It never rains in San Francisco?

The spirits of San Francisco come greeting cloaked in rain... Nighthawks have a good time with food and wine and the waiter at Tosca ready to close up after we left.

With talk at the Specs about poetry, poets  and books

meeting new people, warm embrace

the meaning and urgency of words

And then again the night and touched by light.

Old miners day

Old Miners day intended to honor the miners who lay at the origin of the small community of Chloride. In 1916, since the price of minerals was high, Chloride boomed. More than 2000 people living there, some sources say almost 4000 people. The parades over the years became smaller and less mining directed. The main group portraying miners were the E-Clampus-Vitus, The Lost Dutchman Chapter, a Historic Drinking Society or a Drinking Historic Society. Through humor they try to preserve the past and are respected throughout the West for their selfless efforts. Of course the Western reenactors where present and added to the fun: The Long coats and lace and the Wild Roses and even a group called The old West from Kingman.

The real hero is the fire brigade who was supposed to be in the parade but got called out to douse a fire. So the truck stood at the corner of the parade and the firemen watched it, taking of their warm protective gear. The old cars were great yet the cutest group was the kids with the goats and dogs and horses.

More Grand Canyon

Take your time give it to the Grand Canyon, avoid the over populated places. The first time I visited the canyon I went to the visitors center, saw the movie, read the warning signs and was totally bewildered at what it meant: take two gallons of water per person , wear sturdy shoes - while I saw people on flip-flops without water venturing down the trail. Understanding the desert so many years later, I get what the dangers of the canyon are. Extreme temperatures, high winds, steep ravines, slippery paths. Yet the beauty of survival and death, weathered trees is breathtaking.

Who or what is responsible for all this: Father Time, Sister River, Rains and droughts and winds, frost and snow, heat and dust... and the pitter patter of feet en hoofs and pats, the elk, mountain lions and chipmunk all contribute to the slow splendorous decay of a high plateau which used to be an ocean.

Desert View: Watchtower at the Grand Canyon

 Ann Coulter not only was responsible for the Museum of Northern Arizona, but also for la Possada in Winslow and the Watchtower at Desert View, on the desert View drive, either from Flagstaff or the visitor center in the Grand Canyon. Her buildings harbor you, make you feel good. Her sense of place and material is wonderful.

 

In the watchtower, and in the other buildings I have seen, she uses strong local materials incorporating all the variations she can find: slate, pebbles, rocks.

Elements of surprise are petroglyphs, natural statues, wood, whatever would give the building  beauty and substance. 

I should have called this post Room with a View. She chooses cut outs, interesting perspectives and even adapts the shape of the windows to the landscape. That is respect for the spirits of the place. Her windows draw you out and immerse  you in the grand beauty of nature.

Museum of Northern Arizona

The Museum of Northern Arizona just out of Flagstaff in its idyllic surroundings is a soul-soothing stop when one is in need of nourishment. The archaeological work supported and shown by the museum, the changing exhibitions, always centered on the regional nations : Hopi, Navajo, Zuni, Hualapai, Havasupai and other Pai people.  Beautiful ancient pottery, jewelry in its distinctive  styles, a partial mural of an ancient Hopi kiva. All that is there.

The museum is nestled  on the high plateau leading up to the Grand Canyon. Ann Coulter's famous and bold South western architecture is still instrumental in making it look and feel like it is just perfectly balanced in it's surroundings.

Navajo rugs, which I'll never be able to afford do please my eyes. And of course the bookshop is well stocked, so one can find some contemporary Navajo and Hopi poetry by Luci Tapahonso and by Ramson Lomawatewa. The heritage program features dances and programs from Hopi, Zuni and Navajo. Saturday 25, You can enjoy  Hopi dances at the Museum.

Typical representation of Hopi, Navajo and Zuni.

Laundry day

For a very temporary resident in this desert  laundry day requires finding a friend who has a washing machine and possibly a dryer. The friend wasn't in, so I chased her down at the communal coffee table

of Lean who tries to keep this small town together.  Like in redneck country the washer and the dryer stands outside under a tin roof. Part of the back wall had been taken out  because a beehive had installed itself in the wall of the house, honey making drip marks on the siding. Hot or cold water, not that simple, but finally all works. Then the dryer, and old Maytag from a Laundromat, one put in 3 quarters and waits. Talking and listening and rabbits and a roadrunner made the waiting short.

As you can gather from the pictures the sun, aided by the wind and some artwork,  had to do the rest.

Fluffing and folding of the travel gear done by your blogger while remembering that a lady living in town told me one day that when she first rode into town, I had the laundry out somewhat like this and that she thought: in such a town I want to live...

© sms:foto duisburg/rhein 2011

Corvette in the drive way

In the Corvette driveway
there it stands
all perfect she is -
not an it -
in red & white
& silver chrome

a photo-opportunity
for passers by

and every time
she smiles -

A friend of mine, Petra, saw the car about four years ago and now is the proud owner of her own Corvette in almost mint condition, driving it on the roads in Belgium.