CATTLE CALL

Uh-oh. Invaders on the Savannah.

Savannah. That's what SWMBO named the huge plot of vacant land just to the east of where we live, between us and the town and the mountains. Never mind that this is what most people think of when the term "savannah" comes up.

I must admit that there is a similarity, though the wildlife is a "tad" different.

But getting back to the subject at hand, some cattle fained to intrude on our landscape recently.

Actually that archaic term "fained" is punningly accurate. All of the land on which Prescott Valley now sits was once rangeland owned by the Fain family. They still run cattle in and around the town on undeveloped land.

This one seems to think he's the boss.

I wasn't about to argue the point.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Spring arrived Friday evening and we were celebrating it with a cocktail party on the patio over at the StoneRidge Grill. It began with short sleeve weather. My drink of choice is a Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon.

But it still got chilly once the sun went down. Down toward Phoenix there was what looked like a rain cloud.

We had a little rain earlier in the week and spring blossoms are bursting out all over.

Two different angles at our Redbud tree. The finches love it.

Another tree budding into leaves in the front yard.

A close-up of the trunk reveals a somewhat erotic sign of growth.

Some type of shrubbery is loaded with buds and bright yellow blooms.

While another nearby bush is covered with delicate little lavender blossoms.

Spring has definitely arrived in my part of the world.

(By the way, as always, all pictures can be "embiggened" by clicking on them.)

MARIO!

Mario Andretti was in town this weekend. I, and a lot of other auto racing fans, went to Sun Valley Tire yesterday morning to get a look at the champ, who was making an appearance for his longtime employer Firestone.

Andretti looked good at age 75 though the thickness of his mid-section might prevent him from climbing into an Indy Car these days. He courteously was posing for photographs and signing autographs for a continuous line of fans who seemed thrilled to meet him.

I was lucky enough to meet Mario back in 1969. I had just gone to work at a radio station in Indianapolis and met Andretti, his team owner at the time Andy Granatelli, and a couple of astronauts at a cocktail reception in a hotel suite a short while before race day. Another news reporter and I got the bright idea to get everyone's autograph on a check blank. I had that check with the four autographs for some time before it disappeared. (SWMBO said when I reminded her of the story yesterday, "Oh! I was just thinking of Antiques Roadshow!)

It might have been a collectors' item because Andretti won the Indy 500 that year. Granatelli planted a kiss on his driver's cheek in the winners' circle.

Neither Mario nor any of the many members of his racing family have ever won the Indy 500 since that day and rumors say it is because of this kiss, now known informally as the Andretti Curse.

As Mario was being interviewed by Prescott Daily Courier reporter Doug Cook yesterday, I caught a glimpse of Andretti's socks.

After the interview, I got his attention saying "Nice socks, Mario!"

He grinned and then he laughed as I pulled up my pants leg to show him MY colorful Funky Socks. 

Mario Andretti - nice guy.

You can read my friend Cook's article here.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

I just had a couple of words with Mario Andretti. But that's a story for another day. Tomorrow maybe.

Today is Friday. (Isn't it? I've been a little confused this week. Yeah, it's Friday.)

So let's get on with the hilarity that makes this day one you all wait for, week after week, year after year. 

Oh, by the way, did you hear Microsoft is finally dumping Internet Explorer for a new browsing system?

Thanks, Mr. Gates.

O.K. folks, that's all. (Who said thankfully??!!!)

Thanks to all my contributors (you know who you are), have a great weekend, and keep laughing! You'll live longer.

THROWBACK THURSDAY - PART TWO

I can't come anywhere close to the Wednesday ThrowBack Thursday post that appeared here yesterday. The mistake in posting it a day early was mine. So the best I can do is post a photo which I find I posted just about two years ago of a couple of clowns. 

And no, the one on the right is not a young Harpo Marx, though it may be his doppelganger. In truth (and in apology for that crack) it is my granddaughter Christy. She is now a young woman of 30-something who combines two seemingly disparate careers: state prison corrections officer and very talented tattoo artist. On second thought, the two may not be so much unrelated.

I suppose I could also apologize for that puka shell necklace I'm wearing.

But I won't.

Happy (real) Thursday!

DAMN!

What can I say? SWMBO, the author of the post below, just came in and said, "Do you realize you did ThrowBack Thursday on Wednesday? Today is Wednesday."

I said she was smart. 

And I'm an idiot.

So, this week there shall be TWO ThrowBack Thursdays. Read the post below and enjoy it.

THROWBACK THURSDAY - A GUEST!

Today is ThrowBack Thursday and I have invited a guest blogger to entertain you. SWMBO. That's She Who Must Be Obeyed, for newcomers to Oddball Observations. Also known as Judy Taylor, my wife and a talented writer. Take us back, Judy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Former hubby and I were building a house with the aid and comfort of my contractor father. It was on land given to us by my parents. Land that had been in the family for over a hundred years. My grandparents lived in a house in the woods behind us. My parents lived in front of us on the State Road.

Although there were discussions (arguments) now and then, nothing came close to the Sunday morning when it was time to start laying the hardwood flooring in the 16- by 30-foot living room.

I was determined to have my flooring laid on a 45 degree angle, having seen this in a design magazine some time in the past. The two men, my father and my hubby, insisted, "It cannot be done. We already have the material and there would be too much waste cutting all those 45 degree angles every time we reach the other side of the room."

I said, "No waste. The piece you cut over there will fit perfectly over here."

"That won't work."

"Yes it will and that is what I want."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"NO!"

"YES!"

It was a warm spring morning and my mother was outside her house tending to her garden. She heard the clamour and walked down through the woods to see what it was all about.

"What is going on? I can hear all of you from our house."

"I want my flooring laid in a 45 degree angle and they won't do it!"

I was crying by this time.

My mother looked at her stubborn husband and her stubborn son-in-law and said, "This is her house. Do what she wants!"

She turned around and left both men speechless. They put down most of that floor that day. When it was finished my dad, who had fought hard against the idea, began bringing building clients to look at "his" prize project.

Then. We had gone to a marble quarry in southern Indiana to buy window sills for the house. While there we decided the rough marble would be great for our retaining wall. And it would be great for the fireplace in the living room. So we ordered tons of random slabs of marble delivered to our site.

The day came to build the fireplace facing. Hubby was struggling with pieces of marble, trying to set them all alike. Like bricks. I appeared on the scene and said, "THESE PIECES ARE NOT BRICKS! THEY NEED TO BE RANDOM!"

He said, "If you don't like what I'm doing . . then do it yourself."

And I did.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

(Catalyst again: I was prompted to ask Judy to write this piece because I had heard the story and because of a blog posting by Val the Victorian the other day. If you haven't read it, read it here.)