not posting new materials is not that I lack said creativity; heck no, it is that NO ONE COMPLAINS. Yep, that is my ego speaking sure, I would like to know that one or two people want new photos, even if I tell myself I am doing this for me.
Lucky Day
Gabino from Mi Pueblo, owner of a local Mexican restaurant I frequent all too often, handed me these two free passes for admission to the Renaissance Festival – NICE! Opening weekend of the festival is great as tickets are offered 2 for 1, but all other days as you can see from the tickets above cost $20 per person. Sometime before April 1st, the closing day of the festival, we will find our way back out to Apache Junction for an encore attendance of the 19th Annual Renaissance Festival – Huzzah!!!!
My Valentine – NOT!
This is my mother-in-law, not my valentine. My valentine is sitting next to her mom out of the photo. This will be the last photo this year of Jutta, because, after 67 days of vacation with us, she is heading back to Frankfurt this Friday. During her stay with us, my mother-in-law walked in the Pacific surf on a blue sky, warm Christmas day in Santa Barbara, on New Years’ morning she watched 35,000 geese simultaneously launch into the sky to go feed. January 12th, she celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary in San Francisco and then a week later we hiked the snowy rim of the Grand Canyon. Then it was off to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara again before taking in a weekend in Death Valley. In between, Jutta helped me make homemade mozzarella, pickles, granola, and quite a few home-cooked meals. She missed most of the dreadful gray Frankfurt winter but had her fair share of cold weather in New Mexico and even here in Phoenix which came as a surprise to her. After so many days with the old lady, it is time for her to go, but we will still miss her when she finally does return home.
Pink, Red Hot & Blue
These gorgeous skies get under my skin. I can’t see enough sunsets, someday when we move from Arizona it will be the skies and these magnificent sunsets I will miss the most. Sadly, I only get about 1 photo out of 100 great sunsets as in the few passing moments when the sky may be at its most brilliant, my location is not. Just the other day, the sky was the brightest shade of orange I may have ever seen for a setting sun. I should live on a mountain top.
Mesquite
It’s not just for cookin’ anymore – Mesquite, the landscape tree. Throughout Phoenix, in most of our shopping center parking lots, you’ll find these hardy trees supplying a modest amout of shade. Mesquite is ideal for landscaping here as they are tough trees that endure the heat, but what’s really convenient is that they don’t grow very tall so maintenance is easy enough. Me, I like the way they shimmer in the sunlight.
In To The Pit
This is the Wyld Men at work. To earn a day’s living these guys jump, dunk, swim through, and otherwise play in the mud. The stories vary from performance to performance, but mud is the unifying theme. Kids get up close to the stage as most adults are too timid to get a little mud on themselves. I highly recommend catching their show before they go big in Vegas. Shouts go out to Grebe, off-camera, but equally important.