Years Later!

Many years ago when I was just a little girl my Daddy made me a doll crib. I still have it! Through the playing of many nieces and our own three boys it has survived. The girls probably used it as a doll crib (maybe even put their baby sister in it!) whereas our boys probably used it as a canoe - or a battle ship - or fighter airplane. Who really knows with the new adventures unfolding every day with three energetic boys. No matter what imaginary stories it created, it survived. The other day hubby pulled it out from under the stairwell in search of a tough tote of baby clothes long ago given to our son (now a Daddy himself.)

Not being sure what to do with the "doll" crib, but not willing to put it back into the dark recesses below the stairs, it was sitting in the play room downstairs when the need arose last Saturday for a comfy spot for a sweet new little girl to rest while her Mommy and Grandma painted on the new garage being built for her family. It worked just fine. Somehow I think her Great-Grandpa would have been proud to see the little one resting peacefully while busy hands around her worked til the days end. So there it will stay as long as needed in the coming months.

Grandpa Babysitting

They both enjoyed the first "sitting" together. Grandpa watched the evening news and Baby snoozed quite comfortably in his arms! Happy little girl! Happy Grandpa!

Our Latest Adventure

Our latest adventure took us back into the workshop. Peter designed and together we made a rocking cradle stand to be used first by the newest little member of the family. We had the wood picked up and cut out before she came, but since she was early we weren't able to deliver the finished product when she first arrived. They have it now and it seems to be working well for them! This was a stretching of Peter's thinking and woodworking skills. I just followed along encouraging him while passing him tools, sanding where I could and wiping up excess glue. I also did the finishing to make the already durable maple more durable for many more years.

In the first picture you can see Peter deep in thought contemplating making the Aspen oval to actually hold the Basket. The second picture shows a thumbs up for success. Only two more layers to glue on (and use every hand clamp in the shop to hold them in place overnight!) Picture three shows the base being clamped for overnight drying. (No nails were used - only mortise and tenon construction.) Picture four shows the finished product in B & K's living room. The basket fits and so does little EM. Picture number five is Grandpa talking with his little granddaughter. Their little talk could be about anything - maybe even how much fun it is to work in the workshop!

Last Adventure

Tuesday was our last adventure. We left the villa at 9:00 in the morning, boarded a van already filled with eight other people (nine including the driver/tour guide) and spent the day in the desert looking at plants that had the chance to bloom this spring because of the amount of rainfall received this past winter. This is not a yearly occurrence and something worth seeing when it rarely happens. We drove out to the Apache Trail and followed it around back into Scottsdale and arrived back at 6:00 in the evening. Along the way we went through a small desert interpretive trail, stopped at Tortilla Flats for lunch and saw the Roosevelt Dam. The road was wind-y, steep (!) and gravel. I certainly wouldn't do it in a rental vehicle or after a good rainfall! We learned a lot about cactus and got a fair number of pictures which was our purpose in taking this tour. Other than being crammed in the back seat of the fourth bench where Peter managed to bump his sun burnt head too many times, the scenery was incredible. We were the last picked up and the last dropped off. (We also graciously took that seat since we seemed to be the most mobile of the whole group.)

First Picture: Superstition Mountains we snaked our way through on the Apache Trail
Second Picture: Saguaro and Octillo Cactus
Third Picture: Prickley Pear Cactus which makes good ice cream flavoring
Fourth Picture: Tortilla Flats restaurant and bar which has wallpaper that is money bills from around the world
Fifth Picture: Roosevelt Dam

The rest of the story!

Now that we are back maybe I should finish up "the rest of the story" - the remaining few days of our incredibly short holiday. After the Grand Canyon trip we weren't sure what could top that.

On Monday we went to Taliesin West for the "Behind the Scenes" Tour. This was especially in honor of Peter's birthday and of course I went along to help him celebrate! I'm not sure what pics I should put on this blog - seeing as all pictures taken were strictly for private usage because of regulations. Taliesin West is both school and museum wrapped up in one. During our three hour tour (no we didn't leave dry land for those of you who remember the Gilligan Days) we toured the grounds, had tea in the still in use dining room, sat in the performance hall, cabaret hall, private living room of the Wright's, Frank Lloyd Wright's own office and the Sun Room built for visiting guests. We viewed the Wright's private day rooms and saw so much more. Frank Lloyd Wright was a short man - not much taller than me so all the seating was low. The gentleman had a well known viewpoint that anything over six feet was a waste of space and this showed up in the architecture and furnishing of Taliesin West! We ended the tour (by our choice) at the book and gift shop. Lego has even created a few sets for Taliesin, "Fallingwater" designed for a private client and the "Guggenheim Museum" in New York. Too bad we only had so much luggage space coming back! To know more or see more of our tour you will have to google or visit us!

One more tour left - that will be the rest of the rest of the story to come yet!

Just for Eric!

Mom and I thought you would find this interesting, son! These dealers are all in a row less than a minute from our villa! The photos were all taken while driving past!

Remember this boys?

We were just wondering if you boys remember the palms decorated at Christmas time in 1997, also in the Phoenix area. This photo was taken tonight. We saw numerous other locations with trees all lit up. I guess it is not reserved for just Christmas time!