"Wet Look" Entryway

Well, I know you've all been waiting for it. (Right!) Well, I have, anyway. I've finally finished Dian's entryway project. Once the "tiles" were set, I grouted it with a tan grout. Then, when it was completely dry, I used a "wet look" sealer, and did 6 coats to make it very shiny. And, now it's finished! Yay! I love how it turned out, but more importantly, Dian and her husband LOVE how it turned out! It took longer than I wanted it to, due to heavy homework for school, and trying to work out in the HEAT! But, the wait and the work were well worth it. The project has also gotten rave reviews from Dian's and Eckart's friends who have seen it. Here are the "after" pictures, with a couple of close-ups of inset details.

(Above: Left side, Full view, Right side.)

(Below left: Closeup view of left side. Below center: Inset detail, in center of main step - below where doors come together. Below right: Closeup view of right side.)

(Below: Closeup of "flower" detail from right side)

Dian likes the finished product so well, that she has already commissioned me to do another project, which will involve creating a small rivulet crossing the front walkway. This evolved from the need to repair or disguise a large crack crossing the entire walkway, that has developed in the terra cotta.

For this project, I am removing a portion of the tile along the sides of the crack, and replacing it with a little "stream" that crosses the sidewalk. The 4-foot trunk stump of a dead tree became a large part of the inspiration for this new little water feature.

I came up with the idea of turning it into a fountain, with a copper tube coming through the trunk, and spouting water into a glass "trough," that will spill onto the sidewalk at the point where the little stream begins. Then, a water return going under the "creek" bed will be used to pump the water back under the sidewalk, and back out through the spout. The "creek" will be lined with the same clear colored-glass pebbles that were used on the entryway. It's going to be really beautiful, and really unique. Here are the "before" pictures of this project.









This week of school is the finale' of Summer I session. Yay! The last day is July 2nd, and with Friday being the 4th, I'll be getting to work on a major level on Saturday. I'll keep you posted. Love you all!

Getting Out in Arizona!

Recently, as an assignment for my English 102 class, I read the book The Dark Wind, written by Tony Hillerman. This book is a mystery/suspense thriller involving murder, drugs, and a Navajo "witch," or Skinwalker. Every moment is interesting, and it is a very well-written and historically significant, with much taught about. Native American folklore and customs.

Hillerman grew up in Oklahoma, surrounded by Native American tribes, although he writes about Arizona tribes in his stories. Most novels take place in northeastern Arizona. I was totally intrigued by the way Officer Jim Chee, a Navajo Tribal Policeman, used his abstract, quiet way of taking in all the facts, and then letting them sort of move around in his mind until they began to fit together. It was really fun to try and figure out what would happen next.

As our essay assignment from reading this book, we were supposed to take something from the book that inspired us, and write about it. I loved the mental images and compelling descriptions of the landscape of Arizona. This brought to mind some of the VERY MANY travels I've taken around Arizona, from the time I was so small I don't remember, up until now. We have a most beautiful state. If Arizona residents haven't been out around the state to see how beautiful it is, they need to change that. Here is the essay I wrote. Enjoy!

Getting Out in Arizona

Arizona is a place of diverse terrain, amazing vistas, and easy access, with a spectacular array of grand and scenic places to visit, that are incomparable in the United States. One of the most beautiful of natural wonders, the Grand Canyon, resides within Arizona’s borders. People come from the far reaches of the globe to enjoy the sites that could be reached by Arizonans within a few hours, but are taken for granted.

Camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing can bring pure enjoyment, while embracing the beauty of the great outdoors so readily accessible from the Phoenix valley. Many destinations such as White River, on the White Mountain Indian Reservation; Crown King, along the Senator Highway, south of Prescott; and Havasu Canyon, at the southeast entrance to the Grand Canyon, and off of the historic Route 66, offer great scenic views, as well as the traveler being able to personally experience bits of history. One writer invites the reader to venture to the White Mountain Indian Reservation in a way that actually brings a scenic vision to the mind:

Our reservation consists of 1.67 million acres (over 2,600 square miles) in east-central Arizona. It ranges in elevation from 2,600 feet in the Salt River Canyon on the southwest corner of the reservation to over 11,400 feet at the top of Mount Baldy, one of our sacred peaks. It includes some of the richest wildlife habitats in the state, and more than 400 miles of streams. It is home to the Apache trout, a species brought back from the brink of extinction through the efforts of the Tribe and many partners. Through the Tribe’s Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Division, many recreational opportunities are available on the reservation. This Land That is Now….” (par 15)

e Native Americans have a distinct connection with the land that the average traveler may never understand. Though many others, such as farmers and ranchers, also have a connection with the land, their connection is quite different from that of the Native Americans, whose cultures many are not familiar with. Traveling throughout Arizona is at once a spiritual retreat, and a lesson in history.

Map to Crown King (Wilson)

One such scenic, historical destination is Crown King. Once a thriving mining town (Wilson 13), it is now called the “Living Ghost Town” (2) Several families, many of whom have lived there all of their lives, are still living and working in the town.

The road to Crown King is very narrow and graded-over with gravel on a regular basis. Traveling the road is fairly easy-going in a standard car – unless there has been a recent rain. When this area receives rain, it waters the forest, but the water also washes away the gravel in the road ruts. This leaves only the bare-bones, bedrock trail, that long ago saw a steam-engine train zig-zaging forward, then backward, then forward again, as it worked its way to the top of the mountain. Then, when the cars were filled, the train would snake back down again, carrying loads of precious ore to the smelter.

Crown King is positioned along the Senator Highway, south of Prescott, Arizona in the Bradshaw Mountains; but if a family takes a detour of off I-17, at the Bumble Bee cut-off, a few short miles on a dirt road will take them to this scenic oasis.

In the mid-1970’s, after a forest fire had occurred in the area, thousands of humming birds took refuge in the area around this small community. People visiting Crown King at this time could literally stand with an outstretched finger next to one of many feeders, put out by locals, and have a humming bird sit on the visitor’s finger, to feed. The birds were starving and braver than usual; but a blink of the eye, and their “hydraulics” would kick in, and catapult them away in a flash. Nowhere else in the world could one have such an amazing experience!

Outdoor adventures can be singularly soothing and rejuvenating. Spending time in communion with nature brings a person back to reality and helps to see things in a different way – a way that puts into perspective the relationship between what is “real,” and what is not.

Camping and fishing force one to slow down and intentionally relax. Hiking or hunting literally ground the spirit, while inviting the soul to soar above the tops of the tallest trees.

From the wide-open spaces of the Indian Reservations, to the mountainside town of Crown King, the spectacular beauty of Havasu Canyon compares to no other place. Positioned at the southeastern entrance to the Grand Canyon, with access on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, this location must be reached on foot, or by pack mule. An area of limestone pools and basins to wade in and to swim in are at the base of Havasu Falls. Mooney Falls is a vista best seen in-person – not with a camera.

"Havasupai" means "people of the blue-green waters." The Havasupai tribe is the smallest Indian Nation in America totaling about 600 people. Before the arrival of Europeans, they farmed the land where the canyon widened and the plentiful waters of Havasu Creek allowed them to create an emerald haven in a sun scorched land. In the summertime, they grew corn, squash, melons and beans and after harvesting their crops in the fall, they moved to winter settlements on the rim of the canyon where men hunted deer, antelope and small game and women made beautiful baskets. They traded with the Zuni and Hopi exchanging buck skins and red ocher for pottery and turquoise. The Havasupai were renowned for their fine quality buck skins and their powdered red ocher, obtained from a secret place, was particularly prized by other tribes for painting their faces. This idyllic lifestyle was interrupted by the arrival of miners and ranchers who seized their lands on the plateau and restricted them to a small reservation in the canyon. Almost a century passed before their winter homelands were restored by Congress in 1975…. (Havasu par 3)

At the top of the trail, the landscape is anything but inviting. The trailhead is barren and rocky. It is a 20-mile hike down into the actual campgrounds, but within a few miles of the trailhead, one begins to get into green vegetation that signals the presence of underground streams and small springs. The hike from thereon is beautiful, tranquil, and relatively easy.

Coming back out, however, may be better suited to riding a horse, available to rent. This is a necessity to those who have trouble hiking on an uphill grade. Horses are also available to rent for carrying gear and supplies.

During the early 1970’s Havasu Canyon became an unofficial home to a mobile community of “Hippies,” who took up uninvited residency (Wilhite). Through the efforts of the Havasupai people and the National Forest Service, this canyon was made into a protected area, and informal “squatting” was no longer permitted (Havasu par 3). Now, any person or group wishing to visit must make reservations with the tribe, obtain permits, and pay park/camping fees. This is still much less expensive than staying in a fancy hotel, and the waterfalls at the end of the trail are breathtaking, and make the journey well worth the trouble.

Traveling throughout Arizona can foster camaraderie and solidify family ties, while being much easier on the budget than traveling elsewhere. Scouting adventures, church group retreats, outings with friends, and even family reunions can be much more memorable occasions, if spent amidst the grandeur and vastness of Arizona’s mountains and wilderness. Imagine if possible, the difference in the memories made on these types of vacations, as opposed to braving the “wilds” of the city, and some pricey hotel or convention center. Most people would find there is no comparison.

Scenic locations within the State of Arizona are a travel “must,” but each trip requires some advanced preparation, although none of it is difficult or costly. Some things to consider would be:

Know your location:

Check weather reports

Check fire and travel restrictions

Verify types of services/amenities available

Know the terrain (hike in, drive in, or 4-wheel drive required?)

Know the roads – get a map (and read it)

If you are planning on camping:

Know locations and availability of camp sites

Check for possibly required permits/fees

Buy/rent/borrow appropriate gea

Study native wildlife and foliage

Proper attire, proper footwear

If not camping:

Hotels, motels, cabins, lodges available most places

Check pricing of eateries, possibly take own food

Always take extra cash for unforeseen expenses

Don’t forget:

Be prepared for abrupt weather changes

Lots of extra water

Blankets and snacks readily available

Emergency radio/cell phone

Extra cash

Spare tire

Inform family member of destination and expected time of return

In a recent survey of 100 MCC students, who had lived in Arizona for three years or more. According to the results, only 18 had heard of Havasu Canyon, 12 had heard of White river, and one had heard of Crown King. Of those, six had actually hiked Havasu, four had been to White River or the White Mountain Indian Reservation, and only one had been to Crown King (Dressler).

As noted previously, Arizona has many exciting and beautiful places to visit or vacation. Many people who have lived in Arizona for most or all of their lives, and may have traveled significantly, have never reached out to see what is in their own backyard. The State of Arizona is home to unparalleled beauty and significant journeys into history. Hopefully, one day, more Arizona residents will step out to see what they have been missing – but, perhaps not. Regardless, the many spectacular sites available for Arizonans to visit easily explain why the Native Americans love this land.

(On a personal note: As a child, my family did a LOT of camping, hunting, and fishing all over the state. Also, as a young adult, and also with my family as they were growing up, we went camping and fishing. Spending time in the mountains, pine trees, and by a lake is great for a person's spiritual well-being, and instills a greater love and appreciation for all of God's creations. I LOVE the outdoors, and especially my beautiful Arizona!

I hope this makes you as excited about heading out into the outer parts of our beautiful state, Arizona, and getting to know them better!

Let's go Camping!

Work - That's a Work of Art

One of my friends, Dian Baker, is the accompanist for the Phoenix Boys' Choir. They're currently on a three-week concert tour of Minnesota, Ohio, and adjacent states. While she's away, she has hired me to "re-tile" the small step at her front doorway. The walkway is terra cotta tile, and the step was breaking away on the edges, so she wanted it repaired.

During a redo of their back yard, she and her husband (who is also away on a piano teaching tour in Europe) discovered the beauty of glass pebbles, in semi-clear light colors. This is what she wanted for her step. I've been working on it for a little over a week and, even with school, I've made great progress!

It has really been an interesting project. It started out a tile job, and ended up being an art project. The space is so narrow that I ended up having to use a cake spatula to spread the thin-set. It really did look just like white frosting! And then I had to use a kitchen knife to "butter" the backs of quite a few of the small pieces, since each pebble had to be placed individually. I used the spatula again to "frost" the grout on. The only thing was, I couldn't lick my fingers. (Yuck!)

I'm nearly finished. I still need to fill in a few tiny places that the grout didn't get into, and put a line of grout (with a cake decorating tip, no less) around the edge of the design, just to finish it off with a smooth edge. Once I get this finished, I have to wait 3 days before I can put down a sealer.

The tile crosses the step and cascades off the edges -- down onto the edges of the walkway, itself.
It's not finished, and it looks AWESOME already! I love it, and I know she will too. She returns in a week. I'm anxious for her to see it.

These pictures are of the "before." When it's finished, I'll put up shots of the finished product. (If you look in the picture to the right, you can barely see a few of the pebbles in a test patch.)

Well, here goes!

It has been a busy summer, so far. School is going well, and I finally am getting the chance to do research and a paper on something I have a passion for - the scenic parts of Arizona! Yay! In my online English class, we had to read the book, The Dark Wind, by Tony Hillerman. If you're into mysteries and Native American culture, or are just curious, this is a great book. It takes place mostly in the northeastern part of Arizona, and has a lot of interesting information about Native American culture and folklore. I really loved it. It is also a very good mystery, on top of that. I highly recommend it.

I'm also taking World Religions and a Communications/Speech class. So far, I have an "A" average in all 3. Double-Yay! Summer school is pretty intense. They're 5-week courses, which means you do about a week's worth of work per school day, since the 5 weeks' class equals a semester's worth of credit for the class. Ouch! But I'm doing well. We've already finished two weeks of the 4-1/2-week session. Because of 4th of July, it's out early. Still, I'll be glad to get to July 2nd, when the classes end.

Other than that, I'm doing some work for a friend - resurfacing her front doorstep with clear, water-colored pebbles in a cool water-shaped mosaic. It's almost complete and looks awesome! I'll post pics when it's finished.

The picture here is of Havasu Falls, one of the places I'm highlighting in my paper. Located in the bottom of Havasu Canyon (southwest entrance to the Grand Canyon), it's a scenic wonder. I've had the opportunity of hiking down there twice. It's a 20-mile hike, but totally worth it. It's really a beautiful place, and one of my favorite spots on the planet. Out of the shot, to the left, there are a bunch of stair-stepped, limestone pools that you can swim or play in. So gorgeous! I'd love to go again someday.