Big Day

Today was a big day around here. Started by getting up at 4 to take Cathy to the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Breast Walk. Just got off the phone with her, she walked about 18 miles her first day! Feeling good, and feeling beat. When I drove away from there this morning I thought how brave she is, no team, just Cathy, doing what she said she would do. She had some good times today, glad to be with all the beautiful folks doin the damn thing! I usually don't miss her on the first nite, but tonite, I do.

Then, there's Angel. About a month ago she started having a problem with her eye, vet said scratched cornea. Don't get me thinking about eye pain. Didnt' heal right with the cream, treatment we've been trying, so today, surgery. Not only her eye, but a growth removed from her skin too. So, she's got the cone, and a t-shirt to keep her from messing with her owies. She's gettin some extra special love around here tonite.

Her and BooBoo are here right now, hanging with the old man, missing their mama too. Sometimes, your weekend isn't what you thought it might be, but more often than not, it's pretty damn good to be alive, sorrounded by loved ones.

[remember, click for full size!]

End of Scenic Drive

Over the years, coming west on Highway 260 back from Alpine and beyond, on the way home typically, we come to the town of McNary, Arizona. Just at the onset of town, here's this sign, letting us know that we've reached the end of the Scenic Drive. What a crackup to live, just past that sign. I sometimes feel I live just past or perhaps before, where the good stuff is! This guy's house, happens to be on the other side of the scenic drive! For some reason, and it's a sick one I'm sure, I just get a friggin kick outta where this is placed, and why we need signs to tell us when/where scenery starts and ends! I love this country!

[as always, a reminder, you can click on that photo above to get the full size image!]

Ursi Rides Again

You guys know how much I love this ladies blog. She posted a couple of entries today (or recently that I thought you might also enjoy). A trip to Indonesia and a story about an artist. Some more fine reasons to sit down at the computer on occasion. warmest,bobJuan. [Picture from her Indonesia trip]

Good Morning!

This little beauty showed up in the backyard today. I check on my plants about 50 times a day; each time I step out to have a smoke, OK, maybe a few more than 50!

This guy shows up over nite! The particular cactus this one comes along with (from) has been the same height since I put it where it now lives. I've often thought about how this plant is just stunted, but it stays green, and I still give it the daily love. Look at its "brother", planted the same time, about 8 foot tall. I call it Eli.

I'm hoping for some more from this part of our world. I'll keep you updated here. [As always, click on the pic for full size view.] On morning two, the beauty opened. I suppose it was wide open all nite. Before I took this picture there were about 30 or 40 what looked like little bees having a feast inside. Yesterday it looked all male, this morning, all feminine. I know ya'll get flowers on your cactus all the time, this is our first, and we've had these guys about 4 years or so now. Yum.

Merton Quotes

I like Merton. A nice part of starting the day with some soul-searching and meditation. Anyway, check him out here with HH.

Three quotes from a couple of books I'm currently reading.

… but any fool knows that you don't need money to get enjoyment out of life.

A man knows when he has found his vocation when he stops thinking about how to live and begins to live.

The solution of the problem of life is life itself. Life is not attained by reasoning and analysis, but first of all by living. For until we have begun to live our prudence has no material to work on. And until we have begun to fail we have no way of working out our success.

What about me?

Check out this video.

Another Trip To The Mountains

Cathy and I found our way up to Alpine, Arizona for the 4th year in a row this summer. We weren't as photo-happy as in years past, but took a few pics you may enjoy. Cathy was there for the first two weeks with Angel, alone , enjoying the everyone-needs-a-little-time-away game. I came up for the 2nd two weeks and brought my own special set of needs for her to deal with. Sorry Cathy. Some rememberances and then the pics (remember, you can click any of these pics for the full size). Cold water comes from the taps (if you're in Phoenix this time of year, you know what I mean!). Elk, Horses, Skunks, birds-of-color, aspen, rain, napping when it rains, mountain hikes, lots of down-time, did I mention naps? We found a new spot this year, Escudilla Mountain. Oh my, what took us so long? A 3 mile hike to the top. Aspens, altitude, the works: And then, a few more of our favorite loves, the horses Honey and Papoos! There's nothing better than some horse-soul-love every day! We again, came back to Phoenix so very thankful for our chance to enjoy some mountain time together with each other, Angel and long-rainy-afternoon-naps!