THROWBACK THURSDAY

Two generations of Taylors pose with a sign at their home town of Stanley, North Dakota, in the very early 1950's.

(L to R) Franklin Bruce (Catalyst) Taylor, Franklin Berry Taylor and Wayne Howland Taylor.

The photo was sent to us by a Minnesota-based cousin who noted a long-running joke about the two state's natural flora.

My grandfather, on a visit to Minnesota once, was being driven through the countryside and my uncle said to him "Look at all this scenery, isn't it beautiful?"

His response? 

"I can't tell. There's too damned many trees in the way!"

My cousin wrote in sending this picture "When I was in North Dakota I could see what the prairie looks like, but a few trees here and there might help the view."

SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN

As I watch the stories on television about tornadoes, floods, hail storms, lightning strikes, snowstorms, icy roads and whatever, I am glad I live in Arizona.

The winters where I live are never very cold.

For long.

The summers are never very hot.

For long.

Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, the Colorado River valley which forms the western boundary of the state; they all get very hot in the summers.

Flagstaff and the White Mountains can get a lot of snow and stay cold for a long time in the winters.

But where I live, at an elevation of 5,131 feet, the weather is much milder.

Nevertheless, from time to time, the sky does cloud up.

This was our sky yesterday afternoon.

It looks dangerous but SWMBO was doing some yard work and cut and pulled weeds right through it.

And the clear blue sky surrounded the clouds and occasionally broke through.

I know it rained somewhere but here there was just a light sprinkle, enough to make the street out front wet.

And the clouds eventually moved away and more blue sky took over.

We'll have some slight cooling over the weekend, down to the 60's and perhaps some light showers.

But the forecast says a week from today the mercury will climb once again into the low 80's.

Perfect weather for an aging Huckleberry Finn.

TUESDAY TRAVELS

Back in my youth . . way, way back in the 1940's I was captivated by the tales of the gigantic lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his great blue ox, Babe.

He was a product of oral folklore that later found his way into print.

Supposedly Bunyan had logged millions of trees in North Dakota (my childhood home) which accounted for the miles of treeless prairie land.

The stories of his exploits are legendary but I know that the gigantic Bunyan was REAL because I met him once and he called me by name.

I am in the lower left of the photo, standing next to one of Paul's big dogs and in front of the man himself.

Paul would turn his head, raise one arm and greet visitors by name and perhaps the town they came from.

At this time he was located in the Paul Bunyan Amusement Park near Brainerd, Minnesota.

Later the park closed but Paul and Babe were relocated to what is now Paul Bunyan Land, a few miles east of Brainerd.

When I visited Paul back in the day I was also photographed with a chipmunk from his tales.

Everything was outsize in the park, including my long legs.

An uncle of mine owned a cabin on Camp Lake, which was only about 20 miles away so my visit to the mighty woodsman was a natural stop on our way back to North Dakota.

TOWHEE(s)

I wrote the other day about a visitor to our bird bath, the Rufous Sided Towhee.

This morning he/she was back again.

Since I don't know whether it's a male or a female, I'm going to refer to it from now on as "it".

Sorry, pal.

It was enjoying the cold water, splashing and ducking it's head.

And then, suddenly, a SECOND Towhee arrived.

The first one checked out the second one but it soon became clear they were acquainted and it went back to its bathing.

The late arrival seemed content to just sit in the cold bath water but the constant splashing of the other one showering water on it finally caused it to depart.

The first bird continued violently splashing and throwing water over itself for some time.

Finally it was apparently satisfied and departed as well.

And so, once again, the bath is quiet.

I can only wonder what will come next.

PINWHEELS FOR KIDS

People driving by the Prescott Valley Civic Center recently may have wondered about a field of  blue and silver pinwheels.

The grassy area is occasionally used for displays of this type to commemorate something.

This field of pinwheels . . 3,000 of them . . was recently "planted" to mark Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The number represents the approximate number of children under age six who live in Prescott Valley.

HEY RED!

What to my wondering eye did I see when I opened the blinds this morning?

Why I believe it's my old pal, the Rufous Sided Towhee, who summers in these parts.

With the mercury in the low 40's it seemed a little early for a bath in that cold water.

But sure enough he spent quite a time there enjoying a vigorous dousing in the birdbath.

I don't know how long he'd been there but I managed to get a couple of pictures before he flew off.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Been to the doctor lately?

For someone my age, that's like saying "Done anything interesting lately?"

O.K.  There's a theme this week.

Brought to you by the . . .

All RIGHT!

I don't know about you, Gentle Readers, but I'm feeling better now.

Listen up. 

We've had light rain overnight here with more on the way.

I'll be staying inside today.

Wherever you are in the world I hope you have balmy sunny weather this weekend for a great time.

Eat well, stay healthy and always keep a smile on your kisser.

Or a kiss on your smiler. Whatever.

Here, kitty kitty.

(uh-oh)