MONDAY OF A NEW WEEK

Hi-ho, I'm still here.  Better be careful with that one.  It's what Elaine Stritch was saying recently and she died last week.  'Course I'm 15 years younger than she was so . . .

Anyway, SWMBO and I just finished a great pretty good breakfast/lunch meal of Chilaquiles Verdes with Chicken.  The recipe came from Mely Martinez C. and her blog Mexico in My Kitchen.  It was pretty easy to put together as I had made the green salsa last week for a tacos meal and had some left over.  Two pieces of advice: don't buy the tortillas that say they combine corn and wheat - get strictly corn tortillas.  The combo ones get a little tough in this recipe. And either make sure you have enough salsa made or buy a bottle of green salsa.  Or red.  It works either way.

As I sit here at my desk, I occasionally glance out my side window at this stunning specimen of flora.

Judy says it's an artimesia.  When we arrived in January it was smaller and totally gray-green.  She hated it and hacked it to the ground.  As you can see, it came back in spades.  It tops out at around 5 feet and is radiantly alive with purple blossoms.  The bees love it and so did a couple of goldfinches a week ago.

Now here are a few books I recommend from my recent reading. "Tibetan Peach Pie" is a memoir by Tom Robbins. Although he denies that it is either a memoir or an autobiography it sure follows him from boyhood to the present.  Written in Robbins' rollicking style, it's a fun read.  Judy and I both enjoyed it.

The next one on my nightstand was "The Joke's Over" by Ralph Steadman.  It's the tale of the Welsh artist's 35 or so years with and without the originator of Gonzo, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.  HST comes across as a bullying, miserly mean guy in much of this but if you're a Thompson fan, as I am, it's still good reading.

The third book on my reading list is one I'm just about done with called "This Town" by Mark Leibovich.  It concerns the political and media wunderkinds in Washington, D.C.  Leibovich is a writer for the New York Times in his other life and, as such, had remarkable access to what are referred to in the book as "the gang of 500."  It's had me laughing on more than one occasion and mad-as-hell on others.

Okay.  That ought to be enough to get your hearts started on this mellow Monday.  Proceed with caution.

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.