SUMMER ON THE SQUARE

Location: The Courthouse Square, Prescott, Arizona

Time:  This weekend

Event:  Another arts and crafts fair

The return(?) of tie-dye.

Dog meeting dog.

A lovely young lass playing her violin to pay for art school lessons.

All part of a summer weekend on the Square.

KATIE LEE

I attended a book signing at Peregrine Books in Prescott Saturday afternoon for an Arizona legend. Katie Lee of Jerome, Arizona, has been a singer, a recording artist, an actress, an author and, most important to her, an environmental activist opposed to the Glen Canyon Dam.

Today she read from her latest book "The Ghosts of Dandy Crossing."

It is a slightly fictionalized tale of herself and her "Buck".  The two of them posed for her camera (with a timer) many years ago.  She said she posed the picture for a previous book "Ten Thousand Goddam Cattle, A History of the American Cowboy in Song, Story and Verse." She said it was meant to convey the myth that the only way to get a cowboy to take a bath was to hold a gun on him.

For one reason or another the picture wasn't used for the earlier book but it lives on as the cover of the current one.

Katie read several excerpts from her book, one of which was loaded with "salty" language, which filled the bookstore via the sound system.

Afterward I talked with the store's general manager, Tom Broderson, an old friend from my bookselling days.  He joked that he relaxed the store's PG-13 rating for any author over 90.

Katie Lee turns 95 in October.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Have a great weekend, folks, and keep on laughin'.

(Grateful thanks to all contributors, whether they knew it or not.)

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Once upon a time, back in the mid-1980's, SWMBO and I were making plans to move to Mexico for an early retirement.  Before we left, I received this homemade birthday card from our friends, Tom and Lana.

And on the inside of the card . . .

What are good friends for except to make fun of you, eh?

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

RAINY DAYS AND NIGHTS

Much of today was rainy here in Arizona's central highlands.  It didn't rain hard but it was nice to get a break from the weatherman. It reminded me of an old tune.

MONDAY MUSIC

It's been overcast most of today.  Now, in the mid-afternoon, the skies are darkening, the sound of thunder rolls in occasionally and it is looking like rain.

I feel the need for some music from one of my favorite groups - Pink Martini and the wonderful singer Storm Large.  Enjoy.

HUMMINGBIRD HUMILIATION

After viewing my video of a hummingbird at one of our feeders, the BRD sent me these two photos.

Talk about humility!

ONE THIRSTY HUMMINGBIRD

SUPER MOON

Last night was the first night of another Super Moon.

This is the best I could do with my $100 camera.  Still.  It has a nice tropical look to it with the sunset colors tinting the sky.

For a great look at the moon, as well as some beautiful flowers, go to my friend, Dr. M's blog.  Quite obviously he has a better camera and lenses than I.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Bet you thought I'd forgot the cat.  Not a chance.  Had to search for him though.  He was hiding.

Have a great weekend, folks, and keep on chuckling!

THROWBACK THURSDAY

The Field Producer

Republican National Convention

Dallas, Texas - 1984

In spite of the cigarette, I was fighting a cold.  It was blazing hot outside and air conditioned to freezing inside.

Hard to believe that was 30 years ago!

Here's the full crew, happy the week is finally over

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

UPDATE

I haven't blogged since last Friday so . . .

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Okay, now that you've had a day to enjoy those Ukranian musicians here are the real Friday Funnies.

That's all, folks.  Have a fundalacious weekend and you readers in the U.S. of A. - a happy Fourth of July!

FRIDAY FUNNIES PREVIEW

Just to get you in the mood for tomorrow's glee, here's something that is indescribable but must be seen.  (Click on "Post")

Post by Сергей Бабенко.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Once upon a time, way back in the middle 1960's, I was a clean shaven, short-haired, young radio and television news director at KFYR in Bismarck, North Dakota.  My "staff" consisted of one other reporter and one and a half photographers.  (The other half worked for the ad salesmen.)  It was long hours as we covered newscasts from 7:25 in the morning until 10:30 at night but it was fun.  I'd never go back to it, though.  Schedules like that are for young men and I no longer am.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY

Goofin' with the Legends in Seattle.

Me and Elvis

My buddy, Steve and Jimi

Two entirely different trips.  Neither one of us together.  Two similar goofs.

Whaddaya gonna say?

WHERE HAVE ALL THE AUTOS GONE?

General Motors has now recalled more than 28 million of its automobiles, dating back to 1997, for problems mainly with an ignition switch that can, and has, caused fatal accidents.  GM's relatively new boss, Mary Barra, was slammed with this growing problem virtually as soon as she took over.  It seems to me she has handled the problem well, bravely facing Congressional panels and members of the news media with equanimity and promises to fix the problem.

Lawyer Ken Feinberg has been hired to settle with families who have suffered fatalities stemming from the ignition problems and GM has put no restrictions in him.

All of which does not prevent the humorists among us from taking advantage of the seriousness of the issue to post a good joke.  At least I thought it was good.  Sometimes when all hell is breaking loose all around us it is good to have a sense of humor.

A MEMORIAL

One year ago today, on June 30th, 2013, a wildfire near Yarnell, Arizona, took the lives of 19 members of a firefighting team from the Prescott area - the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew.

No one has forgotten.  Today in front of the Prescott Valley Municipal Building, flags fly in the breeze in memory of the young men who died together.

Boots rest at the base of 19 of the flagpoles and at one more.  One of the hot shots was deployed as a lookout and survived.

The battle with the Yarnell Fire was terribly bungled by perhaps several agencies.  There is blame enough to go around.  But today is a day to remember the victims.  In memorium.