VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE...

Lots of things have been happening since you last heard from us.  My Tapestry Weaving book "Tapestry Weaving - A comprehensive Study Guide" has been out of print (after 20 years), for a couple years and I have recently signed a contract with Echo Point Books after they contacted me about reprinting the book.

I will also be writing a few articles for weaving magazines, giving a luncheon program here at our RV Resort on The Woven Cloth and attending a few textile conference to help promote the reprint of "Tapestry Weaving".  So, as you might imagine,  I will have less "blogging" time and  will only post when we are traveling and/or attending a special event, like the upcoming wedding of our granddaughter Megan Harvey in Colorado  Aug 10th 2015, which will include 3 weeks traveling by car as we see more sites along the way and have a "Sibs" Reunion with my brothers who will also be in Colorado for the festivities.

A photo gallery recap of the last 6 weeks is briefly included below...

Crazy skies presented themselves as we headed out on our annual
Christmas Day Picnic Drive.

Our counter clockwise trip took us about 188 miles - google
told us it was about 4 hours, it took us 6.5 hours because there were
so many interesting things to see.

The Women's Auxilliary Ferrying Service was at
the Coolidge Army Air Field during WWII so we stopped
by to learn more!!!

These dedicated WAFS actually averaged about 1100 hours
with 200-hp rating prior to joining.

Tom Mix's Memorial Marker was located along our
route so we stopped to find out what happened
that fateful day Oct 12, 1940 when he was
killed while driving his custom built Cord Roadster
between Tucson and Florence AZ.

After passing thru Oracle, we enjoyed another fun stop
at  the Mammoth AZ rest stop, with mining roots

and some creative artwork on display.

This is a close-up of the massive  Ray Copper Mine just
south of Superior AZ.  We've been here before many times 

and chose the visitor overlook to enjoy our Xmas picnic lunch.

A week later, we headed west for El Mirage AZ and enjoyed
another beautiful sky.

Don stopped to geocache near this massive
rose garden while I enjoyed doing some more
photography

after  "picking  up" the Gold Medal
at the SW Regional Pickleball Tournament.

with my  partner  Ron in the 70+ mixed doubles.
We received a beautiful double sided gold medal!!!

Grandson Max has a winter job on the North Slope...

Exon is working with Nabors Drilling
and Max is working on this... the  largest/deepest piece
of drilling equipment in the world.  Go Max!!!
http://www.nabors.com/services/drilling-rig-services-overview/land-drilling

No, this isn't AK - it's AZ, the Superstition Mtns, right
out our kitchen window.  However the temp is not minus 40
as it is where Max is working!!!

I've been doing a little stained glass work and this is the view
from the dining area into the kitchen in our AZ resort home.

As you can see, the place has gone to the birds...
some of my favorites, the Great White Pelican,
the Bald Eagle

and this almost life-size Sandhill Crane.
We visited them in person last year, just south of
Socorro NM.

Needing a colorful bird to hang above the stove,
I chose to do a Mosaic of the Lorakeet.

And after that completed 2 stacking tables for use by
our friends...  Wine or Beer anyone?  Stop by...

Time left for another  tournaments...  no medals this
time but had fun in Surprise AZ.

We stayed at the lovely Windmill Suites in Surprise

where Don located a geocache near

the lake while I photographed some more birds.

We crossed the street for a light supper, and this was our view
as we walked back to the motel - another fabulous AZ sunset
reflecting in the pond where birds continued to play.

And as I sit here tonight, wrapping up this blog, the
clouds continue to perform.   As I mentioned above, posts will be
less frequent, but please stop by once
in a while to see if we're off on another adventure, etc.
Hugs, Don and Nancy