Skywatching

Sunrise 7:13AM

Sunrise 7:21AM

Sunset 5:23PM

The above pictures are from one day earlier this month.  I like how the bright pink and orange clouds in the morning contrast with the more subdued evening sky.

It is actually storming with cold wind and rain here today.  After the fog lifts, maybe we'll see some snow on the mountain tops...

Yes!  12/30/10 8:51AM

View more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

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Healing Garden

Another set of images taken by my son Brian, these are of the Healing Garden at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix:

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more” ~John Burroughs (1837-1921) American naturalist and writer

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Skylines

Greetings from the Sonoran Desert!  This week for fun I'm sharing some of our sunny skies with an emphasis on lines against blue sky.

See more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

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Agave Library

These pictures of the Agave Library in Phoenix were taken by my son Brian in June.  The building was designed by architect Will Bruder.  I like the creative use of ordinary building materials such as galvanized and rusted steel, concrete blocks and recycled sidewalk pieces.

Pretty neat, right?

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Bento Box Quilts

This year I started making quilts again after a long break from sewing.  I still have a huge stash of fabrics from the 1980's and 90's, and some of the new colors and patterns are tempting also.

In the summer I made a baby Bento Box quilt for my grandson, TJ.

And, I just completed a bigger version for one of my sons.

The name Bento Box comes from Japanese lunch boxes that have partitions.  The quilt pattern is simpler to piece together than it might look:

First, basic log cabin "courthouse steps" blocks are built, half of the blocks having dark centers, and the remaining with light centers.

Then, all the blocks are cut into quarters, and kitty-cornered sections are switched out and replaced with their light or dark counterparts.


For me, learning how to free-motion machine quilt was a fun adventure. It took a lot of practice, but I feel it was worth it.  I like how the curvy meandering lines of stitching seem to soften and unite the overall look of these patchwork quilts.

Sometime I might like to try a modified Bento Box quilt for a postmodern look.  :D

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Desert Shadows

Hi there! I have some shadows to share that I've found here and there while out and about.

House finch eating burro weed

Cholla cactus

Gambel's quail

Palm shadow

Creosote bush

Tree branch shadow on the bird feeder

 

See more shadows from around the world at Tracy's Shadow Shot Sunday.

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At the park...

We went to a running event at Reid Park in Tucson early yesterday morning.  These snapshots are from the Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza on 22nd Street.  The yellow caution tape around the structure was due to landscaping work.  My pictures don't begin to capture the beauty of this plaza, just one of several R.A. Bloch Cancer Survivors Parks in North America. 

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Nonsense

"I like nonsense -- it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope... and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities."  ~Dr. Seuss

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This ‘n that

Around the house…

Yesterday the boys came over with their laptops as they often do on Sundays.  We like to hook a computer up to the TV screen to view interesting things from the internet.  So anyways, one of my sons noticed a scorpion running across the floor, and right into his computer port!

These little bark scorpions are venomous, so I prefer them to be outside.

In case some of you don’t like to see arachnids, I offer a pretty Plumbago, one of the few flowers still blooming in the garden this season:

And, a peaceful mourning dove sunning in the platform feeder:

The Pyracantha berries look ripe.  Surprisingly, none of our regular backyard birds eat them.  Last year a hermit thrush was seen sampling some. 

There’s Billy Cat, lounging on his chaise on the patio.  He’s about twenty years old and still enjoys watching birds.  Somehow the birds know that he is not a threat to them. 

The old kitty wakes me up early each morning so I rarely miss a sunrise.

I wish everyone a lovely week!

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El Tour de Tucson

Today was the big 109 mile bike race around the perimeter of Tucson.  Over 8,000 people registered for El Tour.

Most of the cyclists walked their bikes across the Santa Cruz Wash and everyone loved the mariachis.

After watching the participants cross the dry river bed, we watched them cycle through a neighborhood by Canyon Ranch. 

It was a nice sunny day for watching a bike race, and catching shadows with the camera.

For more fun with shadows, visit Hey Harriet, hosted by Tracy for Shadow Shot Sunday.

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