R is for a variety of REDS

I really must apologize to Mrs. Matlock for being absent so long, but I just couldn't participate in Alphabe-Thursday because I ran out of alphabet ideas!  As it is, I'm recycling some photos from previous posts just so that I'm not totally kicked out of Mrs. Matlock's school program. 
This week our letter is "R" and I immediately thought of RED.  I know...very original...DUH!



Anyway my first photo is of an apron I made in 7th or 8th grade.  My mother kept it all these years and I now have it securely placed in a memory book for my grandchildren.  The word on the pocket is "MOM" in case you can't make out my cross-stitching.

I made these watermelon pieces and the ant several years ago while I was still teaching. Our school secretary invited several teachers to her house so we could paint and show off our craftiness!  The teachers called it "therapy". 

I found this apple hanging outside of my classroom door one day during parent-teacher conferences! Our secretary and some of her friends made these apples for each teacher as a gift and I have it hanging in the same room as my watermelon pieces.

These vintage Little Red Riding Hood salt and pepper shakers belonged to my mother.  I have a photo of me as a baby sitting in a high chair with these and the coordinating cookie jar atop our refrigerator.  My mother could never find the cookie jar after we moved to Phoenix in the early 60's.  I found a pristine cookie jar that matched these shakers at an estate sale but I wasn't going to pay $225 for it!

  
My mother also saved these cake toppers from when I was a teenager.  The red record player is truly a gem.

I'm not old enough to really remember Shirley Temple or any of her movies, but I really liked this doll when I saw her at a doll show in Phoenix.  She is a reproduction and is as cute as can be!

Visit Jenny Matlock for other participants in Alphabe-Thursday.

Little Bunny's Easter Surprise

I recently resumed my yard sale venturing and I only spent $1.50!!!  I came across some cute books for my grandchildren and I was completely taken with some illustrations in one particular book.  Little Bunny's Easter Surprise by Jeanne Modesitt and illustrated by Robin Spowart is a cute tale about a little girl bunny wanting to surprise her parents and brother with some eggs that she decorated.  As I read the story I couldn't help but be impressed with the darling illustrations by Robin Spowart.  I think that they are so soft and sweet, and the colors seem to blend so beautifully.

                        Little Bunny and her baby brother bunny.

The Bunny family on Easter morning.

Looking for surprises outside.

     I'm particularly impressed with the color of the tree.

                                                    A happy Bunny family.

Click on the illustrations to enlarge.

Many happy returns!

This "M" post for Alphabe-Thursday is a real stretch for the letter M.  Link to Jenny Matlock for other entries for Alphabe-Thursday.       Many Happy Returns Arizona!

On February 14, most people celebrate Valentine's Day just like the people in Arizona.  However, this February 14, marks the 100th birthday of Arizona becoming a state.  President Taft officially signed documents declaring Arizona a state on February 14, 1912, thus making it the 48th and "baby state" long before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the Union.
                                       

The state flag measures four feet high and six feet wide, and is divided into a top and bottom half with a large five-point copper star in the center. The top half of the flag represents the 13 original colonies of the United States and the western setting sun. The copper star in the center of the flag identifies Arizona as the largest copper producing state in the union.

The lower half of the flag is a field of blue, the same Liberty Blue found in the United States' Flag. The red found in the rays of the setting sun is also the same shade of red found in the United States' Flag. The Blue of the lower half of the flag and the yellow of the western setting sun are the

Arizona State Colors.

                            

 The great seal of the state of Arizona depicts our 5 C's of Cotton, Copper, Climate, Cattle and Citrus.  The state motto is "Ditat Deus" which means God Enriches.

                                  Desert Denizens of Arizona
The snake in this picture is a coral snake and it is very venomous.  It is related to the cobra and you really don't want to mess with it.  Arizona children quickly learn "red to black venom lack, but red to yellow deadly fellow"!!!!!  That refers to the colorful bands on the snake.  Since the red bands on this snake touch the yellow bands, you know that this is a venomous coral snake and BEWARE.  Trust me, if I came upon a colorful snake (non-venomous snakes like the scarlet snake, the milk snake, and the king snake are often confused with the coral snake) I wouldn't stick around long enough to recite the "red to black...." riddle!

 The Gila Monster is one of two venomous lizards found in the U.S.  It is a beaded lizard and it is fairly sluggish but it packs a punch if it decides to bite.  The pain from a Gila Monster bite is worse than that of a rattlesnake!  The bite causes edema, swelling and extreme pain.  Again BEWARE.

This beautiful scene is from the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  It is a picture of Havasu Falls.  My daughter and husband have hiked down into the canyon twice and the scenery is breathtaking.  

Here is a photo of a Cactus Wren which is the state bird of Arizona.  I believe that it is sitting on a staghorn cactus.

Since Arizona was known as the "baby state" before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the Union, it only had 14 original counties.  I guess that our lawmakers wanted to keep things simple thereby limiting the number of our counties and county seats.  When I was in college, I had to know all of the counties and the name of each county seat as part of my Arizona Constitution/Government class.  In 1983, a 15th county was added...La Paz.

The bloom of the Saguaro cactus is our state flower.  It is waxy in texture and very pretty.

A map of Arizona with the magnificent Grand Canyon in the northern part of our state.  Arizona is known as the "Grand Canyon State"

 The state tree is the Palo Verde which literally means "green stick".  I guess the name came from the Mexican and Spanish influence that was so much a part of Arizona when it was just a territory.  When I was taking my education classes at Arizona State University, I had to go on a field trip to the desert!  I had to identify and properly name the shrubs and cactus within a specified area!  I remember that I also mentioned seeing a tarantula and a scorpion or two to my professor just to see if I could get extra credit.  That didn't work since I was supposed to identify the vegetation only!

I can't believe that I have lived in Arizona for 50 of the 100 years that it has been a state.  I can't possibly go into all the history of my state or tell you all about the various climates, geography or etymology.  Many people think that Arizona is a land of sand dunes and cowboys and Indians.  It isn't!  My state has lakes and the mighty Colorado River.  It is loaded with history and monuments of those who have gone before.  It is rich with cotton and copper and critters that are fascinating to behold.  There is even an edible cactus that is used for jellies!  It does get hot during the summer but our winter, spring and fall weather is to die for!  Sunsets in the desert are spectacular and snow covered mountains are refreshing.  I'm glad that I live in Arizona and would invite everyone to visit at least once for a truly memorable and amazing experience.

                    Happy 100th Birthday, Arizona
                         and Many Happy Returns

         (all photos and graphics are courtesy of free Bing Images)

The Vintage Bunny Gift Boutique

Attention Arizona bloggers.... If you live anywhere near Chandler, AZ, you should check out a darling boutique that I recently found.  It is called the The Vintage Bunny Gift Boutique and it is filled with charming bunnies, clothing, Mary Englebreit goodies, tea pots, paper dolls, and an assortment of things to make you swoon!
The shop owner, Jeanette Craker, has all-occasion bunnies, doll clothes, gift baskets, and much more in her darling, whimsical store.  Jeanette makes the bunnies, all the seasonal clothing for them, and her handcrafted work is exceptional.  She accepts cash only with no refunds...exchanges only.

This first photo is of some of the dresses that Jeanette sews for her bunnies.  She has outfits for every holiday and can custom-make anything that a customer desires.

 

Bunnies, tea cozies, figurines, and clothing....oh my

Dresses for toddlers and little girls!

Did I mention the handmade quilts?

Jim Shore figurines, gingerbread apron, ducks, bunnies, and quilts

Red hat items, tea pots, Mary Englebreit, dolls, furniture and more quilts

This and that, jewelry, dressed bunnies

She is adorable and dressed for Valentine's Day

More Mary Englebreit and other delights

                                         Jeanette is arranging things in the shop window

A bunny tea party a little out of focus!

Stop by 232B S. Wall St. Alley*Old Town Market Square in Chandler or call 602-820-2776

"I" is for Incredibly embarrassing!

The letter "I" is brought to you by Jenny Matlock. Visit her blog for more "I" entries.

It all started when I let the dogs out through the door in our bedroom!  I walked into the backyard in my nightgown and slippers and waited for the dogs to finish whatever they were doing.  I turned to go into the house and suddenly realized that the door had locked behind me!  My husband was in Tucson (98 miles away) so screaming and pounding on the windows and doors was not an option.  I kept repeating to myself, I'm locked out, I'm locked out, what am I going to do?  Oh, crap...this can't be happening to me!  I somehow realized that I had to get to a phone so I decided to walk to my neighbor's house in my humiliated glory with my boobs bouncing like tennis balls melons for the world to see.  Of course my neighbors (whom I know) weren't home!  I knew that there were neighbors in the next house who had recently moved in so I thought that I would try my luck with them.  I sheepishly knocked on their door and a man answered looking at me like he was seeing Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett's washer woman all rolled into one!  I had crossed my arms over my chest to hide my true embarrassment and politely introduced myself.  He and his wife welcomed me in and let me use their phone which wasn't any ordinary phone.  They and I had trouble calling out so the man (Marty) finally let me use his normal cell phone.  I called my friend, Cindy, who lives nearby because I knew that she had the key to our house.  No answer!  I called my father-in-law (age 90) because I thought that he might have a key to our house but he couldn't help me.  I kept apologizing to the new neighbors (Vickie and Marty) and they assured me that it was okay to stand in their kitchen without any dignity...Marty finally told his wife to get a robe for me because he could obviously sense that my near-hysterical embarrassment was about to skyrocket into uncontrollable sobs with a side of flailing and gnashing of teeth!  I pulled myself together and decided to call Cindy back while silently promising God that I would make novenas for the next 10 years!  This time Cindy answered the phone and I explained what had happened.  Funny thing...Cindy was in her nightgown, too, and had to change and find my house key before she could come to my rescue.  I dashed out of Marty and Vickie's house with a stream of "thank-you's" trailing behind me.  I met Cindy at my front door and nearly kissed the floor when I walked into my house.  I, too, thanked Cindy profusely, let the dogs in, took a shower and drank a cup of coffee.  I left for my hair appt. and took time to buy some flowers for Cindy, Marty and Vickie.  It seems now that when I leave my house I always feel incredibly insecure and tense, but I always make sure that I'm sufficiently dressed, have my cell phone, keys, water, sack lunch and chocolate with me...even if I only put the garbage bins out front or water the yard!  I think an incredible case of paranoia has set in.

Clip art courtesy of Bing!

Golf 101

One Saturday in September my son-in-law took my two grandchildren golfing at a local course in Tucson, AZ.  Lillian, almost 2, and Brandt, age 4 had fun learning the finer tips of the game!

Because Joe, my son-in-law, has been golfing since he was 9, he knows what he is doing and he can easily coach people when it comes to the form and technique of the game.  Therefore, he is showing Lillian how to hold a club while Brandt looks on.

Somehow they all made it onto the green and it looks like Brandt is ready to putt. 

Apparently Lillian got bored with the game at one point and started to make up her own rules!

Brandt is normally right-handed but he putts with his left hand.  He has been going with Joe for a few years now and Brandt is developing into quite a golfer!

                                      Hmmmm...where did that ball go?

          Okay, I'll just pick up the ball and put it in the cup!

          Lesson 1 for Lillian is apparently over for now!

I AM NOT AMUSED!

My 2 year old granddaughter is not happy because her father is trying to do her hair!!!  It seems that I am the only one who can comb, brush, and style her hair into "piggies"!

Just give up and let my hair do what it wants to do!