Saturday, November 28, 2009

AZ Thanksgiving 2009






















We had perfect weather this Thanksgiving in Casa Grande. It was about 80 deg. and our group of friends joined together for a potluck outside. I think there were 18 or 20 of us. Max Anderson cooked the turkey and the rest of us brought the side dishes. Roger did his wonderful fresh cranberry/pear/apple sauce and the mashed potatoes. It took some organizing (see photo) to get us lined up, but we managed group photos too! I have to include one guest who came late.... Max's cat, Lucky. What a beauty! I am also including a photo of the painting of the Grand Tetons I did on a cedar chest panel for my friend Kay. The piece is about 3-1/2 ft x 2 ft and done in acrylics. We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be grateful for. Happy Trails......





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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Ajax Mine trip Nov. 09























On November 20th two Jeeps took off for 'wild' AZ offroad. We were headed to the Ajax mine and "Lulu's Cabin". Bob and Betty Green had Al and Dianne with them; Roger and I were in the 'green convertible"... The weather was perfect. Our first stop was the mine. All the folks in Green's car are rock hounds and marched up the hillside quick time, sledge hammer and pick in hand. Roger and hiked the side of the hill, found another covered shaft. Those miners must have been part mountain goat and mole. Those shafts are straight down in very rough areas!
One photo is of Roger standing by the covered mine shaft. Another is of the ore crusher complex across the riverbed from where we were. We could imagine the horses/mules? pulling the loaded wagons on those narrow, rocky "roads". The photo of the white Jeep is the Green's ahead of us, on one of the 'better' stretches of the road.
Our next stop was "Lulu's Cabin", a tiny cabin built into the side of the hill, which has a mine claim nailed to the door. The 'refrigerator' is built into the side wall of the cabin. It has a tiny porch which faces on to the cliff it sits on, looking across the riverbed below, and into the hills that surrounds it. In the distance there is an old mine shaft. We had lunch here, sitting on rocks, a lawn chair, and ice chest. The rock hounds brought back bags of beautiful stone and Roger and I brought back a great day of memories.
Happy trails......