Up Late The 4th Sunday Of March Seeing No Palm Trees Or Cactus

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world, on this 4th Sunday of the 3rd month of 2012, I can see no cactus or palm tree.

I do see trees with way more leaves than I saw the last time I looked out this particular primary viewing portal on the outer world.

Spring sprung while I was gone.

I suspect I will be seeing some wildflowers today, though none are visible from my current location.

I did not hit the horizontal nocturnal position, last night, til around 2 in the morning. I don't remember the last time I was in the vertical position, so late, or awake, for so many hours, having gotten vertical very early Saturday morning.

This morning I think I will go swimming in a non-heated pool.

I am 100% certain I will be the only one in the getting wet, with no group of well-seasoned ladies emulating Esther Williams.

Back In HOT Humid Texas After Ten Blissful Days In Arizona With My Mom & Dad & Sister

The Sun Sets On My Visit To Arizona

I have made it back to Texas. Leaving a place where the humidity was 18%, arriving at a place where the humidity is 78%.

I'm feeling like I've been hit with a wet blanket.

I turned the A/C on as soon as I walked into this place.

I've been going to bed early in Phoenix, by 10pm Central Time. Currently I am up way past midnight, Central Time.

I had myself a fine time in the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport this evening. I somehow got my sister flustered when we got to the airport, which had my sister on the wrong level. When I disembarked from my sister's vehicle, she told me to take the elevator to level two to get to the check-in level.

But, by the time I was inside the airport, what my sister had told me had changed, in my mind, to take the long elevator to the third level. I then walked the long third level past one restaurant after another, lugging a laptop, a backpack and a big check-in piece of baggage.

This was exhausting.

Eventually I found a flight of stairs that took me to level two. From then on the rest of the process went well, except for forgetting to take my camera out of my pocket.

I've never been in a plane following such a long line of other planes waiting to take off as I did tonight. I felt like we spent more time waiting to takeoff than we spent in the air.

The flight back to Texas seemed to go way faster than the flight to Arizona.

I'm a bit on the tired side, but I'm all wired up.

By morning I should know if it nice to be back. Or not.

I will say, right now, I am back in Texas freshly annoyed over how many things are so totally craptacular here.  And freshly vexed as to why this is the case.

Visiting The Leaf & Feather Farm Birds Planting Bougainvillea With My Dad

Bougainvillea At The Leaf & Feather Farm

What you are looking at in the picture is some Bougainvillea.

This particular Bougainvillea was found at the Leaf & Feather Farm, south of Maricopa, out in the Sonoran Desert.

I do not know how my sister and mom and dad find these remote locations. It is sort of unsettling. But, they seem to know where they are going.

Most of the time.

The Feather part of the Leaf & Feather Farm refers to birds. The farm has a lot of birds. Most of them exotic birds. Check out the Leaf & Feather Farm website to learn why they have so many exotic birds, in addition to exotic plants.

These Pretty Birds Did Not Speak To Me

The drive through the desert was quite enjoyable today. We saw a herd of wild horses near the Wild Horse Casino, which is why the casino is so named, due to all the wild horses milling about.

When we started today's desert excursion the tire sensors indicated we had a low inflation problem. This caused a slight outbreak of worry, that eventually abated.

At the Leaf & Feather Farm my sister and I met Snowball. A white pretty bird.

Snowball's mom and dad gave the bird up for adoption at the Leaf & Feather Farm due to neighbor's complaints about the bird's squawking being too noisy. We first met Snowball when his (or her) dad was in Snowball's cage, holding him (or her).

Snowball's Mom & Dad Playing Bird Ball

Snowball's mom was also there. She told us about Snowball, how she (or he) lived 15 years with a Korean lady, who taught Snowball Korean. I don't know how long Snowball lived with his (or her) new parents before moving to the Leaf & Feather Farm.

As we were preparing to leave I saw that Snowball's mom and dad had taken her (or him) outdoors to play ball. I wandered over to the ballfield and asked if  I could take a picture.

Obviously the answer was yes.

My mom got her rare Bougainvillea and my sister got an Easter Egg Emu bush. We'd seen these the week before at the Papago Desert Botanic Garden plant sale. I did not think we'd find this Australian plant at this nursery in the Sonoran Desert and remarked to my sister if it was there she would need to buy one.

The Easter Egg Emu bush was the first plant you came to as you drove to the plant zone of the Leaf & Feather Farm. So, my sister got one. And then my mom did.

Leaving the Leaf & Feather Farm we were soon back in Maricopa where we found one of those cool McDonald's restaurants we've been finding all over Arizona. I got another of those Filet O' Fish Sandwiches I always have a strong hankering for. After awhile my favorite brother-in-law showed up. He seems to often show up at the McDonald's we happen to happen upon.

Mom & Dad's New Bougainvillea Blooming Bright

After another drive through the desert I found myself back at my mom and dad's in Sun Lakes, where my dad and I had fun planting the Easter Egg Emu plant and the Bougainvillea. Desert dirt did not seem all that much different than dirt I've dealt with in non-desert locations.

After my dad and I finished the plant planting my mom made us chicken noodle soup, with cheese and crackers and lemon meringue pie. Those Meyer Lemons in the backyard are a gift that just keeps giving.

My sister is due to return in a little over an hour to drive me to the airport so that I can fly back to a non-desert, high humidity, no wild horses, part of the planet.

My Last Morning In Arizona Swimming With The Sun Lakes Ladies

This morning I decided to have one more swim with the Ladies of Sun Lakes before I depart this part of the planet.

However, this Saturday morning there was only one Sun Lakes Lady in the pool.

I decided to forgo going in the Lap Pool because I saw that the bald Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan had Jane with him today and the pair were stirring up quite a wake, which I felt was best to avoid.

So, I walked back to my lounge chair and did some warm up lounging before getting into the Chat Pool. The Chat Pool is what you see below my feet. The Chat Pool is not heated.

I was in the Chat Pool, for a couple minutes, when the Sun Lakes Lady, who you see in the Big Pool, got out to ask me if I knew the pool I was in was not heated. I told the Sun Lakes Lady what I did know the Chat Pool was not heated, that I got in the Chat Pool before getting in the HOT Big Pool, which then made the HOT Big  Pool feel super HOT.

The Sun Lakes Lady said she'd try that next time.

I am now out of the pool, back at my mom and dad's, waiting for my sister to arrive so we can make the trek across the desert to Maricopa, which apparently is the town in Arizona which has cornered the market on Bougainvillea bushes.

My mom has just left me with a super hot cinnamon roll which she says I must eat because I did not eat my second egg this morning. I just accept these type things and no longer question the logic.

My sister has now arrived, so it is off to Maricopa we go, hopefully to return with a Bougainvillea bush.

The Fading Shadow Of The Arizona Thin Man The Morning Of The 4th Saturday Of March Hunting Bougainvillea

In the picture, in the lower right corner, you can see part of the Shadow of the Arizona Thin Man, looking out his primary viewing portal on the outer world on this 4th Saturday of the 3rd month of 2012.

It is currently 61 degrees at my current location, heading to a predicted high of 85. Later today I will likely be heading back to my current home zone, in Texas, where for the second day in a row it is colder than my current location, at 53 degrees, heading to a predicted high of 83.

I suspect it is significantly more humid where I am heading than where I am now.

I also have reason to believe, due to reports I have received, that the landscape of North Texas has decided to put on a Super Spectacular wildflower display this year.

Next Saturday, on the Tandy Hills, part 1 of Prairie Fest 2012, takes place.

Weather permitting, I am thinking I will be checking out Prairie Fest 2012, Part 1.

Next Saturday should be the coolest, temperature-wise, of the three part, 2012, Prairie Fest. Part 3, in May, should be quite warm. Likely there will be some sort of eco-friendly cooling devices. Perhaps out of school kids armed with spray bottles.

I think I may go swimming again this morning. My mom and dad are driving south to Maricopa to go to a nursery to get a colorful Bougainvillea bush. Maricopa is about 30 miles south of the Phoenix metro zone. Apparently there are no Bougainvillea bushes available for sale in the Phoenix metro zone. Or maybe they are a dime cheaper.

I have been breathing and sleeping so well here in Arizona, I am sort of not looking forward to re-adjusting to consuming seriously polluted air that clogs up my respiratory system and makes my eyes water. But, that is a really small price to pay to get to experience the wonders of Texas.

I am particularly looking forward to returning to a place where the people are properly inflated, instead of this strange Arizona zone where most of the people appear to have had the air let out of them. Deflated people may be a bit more aesthetically appealing to look at, for some, but, during the course of my exile in Texas I have grown to like seeing my humans inflated. I guess I've just gotten used to the fact that everything is bigger in Texas.

I Had Myself A Fine Dinner Time At The Ahwatukee Sweet Tomatoes Tonight

Ahwatukee Sweet Tomatoes At Sunset

As you can sort of see in the picture, the sun had mostly set for the evening by the time we left the Ahwatukee Sweet Tomatoes tonight.

I have never seen a Sweet Tomatoes as busy as this one was tonight. And this is the biggest Sweet Tomatoes I have ever seen.

Come to think about it, I have only seen the insides of one other Sweet Tomatoes, that being the one in Arlington, Texas.

Unlike the Sweet Tomatoes in Arlington, the one in Ahwatukee, in addition to being bigger on the inside, also has an outside covered patio, cooled with misters.

We sat in the outside covered patio area. But there was no need for misters.

My mom and dad and I arrived far in advance of my tardy sister and my favorite brother-in-law. That worked out well, because we were able to secure seating in the seating scarce restaurant.

Tonight I found out that it is no longer true that I don't eat dinner. I consumed far more than any of the others in my party of puny eaters. The only thing most of my party seemed to consume, with any sort of relish, was when the Chocolate Chip Cookie Boy came by with small platters of hot out of the oven Chocolate Chip Cookies.

My Sister Smiles While My Favorite Brother-In-Law Smirks
While I Administer A Gentle Scolding

My favorite brother-in-law began eating the hot out of the oven Chocolate Chip Cookies prior to finishing the non-dessert items on his plate. I felt compelled to issue a gentle scolding about this egregious behavior.

And then I remembered the poor guy was ailing and yet he mustered the energy to come to Sweet Tomatoes to have dinner with his favorite in-laws.

After about an hour of trying to eat as much as I possibly could, it was deemed time for me to stop indulging in my new found eating dinner pleasure.

The drive back to Sun Lakes was in inky black darkness. I was able to navigate, without co-navigator help, the return to my mom and dad's homeport. It took me about 10 days to learn this. No one has ever said I am a quick study. This would be an example of that.

My Final Friday In Arizona With An Extra Exhausting Schedule Plus Sweet Tomatoes

Lounging Pool-Side With The Esther Williams Wannabes

Today is my last full day in Arizona. It is only 3 in the afternoon and I've already had me a day.

I was going to break today, so far, up in to separate bloggings, but, I decided, instead, to just write one long-winded blogging, of today, so far.

With pictures.

My sister was scheduled to pick me up at 9. So, at 8 I decided to go swimming, again, with the well-seasoned ladies of Sun Lakes.

The swimming and early morning pool lounging went well with the warm temperature, which has now risen to 82 degrees by mid-afternoon.

Palm Tree Surveillance

I was enjoying lounging in the sun when I looked up at the palm trees to see one that did not look right.

Can you spot the odd palm tree in the picture?

Near as I can tell, Sun Lakes security feels the need to keep an eye on the well-seasoned ladies in the pool and so they've mounted high-tech security devices, disguised as a palm tree.

Sneaky.

As I walked back to my mom and dad's I saw my sister had already arrived. We all discussed the later today plan to go to Sweet Tomatoes, and then my sister and I were on our way to Piestewa Peak, among other things.

Piestewa Peak used to be called Squaw Peak. Squaw Peak was renamed to honor Spc. Lori Ann Piestewa, who was the first American Indian woman killed in combat and the first female soldier killed in action, in the Iraq War, way back in 2003.

Piestewa Peak aka Squaw Mountain In The Distance

Piestewa Peak, at 2,608 feet, is the second tallest peak in the Camelback Mountains.

Since around 1910 the name Squaw was used to reference this peak. It was also called Squaw Tit Mountain. Some considered the name Squaw to be derogatory.

I can't imagine why.

Over the years efforts were made to change the name from something other than Squaw or Squaw Tit. A Native Navajo State Representative, Jack Jackson, in 1992, began submitting bills to change the name.

Changing the name of Squaw Mountain generated a lot of squawking. Eventually the American Indian Movement got involved, wanting to change the name to Iron Mountain. Finally, on April 17, 2003, within a month of Lori Piestewa's death, the name was changed.

Busy Parking Lot With A Lot Of People
With The Air Let Out Of Them

I am drawing a blank as to how it was we left the freeway and were suddenly at a parking lot at the base of Piestewa Peak. I was surprised at the large number of cars parked.

I am used to going to parking lots for hikes in Texas and finding few cars.

My sister has hiked on Piestewa Peak previously, with my other sisters, and others. My sister indicated she'd never made it to the summit. The summit is reached with an elevation gain of 1,190 feet in 1.2 miles, so it was easy to believe my sister had never made it to the summit.

My Sister Way Ahead Of Me On Way
 To Piestewa Peak Summit

But, just like how my sister tricked me into a bad bet regarding Susan Lucci and Dancing With The Stars, I was suckered into a bad bet again, betting my sister she could not make it to the summit.

In the picture can you find my sister way ahead of me, past the Saguaro?

My sister hiking at such a fast pace should have clued me to the fact that she is in way better shape than I was led to believe.

We ran into many bikers, hikers and joggers on the Piestewa Peak Trail who looked like they'd had the air let out of them. Everywhere I go in Arizona I see people who appear to have been deflated.

The Piestewa Peak Summit Trail sees thousands of hikers a week. Quite a few of those hikers do not make it all the way to the summit. But, even though the trail is much more difficult than it looks, many hikers do make it to the summit.

Heading Toward Camelback Mountain

Including my sister and me.

Unfortunately without photo documentation due to my camera battery going dead, with the backup battery back in the vehicle.

From the top of Piestewa Peak we could see the McDowell Mountains, the Superstition Mountains, Tabletop Mountain, the Harquahala Mountains, the Papago Mountains, Pinnacle Peak and Four Peaks. Plus other Peaks and Mountains the names of which I have forgotten.

The hike down Piestewa Peak was much easier than the hike up. This is often the case with these type things.

Soon we were back on the road again, with my sister taking me on a driving tour of Old Phoenix, north of downtown. Very cool mansions. Then it was on to the Arizona Biltmore where we wanted to have lunch. But we could not find the Biltmore In-N-Out Burger.

We left the Biltmore and drove on to the Phoenician in Scottsdale. Still no In-N-Out Burger.

Camelback Mansions

Eventually we reached the base of Camelback Mountain. Some call this Sugarloaf. I have no idea why because the mountain clearly looks like a camel with a hump.

We drove up towards the top of the hump, towards huge mansions built into the side of the mountain. The only thing I've ever seen remotely like this is on the Hollywood Hills.

We left Camelback Mountain to drive through downtown Scottsdale. It was a hopping busy place on a Friday afternoon. I was impressed with all the restaurants, galleries, patios and the over all look of downtown Scottsdale.

I forgot to mention that before we drove through downtown Scottsdale we drove by my step-niece's house, which is very close to downtown Scottsdale.

We did not go into my step-niece's house, because my sister has no key, unlike the situation which got us into trouble with my nephew and our unscheduled inspection of his house.

In The Picture I Am Not Feeding The In-N-Out Birds

We left Scottsdale and headed to Tempe where we finally found an In-N-Out. It was very busy, but there was no line to order my Combo #1, which is a Double-Double with fries and a drink.

We found outdoor seating where I was warned not to feed the birds.

Tempe is a college town and this In-N-Out is near ASU. So, the place was packed with college kids. Most of whom appeared to have had the air let out of them.

Post-burgers we headed south, passing wrecked giant windmills and watched a dustdevil do a tornado like spin above the desert. Eventually we made it back to my mom and dad's, where mom brought me celery stuffed with something made with jalapenos and asked me if I could find the nearest Midas Muffler location.

I found the nearest Midas Muffler. Mom and dad have been gone well over an hour, to get their oil changed at Midas Muffler.

Tonight we are off to Sweet Tomatoes. I think I already mentioned that. Have I also mentioned I usually don't eat dinner? I guess not....

A Warm Morning In The Valley Of The Sun On The 4th Friday Of March With A Cacophony Of Tweeting Birds

The view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world on this 4th Friday of the 3rd month of 2012 looks about the same as the view yesterday morning and the morning before that.

Tomorrow the morning view will also likely be the same. And then the morning after that there should be a drastic change in the view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world, if all goes according to the current schedule.

The sun has now arrived in the Valley of the Sun and has already heated the air to 61 degrees, making this the first morning I have been in Arizona that is warmer than my regular location north of being deep in the heart of Texas, where it is only 45 degrees this morning.

I am not exactly sure what today has in store for me. I have heard hiking on a mountain mentioned. I am not quite certain where this mountain is. I have heard Sweet Tomatoes mentioned. I may go swimming with my Esther Williams wannabe ladies this morning.

Having A Superior Arizona Lunch After Driving To Globe On The Old West Highway

A Solo Saguaro With A Mountain Background

I never tire of desert scenery. I am particularly fond of Saguaro cactus. I have been fond of Saguaro cactus as long as I remember. I saw many Saguaro today on the drive to Globe, in addition to the solo one in the picture.

My sister was given the driving duty today, which afforded me more lookability.

Unfortunately, for the most part, the glare of the sun impacted the on the move picture taking. I probably should have rolled down the window. In my defense, I am exhausted and not at all thinking clearly.

It is beginning to become borderline embarrassing the number of times I have been told that some question I am asking has already been asked and answered. This happened multiple times last night with my nephews and again multiple times today. And, again, in my defense, I plead exhaustion. That and I am not getting my usual high dose of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

My Sister's White Knuckles On The Steering Wheel

I am guessing that my current reduction in aerobic stimulation is causing some level of oxygen deprivation to my brain cells, hence the memory problem and not thinking of something so rudimentary as rolling down a window.

Pictures taken with the camera aimed out the windshield appear not to have suffered too greatly from the sun glare problem.

Below is an example of a picture taken through the filter of window glare. Even with the glare you get a good idea of how scenic the scenery was today on the way to Globe.

My sister drives way faster than I do, pushing my mom and dad's tire's cornering ability to the limit, over and over again, as we careened around the twist and turns of this particular mountain road, known as The Old West Highway.

Besh-ba-Gowah Pueblo Archaeological Exhibit

I don't know how this happened, but at one point in time my mom and dad's car dealer must have gotten some sort of alert that my sister was testing the outer limits of the vehicle's abilities, because a call was received from the dealer, telling my mom and dad they needed to bring the vehicle in to have a failed sensor replaced. It was spooky.

Eventually we passed Superior, and then Miami, which finally led to Globe. In Globe we eventually made it to the Besh-ba-Gowah Pueblo Archaeological Exhibit. This is a reconstructed 14th century Salado Indian ruin.

On the way to Globe we saw several billboards inviting us to the Pickle Barrel Trading Post, promising that we would not believe what's inside.

My Dad & Sister Outside The Pickle Barrel Trading Post

So, of course we had to stop to see what we would not believe. But first we had to wait until the Pickle Barrel opened at 10am.

When the Pickle Barrel Trading Post opened we ceased checking out the stuff outside the Trading Post and joined the throngs inside.

I saw a lot of stuff inside the Pickle Barrel Trading Post, but I saw no Pickle Barrel. And, despite the billboard's indicating otherwise, I was able to believe what was inside the Pickle Barrel.

Pickle Barrel Tradingpost Website

When we were kids, my brother and I were rockhounds. We would have had ourselves a real fine time hounding the cool rocks for sale at the Pickle Barrel.

Globe reminded me of other mining towns I have visited, like Lead, South Dakota, Rosyln, Washington and Bisbee, Arizona. In the case of Lead and Bisbee, big open mines, clearly visible. In the case of all three, ramshackle houses clinging to steep hills, with colorful downtowns.

World's Smallest Museum In Superior

Eventually we left Globe and headed back towards the Valley of the Sun, via the Old West Highway.

Beginning in Globe, lunch began to be discussed. We drove by Chalo's Casa Reynoso restaurant, in Globe, but it had not yet opened.

Eventually we made it to Superior. We toured the downtown of Superior. It looked familiar, as did the outlying parts of Superior. I would later learn why Superior looked familiar.

When we left downtown Superior, and got back on the Old West Highway, we saw a restaurant that looked interesting. We pulled into the parking lot behind a motorbike gang, to learn the restaurant is called the Buckboard City Cafe and is the home of the World's Smallest Museum.

My Sister & Dad (Blocking View Of Mom) In
The Buckboard City Cafe

I think it was on the Buckboard City Cafe menu we learned that the Clint Eastwood movie, The Gauntlet, was filmed, I assume, in part, in Superior.

Later I learned other movies have used Superior's scenery for movie scenery, like Oliver Stone's U Turn, How The West Was Won, Skinwalker, The Prophecy, The Salena Incident, Blind Justice and others.

I rather enjoyed the Buckboard City Cafe. The waitress promptly arrived with menus. It took us awhile, well, my mom, to decide what to order.

I had the Cheezburg. It came with fries or soup of the day, which was split pea and ham. I opted for fries.

After what seemed like a really long time the waitress arrived with the vittles. This was one of those times when a long wait was not vexing. Even though we were starving.

On the table there was a bottle of really hot hot sauce. I wish I could remember the name, but, like I've already indicated, I am having memory issues. Suffice to say the name of the hot sauce was clever and I put it on my fries.

I think the hot sauce acted as a bit of a substitute for aerobic stimulation, because I felt a bit more alert for a short duration.

Antique 1984 Compaq Computer

When we left the Buckboard City Cafe we toured the World's Smallest Museum. Let's just say the curator chose some interesting items. Like a 1984 Compaq computer. I am currently typing on a laptop version of a Compaq computer, built in this century.

After we left the World's Smallest Museum the ride back to the Phoenix metro zone seemed to go real fast. Eventually I found myself, once again, in a 99 Cent Store. I was not tasked with finding turkey legs.

Tomorrow my sister and I are hiking to the top of a mountain, the name of which I can not currently remember.

The 4th Thursday Of March In Arizona Preparing To Travel The Globe To Globe

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer desert world on this 4th Thursday of the 3rd month of 2012 I see no sign of the arrival of the sun in the Valley of the Sun, so far this morning.

I think this must indicate I am either up earlier than yesterday or it is cloudy.

I suspect the former, because the latter, that being clouds, seem to have been banished, for now, from this part of the planet.

It is way warmer, this morning, even without the sun's heat, at 55 degrees.

I would go swimming, again, this morning, with all the well-seasoned Sun Lakes ladies doing their Esther Williams routines in the pool, but I can not.

This morning my sister is taking me and my mom and dad to Globe. That is a mining town to the east. Apparently the Globe name comes from a humongous round piece of silver, shaped like a globe, which had vein markings that looked like the outlining of continents.

I do not know if the humongous globe of silver is still available for viewing. I suspect not.

There is a well regarded Mexican restaurant in Globe called Chalo's. Chalo's is known for what the place does with green chiles, with items like green chile enchiladas.

I remember a memorable Mexican joint in Taos called Fred's that specialized in the New Mexican brand of Mexican food. I remember Fred's as being very very good. And crowded.