The Heart of the Matter

For centuries the heart was the center of the soul, the life, the passion of an individual.

Even after science has found that the heart is simply a pump and that the brain is the center of consciousness and all emotion. I think that I understand why we continue to have the heart the center of love and passion. I had a broken heart once. Only once so I guess I can consider myself lucky. But I remember it to this day. The pain was physical; even more so that emotional. Along with the tears was the searing pain in the center of the left chest -precisely in the heart.

A broken heart was the best description. I recovered. I may have forgotten the person but not the pain.

But life goes on and I still have a passion for the life I have. And I think that centers in my heart also even though it starts in my brain.

Winter Freeze on Cactus

Winter freeze damaged and killed many of our native cacti as well as non indigenous plants such as the palm. Several winters ago we had a good freeze but not as devastating as this year. Even today we had a low of 26 and a high of 78 at my house.

The palm usually doesn't do well but recovers in the spring after severe trimming. Here is a photo of a very protective taller palm that protects the smaller palm.

This decorative pear bloomed for

just about a week before the freeze killed the blossoms.

Even putting the paper cup cap doesn't work.

I fear my night blooming cerus will loose a lot of arms.

Prickly pear particularly lost a lot of pads. Almost like the freeze made

the pads so heavy that they just fell off.

Brownish yellow on the cholla may indicate loss of portions of the cactus.

Ten Chimneys - The Play

"Ten Chimneys" is the current play by Arizona Theatre Company.

In the play Jeffrey Hatcher takes a look back to one of Americas favorite acting duos, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.

The setting is their summer home "Ten Chimneys" in Wisconsin.

The scenic design is great and is the perfect backdrop to the fabulous 1930's costumes.

The story is about Alfred and Lynn's rehearsing of Chekhov's play

"The Seagull", which is about an actress preparing for a play.

So this is a play within a play within a play.

The acting is first rate. Suzanne Bouchard and Steve Hendrickson

would do Fontanne and Lunt proud. Or would they? Considering the egos of these two acting icons.

The drama around the lives of the Lunt family; mother, sister and brother contributes to the plot. The characters of Sydney Greenstreet and Uta Hagen appear as members of "The Seagull".

I really enjoyed the comedy of the first act. And went into the second act expecting more of the same.

But I soon became perplexed with the quick turns to drama that occurred in the second act.

The humorous lines were still funny but then there would be a sudden very serious verbal exchange. Too sudden mood changes, IMO.

Therefore what may have been a 4****performance had to be reduced to 3***.

Still a good afternoon at The Temple of Music and Art.

Record cold at my house.

When there is a windchill announced in Arizona you know it is cold. Although we are known to

have a lot of wind. Wind AND cold = very cold.
All time record low in Tucson, 18 degrees at my house. Buddy eager for his morning walk but woosie me stayed in. No reason we can't wait till it is warmer - but, Hey! May not get much warmer.

Humming bird feed frozen to ice.

Pansies, one of the

heartiest of winter flowers,

hang their heads.

Running water in the house but not in the laundry which is in the garage.

Check that off for the day.

BUT as we watch the bad weather through out

the nation, we are glad that we don't have to

shovel and our cars start.

Been there done that.

The Story of a Mink Jacket

Close to 40 years ago I made an impulse buy. Not the usual impulse buy, but a black cross mink and leather jacket. I am not sure if it was on my lunch hour or if I had taken the afternoon off. I was to meet my friend, Marilyn at the Magic Pan downtown Minneapolis. Arriving early, I stopped in at Albrecht Furs; saw the Jacket and swooned.

After lunch we went back and I bought the jacket.

I was young, I was petite and I had a good job.

The jacket has given me great joy over the years.

I wore it to football games, to concerts and shopping. With blue jeans, black slacks and skirts and dresses. Often accented with red.

Alas, I am no longer young and no longer petite. I decided to donate it to a charity auction.

Call it karma, spiritual or a coincidence but a young woman sat down at my dinner table and said "I bid on a jacket and I really want it".

Being the only coat in the auction, I knew what she was talking about.

I shared with her the history of the jacket and how much I loved it.

At the "2 min. warning" we bounced up to the coat and met another woman who also wanted it.

That is what makes a charity auction exciting and helps make money for a non-profit charity.

The young woman at my table announced that she really wanted the jacket and would pay the value price. And wrote a generous check to Casa de Esperanza

She invited me to visit the coat at anytime.

The best news is that she has been seen in the community wearing it. And I know that it is loved and has a good home.

Who says that a mink doesn't belong in Arizona.

It is going to be 18 degrees tonight.

Dinosaur Poop - Is it real?

Not only is dinosaur poop real, it is often made into jewelry.

Petrified or fossilized dinosaur poop is called

coprolite.

My friend's visitors came down to Tucson from Idaho to the famed Gem Show. Over a glass of wine they brought out a piece of coprolite and the jewelry that had been made out of it.

I knew that jewelry could be made out of unusual

things, because I have a lovely piece made from

petrified Hearts of Palm. But poop! and Dinosaur poop?

Checked it out on Google and Google Images

and yep, it is real.

Want to be the first of your girlfriends to

have a genuine piece of dinosaur poop

(coprolite) jewelry?

Check out www.etsy.com/shop/tetonvalleystones

Buying a car the Costco way

We have bought our last four cars through the Costco Auto Program. I must say it is a very slick program.

#1 Know exactly what car you want

and what you want in the car and

what you don't want.

#2

Email or check the Costco website to see what dealer they want you to go to and to what sales manager they want you to contact. This is very specific. You can't just go to anyone anywhere.

#3 Go to the dealer and see what they have on the site in the car that you want.

The Dealer gets "the book" and your price is precisely $500 over what is on the book.

#4 Your price is what that number is minus what they will give you on a trade in.

No muss, no fuss, no haggle. Take it or leave it.