This and That

January 26 - February 5, 2021

Tombstone, Arizona

Hard to believe the NFL season is already over - seems like just a few weeks ago Bill's Cowboys and my Steelers were playing the Hall of Fame game. But that was August! Alas, neither of our teams made it past the first round of playoffs. My QB retired after a stellar 18 years with Pittsburgh. I'll miss Big Ben, but he was right to hang up his cleats.

While we'd both rather see the Chiefs return to the Super Bowl- Cincinnati? really? - we're both excited the Rams will be playing it in their home stadium. 

I've always loved RC Gorman's paintings, and I finally picked up a small print on our Tubac shopping trip. I didn't realize until I unpacked my parcels that the Navajo folk art piece I'd also brought home matched the colors perfectly! Guess I was "feeling" purple and red that day :-)

I take a solo trip to Tucson for a lovely facial and an unsuccessful hunt for a couple items I don't really need anyway. Jeff and I enjoy breakfast in Bisbee where the Bisbee Breakfast Club never disappoints. Sad to learn that both of the old dogs who have been greeting us for years on Erie Street have passed on. They were always there and their absence is noticeable :-(

I never did take their pics, but find a couple on the Internet to remember them by.

Brian sent these hysterical pics - he was sure he'd baby-proofed the play area in front of the television while he was in the kitchen. Baby is very quiet....never good......so he checks. And finds Elliott has the XBox controller, has turned on the television, and is happily scrolling through the menus :-)))) 14 months old.

"Can I help you Dad?"

"See? That's the one I like!"

"Okay, Ima just gonna play this one"

"What? You can come play too, and not just stand there!"

The whole family is weathering children and school in the COVID world of quarantines, closed classes, exposures, and lack of any real plan. It's frustrating and frightening and they're all hanging in there. Over half of our grands have only known masks and limited contact with others. 

Our only personal loss in the SUV-crashed-into-our-house "event" was my precious-to-me Bison skull painted with Red Cloud. It was completely decimated when the fireplace bricks came down. As he could never be duplicated, I asked our friend Rebecca to replace him with my Raven totem. A few days after our Tubac trip, she brought him over for the big reveal. We couldn't be happier!!

The space feels complete now.

Kiksuye Tanka - Remembered Spirit

Following the skull delivery Rebecca and I take a drive to Naco on the border to visit her artist friend who lives there in her cute little RV. She's been under the weather so we have a quick visit including a little tour of her neighbors' studios. So many talented folks!

Living in colorful space - and with a rammed-earth studio!

Home as art.

Winter shows up with February. Night temps drop below 20 with sunny daytime highs in the low 50's. One day's clouds bring hail that covers the yards and stays for a few hours! I'm sure folks from places where real winter lasts for months are unimpressed, but us desert-dwellers are staying inside with the fireplace (yay!) on, enjoying soup and chili and other comfort foods.

Making a few more reservations in the popular spots and trying to tighten up the "after-Michigan" route. The motorhome has a Camping World appointment in a couple weeks and then before we know it we'll be back on the road.

Proud of our Ezra for receiving the award for caring at his school!