Blacklidge

Desert Walk in the Fall

Gene Pool? What Gene Pool?

I can say no more. Click for bigger. 1930s Colorado.

Hummingbird Nest Live Cam

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, 2009, another visit

Took some time today and went to an out of the way point of the Gem and Mineral Show. It was the last day for this part of the show and while I had been to this one before, I was glad I stopped in. I got a garnet to replace one that I had lost out of a ring and I got this really cool prayer bowl or chakra bowl from Nepal. There were several sizes but the one I got was one of the smaller ones.It came with this neat wooden tool that you run around the rim and it makes a humming sound.  It was really a wholesale show but on the last day, some of them were glad to oblige me. I hadn't seen these bowls for sale at any of the other venues, although it would seem to be like the items they sell at a lot of the hotels along the highway. The retail outlets there have lots of things like the salt lamps that are so popular and of course, minerals of all shapes and sizes. I really didn't have any use for this thing but I liked it a lot! Anyway, I can claim it is a musical instrument and then my husband will like it, too! Tricky, eh?

Friday Car Drivin'

Took a drive out to Sells, Arizona today. It was a great day for a country drive. About 70-something and a slight breeze. Just right! I was, of course, looking for someone to sell something to. Not an easy thing to find in this crazy world we find ourselves in, but never-the-less, it's what I do. I tried the Arizona Dept. Of Transportation first. No go. They can't even buy a can of spray paint when they need it and have had to cut off the janitorial service to their offices. Dang, Arizona is in a fine mess. Off I go to the reservation for awhile. There are all kinds of places out there to sell to, if you have a G.S.A. number, (which I thankfully do!). Everyone was very nice to me there on the Tohono O'Odham Nation. I should have called first but I knew I would waste the morning if I did that, so a cold callin' I went. Today wasn't a prime day to catch people but I did get a line on most of the people I need to get acquainted with and I made one good sale. There was a big rodeo just starting today, set to go all weekend. Most of the Native Americans I have come across here in Arizona are big rodeo fans and while I'm not at all a fan, it is part of their heritage and it's not for me to mention it. That's the way I look at it, anyway. It's not my day to watch it! One thing I did notice while I was there was the local grocery store. The only store I saw was part of an Arizona chain called Basha's. We have them in Tucson and I know they have them in Phoenix. They must have some kind of a monopoly on the reservations in the state because I think there was one in San Carlos, too. What made me even notice it was how disgracefully it was outfitted. If this is the only store to shop in, you know they are  making a killing. So why doesn't Eddie Basha outfit the reservation stores better? The coolers and freezers were kerplunct! Nothing modern, not too overly clean. I hate to see rich guys getting richer on the backs of people they should be thankful to! Bottom line, that is probably, dollar for dollar, one of the best producing stores he has and yet, he doesn't seem to care enough to modernize it. Yeah, Eddie Basha is cool. If I lived out there, I'd drive an hour to any other store, just for spite and malice. Not these folks, though. The cashier had so much money, (that's cash money, Eddie!), she could hardly close the register. Anyway, it was a beautiful day and I told them I'd be back and I think they'll do some more ordering then, so it was a good day all around.

2009 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

I went to another venue for the Gem and Mineral Show today. Just for a few minutes. No matter where you are in Tucson, when the show is on, you can find a quick tent to nip into! I went to the Doubletree to try to sell something to them today, and then I headed into the ballroom for an hour of looking at marvelous stuff. The show never fails to amaze me. This segment had a lot of diachroic (sp?) glass and lamp work beads, lots of tribal silver and lots of beads that would make into wonderful jewelry. Since I don't actually make any jewelry, I just like to buy things that will make good pendants or maybe rings that are already made, I liked this part of the show a lot. It doesn't really matter if you make your own jewelry or not, there is plenty of stuff to look at that will just make you happy in general! If you looked at my posts from last year, you saw posts on the mineral pavilions, the wholesale gem tents and the miles of choices for everyone. My nephew is coming to town again and we will probably go to the mineral intensive places again. I already took oneTucson citizen to the wholesale tents off PaloVerde. I think I will make a habit of taking one new person with me every year that hasn't been before. I'll make them all converts. I can't imagine living here and not going at least once a year! That's crazy, (even though I lived here for several years before I caught onto it). Whatever part of the show that you want to visit, itis on until Feb. 15th, so better get it in gear!

Some of the cool booths that I went to had websites. Here are a couple of the ones I liked:www.clayriverdesigns.com

www.CFjewelryArt.com

I haven't tried them all yet, so good luck!

 

 

 

Who's There?

A New Job On Monday

I am starting a new job on Monday and I am a little ambivalent. You know, my middle name? Thing is, it is a lot like my last "real" job and since I didn't exactly ace that one, well...the ambivalence sets in about now. I have certainly learned a lot in a short period of time. I learned just how bad the job market is, I learned that the Internet has made searching a much, much harder proposition than ever before and I learned that I have to work harder to make a go of it. Its not that I didn't work hard before, but I really have to set some goals and go for it this time. I've met a new person who seems to be a great mentor type. That is if I push it, he will be a mentor. Otherwise, he'll be off mentoring elsewhere if I'm not careful. I actually felt jazzed enough to cut out some metal today, a sign that the doldrums are lifting here. The doldrums were making it mighty hard to go forward on a day to day basis, so I'm glad to see them lifting a bit. I need to get motivated again on lots of fronts, the art, the house, the exercise, just to name a few. I guess, as usual with me, it's all or nothing. I can put the negativity behind me, if I choose to do so. Good news is, I do. Now, going forward, let's have us some happy posts. Okay?

Trader Joes VS Sprouts-NW Tucson's Dilemma

Adventures in grocery shopping. Some people think the world revolves around Trader Joe's.I have always been a fan of TJs, since my sisters have shopped there in Southern California ever since I was very young. I was thrilled when I moved to Arizona and found out that they were here, too. I guess they are expanding all over, in some kind of pattern only known to the big wigs in the main office. So, for years TJs has ruled in the NW; busy all the time, too busy to get in some days. Lately, though, a new competitor has taken over some of the turf up here. Sprouts is a great store, too and it is directly across Oracle Rd. It is more of an all round grocery store than Trader Joe's. The produce is plentiful and cheap, which really is a major difference.They have a meat counter, with seafood. Tjs sells only prepackaged meat and produce. Of course, the quality is high on these things but most folks want to pick each item and select the best. These are things that tip the scale when a person is thinking about where to go on the way home in search of some vittles. Loyalty is a fine thing but it's nice to be able to go to one place and get everything you need. Trader Joe's is a fine place for things like pasta,cookies and chocolate things. They have good, inexpensive wine and beer. Eggs and milk, yogurt and butter are all priced right there. They have all kinds of convenience foods with their own label on them, most are excellent. Then there is the bathroom factor. I was hurrying home from midtown today and I needed a restroom. I have tried TJs bathrooms over the years, they are, well....not too pretty. I guess they weren't set up for customers but they are welcome to use them. Sprouts, on the other hand, knows that a person needs a bathroom once in awhile. They have nice ones, pretty clean and with a big sign telling you where it is and you know they were thinking of you when they built the place. So, I guess neither one is perfect, so plan to leave some time for each, if you are the hunter gatherer in your family.

Hearts in the Desert

Some of my friends are heart collectors, which sort of makes me a heart collector as well. I am constantly gazing to the ground, in search of a rock, a piece of wood or something growing, in the shape of a heart. One of my friends b-days is coming up and I've been going through my photos looking for a good heart for her. I found a few, and I'm hoping that she would rather have a heart for a change, instead of a dog picture. Hard to say. Here is one I found that I like a lot. I altered the color a bit, for the drama, you know!

This was taken in Sabino Canyon, a truly awe inspiring place in the NE corner of Tucson.