HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE

My desert favorite is the purple prickly pear cactus and Eunice's yard has a crop. So, I finally got brave enough to work with the cuttings. I had to have a tweezers nearby and even today I can feel the real tiny spines in my hands and arms. I leaned too close and yes...I had a few stuck in my chest! But it was worth it.

ZOO PICTURES

It was a chilly day for the zoo but good exercise for me. I found a strange sight on my way out. Take a look for yourself! That's right. A giant yellow rabbit.

Hey, what you looking at?

Golden eagle posing.

The hummingbirds were active that day.

HODGEPODGE ALONG THE HIGHWAY TO AUSTIN

On our recent trip to Texas I knew we would not have much opportunity to stop at every interesting little thing so I decided to keep the camera on my lap when I was not driving and snap away. I snapped over 200 pics.

That first day I was impressed with the vapor trail of the airliners overhead. In the more remote areas on the road you think you are the only one there but in gazing up you realize there are plenty of people overhead.

Watching miles and miles of seemingly vacant land go by I am struck by the thought of hard working people who struggled to bring services to our vast lands and I can only imagine what the scene looked like when they were there doing their job.

Passing up a 30 minute stroll through our favorite junk shop in Duncan, Az was hard. Germaine's Emporium is chocked full of things you never knew you wanted. The pyracanthra was in bloom and I had to settle for a 3 minute stop at the curb. The bushes are always filled with birds. These 2 photos are from the same shot but I cropped them differently and since Larry has been showing me what photoshop can do I used the plastic wrap filter to alter the second crop.

Rest stops are different. I boldly take my camera with me to the rest area potty and take my time getting back in the car. Larry can only follow suite and at the scenic stop over looking Las Cruces he took several photos which were later sliced together.

The second morning we headed out early and watched the sun come up. First the mist crept among the trees and then the sun peeked over the horizon. Wow!

Road cuts have always been interesting to me and the area called the Edwards Plateau between Ft Stockton and Junction has plenty of them. You see slices of our earth like layers of cake only it's cretaceous limestone. It's great to have a geologist in the car!

When I was in grade school I had a rock and fossil collection and to have married someone who studied rocks is crazy cool. I would take the specimens out of the cigar box and wash them and then one day they were gone. My aunt and uncle sponsored a child from the city for 2 weeks and I suspect my collection went to New York with Gerry.

Near Fredericksburg, Texas the Stonewall rest stop always has butterflies and moths. The groundskeeper said there is a Wild Flower Farm close by that has a butterfly hatchery and you can be sure we'll find it the next trip. The Trinity Cemetery established in 1904 is behind the Stonewall area and we wandered over there to look at their angels in residence.

Passing through El Paso you are a stones throw from Mexico and it seems there is always a fire going on over there. This shot is across the border and shows the fire of the day.

On the way home Larry wanted to stop at the talc mining operation. He picked up a few pieces to bring home and just looking at the picture makes you think the talcum powder is in the air.

Close by I spotted lonely cattle who mooooood when I got close to the fence. What faces! The white one performed for me.

The highway can be a most interesting place. A Gila Valley Memorial was altered to include 2 plastic toys representing the cowboys and Indians who fought there. I think the holes are from bullets!

We saw contraptions moving at a snails pace and I could not tell their purpose. Circuses were moving to new locations, quilts hung on lines for sale, towns were ready for Veterans Day and as we got close to home the sun shone down through the clouds for miles.

October Leftovers

He looks so posed and sweet! The devil does take over every day at some point! Today behind my back I heard the plop of the doggie door and the slap of paper hitting the tile. I turned to find a Halloween milky way on the floor in it's wrapper. It looked perfect. As I got up Bruce grabbed it and I had to wrestle for it. This is not the first one he returned to us. I can't find his stash. They are not dirty from burial but somewhere outside he has a stolen bag of candy.

Fourth roadtrip to Texas

Our recent trip to Austin was dedicated to celebrating the life of Larry's Uncle Glen Smith. He turned 90 in August and passed away on Nov 9, 2009. We journeyed back for his services Nov. 12th. As a 30 year veteran of the Air Force he is buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

We will miss him. Uncle Glen was a wonderful person and there are countless memories of him that we will always have to bring him to mind.

Our deepest sympathy and prayers are extended to his wife and family. We love you Aunt Harriet.

FALL COLORS AT OAK CREEK CANYON

Our annual fall trip to view the turning of the leaves was timed just right. Friends Kay and Asghar Shariff accompanied us for the day trip up the canyon.