A BIT OF A MIX

My nephew, Barry, is celebrating (?) his 40th birthday today.

A good-looking lad, wouldn't you say?  He and his lovely wife Amy keep in shape by constantly back-packing, skiing, kayaking and whatever else they can think of to do on weekends.

But they do have some wind-down time and they might enjoy one of these in their house.

The BRD sent me this picture this morning with two notations: (1) finally got my sink fixed, and (2) don't worry, the left faucet pours white wine!

Well, a bit of warning to my nephew:

Finally, a picture I swiped from the Internet.  It's a fisherman close to shore at Ixtapa-Zijuatanejo in Mexico with a very interested group of on-lookers.

A SKY FULL OF YELLOW CLOUDS

I went out after dark the other night and looked up at the sky and was stunned.  It was full of fluffy clouds that had a peachy color.  I got my camera and took several photos but they didn't come out peachy.  They came out yellow.

I think it was due to ground light from below.  The moon certainly didn't have anything to do with it.  Did it?

I thought it was somewhat mysterious.  If you look toward the bottom of the next picture you may see what I mean.

So what kind of music goes with that kind of sky?  I can think of only one song that fits.  (Though I did give a listen to Hoagy Carmichael's "Old Buttermilk Sky".)

SISYPHUS WAS HERE

For (much) more on Sisyphus, go here.  Sometimes I feel much in common with him.

SPROUTS

Last Friday I mentioned that a new Sprouts store would soon be coming to Prescott Valley, where I used to live.  I had never been in one and took someone else's word that it was similar to a Trader Joe's store.  One of my commenters told me today that she didn't think that was accurate.  As it happened I visited a Sprouts store in Chandler today and must confirm that the commenter was correct.  The stores are not much alike at all.  The store I visited today was much larger than the typical Trader Joe's and features a wide variety of organic food, including many barrels of bulk items.  But both stores are great, in my opinion, and the Prescott Valley area will be lucky to have them.

Now a little late summer color from the yard.

SEPTEMBER IN PHOENIX

September 15th, 2013.  

       5 p.m.  

               100 degrees F.  

                       38 degrees C.

It's not as hot as before.  One can sense cooler days ahead.  Even the local television folk are saying, "c'mon, October!"

POST-MODERN ART ANALYSIS

DID NOT! DID TOO!

I was reading an article in the Prescott (Arizona) Daily Courier announcing that a new Sprouts store was coming soon to Prescott Valley.  For those of you who don't know, Sprouts is a food store with many organic products and sort of like a Trader Joe's.  It's a small chain based in Phoenix.

Well!  You wouldn't believe how many people commented on this story on-line and the vehemence in their arguments.

"Who needs another grocery store?"

"It's just like Trader Joe's."

"Good!  No more trips to Trader Joe's."

"Oh, great.  Another yuppie store with high prices."

"You'd be surprised.  Their prices are lower than many stores."

"How about hearing from someone who doesn't already work at Sprouts."

"Why are you so negative?"

These aren't exact quotes but they give you an idea of what went on.  It's a small town mentality, or at least I used to think so.  I guess now it's an Internet mentality.  From what I've heard, Twitter is even worse.

But it did give me an opportunity to offer up this great skit from the Monty Python group.