just so you know

These cuties are engaged.

photo diary: mesa, gilbert, & phoenix - ted's visit, day four

Monday was a very happy, but sad day.  Ted and I packed in a lot!  First we went to Downtown Mesa to browse the shops and eat cookies at Sweet Cakes (plus save an indulgent brownie for later).  Next we drove to Gilbert to stop at the Riparian Preserve and stop at my dad's fire station where he's captain.  By this time we were pretty hungry, so we went to the always intriguing Chino Bandido to split a late lunch.  

All the beautiful pictures of cacti were taken at the lovely Desert Botanical Garden.  Since we didn't have the time or heat resilience (115 degrees, you guys) to walk around the whole garden, we convinced the nice ticket lady to let us in for ten minutes to take pictures in the entrance area.  Okay, so maybe Ted did the convincing...  

Finally, we had some dinner at Pizzeria Bianco, which is usually packed, but somehow we walked right in without a reservation.  The airport wasn't too far away from us at this point in our trek.  It was very hard to say goodbye to Ted after a few short days.  Now I have seven weeks ahead of me until I see him next (and go back to Portland).  I'm very thankful he was able to visit though!  

Mesa on Dwellable

trial and erin

In hopes of fulfilling my goal to "Learn to knit (and not forget)," I've been working on a small project, which I might share at a later date if it turns out half decent.  I have made many forays into knitting over the years, but have lacked the patience to finish anything worthwhile.  Thanks to my aunt Keli, I am starting fresh with with some new bamboo needles and multicolored yarn (to hide inevitable mistakes).

Today Erin and I made knit cactuses.  Hooray for actually finishing a project!  In two episodes of season 1 Glee, no less.  Props to Erin, who was very patient with me even after I made 9230498 mistakes.  The cup holding the cactus is from an adorable vintage sake set that Domenico gave to me for my birthday years ago.  I think he was under the impression it was a tea set at the time, but that's okay--it's adorable.  I am watching Mad Men at the moment and Don Draper just whipped out some sake.  Of course, Don.  ALSO, Sue made a Mad Men reference during tonight's new Glee episode and I loved that and everything is connected and life is like that.

tucson gem & mineral show

Today Dahlya and her parents brought me to the Gem & Mineral Show in Tucson.

This is Dahlya.  (She makes me laugh.)

There were 328432487264328748327 beads. (Probably more)

 Vendors from all over the world set up shop in tents and hotel rooms & ballrooms.  It was funny to see cheap motel rooms filled with treasures.

There was a plethora of carved animals, Buddhas, and other magical things.

Speaking of magical...  This reminded me of Professor Trelawney.

The tall, giant crystals were my favorite.  Isn't is awe-inspiring that the earth produces such beauty and sparkle?  (I like sparkle.)

Granted, I am short, but the things were HUGE. (Just ignore me with my eyes closed.)  We even saw one that was easily twice this size.  I kept wondering how they got the things there.  I loved that some of them were still half-packaged in their wooden crates that had things stamped on them like MADE IN BRAZIL.  It looked pretty glamorous, like they were just discovered and shipped to America.

 After getting some lunch at Govinda's, we ended at Electric Park where there was more sparkle, straw animals, wooden instruments (one guy told Dahlya not to quit her day job when she tried one), and hats (I got one earlier in the day...lets just say it deserves its own post).  I fell in love with the old cowboys selling homemade soda and rusty antiques.  I love me some gems and tranquility, but I think I'm more of a cowgirl at heart.

What are you up to this weekend?

i'm in love

...with Layers Cake Shop.

The sprinkles.

The cupcake cups.

The edible glitter.

Oh the baking possibilites!

I'm officially ready for holiday season.

(Yeah, I know it's only August.  So what?)

P.S.  It rained just now.  Hard.  Rain in the desert is a beautiful thing.  I'm quite glad the monsoons have finally decided to arrive.  Way to be fashionably late, weather!

happy (belated) birthday, Arizona

I fall in love with you more each year.  I would feel incomplete without feeling your blazing sun in my hair everyday.

pictures:

The Grand Canyon.  What is there to say?  It's beautiful!

The Botanical gardens? (I absolutely LOVE going there, especially for the musical festival during Christmastime)  Or maybe just some random cacti.  Beautiful either way!

Bison Ranch up in Heber when I would go with my grandparents before the forest fire destroyed it.  I miss the days when they had a cabin up there!  I would read in the hammock outside and make extravegant plans for the storage house above the garage to become my craft lair.  When I have a family, a cabin is a definite must...  I don't care if it is two rooms!  I have some very nice memories of that cabin, just collecting rocks and eating ice cream at Bison Ranch. 

Anywho, hope everyone had a lovely hearts day!  I sure did. 

P.S. I am definitely throwing a 100th bithday/Valentine's party in 2012... That's that.

Ways to Pretend it's Fall in Arizona

Wear plaid dresses and Mary Janes.
Drink tea and wear cameos and fancy headbands.
Listen to the Death Cab album Plans and study the Revolutionary War in History.
Use Autumn-esque smelling shampoo.
Voila! You are practically drowning in multi-colored leaves.

wednesday

Today is BEAUTIFUL.

No WIND, no COLD, just careless SPRINKLES and warm CLOUDS.

One of the many reasons why I adore the desert.

(Narrow Stairs goes well with this kind of weather.)