FIRE AND RAIN

Regrettably once again it is fire season in Arizona.

Two fires are burning in the mountains to the northeast of us here in Prescott Valley.

The Racetrack Fire, to the right and a little over 20 miles from our community, has forced evacuation of some residents in the small town of Cherry.

Meanwhile the Grapevine Fire, to the left, has forced evacuation of residents of White Horse Ranch.

Both fires are believed to be lightning caused and more rainy weather, which can produce lightning, is forecast in the immediate future.

SUNDAY GRAVY

 I made a big batch of Sunday Gravy yesterday.

This isn't a photo of it but it resembles it.

Now I know what you're thinkin'.

That doesn't look like gravy.

And that proves to me that you're not Italian.

Italian-American, to be exact.

Now this recipe isn't exactly Sunday Gravy because it doesn't have several kinds of meat in it, as traditional recipes do.

It's just a ground beef pasta sauce that includes onion and peppers and garlic and basil and tomatoes and tomato sauce and tomato paste and salt and pepper and a slash of red wine, simmered on the stove top for an hour or two.

Gadfrey!

Now I'm hungry again.

But the name Sunday Gravy came about because Italian nonnas (grandmothers) used to fix it after mass on Sundays, filling their houses with wonderful aromas.

Mine was delicious, served over some rainbow rotini yesterday.

This is sorta what our skies have been looking like this morning as promising thunder has been rumbling.

But so far, we've had no rain here today.

The last two storms to come through my part of town have been pretty violent, with tons of rain and high winds.

The drainage ditch alongside the street in front of the house has been running bankfull a couple of times.

We need the rain but a gentler downpour would be appreciated.

And that's how my week is starting.

What's new at your place?

BUT IS IT ART?

The BIAD (Beautiful Impoverished Artist Daughter) has been working on a project that she has brought to fruition.

She says it is a pedestal that could be used for a gazing ball.

Or maybe a birdbath.

Or a sculpture.

Or whatever you want to display for you and the world to see.

At any rate, here it is.

She says she's thinking of calling it Unicorn Puke.

I think a nicer name might be appropriate.

Do you have one?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

We made it!

Perhaps a bit tanner, perhaps a bit redder, perhaps blistered.

But we have achieved once again and arrived at Friday.

We got through Ice Cream Day, Hot Dog Day, Corn Fritters Day.

And without even having to say TGIF once, we have arrived at the cusp of another weekend.

So let us not lollygag.

Let us launch into laughter.

And that's that, folks.

Now never mind the heat (or the smoke or the rain or the cold), enjoy youselves for the next few days and have a fantastic weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . oh yeah, the sun's very bright here too . . )

MIMI

 

Allow me to introduce you to Mimi, one of three members of the BRD's cat family.

And while she appears to be lying back, relaxing, contemplating the meaning of the universe . . what she's actually doing is waiting for Gayle to throw her mouse.

No, not a real mouse.

A small fabric replica with which the cats love to play.

But there's one odd fact in this family.

Gayle has taught her various cats over the years not only to play with their "mice", tossing them around and in the air and catching them again, but also to "fetch" them back to her to be tossed yet again.

I've heard of dogs doing this but never, except for Gayle's pets, for a cat to do it.

I learn something every day.

OUR FRIEND DIANE

 A few weeks ago Judy and I heard some disturbing news about our longtime friend, Diane Kalas.

She had suffered a stroke in Flagstaff, Arizona, and was in the hospital.

Diane is a vigorous 91 years old but a medical emergency at that age is frightening.

However, Diane being Diane, after a week in the hospital and ten days in a rehab facility she and one of her daughters and a mutual friend left for an annual vacation planned a year ago.

In her beloved Laguna Beach, California.

Diane had lived there as a young woman, fell in love with it and has returned year after year.

She says it works like a tonic to her and judging by her activity it has performed its magic once again.

I met Diane more than half a century ago when we found ourselves working for the same television station in Phoenix.

I was in awe of this woman who hosted a morning program called Today in Arizona.

She had a wall of signed photographs of movie stars, entertainers and politicians that she had interviewed.

Diane went on to success in radio stations in Pittsburgh, Boston and San Francisco before ending her career as "The Shell Answer Lady" for a California refinery.

In later years, she adopted a scruffy mutt she named Rags.

"Nobody better try to cheat my lady at cards!"

So Diane, keep on keepin' on, and this next one is just for you.

FINALLY!

 It was two weeks late but our first monsoon storm of the season arrived yesterday afternoon.

As I remarked, it's as if it was making up for lost time.

It rained, blew and hailed for three solid hours, sometimes lightly and at other times torrentially.

If you turn your audio on you can hear it pattering down.

In this later video, where it was raining harder, you can hear the water pouring down from the flooded eavestrough over the front entrance.

After it had finally stopped, Judy checked our rain guage in the tomato barrel and said we'd gotten nearly an inch and a half.

The cooler air felt good for a change although our summer heat hasn't broken for good and the season is only about halfway through.

HEAT

 

CHILL

 

Guess what today is.

Oh yes, just in time.

It's National Ice Cream Day!

So take the edge off of that heat and get yourself a cone.

Or a dish.

Or a batch.

Whatever your choice, cool off with some ice cream today.

FOLIAGE

Part of Judy's Coleus Forest, trying to take over the patio.

(There are more in the house) 

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Vive la France!

Yes, it's France's National Day also known as Bastille Day!

So let's eat lots of snails!

Or you could celebrate another day today: It's National Nude Day!

A day when nudists around the world go au naturel.

But if you plan on celebrating it, probably better put off that trip to the store.

Here in Arizona the mercury is threatening to pass the 100 degree mark so let's begin, as we did last Friday, with something to cool you off.

You know what that means.

The fun is (mostly) over.

Now, non-alliteratively, I would like you to enjoy a remarkable weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . ooooohhh, I know that feeling . . . )

LAKE VISIT

With summer's scorching temperatures recently we had been pretty much confined to our home.

It is supposed to surpass the 100 degree mark this weekend.

So late yesterday afternoon I suggested we visit nearby Yavapai Lake and watch the ducks for awhile.

It's a small lake, more of a pond really, but catching it in the right light with the fountain going in the center can provide some nice views.

And gazing at that water, one can actually feel cooler.

The duck population has severely diminished as many may have migrated north seeking cooler weather.

But there were enough to amuse us.

These two swam back and forth constantly staying in close proximity to each other.

We watched and conjured up fantasies about their relationship.

First date, maybe?

Many people were walking and some even jogging on the path alongside the lake.

We, however, remained in the car with the air conditioning running.

With advancing age comes loss of energy and mobility but growing wisdom, I like to think.

We are fortunate to have this little lake only a few minutes away.

A LITTLE GARDENING

 We don't have a huge area for gardening where we live.

The yard around our duplex is covered in gravel and rocks.

And weeds with which we do battle.

But we have a nice covered patio which is home to our minimal gardening, most of it in pots.

As always, a mint plant is the star of the show and the leaves make our evening cocktails smell so nice.

Next to it is a basil plant that seems to be frowning a bit by comparison to its neighbor.

Hot tip: a few years ago we had a basil plant that we harvested, used to make pesto and froze in an ice cube tray.

Then we forgot it until recently when I uncovered it and it made a nice sauce for some pasta.

Our chives seem to be suffering from not enough watering, too much watering, the incessant heat or maybe just neglect.

But the green tops still make a nice topping for dishes from the Master Chef (not me) when snipped.

Now our tomato barrel has a couple of plants that Judy describes as "leggy".

Still we have harvested two beauties.

The first one was green when I accidentally dislodged it from its vine and Judy said she didn't think it would ripen.

But it did and was delicious.

We've only managed one of the small plum or cherry tomatoes but we shared it and it too was just like in that old John Denver song: "only two things money can't buy, that's true love and home grown tomatoes."

I'm not sure if the birds get to them or they just shrivel and die but if luck and your gardeners pay attention we might get a few more.

Meantime, the sun faces watch on with apparent bemusement.