A Date!?!?!!!

This is new:
I have a date on Saturday morning! 

Using one of the MeetUp forums,
I found a group to give a try, and it should be loads of fun!  

It's more of a play date than anything else. 
And no, its not for me,
its for Sadie! 

There's a group of local pug owners
who meet once a month
and let their puggies play together. 

I'm looking forward to seeing
how Sadie reacts to this --
and of course meeting others who
enjoy their little puggies as much as I enjoy Sadie!

Buckhorn Motel

 


When Mesa pioneers Ted and Alice Sliger discovered a hot spring on their desert property in 1939, they decided to build a motel that offered mineral water baths.  




 


The Buckhorn Mineral Baths opened in 1939, drawing those with arthritis and kindred ailments to their hot springs, famous for odorless water infused with potassium, silica, magnesium and iron. 




 

An old style motel with individual kitchenettes and covered carports were added later.

Ted and Alice Sliger ran the place. 

Ted was a taxidermist and sportsman, 

and the lodge gradually filled with trophies.

Alice Sliger still lived on the grounds and managed things at age 96, but soon decided that she couldn't keep the baths open. The healthful water still runs through motel taps.  (Alice Sliger died on Nov. 9, 2010, at the age of 103)

(Can't you just imagine having your own cottage, then walking over to take a dip in a natural hot springs mineral bath in the "ladies" side?  The "gents" door was on the other side.)






The Cactus League first started more than 50 years ago. And for 25 of those years, the New York (later San Francisco) Giants roomed at the Buckhorn Mineral Baths, a classic roadside stop in Mesa. Their manager, Leo Durocher, loved the place. A silver tray presented by the 1952 team still rests in the museum. From 1947 to 1972, with such famous players as Willie Mays and Ty Cobb, made the Buckhorn their winter home.





The mineral baths were closed in 1999.  The Buckhorn is a unique part of the history of Mesa.  As of today, it was closed up pretty tight, and a cyclone fence surrounds part of the gardens.  As it is with "progress", I fear this place won't be here much longer.  That would be a shame.  (more pictures here )

Nana's Garden

As I was meandering through some downtown neighborhoods, I came across this house on a corner  ..... 

"Welcome to Nana's Garden".  

It was a hodge-podge of different garden things - statuary, fountain, planters of every kind ....  Fun! 

lovely arches lead the way

with a brick path that meanders

side door, 

love that its painted

and the brick partial arch

Statues, 

palms,

chairs 

 and trees

mucho que ver!

 

Seahorse statues

a stone bench

a fountain

a totem even?

wonderful 

treasures

 (maravillosos 

tesoros)

 

love this

old shoe

planter

Even a

classic

white

picket

fence

surrounds

the yard

Historical Mesa

Spur of the moment walking tour on my own this morning of Historical Mesa district.  Lots to see there, I love looking at houses, finding interesting details. 

There's something 

about a curving roof line

and arched doors 
that appeals to me

The Spanish look 

that's found

in Mesa is 

beautiful in design

 

Woman's Club 

founded in 1917, 

Spanish Revival Colonial 

building was built in 1931.

Little details, 

like this 

stained glass 

peek a boo window

makes a building 

very unique!

Just look at this courtyard!

(Yes, I peeked over a fence

to get this shot!!-- 

totally worth it!)

I just love the corner doorway

I spotted this chair 

sitting alone

looking sad, forlorn

and at the same time, 

inviting

What a nice place for a cup

of something, watching the

street come to life as the sun

slides up over the horizon

There are more pictures from today posted at azgal45.blogspot.com ( Link )

Park of the Canals

This morning when I woke up, I lay there thinking, "What chores should I get done before the heat of the day arrives? (predicting 108).   I slid out of bed, and into some shorts, a tshirt and my tennies, brushed my teeth, then on the spur of the moment grabbed my purse, my camera and my GPS, bottle of water from the fridge and headed out the door to find Park of the Canals.  (Turns out, its very local!)

Living in the Valley of the Sun, with all its myriad of desert landscaping, one cannot escape the history that lives here.  Every time I venture out, I am in awe and wonder at how they lived here so long ago when it appears so desolate.  And yet, if you look close, it isn't nearly as desolate as it seems.  Plants and animals find a way to survive, along with the people bold enough to call this "home". 

The Hohokam engineered large and sophisticated canal systems, creating a productive agricultural society that spanned many centuries. Their achievements in irrigation engineering are among the most impressive and most enduring ever constructed using preindustrial technology.  From A.D. 600 to 1450, the prehistoric Hohokam constructed one of the largest and most sophisticated irrigation networks ever created.  

The great achievement of the Hohokam lay in their ability to manage the harsh desert landscape for the resources they required to eat, trade, and produce stunning pieces of shell and ceramic art. They did not simply subsist in the Salt and Gila River Valleys—they thrived on a varied diet of corn, jackbeans, tepary beans, lima beans, squash, barley, and amaranth. They grew cotton, gourds, and tobacco for textiles, art, and possibly ceremonial use.


Today, you can see many of the remnants of the extensive canals left by the Hohokam culture.  As I walked through "Park of the Canals" in Mesa, AZ, I found myself pondering those old tribal ways, the hard work they did, just to keep living day to day.  Shutting out city noises, I let myself imagine an early spring morning, everyone out working hard at their task, whether it be wielding a stick to break up the dirt, scooping the dirt into a basket, or hauling that basket of dirt out of the canal.  I also caught myself imagining what it must have looked like with life- giving water flowing in the canals.  (With monsoon season coming up, perhaps I'll be able to catch glimpse of that by heading over to the park on a rainy afternoon.)  Out beyond the park's trail, an old stone house.  Only found one reference to it online, dating it in the late 1860s pioneer home.

Art Museum

On an errand today, I found myself in downtown Mesa, and decided to stop in at the Mesa Contemporary Art Museum.  My son was with me, and the showing there is called "Metals", so I thought he might enjoy that.  (Needless to say, it wasn't what we thought it would be!)  But there were some nice creations in there.  I took several pictures, but since its art and considered copyrighted, I probably shouldn't post them. (Their link said I could take pictures without flash for educational purposes.... is this educational? hehehe)

"Copper, the 29th element, is prized for its excellent malleability, conductivity, and ductility. Celebrating Arizona’s Centennial as well as its status as is the leading copper-producing state in the U.S, this juried exhibition features contemporary artwork that is made primarily of copper."

There was a beautifully worked copper teapot entitled Tea Time.  Two beautifully worked gourd-shaped containers in copper and enamel.  A gorgeous leaf bowl done in wonderful greens with small birds interspersed.  A "Box of chocolates", oversized Valentine heart shaped box with decorated candies inside.  And a "Cockamamie Candle Holder" done in black iron, with springs, nuts and bolts, and other salvaged items.  (Liked this one a lot... yay for upcycling!)

The museum was free; if you have time to look around, it's worth it!

Walking

Getting motivated to get out and walk isn't easy on a weekend after going to work every day, then to the gym -- I was ready for some downtime at home!  But I made the extra effort and got dressed for a walk in this blustery weather-filled day.  Donning my capris, my tank top and a light jacket, I headed out the door and on impulse, drove to Red Mountain Park.  Always nice to head to a different place for some time outdoors.  The cool, stiff breeze over the water perks up a person's spirits -- and encourages you to walk faster in order to stay warm!   Plenty of things to see: geese on the path, some kind of ground rodent, and squirrels, along with many kinds of birds and water fowl.  And people, too! 

According to my map tracker, its .67 around the lake, and I made two loops.  YAY!
For those interested, my photography is located at azgal45.smugmug.com .