All aglitter

Berta came over to share a recent purchase. Don’t know what to call it but it sure makes great eye candy. Made to attach to a metal stake, she’ll put it in her yard where the colorful glass beads on fountains of wire will glitter under the sun. I really enjoyed her sparkly visit as I haven’t been feeling very bright in the last few days. That’s what friends are for.

Three years and still addicted to blog

Three years and 879 posts. This is where it all started October 7, 2009, when I introduced myself to the World of Blog.  Read more here.

MWT – Company at the canyon

I’ve been trying to entice my dearest friend Berta to the North Rim for three summers. She finally made the seven hour drive and was in awe.

Our first day we explored the area around the Lodge.

Then later went to Point Imperial for moonrise.

The next day we drove out the scenic road to Cape Royal.

And worked our way back stopping at numerous canyon overlooks. Just like real tourists.

To tour more of the world go to My World Tuesday by clicking here. Or come for a visit so I can show you around the Grand Canyon North Rim.

SWF – Full moon rising over Grand Canyon

The fading light lent a rosy glow to the horizon.

A couple of galfriends from work and I went out to Point Imperial last night to watch the moon rise.

We sat out on a great rock promontory and enjoyed a picnic of sorts with a bottle of wine.

We were having so much fun we actually missed when the moon broke over the horizon.

At first it glowed like a pumpkin.

Then the golden glow bathed the canyon in a soft light.

What a marvelous way to greet the moon.

To view more of the sky go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Watch out for this beetle

Iron Cross Blister Beetle

I posted a photo of this colorful beetle here but didn’t know what it was. Then wouldn’t you know it, fellow bloggers helped me with an identification. Kathie of Kathiesbirds alerted Doug from Gossamer Tapestry and he identified this Iron Cross Blister Beetle. So I Googled it.

“Normally these beetles emerge in large numbers in mid to late spring and move together in bands crawling or running across the ground. [I only saw one.] They feed on succulent leaves and flower petals. The larva stage is subterranean and likely is parasitic in nests of ground-nesting bees.

“Iron Cross Beetle's conspicuous coloration is related to the fact that they carry cantharidin toxins that can interfere with the vertebrate nervous system - i.e. it is an aposemtic [coloration] warning. In case you were wondering, you should not eat these insects.”

Happy to be Alive and Blogging

Janie at Janie & Steve’s Utah Trails awarded me the Happiness Blog Award. Thank you.
Janie shares her passion for Utah’s gorgeous landscapes with her husband, horses and Queen-dog Daisy.

As I put this post together I am overwhelmed with love. I can only take partial credit for this award, the rest goes to all of you fellow bloggers and sweet friends. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. Thank you. We are writing history for future generations around the world. Wow!

Sunrise at Grand Canyon National Park
“I’m supposed to name 10 things I love:”
1. Life, the greatest gift. Thanks Mom and Dad. Life is Magic!
2. Nature, all the life around me plus what are called “inanimate” objects like rocks and such.
3. Love itself, I am surrounded.
4. Friends, who I would barely survive without.
5. The journey, life is about enjoying the Now and absorbing every moment as it happens.
6. Honesty, most important first to myself and not to lie to others.
7. Laughter, it really is the best medicine and infectious. Why take life so seriously.
8. Free will, making choices to grow and change. No is a complete answer.
9. Discovery, learning new things about this magnificent place we call home and the people who live here.
10. Exploration, adventure, travel. OK, so that’s a couple extra yet it all ties together.

Painting by (Aunt) Kay Serigas
Then I'm supposed to pass this along to 10 blogs I truly enjoy reading. Very hard to pick only 10, yet I highly recommend these plus the other blogs on my sidebar for happy reading. Please don’t feel obligated to do anything except acknowledge your greatness, and life will bring you immense joy.

Joan at South Africa Photographs also known as “The Bug Lady” shares her views and knowledge of South Africa both big and small. I am always fascinated by her macros of the tiny life, and the other flora and fauna found in her world.

Jonker at The Firefly Photo Files takes me to places in South Africa that I hope to visit soon. He has an incredible eye for photographing the unique.

Mike at blog with no name I admire for starting his own blog after only a very short time online. Mike writes from the heart when he can find time. (Plus I love him!)

Moannie at The View from this End writes a compleling story as she shares the history of her family with such feeling. Moannie lives in the United Kingdom and may have the best husband in the world.

Bibi at A Yankee-in-Belgrade is an amazing photographer who travels and shares her home and adventures with passion.

Craver VII is always up about life and has the most laughable sense of humor.

Dawns bloggy blog is full of adventure as her and husband travel in a RV visiting some of America’s most beautiful places, hiking and birding along the way with family and fellow bloggers.

Karen at FabGrandma lives with her husband full time in a RV cooking gluten-free and shares their life’s adventures, both ups and downs.

Tom at This is my blog shares images of life and land around the area of his Midwestern home, and beyond, in such an intimate way I feel like I’m there.

Abe Lincoln at Pick a Peck of Pixels creatively shares his personal history thru writing and art, plus his passion for the wildlife around him displayed in amazing photos.

I sure hope you will enjoy these bloggers as much as I do. Feel free to pass these along, or not. And even if I didn’t get you on this list, take what you will and pass it along. This avenue of communication may be the answer to Peace on Earth. Be part of the movement.

Best Blog Award

Alan, a husband and dad who lives in Oklahoma, from Yogi’s Den awarded me this “Best Blog” Award. He’ obviously educated (he reads my blog), informative and funny all at once. How do you do that Yogi? Thank you!

The Best Blog Award rules are:
1) To accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have recently discovered and think are great!
Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Please check these folks out if you don't already.

1. I find Joan from South African Photographs to be a kindred spirit. She has opened my eyes to even the smallest of life. She might be my long lost sister, if I’d had one.

2. Craig’s Bird Watching and Nature Blog always makes me laugh. He’s witty and a very talented storyteller and poet. Just don’t tell him so or he might get a bigger head.

3. Bibi from a Yankee-in-Belgrade has an eye for the unusual when it comes to her excellent photography.

4. Dawn’s Bloggy Blog is filled with adventure as this nature loving lady who lives on the road in an RV with hubby also meets many birdie bloggers along her journey.

5. Stacey from Do What You Love really follows her heart and passions. Another nature lover who just finished hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with her partner, #6 on my list.

6. Bernie from Northwest Natural Moments and Walking in Stillness has a philosophy about life that just can’t be beat plus he's an excellent photographer. I can always depend on him to make me think and be more aware of the world around me.

7. Esther Garvi at Ishtar News is an amazing woman full of love and compassion for all the life around her in Niger Africa.

8. I call Karen at FabGrandma my dear friend. She introduced me to the blog world. I love the way she knows how to tell it like it is.

9. Garry at Geotripper has taught me so much about geology. I sure hope his students appreciate his knowledge and sense of humor.

10. Jazz at Haphazard Life sees the world through eyes that must sparkle with laughter. I always look forward to her point of view.

11. I could follow Barb at Live and Learn on every hike she takes into the beauty of Colorado that she calls home.

12. Jeannette at mysteries joins her love of nature and art with a very observant eye. And I think she must be a good cook too.

13. Susie of Arabia at Susie’s Big Adventure lives an interesting life as an American woman in Saudi and has really opened my eyes to a whole different culture and way of life. Glad it’s not me.

14. Camels and Chocolate at Tackling the Globe is a true inspiration as she journeys to different parts of the world following the most daring of adventures.

15. Moannie at the View from this End writes the best stories. She really needs to publish a book.

Sorry I just have to add a 16. Wayne at Early Musings may not post often, but when he does, Wow. He shares the most amazing adventures and geologic tours of the Colorado Plateau and beyond. A published geologist from Flagstaff, Wayne really knows his stuff. Plus he has a great sense of humor too. Is that inherent with geologists?

Thanks to each and every one of you. I could list a whole lot more.

Guess you don't need to feel obligated to accept or pass this award on. Just know I really appreciate all of you. Plus I had time this week to put this all together, and it does take time. You're worth it!

MWT - Berta's Best Beautiful Blooms

Don’t screw with this beautiful lady
Although it’s beginning to feel like winter here last week when I went to Yarnell it was barely fall. The little apartment in the back is where I stayed. I’ll have to post pics of this cozy space.

Petunia, dianthus, impatience and begonia
Berta has an amazing green thumb and many well cared for flowers were still in bloom by her house.

Petunia and dianthus
Of course I had to call her this morning to find out what most of them are.

Purple heart, maybe
This wonderful purple seems to grow everywhere. My Mom has it in Texas and Berta used to grow it in Oregon. Yet I had to google it and this is my closest guess. Feel free to correct me.

Coleus, I think
Berta couldn’t remember the name of this one bought in a four inch pot. We both think it’s from the same family as Coleus. Again, feel free to pitch in.

Echiveria
Some of her plants are overflowing the containers. I love how creative Berta is with her flower pots, using baskets and bowls, or whatever comes to hand (usually through a thrift store).

Oak gall
A lot of oak grows in this area and I’m not sure if it’s the Emory Oak or Arizona White Oak. I’ll have to look closer when I get home. The twigs are heavy with galls mostly no bigger than half an inch that remind me of Christmas ornaments. A gallwasp injects its eggs in the plant tissue which causes the tree to form a gall. Then larva develops into pupa and eventually the adult chews its way out of the gall. Supposedly this doesn’t kill the tree, maybe some of the twigs and leaves.

It was so nice to be home with dear friends.

Only a couple more weeks and I’ll be back for the winter. I’m so ready.

For more glimpses of life around the world, or to share your own, go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

MWT - Cedar Breaks National Monument - Part 1

It's hard to believe while driving that Point Supreme at Cedar Breaks National Monument provides a distant view from over 10,000 feet in elevation plus a look deep into the canyon's amphitheater...

Hiking Widforss Trail at Grand Canyon National Park

Maggi ran away from the South Rim for some crowd-recovery time. The North Rim gets only 10 percent of the 5,000,000 annual visitors to Grand Canyon National Park.

Trancept Canyon
So we went hiking this morning on the Widforss Trail, named after artist Gunnar Widforss who lived and painted at the Grand Canyon in the 1930s.

Pinedrop from the Wintergreen Family
We chatted along the way and discovered more than just canyon.

Oregon Grape, Barberry or Mahonia
I was surprised to see the red leaves and berries so early. Later in the fall the berries are quite tasty and make good jelly.

Bug trails
I want to make rubbings of these wonderful natural patterns. But I always forget the pencil and paper.

Almost at the head of Trancept Canyon looking southeast
We made it 2.5 miles (4 km) along the forested rim trail, that’s about half way. And this was our lunch break view before turning back.

Fun in Flagstaff

Abert Squirrel (cousin to Kaibab) out the camper window
It was an interesting and mostly fun three plus days. Yes, I had to spend an extra night in Flagstaff due to the broken vent incident at the tire store. Flagstaff RV slipped me between customers and did a fine job replacing the roof vent. However, the glue that seals everything has to set for eight hours and not get wet. I was told that late yesterday afternoon as it started to rain. The vent is covered with plastic and I’m back at the KOA in the same site Berta and I stayed in for the two previous nights.

Berta at Salsa Brava
Our first night in town we went to Salsa Brava for dinner at the recommendation of a KOA employee. Very good. They have a salsa bar with at least six kinds of salsa from mild to increasingly hot. Can’t remember what the special was called, three small soft corn tortillas with marinated pork, tomatoes, avocado and an awesome white sauce.

Old Town San Francisco Street Flagstaff
Got a little shopping in Wednesday afternoon.

Howard Johnson’s Railway Restaurant along old Route 66
Thursday morning we had to drop the truck/camper off at 8am. The parts weren’t in yet. So afterwards breakfast we went shopping.

Where I bought some cool sterling silver jewelry that I’ll show you later.

At noon I was told the job would be done by 2pm and we were there. But, the glue on the vent had to set for 8 hours and not get wet. Great, it was raining. They covered the vent with plastic and I returned to the KOA. Berta had to head home.

KOA camp
I miss a day of work today, but caught up on blog reading last night. This morning I’m going back to the Flagstaff RV to have them remove the plastic, I have no tall ladder with me and don’t feel like crawling up on the hood. Then grocery stock up and hit the road back to the canyon.

Fab Company

Fab Grandma and Fab Grandpa came for a visit this afternoon. I gave them the royal tour of Yarnell, which would normally take about 20 minutes. But we also experienced a special unexpected tour.

However, that’s another story, and we’ll probably both write very different posts about it.

Haircuts for all

Berta, Dolores, and I all went to Congress Beauty Salon for haircuts. Diana, owner and operator, is by far one of the best beauticians I’ve been to in many a year. You know how scary it can be to go to a beauty shop for the first time and walk out unhappy. Yes, I know, it’s only hair and it grows back. But who likes to walk around unhappy with how they look.

Dolores, Berta & Gaelyn before haircuts
Berta went first because she knew what she wanted while Dolores and I paged through some magazines for ideas.

Diana cutting Berta’s hair

Me next, and although it’s still long I feel at least three pounds lighter.

Seven inches cut off Gaelyn’s hair
Then Dolores, still not entirely sure what kind of cut to get, let Diana do her magic.

Dolores & Diana
We all looked so beautiful, we took ourselves to lunch.

Dolores, Berta & Gaelyn after haircuts
And what did all this beauty cost us? $10 each.

Fixing the Fence

Gaelyn & Berta building the first fence
You may remember a couple months ago when Berta & I had great fun building a fence out of really cool slab wood.

The first fence

You may also remember how a big wind blew down the same fence. We really didn’t build it the right way.

Blown down fence
Well, last weekend, Berta and a friend, braved cold weather putting new fence posts in.
Berta & friend fixing the fence
They almost finished the job, but the snow drove them inside.

Snowy day
Today the sun came out and they finished the fence.

Berta & friend fixing the fence
At least one side. There will be a similar fence on the other side of the driveway.

The second fence