Tough to be them

It's been hot here all week. Tuesday and Wednesday it was at least 100. Dave and Scott have purchase floatie toys and are hanging out at the pool. I sent them off with cocktails this afternoon. There is a plan to make a video of them floating in the pool listening to tunes but it seems like just too much work right now.

The Hyperbolic Reef Project

Way back in December the Hyperbolic Reef Project was brought to my attention at Tempe Yarn and Fiber. Terry and Fred (the owners -http://tempeyarnandfiber.blogspot.com/ ) are always looking at fun stuff for their customers to do and ways to give back to the community. They made it possible for us (the customers) to be a part of this amazing project (http://www.scottsdalecoralreef.com/index.php http://www.theiff.org/reef/index.html)

So we got together on Friday nights from January til mid March and brainstormed and crocheted and made a whole bunch of weird and wonderful elements to add to the Coral Reef.

Yesterday I went to see the installation at the Scottsdale Public Library with my friend Jane from here in the park. I wasn't going to go because frankly, after 3 months I was kind of bored with it. I am so glad I went. To see all of the pieces put together.... oh my. So many colors and textures and such talent and imagination! There were lots of pieces that I had thought about but didn't know how to actually produce them. Several people had the same ideas and the talent and know how to make them real.

It is my understanding that the pieces produced here in the Scottsdale area will be a permanent installation in the library. There are many pieces that are a travelling installation and that group has pieces from all over the world. The pictures in this post are of both the local and the traveling show.

SSSHHHHHH!

Happy Birthday Scott!

Riding the Salt River Canyon

Long awaited ride fulfilled today. Scott and I rode US 60 east through the Salt River Canyon some 100+ miles from Apache Junction. The route climbs over a 5000 ft pass and then drops from 4300 ft to 3300 ft and back up to 4300 ft in just a few miles where the highway crosses the Salt River.

The following picture shows the southern cut to the bridge.

This map is of the canyon road at the river.



This is the river as it flows toward the bridge.

They're Leaving in Droves!

Yesterday at least one couple I know of left for the cold north. This morning another 3 pulled out.... tomorrow two more. We can nearly see clear to the clubhouse from our spot in the corner. Pretty soon it will be just us, Scott and the snakes! It was over 90 degrees today here in Apache Junction and not nearly so nice everywhere else. We will hang in here till the middle of May or until I see more snakes than people!


Rode to the mountain today. Mount Lemmon (9,157) and the little community of Summerhaven near it's summit can be a welcome relief from the desert heat it is typically 30 degrees cooler than the valley. The weather dictated that we move our normal ride from Wednesday to Tuesday to take advantage of the calm skies and high heat (90+). High winds and cooler temps are called for tomorrow.
One of the rides we've been putting off until it warmed up is the ride to Mount Lemmon, located just northeast of Tucson and home to the Mt. Lemon Ski Area. At 8,300 feet it isn't a terribly tall mountain to those of us used to the Cascades, Olympics and Rockies, but there was still patches of snow on the ground.

The worst part of the ride is the 105 miles of straight, flat, two-lane, 65 mph hiway between Apache Junction and Tucson. At least it isn't I-10.

The road up Mount Lemmon is maintained by the U.S. Forrest Service and as such, the posted speed limit is 35 mph and there is no passing all the way up. There are, however, plenty of pull-outs and look-outs and rest areas. The speed limit frustrates a lot of people, but if they'd just take a deep breath and enjoy the view instead of hurrying to the top so they can turn around and hurry down, the trip would be better for everyone.
There were only three of us today - Scott, Jerry and myself - and next week it will be just Scott and I.

Cheese Crackers

One of my first efforts with my new mixer. The recipe is from Maida Heatter's Cookie Book (I think it's the second one, they are both great!) I made them to take to a cocktail party this afternoon and they were a big hit. The taste is similar to when you make a grilled cheese sandwich and the cheese melts in the bottom of the pan and gets all crispy..... yum! I'm enjoying having the mixer to use, now I just need to find it a home somewhere in the coach. In the meantime, I'm getting my weightlifting in moving it from one counter to the other.

A New Toy

My first craigslist purchase!

It sounds funny to say out loud, but I miss my mixer. My Kitchenaid stand mixer. I put it in storage along with most of my other cooking 'toys'. It was too big, it was heavy, it would take up room we didn't have, I wasn't going to be baking cookies anyway. Seems like a long time ago. It wasn't so bad when we had the propane oven. I hate gas ovens and the ones they put in campers seem to be even worse... they have kind of a damp heat. Anyway, for the last year or so, since we got the new motorhome with the microwave convection oven, I have been attempting to get my baking 'mojo' back. Most of the time I can fight the urge to bake. Except in November and December when it's time for holiday baking. Then I struggle thru with my hand mixer. Even for fruitcake which has 2 pounds of flour, a dozen eggs, a whole jar of molasses... just for starters. So I cross my fingers that the little mixer won't burn out as I blend it all together in a dishpan.

A couple of days ago, I just went nuts. I looked on craigslist and found a mixer almost exactly like the one in storage. I talked to Dave about it and we both agreed it would be easier to go buy this one (for WAY less than the cost of a new one) than it would be to dig thru storage to find my original... so I did. In doing so I broke one of my rules... never buy anything like that until I figure out where I'm gonna store it.... still working on that part. I used it twice today and loved every minute of it!

And this? This is why my kids asked me not to take pictures while I was in Japan.

Lunch Out

Took a little motorcycle ride today over to West World in Scottsdale this morning to the event center for Arizona Bike Week. Scott and Jerry came too. Arrived a little early as it turned out. Gates didn't open until just after noon so we got in just in time for lunch. Walked all the rows of vendors and looked over all the Demo ride setups the manufactures had outside the vendor area. After the been there done that, got the tee shirt we saddled up and road back to the park in 80+ degree weather. This is the only picture and I can't explain it, it is just a John Deer thing.