APRIL FOOL!

April Fools Day was two weeks ago but the joker saved one last trick for us.

The BRD's birthday is April 11th.  SWMBO's birthday is May 12th.  Every year they go out for a long, lavish lunch somewhere between the two dates to celebrate another year.  Then they go to a nursery and buy lots of flowers to set out in front of the home of each. 

When she was younger, the BRD always used to push the season.  That is, after days of temperatures around 70 and trees greening and blooming, she would want to buy the flowers and get at it.  SWMBO always used to tell her "it's too soon."  The lesson has been learned.

Because nearly every year we'd wake to something like this.



Yes, it snowed again here last night.  Not much and it won't last.  The weather forecast says the high will be in the middle 40's today, the mid 50's on Sunday, the mid 60's on Monday, and the middle 70's for the rest of the week.

But for those of you who like this kind of thing . . enjoy!



MUSIC BY JOHN DEERE!

I can't believe this.  You just have to watch.

This was sent by email from a friend of mine.  Here's the explanation that came with it:

This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa . Amazingly, 97% of the machine's components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft , Iowa .. Yes, farm equipment! It took the team a combined 13,029 hours (6.26 years) of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video but as you can see, it was WELL worth the effort. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.

Well, guess what.  It's a fake!  I showed it to SWMBO and she said, "It's not real.  It's computer animation."  That sent me to the Interwebs and darned if she isn't right.  Snopes has the goods on it at this location.

Blast!  Guess I'm getting gullible in my old age.

RESTING BEEF

I've read recipes that call for "resting" the meat once it is cooked to allow the juices to settle within.  But this goes beyond that.  This is resting the beef before it's anywhere near your barbecue grill or stovetop or oven.

I know, I know.  You're probably all getting tired of my fascination with the beef cattle near my home.  Well.  Get used to it.  These guys have.



THE ROCK JOCK

This is how it all started . . . 51 years ago.  A rock and roll radio station in Minot, North Dakota.  Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce . . . Bruce on the Loose!!!

I never understood why the studio photographer insisted on portraying a bunch of crazy disc jockeys as (relatively) well dressed, thoughtful, sensitive individuals.  We certainly weren't.  But I guess that's why they call them "glamour shots."

A GHOST

A photo I shot yesterday was a ghostly blur with a shadowy image inside that box.

Aha!  A few seconds later and a second shot with the flash stopped the movement and revealed the occupant/resident of that fairly new box.

It's Jazz in one of her favorite spots . . inside of a box.  I'm not sure why cats love boxes so much.  It may be because they would seem to offer protection or safety or coziness.  But they all have to try out any box that comes into the house.  This one is even big enough to accomodate Blackwell.  But Jazz tends to adopt and dominate the territory whenever a new one appears.

YOUNGER DAYS

I ran across this photo recently.  It was taken in the early 1970's and shows your humble correspondent with his zany granddaughter, Christy.  Actually I think we both look pretty good in our Hawaiians, don't you?

The last time I saw Christy (a few weeks ago) she had black hair and lots of tattoos.  My beard is now grey and it's starting to creep into my hair, too.  No tattoos.  Yet.

PARADISE

Here's where I'd like to be spending today.  In that hammock.

40 PLUS ONE

Judy (SWMBO) and I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary today.  We drove over the mountain and down through a very busy Jerome and an amazingly developed Cottonwood.  We used to live on that side of Mingus Mountain and the changes are amazing to us, even in the last year.

Then on into the Red Rock Country to Sedona.  I snapped a picture of one of the famous Pink Jeeps that takes tourists around the area.



On to Tlaquepaque (tuh-lock-ee-POCK-ee), a center for art galleries and shops designed on architecture from the town of Tlaquepaque, Mexico, a suburb of Guadalajara.  These don't appear to be very Spanish or Mexican but I've always liked them.

After browsing through a couple of shops, we went to the real reason for our trip, Rene's French restaurant.  Nice atmosphere, nice art on the walls.



I thought Judy looked beautiful today.



We didn't take a picture of me so I snapped one when we got home.  I definitely do NOT look beautiful.



But, back to Rene's.  There was a bottle of wine . . a rose adapted from an Argentine Malbec.



Then the food.  We shared a couple of appetizers: Bacon Wrapped Dates with a bleu cheese dip and Saute Brie served atop french bread with caramelized apples with fresh fruit on the side.  Judy's entree was Mushrooms Streudel - assorted mushrooms sauted in garlic and thyme, tossed with feta and provolone cheese encased in puff pastry.



I had Sand-Dab, a sweet, delicate flatfish finished with beurre noisette.



Just outside the restaurant, we visited one more shop and Judy found a big pot done by a Northern California artist, Bruce Fairman.  His pieces are coated in a glaze which contains gold, platinum and titanium.  She had to have it so it's now resting in our home.



All in all, a great day, a fine anniversary.  41 years seems like an almost impossible length of time.  But as I told Judy this morning, "Only 9 more years!"

BEEFY

Remember when good Catholics didn't eat beef on Friday?

This guy is mourning the end of that tradition.

"Just be glad you're not wearing red today, buddy!"



SPRING COLORS

This is our rosemary forest.


A closer look.


A plethora of green vinca . . .

 . . with a glimpse of lavendar.


Here's another vinca blossom with more purple to show.



LOSERS



WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?

"Don't worry . . I've got your back."

WELCOME HOME, SOLDIER

I've never seen anything like this.  A boxer dog sees his master, a soldier coming home after 8 months away.  The dog goes absolutely nuts.  Watch and enjoy.

AN ADDENDUM

Just to prove they actually got the license, here's the blushing smirking BRD at the license bureau.

And here's the happy couple.

But I think that's the closest they'll ever get to the altar!

ANOTHER MARRIAGE LICENSE!

Now, don't get excited.  There is no reason to send congratulations or gifts.  No date has been set, nor will one.  But the BRD and her Beau Jack picked up a marriage license yesterday.


(pause for effect)


Actually this has become a tradition for them.  This is the sixth consecutive year that the handsome swain has arrived in a chauffered limousine to pick up the BRD for the trip to the License Bureau.  Once the piece of paper has been acquired, they head off to champagne and lunch.  The license goes on the BRD's refrigerator door and stays there until next year.

Normally this event takes place on April 1st, for obvious reasons.  But since the Fool's Day falls on Sunday this year, the event had to be moved up.

Here then, properly limousined and champagned, are the Beau Jack and the Beautiful Rich Daughter.

They included some good friends in their celebration this year and all seemed to be having a great time.

Happy . . . whatever . . . and many more!

A NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP

People driving on Winchester Drive approaching Addis Avenue in my town might wonder about that steeple protruding from the brush.

It's merely an optical illusion.  When one crosses the highway, it becomes apparent.  This is the huge new (still under construction) L.D.S. (Mormon) Church.

I wonder if Mitt is coming to town.

Correction: An earlier version of this post identified the building as a Mormon temple, whereas it is a church.  There is a distinct difference, according to my editor (SWMBO).  My apologies.

AH, YES, I REMEMBER IT WELL



ADVENTURERS

Last week I told you my nephew, Barry Taylor, and his wife, Amy, had come to Arizona for a five day backpacking trip into the remoter areas of the Grand Canyon.  What they didn't know when they left 80 degree weather in St. Paul, Minnesota, was that Arizona had been hit with a freakish early spring snowstorm.  But armed with reservations at the Canyon and the foolhardiness bravery of youth, they set out.





You will notice there is snow everywhere.  Quite a bit of snow covering a narrow trail leading to the depths.  No room for any false moves.

But as one descends into the Canyon the climate changes, the temperature rises and the snow melts.

I didn't say the footing got any safer or easier.  But these two have hiked in Bolivia.  They have hiked into canyons in Death Valley where there were no trails.  I asked how they didn't get lost.  Barry said "topo maps."  And they didn't get lost this time, in spite of this.

As one goes deeper, the walls open somewhat.

And then they were down at the bottom.

Barry and Amy might say "just another walk in the park."  But I'll bet they slept well in that 4-pound-tent.



Since I moved to Arizona 40 years ago I have thought of hiking the Canyon.  But I put it off too long and now I'll just have to live vicariously through the adventures of my nephew and niece.