Reading Dilema

Is it a dilemma? excitement? challenge? frustration?

You have finished a really great book and are asking yourself "What do I read now?"

Into the Beautiful North, a novel by Luis Alberto Urrea.

A delightful and well written book about a rag tag group of young people who travel from their village in Sinaloa, Mex. to find Seven Samuri to come back and fight the drug cartels. This is a great look at why and how people cross the border illegally. Wonderful characters and story.

So now what do I read in the heat of Arizona-not a beach read. Barbara Kingsolver's Lacuna? Read reviews and it seems heavy and too complex for right now.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - seems to be on everyones list of summer reads. BUT I just

saw the movie.

Perhaps I should read something more cerebral. Like Justice: What's the right thing to do?

Awe! What the heck. I think I will just pick up my latest Vanity Fair.

Thank you Bev.

Az Buddy Keeps Kool

It is 108 but Buddy cools off in his doggie pool...
...wears a visor in the sun

...watches for lizards from inside then Maggie lets him out to chase them.

...sits with Ralph under a giant mesquite tree.

Sylvia - The Play

Fabulous performance of this delightful play by Studio Connections, a community theater out on the Old Spanish Trail.

Greg, disillusioned by his job spends afternoons in park. Here he meets Sylvia, a labra-doodle who jumps on his lap promising unconditional love. Problems ensue when he brings his new friend home to wife Kate. Pursing a new career after getting children raised and in college, Kate, who calls the dog "Saliva" is not happy about this interruption in her plans.
This play is being extended next weekend, Friday and Saturday night and Sunday Matinee.

5*****'s. Run to see it. This cast was remarkable. OR wait and see this play will be produced by The Shoestring Players in January at Pima Community Center for the Arts in Green Valley.

Waiting for the Rain

It is monsoon. Comes from the Arabic work "masuim" which means season.

It is a season characterized by frequent severe thunder storms.

Just finished a 6 hr class on Monsoon. Excellent. I learned a lot.

We are waiting for a Hi to be over the 4 corners. But a Low in the NW is pushing it back.

We want wind from the SE but now we have wind from the SW - causing dry hot winds.

June is dry, we all feel tired; my experience after 22 years in the desert. When the

rains come, energy level gets better.

photos from the 2009 monsoon

Toy Story

Saw Toy Story 3 yesterday-but not in 3D. I don't think all movies work in 3D. Certainly Avatar and How to Tame a Dragon were enhanced by 3D, but the Toys didn't need it.

The theater was nearly filled with kids and when Buzz broke out in a flamenco dance speaking Spanish, the Hispanic kids loved it.

An example of a stupid policy. With my $20 T-shirt and $2.00 cup, I get free popcorn and a $1.00 soda each time I go to Harkins.

"I'd like a diet cola and a small popcorn please"

"We can only give a medium popcorn with that deal"

"OK, Give me a diet cola and a medium popcorn, pour out half of the popcorn and we will both have what we want."

A great date -Film and Food

The movie: Academy award winning thriller "The Secret in Their Eyes". Best foreign language film 2010 from Argentina. Assistant to what would be our DA wants to solve a horrific crime when the case is closed. And the murderer released. Twenty years later, he is retired and wants to write a novel but his mind is constantly on this case.

With the use of flashbacks and great direction we see what happened then - and now.

Great movie. If you like thrillers this is not to be missed. In Spanish with subtitles @ The Loft.

Followed up with a mid afternoon meal at 4**** gourmet restaurant, Feast Fabulous food and a great wine list. Reasonably priced, nice ambience and unique menu. On Speedway just east of Alvernon. Convenient to The Loft.

Abortion Prevention

What is the best way to prevent abortions

a, picket planned parenthood centers

b, over turn Roe vs Wade

c, education about birth control

d, support planned parenthood centers

Answer c and d - Isn't it obvious!! Women don't choose abortion as birth control.

Statistics indicate the the rate of abortions DECREASE when the government provides funds for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and other such organizations. This organization provides exams, screenings, contraception, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and abortion care. "None of the federal funds received are used for abortion care". Yet the conservatives continue to want to withold funds from planned paretnhood organizations. DUH!

Backyard birds

Gave my presentation today on "Backyard birds and Birds of the Santa Rita Mountains". Well attended and well received and the A/V worked. 165 slides of birds taken over the last several months by myself, Mike Lesko and my sister Mary. We live in a truly unique area for birds of the South West and the Sonoran Desert.

The Dog Park

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it is to take your charge, Charley to the dog park.

This is an experiment is socialization of humanoids as well as the canines.

"Your dog took a 'dump' older man says as he points his finger in the direction of the deed, to a younger tattooed muscle shirted man.

"So who are you? The poop police!" Tattoo man replies and he remains seated smoking his cigarette.

Huge dog park and they all want to crowd around together.

And WHY is it that YOUR dog is the one that chooses to lay in the mud puddle that tattoo man created by throwing water into the dirt just before he stalks off with his cow dog.

Bird of Paradise

Not related to the tropical bird of paradise, these beautiful summer flowering bushes are hearty in the Sonoran desert. Plant them once and they will be with you every spring and summer and into fall. The red one has seeded in my entire front yard.

Shown here are the Mexican bird of paradise and the yellow bird of paradise.

A Rose Garden

"I never promised you a rose garden". I have been thinking about the lyrics to this song lately as I help maintain my neighbor's 36 rose plants. I think what the writer of these words meant was that "I never promised you things would be calm and beautiful and rosy as a rose garden".

Roses gardens take a lot of work. The analogy of a rose garden to a love relationship and marriage holds true. Both take constant attendance, trimming out the old hard feelings and feeding each new moment together.

Today I Rant

Monday morning.

Two Az. Star articles and TV reports press my buttons.

Page 2 Girl, 5, victim of accidental shooting.

Now, IMO, no self inflicted gunshot with a handgun by a child is an "accident". It is the result of irresponsible gun ownership by an adult.

A 10 year old boy died in January by a self inflicted gunshot to the head.

Page 1 Health care: Too much is unneeded and harmful

This last year I have had my share of Dr.'s, hospitals, CT scans, xrays and blood draws.

Myself with breast cancer treated with surgery and a very painful form of radiation. I honestly feel that I was over treated and with grade 1, I could have been treated with surgery alone, just as I was in 1983. I also have had an active part in the health care of my friend and neighbor and my husband. Over use of diagnostic procedures, many of which are invasive, and medications, and often too many Dr.'s visits

As an RN, married to an MD and with a sister who is a Pediatrician, we often wonder what has happened to the skill of physical exam and diagnosis..

Night Blooming Cereus

The first blooms of the year. June 4th.

One has to be up early to catch the blossoms full.

By 7:30 am they are closed up again.

Back on line

Az. Buddy has been busy trying to navigate our health care system. Specifically at St Joseph's hospital in Tucson. Not as a patient but as an advocate for persons hospitalized. I will try and hold off my opinion for later blogs. For now let's just say I m not impressed with today's health care.

St. Joseph has a great night blooming cactus. One morning, around 5 a.m. I was able to catch the cactus in it's night blooming, with the full moon in the sky.