TUESDAY TRAVELS

When I first moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1972 it was still a growing city with a pretty much sleepy downtown.

It has grown immensely since then and now downtown is nearly a mystery to me with all of the new buildings and new construction.

I was reading Sharon's blog the other day and saw this picture of the contrast in downtown.

I thought of it again today and thought I had a somewhat similar picture.

Here's mine:

The twin spires of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Basilica used to be a landmark at the intersection of 3rd Street and Van Buren near the center of the city.

Now they are dwarfed by the North Building of the Phoenix Convention Center.

Both mine and Sharon's photos show the amazing differences in a growing modern city which is still hanging onto some of its past.

CLOUDS

We seem to be in the midst of our monsoon season.

Brief showers or (as yesterday afternoon) thunderstorms with loud, crashing thunder and semi-torrential rain.

One day I photographed some clouds in the sky before the rain arrived.

And on another day, SWMBO spotted and photographed this rather strange cloud which looked like one side had been sheared off.

Note: the last picture was taken through the windshield of a moving car which accounts for the extraneous light poles and road sign.

Clouds are always fascinating.

HAPPY BIRD DAY

Curiously, today dawned overcast and has remained that way all morning so far though it appears as if it is beginning to clear up now.

Rains recently have flattened the Rocketman Sage in the back yard but once the skies stop falling it springs back up.

Apparently the fronds are full of pollen because the bees love it.

So, too, do a pair of neighborhood Goldfinches.

I know the birds are tiny but it still amazes me how they can perch on seemingly the smallest, most fragile stems without seeming to bend them at all.

Of course, once they have had their fill of pollen they stop off for a drink before going on their way.

There is a seemingly never-ending cycle of life taking place right outside my window.

I enjoy being the oddball observer.

BLACKWELL INTERRUPTUS

What do you want?

Why do you interrupt me?

Can't you see I'm takin' a bath here?

Sheesh!!!!

FRIDAY FUNNIES

TGIF again.

Do Fridays seem to you to come around faster these days?

If so, you may be getting old.

We had rain and thunder and lightning here yesterday and I was thinking  "with all of that power how could we corral it to do some good?"

And then it came to me.

Moving right along . . .

All right, Gentle Readers, that should give you a good start to a happy, sappy weekend full of joy and laughter.

Once again, thanks to all of my contributors, I couldn't do it without you.

"Bye-Bye"

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

THROWBACK THURSDAY

My lifelong pal Dr. Jim (r) and I swimming at Carlyle Lake in Canada.

EATING WELL

Smoked Paprika Shrimp; accompanied by sauteed corn, peppers, bacon, onion, whatever else goes well with it; garlic toast; simple fruit salad; glass of red wine.

I know you're supposed to drink white wine with seafood but we didn't have any and I drink red with everything anyway.

So there.

Bon Appétit!