Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Apache Wells
We've stayed at Apache Wells RV Park in Mesa twice now, in March and December. The cactus were blooming in March, Ocotillo
and prickly pear
And in December the yuccas
And Christmas decorations
Here's us
A few more pictures.
QQQQ Ranch
March 2013
Our friends Rick and Maryann live in Black Canyon City, on the QQQQ ("4-Q") Ranch. Rick worked at the State with us, until he retired. They raise horses, chickens, and turkeys, and have a garden and an observatory with a big, computer-controlled telescope. We've seen the rings of Saturn, live, and they look just like in the pictures!
On this visit, the roses were in bloom
and we played with the turkeys
The turkeys like to wallow in the dust
and two of the roosters had a little altercation
You have to watch out for the snakes
More pictures.
Our friends Rick and Maryann live in Black Canyon City, on the QQQQ ("4-Q") Ranch. Rick worked at the State with us, until he retired. They raise horses, chickens, and turkeys, and have a garden and an observatory with a big, computer-controlled telescope. We've seen the rings of Saturn, live, and they look just like in the pictures!
On this visit, the roses were in bloom
and we played with the turkeys
The turkeys like to wallow in the dust
and two of the roosters had a little altercation
You have to watch out for the snakes
Monday, December 23, 2013
MMT video
MMT for non-economists. "even a central banker can understand".
http://moslereconomics.com/2013/12/22/mosler-barnard-tour-2013/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCenterOfTheUniverse+%28The+Center+of+the+Universe%29
http://moslereconomics.com/2013/12/22/mosler-barnard-tour-2013/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCenterOfTheUniverse+%28The+Center+of+the+Universe%29
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Montezuma's Castle
March 2013
I've seen the sign on I-17 so many times, but hadn't stopped to see it until now. The castle is a building in the middle of a cliff, where people lived around 1200 AD. There is no evidence that Montezuma was ever here, it was abandoned long before he was born.
The cliff is one side of a valley carved by a tributary of the Verde River. The people who lived here farmed in the valley, and were thought to be nomadic until they developed farming and so had a need and a reason to stay put, and that's when they started building more permanent homes like this one. They are called the Sinagua, which is Spanish for "no water", because they lived in the desert.
The river's source is Montezuma's Well, 11 miles away, where underground springs fill a lake formed by the collapse of a limestone cavern, and the overflow forms the river.
The Sinagua had canals that diverted some of the flow to their fields.
And there were residences here, too.
The water has an unusual and unusually high mineral content, and there are several species of plants and animals that have evolved to live in it, and are found nowhere else in the world.
More pictures.
I've seen the sign on I-17 so many times, but hadn't stopped to see it until now. The castle is a building in the middle of a cliff, where people lived around 1200 AD. There is no evidence that Montezuma was ever here, it was abandoned long before he was born.
The cliff is one side of a valley carved by a tributary of the Verde River. The people who lived here farmed in the valley, and were thought to be nomadic until they developed farming and so had a need and a reason to stay put, and that's when they started building more permanent homes like this one. They are called the Sinagua, which is Spanish for "no water", because they lived in the desert.
The river's source is Montezuma's Well, 11 miles away, where underground springs fill a lake formed by the collapse of a limestone cavern, and the overflow forms the river.
The Sinagua had canals that diverted some of the flow to their fields.
And there were residences here, too.
The water has an unusual and unusually high mineral content, and there are several species of plants and animals that have evolved to live in it, and are found nowhere else in the world.
More pictures.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
We're not broke, no matter what they say
Basic MMT on UTube. Stay with it until the end, when Warren tells his grandson how to pay off the National Debt.
http://moslereconomics.com/2013/11/30/new-economic-perspectives-on-the-government-budget-deficits-and-the-national-debt-youtube/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCenterOfTheUniverse+%28The+Center+of+the+Universe%29
http://moslereconomics.com/2013/11/30/new-economic-perspectives-on-the-government-budget-deficits-and-the-national-debt-youtube/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCenterOfTheUniverse+%28The+Center+of+the+Universe%29
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Florida
Normally, I would just forward the email when I see a joke I like, but today it struck me: I have a blog! I can post my favorite jokes there!
This came from Edo, via Meg:
'I'm here to feed the alligator...'
This came from Edo, via Meg:
An elderly
man in Florida had owned a
large farm for several years.
He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up nice with picnic tables, horseshoe courts and some orange and grapefruit trees.
One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while and look it over.
He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit.
As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.
As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.
He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.
One of the women shouted to him, 'we're not coming out until you leave!'
The old man frowned, 'I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked.'
Holding the bucket up he said,
He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up nice with picnic tables, horseshoe courts and some orange and grapefruit trees.
One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while and look it over.
He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit.
As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.
As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.
He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.
One of the women shouted to him, 'we're not coming out until you leave!'
The old man frowned, 'I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked.'
Holding the bucket up he said,
'I'm here to feed the alligator...'
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Renaissance Faire
March 2013
JC has been a Ren Faire fan since college, and we went with him and Caryn this year.
I gather the Arizona Faire is one of the best. We bought videos of the Nun Show, and Zilch the TorySteller. And we have to go back, because there are other shows we've not seen yet.
There's a guy who plays a huge carillon.
The dancing girls are part of the Don Juan and Miguel act, which is mostly whips and swords.
This is one where statues come to life and water comes out of their fingers.
JC has been a Ren Faire fan since college, and we went with him and Caryn this year.
I gather the Arizona Faire is one of the best. We bought videos of the Nun Show, and Zilch the TorySteller. And we have to go back, because there are other shows we've not seen yet.
There's a guy who plays a huge carillon.
The dancing girls are part of the Don Juan and Miguel act, which is mostly whips and swords.
This is one where statues come to life and water comes out of their fingers.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Casa Grande
February 2013
I've been to Casa Grande before, to play golf, but didn't know about the ruins after which the town is named. There was a Hohokam village here that was abandoned in the 1300's.
Father Kino first called this place Casa Grande, the great house. There are other dwellings around it, and fields, and irrigation canals that brought water from the Salt River, 27 miles away. The Hohokam traded with other communities, as evidenced by obsidian found here that originated many miles away, in multiple directions.
The residents here knew astronomy, and had windows that lined up with the sunrise on the summer solstice, and other holes in the walls that marked astronomical events.
Nobody knows why they left, or where they went.
I've been to Casa Grande before, to play golf, but didn't know about the ruins after which the town is named. There was a Hohokam village here that was abandoned in the 1300's.
Father Kino first called this place Casa Grande, the great house. There are other dwellings around it, and fields, and irrigation canals that brought water from the Salt River, 27 miles away. The Hohokam traded with other communities, as evidenced by obsidian found here that originated many miles away, in multiple directions.
The residents here knew astronomy, and had windows that lined up with the sunrise on the summer solstice, and other holes in the walls that marked astronomical events.
Nobody knows why they left, or where they went.
Besh-Ba-Gowah
January 2013
Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park in Globe, AZ has ruins of a 13th century Salado village, and botanical gardens. The have what is said to be the largest collection of Salado pottery artifacts in the world.
The park shows how the people lived and farmed in the desert, long before the Europeans arrived.
More pictures.
Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park in Globe, AZ has ruins of a 13th century Salado village, and botanical gardens. The have what is said to be the largest collection of Salado pottery artifacts in the world.
The park shows how the people lived and farmed in the desert, long before the Europeans arrived.
More pictures.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Christmas 2012
Like everything else in the RV, the Christmas tree has to be configured to save space. There's just not room for a full-size one, especially when the slides are in.
Magnolia Grove - Falls Course
November 2012
This is the other course at Magnolia Grove. I played the Crossings course earlier, and all the general comments still apply: nice clubhouse, nice people, well-maintained, good price. And a waterfall:
Lots of water and sand, but not in a punishing, terrifying sort of way. No long forced carries, fairly wide fairways and plenty of rough before you get to the woods. The holes have a lot of variety, without "gimmicks". The dangers are clear, as is the safe route.
I want to say nice things about it, it has a high course rating and slope rating, and I would play it again, but after a year I don't remember anything especially stunning about this one. Maybe I've been spoiled.
More pictures.
This is the other course at Magnolia Grove. I played the Crossings course earlier, and all the general comments still apply: nice clubhouse, nice people, well-maintained, good price. And a waterfall:
Lots of water and sand, but not in a punishing, terrifying sort of way. No long forced carries, fairly wide fairways and plenty of rough before you get to the woods. The holes have a lot of variety, without "gimmicks". The dangers are clear, as is the safe route.
More pictures.
Highland Oaks
November 2012
Highland Oaks in Dothan, AL is another Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail course. I wrote a review of it for GolfNow, and it's still the only review they have.
My review
Pictures
Highland Oaks in Dothan, AL is another Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail course. I wrote a review of it for GolfNow, and it's still the only review they have.
My review
Pictures
Omussee creek
November 2012
One of the Robert Trent Jones golf courses is in Dothan, Alabama, so we looked for a nearby RV Park. We've bought into a sort of timeshare deal for RVers called Resorts of Distinction. It doesn't work exactly like timeshares, but you get to stay in the associated parks for free, up to a week at a time (or 2 weeks for ROD Plus, which we have also now bought). Along with ROD come three other memberships: AOR, Adventure Outdoor Resorts, where we can stay for $9 a night for up to a week, and ACN and NACC, which give discounts, typically 10-15%, at associated RV parks.
In the NACC directory we found Omussee Creek RV park, and made a reservation there through the NACC 800 number.
When we got there, this is what we saw at the entrance:
We drove around the park looking for someone in charge. No luck. We were sitting by the entrance wondering what to do next, when a pickup truck stopped and the driver introduced himself. He's the mayor of Columbia, AL, and his wife manages the RV park. It turns out the owner died, and his heir lives out of state and isn't interested in it, so has put it up for sale and she's taking care of it for him. Most of the residents are long-term contractors at the nearby nuclear plant, not RV vacationers. They had no knowledge of our reservation, even though NACC claims they spoke to someone who told them there was availability for us to stay. There were empty spots, so we took one: $59 for the week, not $19 a night as NACC had told us.
The hookups were fine, we had no problems there except a swarm of ladybugs, some few hundreds of which took up residence with us. We were vacuuming ladybugs for the next month or so. But it has to be the most decrepit RV park on the planet.
And the creek itself, the eponymous local attraction:
No matter what happens from now on, we'll always have Omussee Creek.
Some more pictures.
One of the Robert Trent Jones golf courses is in Dothan, Alabama, so we looked for a nearby RV Park. We've bought into a sort of timeshare deal for RVers called Resorts of Distinction. It doesn't work exactly like timeshares, but you get to stay in the associated parks for free, up to a week at a time (or 2 weeks for ROD Plus, which we have also now bought). Along with ROD come three other memberships: AOR, Adventure Outdoor Resorts, where we can stay for $9 a night for up to a week, and ACN and NACC, which give discounts, typically 10-15%, at associated RV parks.
In the NACC directory we found Omussee Creek RV park, and made a reservation there through the NACC 800 number.
When we got there, this is what we saw at the entrance:
The hookups were fine, we had no problems there except a swarm of ladybugs, some few hundreds of which took up residence with us. We were vacuuming ladybugs for the next month or so. But it has to be the most decrepit RV park on the planet.
And the creek itself, the eponymous local attraction:
No matter what happens from now on, we'll always have Omussee Creek.
Some more pictures.
Mystic
October 2012
Mystic, CT is the home of Mystic Pizza, the setting of the movie by the same name. It's pretty good pizza.
While we were there we visited the Branford House, on the UCONN Avery campus.
Branford House was originally a 31-room mansion that rivaled those found in Newport. It was built at a cost of three million dollars in 1903 when Groton Savings Bank at the time had $312,738.39.
The mansion was built by Morton Freeman Plant, and designed by his wife Nellie, who had studied architecture at the Sorbonne.
Nice grounds, too, with its own lighthouse.
More pictures.
Mystic, CT is the home of Mystic Pizza, the setting of the movie by the same name. It's pretty good pizza.
While we were there we visited the Branford House, on the UCONN Avery campus.
Branford House was originally a 31-room mansion that rivaled those found in Newport. It was built at a cost of three million dollars in 1903 when Groton Savings Bank at the time had $312,738.39.
The mansion was built by Morton Freeman Plant, and designed by his wife Nellie, who had studied architecture at the Sorbonne.
Nice grounds, too, with its own lighthouse.
More pictures.
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