Tucson...

The landscape is so different here from other parts of Arizona, the huge Saguro cactus must reach 30 feet or more into the air and they look like sentries as you drive down from the hills - to my (English) eyes they look like an alien species, dropped here from another planet.  The colours are different to those I've seen so far on this trip, but as ever, lovely; sages, silvers and soft, weathered dusty roses and browns; I hope I can keep all these colours in my head once I get home and start to work again; its always the colours I remember the most, the intense blues and red, red rocks of Sedona; the deep greens and wintry, pure whites of the White Mountains - and here, well, different again - always beautiful.

I was hoping it would be warm but its almost as cold as the mountains here right now - brrrrr....the photo above is of a cactus/fountain outside my hotel room first thing in the morning - you wouldn't imagine they could survive this sort of extreme of temperature but it seems they can.

Its off to the gem shows in Tucson over the next few days, this is what I am here for and I am rested and ready for the buying frenzy that will take place!   Tucson (and Arizona generally) is one of my favourite places in the States and is easily somewhere I could live - I had this image before I travelled here the first time that it would be just one big desert, but its an amazing state, full of contrasts and quirks and interesting stuff - you could spend years exploring.  

Still, once I've done my buying it will be back home to get all my bead and findings catalogued and photographed and ready for the site - and back to the mucking out!   Aaaargh.

I'll Be Having Nightmares for the Next 10 Years...

We're in Tucson right now for the gem shows, doing some buying for BeadAddict and of course, just a little light browsing and purchasing for lovely things for SLC Designs whilst I'm at it...the shows are great fun and you get to meet all sorts of people and see the kind of stuff you never see anywhere else (but of course by then, all your pennies are spent...) though I have to tell you, the shows are E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-N-G - now I know you don't believe me, because how hard can it be, browsing beads and buying stuff but I tell you, this stuff seriously, seriously frazzles your brain - I guess its making all the decisions and trying to get them right, negotiating with vendors, and all that walking, walking, walking...I tell you, it feels like I have flippers now, not feet - and we get to do it all again tomorrow - yayyyy!   Every time I am at these shows, I start off with tons of energy and by the end of the day, I tell you, I just could not care less if I never saw another bead or finding ever again; the stuff you walk by at this stage in the day, I tell you, your hair would stand on end. 

What I love particularly about the Tucson shows is the sense of community - you'll be buying something and some random stranger will lean over and have a conversation with you - this doesn't happen often enough in day to day life, and to be honest, when I've tried it in the States in the past (at appropriate times of course), you tend to get blanked - I don't think its something they do much over here. 

In the UK of course, we have the perfect conversation opener of the weather, the state of the roads or some other thing we can have a collective gripe about before exchanging pleasantries with a stranger, often never to see them again - but in the States, they sort of look at you funny when you do that - often when you're in a foreign country, its something you do out of total isolation - you're a long way from home and you just want a normal conversation for a few minutes, however mundane; but hey, I guess that's the way it is here.  The shows though are a great leveller, and I find people are willing to chat about nothing or anything, and even to open conversations themselves on the same lines - that sense of community is what makes these shows so special.

Anyway, the thing that will cause me to have nightmares for the next ten years - well, its not to do with beads or people, its this piece of cake (and the hand isn't there because I can't stop myself, its so you can see how big the cake is)!  It might not seem so in the photo, but this was at least 4 inches high and 8 inches long.

Can you believe this piece of cake is meant for ONE person?   I tell you, I took this photo the first night I was here, then over the next few nights I got six portions out of it, and even then had half of it left over when I left the hotel.  
I just don't know anywhere in the UK you'd get a portion like this - interestingly, I heard a few days ago that there is this big hoo-ha in the news because the US health department has just come out and said that people should try to control their portion sizes - apparently they've never considered this advice worth giving out, because the food lobbies here are so powerful that they were terrified of them.  I love visiting the US, but I tell you, if I lived here I would so be reaching for those fat pants within a couple of months... no offence intended to anyone.  

I felt so guilty as I left the hotel, leaving half of this tiramisu behind...but at least its not actually ON my behind...

Hidden Meadow Ranch, Arizona

Hidden Meadow Ranch

I was lucky enough found Hidden Meadow Ranch by chance via TripAdvisor, and had looked forward to it for weeks before travelling there up into the White Mountains (itself an adventure through the snow). In every way our expectations have been exceeded by the lovely place, the lovely people, the lovely cabins and the WONDERFUL food (thanks Kurt!!!) - even my being a vegetarian was no trouble at all to these lovely people and I have had the best food I have ever had at this place.

It snowed and snowed whilst we were there and Mark went ski-ing in a blizzard at the ski-ing resort next door, taken by bus provided by Hidden Meadow, whilst I attempted to go riding, also in a blizzard, with a very patient chap who was endlessly sweet and kind to me despite it obviously being the kind of weather where no sane person would ever want to get on a horse. I lasted about 3 minutes swallowing tons of snow but I got to sit on a western saddle and I went away happy.

We did a leatherworking class with Logan (I don't think Harry the kitten will never grow into that tiger size collar) and mostly we stayed by the fire and snoozed in the ultra luxe cabins. I nearly died and went to heaven when I saw the bath but in the end, it was so big I just never could fill it with water and in fact, had I done so I probaby would have drowned. Beds were so comfortable it was bliss and have I mentioned the food??? OK, we were actually the only customers there at the time but I daresay everyone feels that way regardless of whether there are other guests there at the time. It was wonderful, and nothing was ever too much trouble for anyone. We were truly astonished to find our car had been cleared from the snow every morning before we went to breakfast (though we didn't move it until the day we had to prise ourselves out of the gate).

We left HMR feeling refreshed and like we'd had a proper holiday. There was no TV in the cabin which initially we thought 'uh-oh' but instead of spending hours in front of meaningless rubbish, instead we read, slept and listened to audio books - and did a lot of staring into the lovely real fire in the cabin.
I highly recommend this lovely place; we felt we made friends there and would not hesitate to return; I hope it won't be 5 years before we get to visit Arizona again, but however long it is, HMR will always be on our 'to do' list - hopefully next time in the Spring or Summer. 
 
(Review written for TripAdvisor.)

Up Into the Hills, Many Miles Away...

Today's journey almost seems to have been endless - the Sat.Nav. claimed it would take 4 hours, but my SatNav in the UK also tells lies, so I don't know why I'd believe its American cousin any more.   And this SatNav has the most appalling diction. 

Anyway, here we are listening to a book on tape (Sebastian Faulks' Devil May Care), through endless miles of flat grassland sprinkled with snow and the occasional road sign which seems to have fallen victim to a crazed gunman or two.   We wish we'd taken the bullet-proof option now.

I'm ashamed to say there are at least three mega photo opportunities I haven't taken up which will stick in my mind for ever because I was just too darn tired to get out of the car and click the button on the camera.  

This is one example of pure laziness mitigated by complete and utter exhaustion -decided we'd go to the Petrified Forest to see the trees that had turned to stone.  Got to the gates.  Knackered.  Took a photo.  Left.  Shamed.  Sorry.

But its nearly the end of the day, and finally we're at our next hotel where we fall through the gates in complete and utter relief.  I really should try and remember that the States are bigger than the UK. 

Who Put This In The Middle of the Arizona Desert?

Not very nice at all.   No, not at all nice.

Meteorite Crater - Bigger than Big...

We stopped off at the Arizona Meteorite Crater, (yes, a big hole in the ground) - you approach on this winding road through miles of flat desert with nothing much but tumbleweed rolling under the car to break up the desolation of the area until you come to the big hole in the ground, and boy was it big, and oh my goodness it was windy.

When I came down I met a group of Americans (as you do in America) and happened to mention that I thought I was going to lose my trousers whilst I was up there.  It was a weird thing, from the frosty silence, I got the impression I'd committed some sort of faux pas - do Americans not mention trousers flying off on the top of mountains and laugh in a 'oh my god, I know EXACTLY what you mean' sort of way?   I could understand the resounding silence if I'd said I thought I was about to lose my knickers up there, but I didn't actually say that. 

Listen, it was interesting and all but I don't think I'd do it again because really, it was a big hole in the ground.  I did it mostly for my Dad who'd mentioned the place specifically before I left so I felt I needed to do it for him to take him some souvenirs and books and photos and things.  But, what can you say?  Long drive, big hole.  Trousers.

I thought the view on the other side was pretty darn cool though....

Just the Wide Open Road

Twin Arrows near Flagstaff, Arizona

We decided to drive up part of the old Route 66 (part of which we seem to do every time we visit this area) (now the unromantically named I-40) and boy, have we seen some stuff...first was the old Twin Arrows trading post which apparently closed about 20 years ago - this place looked like something out of an old western, and yes, we saw tumbleweed (didn't actually believe that really existed, but trust me, it does...)

Twin Arrows - well - you can see why Twin Arrows was named - these were originally made from old telegraph poles and have been restored recently, though the trading post itself hasn't as yet.  Interesting.

Leaving Sedona

An early start today, in order to drive over to the White Mountains on the other side of Arizona and have enough time to stop and start over and over again and take photos to my hearts content - the first few photos were taken just a few miles out of Sedona, as the colour of the rocks start to change - today it's cooler (and colder by the minute as I leave Sedona and as you can see, clouds in the skies - though still breathtakingly beautiful) - the next hotel is at 8,500 ft. elevation and I know for a fact already that it is perishingly cold up there, so this is time to enjoy the last few rays of sunshine and warmth for a few days.

As we climb upwards, the landscape and colours change dramatically... the red fades and a khaki/sand colour predominates.

The sun filters over the mountain tops and gives a little warmth to the chilly valleys; I've never seen this landscape in the summer, I can only imagine how beautiful it must be.

Cliimbing up through the mountains, these silver coloured trees dominate along the sides of the roads.

Then, we start to see (and feel!) snow... I'm sure it won't be the last - when I was here last time I went up the state as far as the Grand Canyon (actually I travelled further than that) and it was knee deep in snow.

This pic is only about 17 miles outside of Sedona, and I can't believe the difference in temperature and the landscape.



Sedona 3 - Heart of the West

Doing a little light shopping in Sedona, I came across this fine chap and couldn't resist a few snaps... the town is choc full of public art (lots of artists live here) and I'd love to be able to have a full day just to explore it all.

You can read more about this artist and his work here.

No, I Can't Imagine Where I Have Been Either...

Dear Reader

It may be that you have entirely given up all hope of my ever picking up my blog again but wrong, its been bothering me that we haven't talked for a while - you've really been on my conscience, and I am sorry for neglecting you - I am sure I have averaged about three excuses a week why I've not written a thing since October but to be honest, other than the swine flu over Christmas which actually lasted a month and a half I don't really know where I've been. 

I know where I am going though, I am off to Arizona later this week, leaving my parents to look after the cats and the horse and the business (God help us then).    So, really I am picking this up so I will be able to write about my travels whilst I am away...

I've patted myself down and I think I am all here, so let's start again.... to be honest, there's loads happened...

fistly is that I have a new baby.  Don't get TOOO excited, my new baby is a baby feline called Harry whom I adopted over Christmas (kittens always help with the flu) and oh my goodness he is a cutie cutie pie - though Mia isn't too keen as yet - but in the meantime, here are some pics....

Harry is now about 13 weeks old and his favourite activities are - eating, sleeping, biting people, jumping, climbing curtains, driving Mia mad, biting people some more and hiding in places I never knew existed in the house.   I am having to keep him under lock and key because my Mum threatened to steal him the moment she set eyes on him.  I am utterly in love.... 

He is just the best Christmas present I ever gave myself...

There was loads of snow over Christmas and some time before that too (its all a blur now anyway) but about late October I started being unwell and several courses of antibiotics later realised I had probably had swine flu despite having had the swine flu jab.   Ha, so much for that.  
You know when you're so ill that when you get better you feel so grateful its pathetic?  Yes, it was like that.  Anyway, not only did we have minus 11 degree temperatures during Christmas I was also looking after a friends' horse and Mark was ill at the same time - I can tell you, we CRAWLED up to the stable yard, croaked round the place getting our chores done and then dragged ourselves back home day in day out. 
It was a bit awful really because I'd invited my parents, Marks' Mum and my single friend Yvonne round for Christmas day only to have Christmas cancelled by my Mum two days before Christmas because she declared we were too ill for it and I can't tell you which was worse, actually being ill or letting people I love down.  I did make up for it on New Years Day by having a retrospective Christmas Day Dinner with them all which was lovely.
 
So a week or so before Christmas Day (this is the actual Christmas day not the amended one) I put up the most beautiful tree and we just lay in the lounge, stunned by being so ill we could barely move; we had beans on toast for Christmas Day dinner - its strangely liberating doing that, I recommend it. 

Mark got me an X-Box for Christmas because he thought I needed the exercise (well you know I do, but I don't really need to be told I do....) and I got Merlin a smart new rug and a new mucking out fork (though he has yet to use the mucking out fork) and I booked the trip to Arizona though until recently I couldn't remember if I'd actually done that or if I was just under the influence of a lot of Beechams Cold Remedy. 

In any case, happy new year one and all, here we are again in a new year and I wish you every happiness.  And health.  And I hope you don't get the flu. 
Love xx