A WEEK OF FEBRUARY IN MESA ARIZONA.

My knee seemed a little better on Saturday the 14th, so I walked down and got a much needed haircut.  We spent the rest of the day loafing.
Sunday, after church at Calvary Baptist, we decided to use Rich and Lynn's gift card for Red Lobster, one of my favorites!  As we got into line we realized that we were right behind a couple that we sat behind in church.  Upon speaking to them, we ended up sharing a table with them and had a wonderful visit!

Paul and Jean are here from Iowa, with Paul having recently retired from the ministry.  Interesting lives!
That same evening we went to a presentation on Historic Route 66 before our ice cream social in Regal Hall.  It was very good and we hope to make some more trips to that area.

Been there and done that!

Monday we began our normal genealogy, laundry and scrapbooking,  Picasa class, trip to Walmart, and the switch repair for the four-ways on the motor home. Wednesday was another day to loaf and catch up at home.  Gary has been doing a lot of colored pencil work.  Esther is pleased that he is working on horses!














Wednesday began with cancellation of my scrapbooking, so we left on a trip going toward Tucson to check out the Biosphere 2, a unique research facility, which is one of the largest greenhouses of the world and one of the most remarkable structures ever built to better understand how natural environments generate conditions appropriate for life, from the rain forests to the deserts.

Giant greenhouse for matching different
environments from around the world,
including the rain forests.

Our tour guide

Sea life environment on the left.

Energy center provides power and temperature
regulation for Biosphere 2.
We could not go into this area for safety reasons.

Going to the lower levels.

Lower level nicknamed the "Lungs"
which are variable air-volume control devices.

Inside the structure, but outside the "lungs" looking up at the
outer side of the "lungs".'.

This is now owned by Arizona University and is used for student research as well as other scientist's research.
It was a tiring day because of all of the walking and step climbing!  We stopped afterward for lunch at Jerry Bob's in Catalina for Rubens and a second wind.  Good thing because we still had a concert to go to that evening in Regal Hall here in the park
Dunlap and Pennington entertained us on the grand piano and an organ/orchestra/computer, the Wersi.

And of course, my battery went dead. Thus I copied pictures from the Internet the hard way! You could look them up on the Internet to hear them.  They were awesome and got two standing ovations from our crowd! I would go to hear them again in a minute and would like to get the CD of the program (which they were out of that night).  Hope to find them playing somewhere again.

From Thursday on our week was much the usual classes/workshops with a new windshield replacement in the Honda.  We noticed some thing hit us on the last trip to the airport and a few days later it began to crack (which just kept getting longer).  Of course, the repair was not as good as it should have been and Gary had to take it back to them to correct it.  Gary says, "his luck as usual".
Gary just returned from getting an oil change in the Honda, so I timed this just right!
Take care and stay warm.  It is cooler today because of the wind, but still 61 degrees is not bad.

DOLLY STEAMBOAT CRUISE ON CANYON LAKE east of MESA AZ

After Victor left we spent time resting and returning to normal for us, with church, lunch at Wendy's , Gary's doctor appointment (which turned out to be not too big a worry), and his day at Maricopa Library for genealogy study.  He has been so disappointed that the LDS Library did not reopen after the first of the year as planned.  They had a mold problem in their remodeling and have to wait for approval for the expenses needed.
On Wednesday, February 11th, we went to Canyon Lake out beyond Superstition Mountains with Bill and Esther for a Dolly Steamboat Cruise on the lake.  It was a beautiful day for it, but my camera battery died.  So most of my pictures were taken on my phone.  We really need to get our act together!!

Cruise starts here, at a marina restaurant.
But we left after the cruise and drove up the road
two miles to Tortilla Flat and ate our lunch

Dolly Steamboat for Cruise on lake.

Space available, wish you were here!

Audrey, Esther and Bill 

Leasure time?

Great exercise?

Dam on the lake.

Rocks of the area.

Tyrannosaurus Rex?

Bighorn sheep, look close!
Unfortunately, this was after my battery
gave up.  The phone just does not zoom in!

How much root base does a Saguaro have?

Looks like great rock climbing area!

Plenty of hand and toe holds!

Beautiful scenery!!

Thursday was to have been a speaker at the Superstition Mountain Museum about the Orphan Trains of the mid 1850's through early 1900's when thousands of homeless children and orphans were transported from eastern cities by railway to be placed with families living in the West and Midwest. However, that speaker cancelled and we listened to a speaker (farm owner in the mountains) about his forty years spent researching cures from the plant life of the west.  It was interesting, but not as much as we had been expecting about the Orphan Trains.  What a disappointment!  They said maybe next year, but we won't be here then.  I guess I will have to look for materials to read about it.

Friday was back to the routine group workshops for Gary; wood carving and colored pencil.  I enjoyed both Friday and Saturday at home, but was bothered with something that I pulled in my knee. Ouch!!
Another week behind us and we are realizing how fast the time is going by!!  So Gary is busy making plans for more trips.
Take care and stay warm!  We hear that you are having some record lows back in Ohio.  We sure do not envy you that!

VICTOR'S VISIT COMES TO AN END !

We will miss him!! But I am sure that he is ready to get back to Ohio weather, ha,ha!!  And to work!
We had a great time showing him a few things, but there are so many miles to cover to get from one thing to another that we did not do as much as we would have liked.  He will just have to come out again.
Wednesday and Thursday of his second week here, we stayed at the motorhome to relax.  Our weather has been beautiful!!  So nice for sitting about outside.
On Friday, February 6th, we made a trip into Phoenix to take him to see the Heard Museum.  There is so much to learn about all of the Indian tribes from this area that you do not learn it all in one trip.  It was Gary's and my second time and we still have a lot to learn! Just a few pictures to sample what we saw.

 

Picture in the museum

Our tour guide.

The prices on these, and everything
in the gift shop were sure out of
our range!  But there was some
beautiful stuff!! 

Small loom sure makes a change
in what they make today.

It was not a long day so Victor was packed and ready to go before Saturday.  Friday evening friends from the Salem Boy Scout Troop 2 stopped by the motorhome and we made plans to meet them Saturday morning at Red Mountain Cafe' for breakfast.

I hate just dropping them off at the door, but that is what we did!  He's on his way.  Take care Vic and get your next Arizona vacation planned!

LOWER INDIAN CLIFF DWELLING in TONTO NATIONAL PARK EAST OF MESA

Tuesday we got an early start with breakfast at Red Mountain Cafe' near Mesa Regal. Then drove out east and into the mountains again, some with a much different look.  I know that I have shown them before, but this was as seen through the eyes of Victor.

After driving through this tunnel, we pulled off in a viewing area.  Often there are rock climbers to be seen, but not today.  Victor did climb down a very short way to take pictures of the canyon.  But he decided that it was not to be done in flip flops.

Views of the cliffs and rocks on the opposite side of the road.

On to Tonto National Monument Cliff Dwelling with a view of the Roosevelt Lake in the valley.

The Indian's engineering was amazing.

I opted not to make the climb this time because of trouble that I have been having with a knee.  No point in pushing the problem along!  They have a wonderful waiting area with a nice film! Then Victor opted not to do the climb to the upper dwelling on the opposite hillside this time.  Guess he will just have to come out again when we are back here.

We then continued on north along Roosevelt Lake which is only at 44 % capacity at this time.  You can see that in the shoreline and the boating dock all above water.

Boat Dock

Traveling on along the lake, you can see that the mountains have changed.

We stopped off to take a look at the Roosevelt Dam.  I took a picture of the one poster which tells of the early Salt River which feeds this Dam.  Notice the lack of water at times and then the flooding in those pictures!

Very tired by now, but still looked for Power Square when back in Mesa where there was a used book store.  We all like used book stores, but did not buy this time.  Too hungry to wait for my cooking at home, we stopped at Coco's Restaurant.  We were all happy with our food choices, and I'm sure it was not just because we were half starved! I was the only one with food to bring home.
Take care now and I will soon let you know how the rest of the week goes.  It will soon be time for Victor to leave.  Take care.