Crested Saguaro

For 22 years I have wanted to take a photo of this imperial cactus. On a tall hill with numerous

saguaros, it stands out as you drive south on I-19 just as you leave Tucson. It overlooks the Tohono Odham Indian reservation with not a great place to stop and take a picture. But today we did it.

Even when saguaro cacti grow in their normal form, they rarely grow symmetrically. Saguaros sometimes grow in odd or misshapen forms. The growing tip occasionally produces a fan-like form which is referred to as crested or cristate. Though these crested saguaros are somewhat rare, over 25 have been found within the boundaries of the park. Biologists disagree as to why some saguaros grow in this unusual form. Some speculate that it is a genetic mutation. Others say it is the result of a lightning strike or freeze damage. At this point we simply do not know what causes this rare, crested form. From the Saguaro National Park

Mexican Hat

This is one wild flower that has an appropriate name. And one of the few whose name I can remember from spring to spring. They come in red and yellow and look just like the tall sombreros. And like the song and dance about the Mexican Hat, they dance in the wind.

As time goes by

Today I changed the seasons with my flowers. Being a non gardener with a brown thumb I do it the easy Green Valley way: I plant pansys in the winter and vinca in the summer.
I often say to myself; "another_______gone by". Many events tick off time for me;

be it days or weeks or months or seasons.

My friend has this "day" clock, ticking off another week. One of the things that is a personal weekly tick of time for me is the laundry. If I do laundry at any time but Sat. morning I forget it in the washer or the dryer. I hate to admit it but I have one of those 2 week pill boxes. I fill it and "Yep, Another two weeks gone buy".

We used to have monthly periods.........But now we have monthly bills, monthly meetings and monthly appointments.

We have watches, clocks, appointment books and calenders. How I admire those people that don't wear a watch. In todays rushed world it would be nice to enjoy and let the time go by.

Movie Review - "Babies"

Who doesn't love babies.

Directed by Thomas Palmes, this film follows four babies from their birth until after they take their first steps. The four babies come from Japan, San Francisco, Mongolia and Namibia.

Although from different cultures, these babies go through the same development processes. From breast feeding to walking, they experience the similar events in entirely different environments. They take their first breath, their first burp and giggly smile. They learn to say "Mama", endure the persecution of older siblings, creeping, crawling and then standing. The African boy has no toys and uses only things around him for amusement. But he has his mother and the other women of the tribe with him at all times. The mongolian baby boy has few toys and has to amuse himself as his mother works with the herds of cattle. The Japanese and American baby girls have everything a baby could want. Yet they experience frustration and boredom surrounded by piles of toys and books. For Western audiences the peril that the 3rd world babies seem to be in draws gasps. But they thrive in spite of apparent danger.

4****- Almost 5. My 5*'s is "run and see it ASAP". Babies doesn't quite make this criteria but close.

Woody Allen -On Aging

One old saguaro - still has blossoms

Woody Allen on aging: "I find it a lousy deal. There's no advantage in getting older. I'm 74 now. You don't get smarter, you don't get wiser, you don't get more mellow, you don't get more kindly. Nothing good happens. Your back hurts more. You get more indigestion. Your eyesight isn't as good. You need a hearing aid. It's a bad business getting older, and I would advise you not to do it."

Arizona Blue Skies

click on photo to enlarge.





We may have a totally dysfunctional legislature but we do have beautiful skies as back drop for color.

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

The Loft is Tucson's cine' arts theatre. This is where we go to see the new , the unusual and extreme. These are movies that will not come to the local or mainstream cinemas.The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one such movie. Based on the first in the trilogy of novels by Swedish writer Stiegg Larsson, this movie is an engrossing but violent mystery.

Friends said "loved the book but wouldn't see the film. Hated the book and wouldn't see the movie:". I did not read the book, although it is on my bookshelf, but was brave enough to see the movie. It is, indeed, very violent. But is a good movie. Set in the cold of Sweden it tells the story of a mystery involving the disappearance of Harriet, a member of an influential business family of Sweden. The Swedish cast is excellent, as is the script and direction.

In Swedish with English subtitles. 3 and 1/2 stars. Caution would be the violence; necessary to the story but difficult to watch.