Frontier Country

Today's adventure took us to such western frontier sounding places as Apache Junction, Goldfield, Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats.  Just see the fun we had and the sights we saw.

Apache Junction was our destination but just as a stopping off point to other sights.  Just outside of Apache Junction there's a reconstructed gold mining town from the late 1800s.  You can take a tour of an old gold mine, watch a real live gun fight, pay $1.00 to have your spouse hanged from the gallows, pan for gold, etc.  Since we had done all this a couple of years ago, and since we were on our way to someplace else, we just spent an hour in Goldfield sightseeing and taking in the atomosphere.

Lloyd and I resting on main street

The main feature of this area of Arizona is the Superstition Mountains.  Lots of stories are told of gold mines, including the famous Lost Dutchman Mine which is supposed to be worth millions of dollars.  They are very beautiful mountains, full of history and mystery.

Lloyd and I in Goldfield with the Superstition Mountains in the background.

Lloyd and Randy in front of a huge saguaro cactus and old mining machinery.

 

This haunted looking house on the top of the hill is the bordello - a very important part of frontier life.

And just look at who's visiting the beautiful young bordello hostess - none other than Lloyd and Randy!

While their oh-so-pure and chaste wives visit the church!  Can  you say "goodie two shoes"?

Then after a quick visit to the local hygenic facilities, we were off to our next adventure.

just kidding - this outhouse is just for show.

The main reason for our outing today was to take a riverboat cruise on Canyon Lake, 16 mile into the mountains from Goldfield.  I did not like the drive from Goldfield to Canyon Lake very much - all twisty turny narrow two-lane highway - up one mountain and down the next, around hairpin bends with breath-taking views.  I loved the views but there was no safe place to stop to take pictures.  The cruise was well worth the effort to get there though.

Part of Canyon Lake from the lookout

More of Canyon Lake

Dolly, our lake steamship

Wendy and Randy enjoying our open-air cruise

The captain pointed out points of interest on the 90 minute lake cruise.  Among them was this formation that he said was Johann Sebastian Bach sitting at his organ playing one of his compositions. We listened quietly and suddenly the air was full of the sound of one of Bach's beautiful pieces of music...in a 'box' canyon...pardon the pun!

Now this one is a little trickier.  There is actually the form of a mastadon there.  His trunk is the dividing wall between the first two caves on the left.  His front leg is formed between the second and third caves, his underbelly is the third cave with the cave wall being his back legs.  From there it's easy to see the rest of his body.  Raise your hand if you can see the mastadon.  Good for you.  I knew you could do it.

 This is a 500 foot lava cliff.  This whole area was formed by the eruption of three super volcanoes millennia ago.  The wall of the cliff is very green - covered with a type of lichens that only grows on lava rock.

That's the lower part of the cliff wall behind me as I stand on the deck of the boat.

 The water looks green behind Wendy too, reflecting the green of the huge cliff.

One of the many vistas laid out for us.

Wendy, Lloyd and Randy enjoying the cruise.

We saw several bald eagles flying overhead, and the captain pointed out a nest at one point.  They were all far above us.  Here, through the magic of zoom lens is a picture of a golden eagle perched on top of a cliff. 

Now, in my last blog when I mentioned we were going to Apache Junction, Rho suggested in her comment that we go the extra few miles to Tortilla Flat and to be sure to check out the restrooms there.  So we did.  Tortilla Flat is a wide place in the road - population 6.  There's a mercantile store, a museum, a cafe and a restaurant.  Its the restaurant that is amazing.  It's huge and all it's walls are papered with dollar bills - real money!   Incredible. 

The wall in the foyer - papered with dollar bills

When Rho told me to check out the restrooms, I wasn't sure which ones she meant, so I took pictures of them all, starting with the one in the parking lot.

Then on the boardwalk, Wendy found this one.

But I think these were the ones Rho was referring to.  In the ladies restroom of the restaurant papered with dollar bills, were these awful, amazing stalls.  The awful part was the fact that they had short fronts so anyone wanting to see if someone was using any particular stall just had to look over the top.  Yuck.  The fun part was that you could have your picture taken in the stall...

Now ain't that just the classiest thing you ever did see??

On that note, I'll end this way-too-long blog.

Pat

Futher Adventures in Wonderland

Our adventures in Wonderland, aka Arizona, continue.

Yesterday, Lloyd and I took Wendy and Randy to do the tourist thing in old town Scottsdale.  We were disappointed to find the museum there was closed, but there were lots of other things for us to see.

 I really liked this doorway to a shop selling western items.  The metal saguaro cactus and sunflower help the string of dried peppers guard the door.

The main corner of old town Scottsdale is graced by a lovely white shining mission dating from the early days of the settlement of the west.

By the way, Valentine's Day marked Arizona's 100th anniversary of joining the United States of America.  Happy Birthday Arizona.

Along the trail, Wendy and I met some lovely Mexican beaux.  Being the younger sister, I laid claim to the younger looking fellow.

While Wendy cozied up to the comfortably aged, bearded, long-haired fellow.  Aren't we happy girls!!!

Eventually though, Wendy and Randy showed their true natures and posed for their 'real' pictures!!

The doorway of this shop was almost as interesting as the vast array of western/cowboy/native american/mexican goods displayed inside.  It was a wonderful place to visit.  That's Wendy standing in the doorway.  And those of you observant enough will recognize the hanging chilies from a previous picture.

I loved this street sign.

There were lots of metal sculptures depicting life in the early days of the west but I'll just include one of them here.

Randy and Lloyd in front of a statue of a boy jumping up on a horse behind his father.

The old town Scottsdale is a beautiful place to visit.  Scottsdale is known for being inhabited by the rich and famous, and not-so-rich and not-so-famous, "the" place to live if you're socially ambitious in Arizona.  We drove past Mercedes, Mezaratti, Lotus, Lexus car dealerships, beautiful estates, grand shopping centres, and even a McDonald's or two!  All the while having fun in our low-brow way.

I like the way so many towns and cities in Arizona remember and honor their wild frontier origins. You're never far from nature in this amazing state.

After we left Scottsdale, we went to the Desert Botanial Gardens for some rugged desert sights.  It's different every time we go there.  I'll post more about it later.  Tomorrow we're heading to Apache Junction and Canyon Lake where we'll take a riverboat tour of the "Junior Grand Canyon".  See you when we return.

Pat

Sisters Day Out

My sister and her husband, Wendy and Randy, arrived from Winnipeg yesterday to spend a week with us here in Arizona.  Lloyd's brother's widow, Catherine, is down here as well visiting friends.  Today we sisters went out for lunch and shopping while the men golfed.  I'm sure we had more fun that the golfers!  It's not very often that I get a chance to hang out with these sisters of mine so it was a real treat.

Wendy, Pat, Cath

 After picking Cath up in Sun City, we headed, in a very roundabout way, to Paradise Cafe for a delicious lunch.  The soups, salads and sandwiches there are delicious, and a great way to start our day together. 

Cath, Me, Wendy at Paradise Cafe

Not being the shy type, I got Cath to ask a lady sitting at a nearby table to take our picture.  People are usually so good about humoring strangers that way, and she was no different, although she almost lost her table while taking our picture. 

From Paradise, we went to the mall and did some serious shopping.  We made the mistake of trying to go to Sees Candy shop on the day before Valentine's.  The line was out the door and down the hall.  We decided we didn't need chocolate after all and will go back after the 14th when they won't be so busy.

Me and Cath

So we wouldn't feel too bad about not getting chocolates, Catherine treated us to mini blizzards at the Dairy Queen in the food court...flavor of the month...cherry-choco-love...delicious.

After a stop at JoAnnes for fabric and scrapbook supplies, we finally got home just after five, promising to do it again soon.

It's so nice to be able to spend time out with the sisters.  Really makes me appreciate family ties.

Have a nice Valentine's Day.

Pat

Surprise! Lake!

Today I finally found it!  We've been coming to Surprise, Arizona for four years now.  I had heard of Surprise Lake - a blogger friend is always accompanying her husband there when he wants to go fishing - but I didn't know where it was.  I Googled it yesterday - big surprise!  It's five minutes from where we live just a stone's throw away from where Mickey and I parked when we attended the big Surprise Party in December.

Surprise Lake

I had expected woods and trees, fallen logs, bushes and bugs.  Instead, it was a beautiful five acre urban lake - man made I think - in the middle of the city.  It is kept stocked with five or six different species of fish, trout being the only one I can remember.  Boats, swimming and wading are not allowed in the lake but there's nice play areas, a large playground, benches placed around the perimeter of the lake, and a small length of wall.  There were fishermen at the far end of the lake enjoying the peace and quiet while catching their dinner.

People come to the park complex and feed the many types of waterfowl and birds that hang out there.  The birds seem quite unafraid of people and seemed to get uncomfortably close to the little kids tentatively throwing bread at them.

Just a small gathering of quackers and honkers

This one had a beautiful tuft of feathers at the back of her head.

This must be her brother - I wonder who curls their hair

This beauty struts her stuff (or his stuff, I don't know about those things)

While this one does her daily exercises.

Serene and sedate, he patrols the shore

and gets heckled by the lovely non-swimmer

The geese were there trying to intimidate the others with their size.

What are they looking at?  Does someone have bread for them?

The pigeons and doves look for their share of the handouts.

While this one looks on.

Meanwhile, up in the tree, this pair is finding their own food.

Gather around everyone...I have an announcement to make.

Follow your father, dear.

I'll conduct the music...

Or direct the traffic.

I have to get pretty for my big date tonight.

Well, I'm having a bath!

This turtle isn't going anywhere.

And neither is this crocodile.

And no matter how far away he goes, this poor creature just can't escape work.  Poor baby!

So that was my introduction to Surprise Lake.  I think I'll be going there again.  It's a beautiful spot to sit in the sun and watch the activities of the many types of birds...and people.

Enjoying the sun in sunny Arizona.

Pat
 

Vintage? Me??

For awhile tonight I felt like a little girl again...but then I felt really old!  I like the young feeling better, but the old is kind of cool too.

Before I left Edmonton I found a book of kid's valentines.  The title said they were flocked, vintage valentines.  Strange, but to me they looked like the ones we used to give and receive when we were in elementary school back in the 1950s. 

I had to buy the book and I brought them down to Arizona with me, intending to send them off to my grandkids back in Canada.  Tonight I sat down with scissors, pen and a glue stick to work on my valentine mail.  That's when I felt like a little girl again.

I remember these cards so well.  I even still have some from back then, stuck in a greeting card scrapbook Mum made for me, starting when I was born and lasting halfway through elementary school. How could those cards be called vintage???!  That's when I started to feel old.

Working on the cards tonight brought back memories of decorating shoe boxes with hearts, doilies and stickers to take to school to be used as mail boxes for all the valentines I was sure to receive.  Back in those days, right or wrong, it wasn't the rule that all children were treated equal so some kids got lots of cards and others only got a few - I always hoped I'd get enough so that I wasn't embarassed, and I usually did very well.  A lot of cards were home made - that was always a fun project, and fun cards to receive.  I don't remember any cards being accompanied by lollipops, chocolates or candy of any kind. And there were no cards modelled after television characters or video games!!

Times change, but the fun of giving and receiving these small tokens of friendship, love and humor never changes.  I hope you all get a lovely Valentine's day card this year from someone you love.

Pat 

Home Away From Home

We're finally here...sunny, warm Arizona.  We'll probably just rest and veg for the next couple of days, although already today we've conquered our Kohl's fix.  Lloyd had to refresh his Arizona wardrobe since he's lost so much weight in the past couple of months - deliberately.  We have a huge bag of clothes to take to the donations bin now.

I'll just keep this short today.  No pictures taken yet.  Thanks to son-in-law Curtis for taking us to the airport at an ungodly time of morning.  After long lineups in Security and Customs, and waiting for a delayed plane, we had an uneventful flight - the very best kind.  Thanks too to good friend Gordon for picking us up at the airport.

I'm looking forward to a fun three weeks here - maybe even have a chance to meet a few blogger friends!  My sister and her husband are coming down for a week on the 12th so we'll have some fun company in a restful setting.

Have a good week.

Pat

It's February

February!  The shortest month of the year which, here in north-central Alberta, always seems like the longest, and coldest, and most miserable month of the year.  I don't know what to expect this year, since winter has given us a huge respite from what is usual for this time of year.  I'm not complaining - just wondering what's in store.

Last February

Doesn't matter though.  In four days I'll be in Arizona and won't return till the month is almost done. And then it's almost spring.

February does have it's good points.  Valentine's Day, for one.  And my second daughter Amy's birthday, which also happens to be on Valentine's Day.  Her birth forever changed Valentine's day for our family.  Until then we celebrated the day as it was intended - hearts and flowers and cards all around.  Then it became Amy's birthday, which we celebrated with a heart shaped cake, birthday cards and presents for our little love child, whose name, coincidentally, means 'beloved'. 

Amy and Curtis - 2011

February also marks the anniversary of my Dad's birth in 1922 and his death in 1993.  He was a great father and grandfather - he loved to tease and play with his grandchildren.  His influence is still felt in our family and we think of and speak of him often.

Dad - 1921

Mum and Dad - 1993

So I guess overall, February is a month full of sunshine, love, and remembrances of beloved people.  Not so dark and gloomy and miserable after all.

I hope your month shapes up to be a good one for you.