WILLOW'S COTTAGE: Arizona

Showing posts with label Arizona. Show all posts

Friday, April 25, 2025

On the Road Faves

Hello! I'm writing this very late on Friday night. I just wanted to check in and let everyone know we are okay. Our trip is going well. In fact, we have just spent five wonderful days in Arizona visiting PAL and her parents. Oh the memories we have made.

I really don't have time to write down all the blessings of this time with Chaplain Dan, J's and PAL (and many other family and friends here). Let me just say that many many more than five faves should be mentioned. But here are five fast faves.

1. Safety in all the hundreds of miles we have traveled.

2. Watching PAL's theater rehearsal.

3. Listening to PAL sing during practice time in Arizona Girl Choir.

4. Lunch with long time college friends. Coffee with J's parents.

5. Singing many hymns and other songs with the family.

No photos. Sorry. I'll be back on regular schedule next week.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Five Faves from Santa Fe

Happy Friday! It's already time to post Friday Fave Fives. I've barely been home long enough to catch my breath! Here are Five more highlights from our trip to New Mexico and Arizona and back.

1. Spending more days with our son in Santa Fe will always be a fave. One afternoon we spend exploring here:

There were Churro sheep and weaving looms so I was in fiber heaven!

2. Since Los Alamos is close by, of course we had to visit the science museum there. After all, I had science-physics-computer guys in the car with me.

3. And more history. Bandelier National Monument is a fascinating historical treasure. Ancient cliff dwellings!

And kivas and villages.

And people displaying and selling woven rugs!

4. While Dr. Mike worked, we visited a couple of places in Santa Fe. We avoided the plaza because it was very crowded with 'tourists'. So we took another short hike, this time up the hill to Cross of the Martyrs.

Beautiful view over the top of Santa Fe.

5. On our way home we stopped in to spend the night with our PAL! I had knitted two snuggly shawls for her and her mom. PAL agreed to model hers for me.

How about if I lie down on the sofa and ottoman to show the shawl's snuggly quality?

And no visit would be complete without a photo of the three of us! How about if we all sit on the floor?

Hmmm, Bapa is pretty tall!

That sums up Willow's Week and Five Faves although there was So. Much. More! But I had to choose Five.

NOTE: I know I promised to post the recipe for Indonesian peanut sauce--I will do that this week. Pinky Finger Promise!

Thursday, October 20, 2016

October Fridays, Take Three

Friday Fave Fives

shared through Susanne's blog--see the link up above.

Willow's Week in the Wilderness and at Home

1. As I stated a week ago, I was out of routine this week. My adventures involved a solo drive across the Arizona desert. Really and truly, I don't mind the seven hour drive. I cranked up Celtic Woman Christmas and The Messiah and sang along. Since we do this trip from coastal California to middle of the Arizona desert on a regular basis, I know the rest areas, the coffee stops and the cheap gas stations. And I'm thankful for safety on the highways.

2. What always amazed me is the beauty of the desert. (Yes, it was HOT. Fortunately, my car has good AC.) The desert has its own wonders and I enjoy soaking in the colors and terrain. The sparse but beautiful foliage with a green all its own. The majestic and rugged mountains and mesas.

3. The reason for my visit was to help celebrate this girl's second birthday! Check out her cake--the girl loves Mickey and Minnie!

She loved driving the ice cream truck at the pizza place.

Her newest friends are Donald and Daisy.

Even big two year old girls can get tired. The best way to sleep is to snuggle with all your friends.

4. It was a great visit. I had one on one quality time with both my son (Chaplain Dan) and his wife. And of course, PAL and I had fun, too. I visited the yarn section of a store with family members and brought home enough yarn to make two more Weasely sweaters and an afghan. (More on those later)

5. Back home and settled in after sleeping and sleeping, I've been catching up on some reading since this week it has been too hot to be outside much. (Yes, it was unseasonably hot and super windy due to the Santa Ana Winds which I probably brought home with me from the desert.)

In one of my reading books, I came across this statement.

My quote of the week!

"There is no dignity quite so impressive,

and no independence quite so important,

as living within your means."

President Calvin Coolidge

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Gardens in Phoenix

We have been visiting family in Arizona. They know we love gardens, so they arranged for trips to two spots.*

*Disclaimer: photo rich post.

The first one was Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park near Superior. When we arrived, the temperature outside was already over 100F. That didn't stop us. It slowed us down some. But it didn't stop us. This arboretum did not disappoint. We walked about 1 1/2 miles mostly in the sun with some stretches in the shade. Although a creek runs along the edge of the gardens and a pond lies in the middle, this is mostly a desert garden.

One way to keep people on the trails

Since evidently we hadn't had enough of the sun and three digit temperatures, we continued on to Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. By this time we were hot, hungry and thirsty, so we didn't stay long, and I didn't take as many photos.

If you ever have occasion to visit Phoenix, I hope you will enjoy these two gardens as much as we did.

Friday, June 06, 2014

On the Road

Welcome to Willow's Cottage Friday Fave Five. This is the On the Road June 2104 edition, issue one. As usual, I am linking Friday Fave Fives to Susanne's blog. Here are Willow's five points of thankfulness:

1. One positive result of having your home tented and fumigated for termites (besides being rid of the termites) is spending two nights away with friends. One night last week we stayed at our neighbors' beach house. (Those termites were why we were out at Hollywood Beach.) The next day we drove to the Beach Cities of Los Angeles and slept at another friend's home. We had been planning to meet up with the mommy and daddy of our favorite pit bull buddy, but it just never worked out. So instead of fussing about being evicted from our house for two nights, we found the blessing--time with friends.

2. Walks on the beach in LA--we loved the beaches in LA when we lived there. It's always great to stroll along spots where we have made so many memories.

3. BYOD evening with our BFFs. A few months ago, we set up BYOD--Bring Your Own Dinner get togethers with our friends. Our busy lives sometimes keep us from inviting friends over for dinner. You have to clean. You have to cook. Enter BYOD. It's so easy, and no one has to work hard to make a meal which accommodates every one's choices. Everyone is relaxed. We sat down at the table, and three hours later we had not moved to the living room or even to the patio. Perfect!

4. Now we're gone from the Cottage again--off on another adventure, an expotition. We had intended to simply leave the house empty. It's not an issue in our community. Neighbors look in on each other and we always tell our close neighbors when we'll be gone. But when another friend asked if she could house sit, we took her up on her offer. Win for her, win for us.

5. That adventure? YES! Another road trip! We were on a bit of a tight schedule because the work on the house cut significantly into our prep time, but we made it on to Interstate 10 heading east and blew through metro LA with a minimum of traffic problems which is a significant issue any time you drive around Southern California. Now we're in Arizona hanging out with The Chaplain and his wife for a few days. Be prepared for more photos like this--cactus, sand, beautifully sculpted mountains, and wide open blue sky.