Running Through Hollywood In The Desert

This weekend Ed and our neighbor John participated in the Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run.

Old Tucson is a movie studio and theme park located adjacent to the Saguaro National Park just west of the city of Tucson, Arizona.  They've been making movies here since 1939, and I'll bet there are several on the list that you've seen.  I even ran into Josh Brolin once while he was filming Young Riders there.

Check out the list of movies and TV shows filmed at Old Tucson.  You might be surprised to learn that some of your favorites were filmed just 20 miles from my house!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Demo Day
2016: What? This Is Perfectly Normal.
2015: Inside The Walls
2014: What A Difference A Day Makes
2013: The Inner Path To The Outer Banks
2012: The Greatest Love Of All
2011: Step It Up
2010: It May Not Be EVERY Day You Learn Something New, But It’s Certainly True Of THIS Day
2009: Dreams Of Do-It-Yourself Dolloping Come True
2008: Rest In Peace Sweet Green Eyed Beauty
2007: George And Ira
2006: Zip It Up!
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Three Hippie Chicks And Me

Mina, Vicki, and Kelsey (seated) in the Barrio Viejo in Tucson, AZ

My best friend is a hippie. 

OK, well, not a real hippie.  She's more Bohemian, free-spirit, a live-and-let-live type.  She embraces casual and personifies laid-back.

Easygoing, down-to-earth, engaging, funny, non-judgemental, kind, not influenced by trends, unencumbered by "stuff", happy to bloom where she's planted, a lover of the simple life.  She probably hasn't purchased a tube of lipstick or wielded a curling iron in 30 years. 

In other words, the polar opposite of me.

And she's been this way since the first day I met her, 32 years ago, at a ski resort in the Catskill Mountains.  I walked in wearing a red silk blouse, black trumpet skirt, black heels, and a merino wool cape.  Don't laugh, capes were in style at the time.  And it was my mother's, I just borrowed it for my interview.  I had big eighties-style hair and a full face of makeup.

Vicki was wearing a turtleneck, sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers.  Maybe mascara.  Same hairstyle as in the photo above.  That's how we rolled - I was full-on glam, she was usually in boxer shorts and a sweatshirt and no bra.  We still laugh about how it is we're best of friends.  We think so much alike that we joke we share two halves of the same brain.  She is my soulmate if such a thing exists. 

She came to visit me this month, with her daughter Mina and Mina's best bud, Kelsey.  We had a great time.  I was transported back to my twenties when we'd sit around my house in the woods and talk and laugh as time passed without notice.  We were inseparable.  Ed made a comment after Vicki left about how much laughing we did.  He said, "I heard what you were talking about.  I was listening to every word.  But I still have no idea why you were laughing."  And he never will.  We didn't leave him out, he was included in everything we all did while she was here, but we have something special and it's never been duplicated.  My life was filled with a familiar joy when she was here.  I felt alive and energized.  The vibe was decidedly different.

She texted me after she left saying how she missed me so much already.  I miss her, too.  There may be distance between us physically, but mentally we're always in the same place.

A visit to Nashville is now on the 2018 calendar.  



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: The Fanciest Digs In Town
2016: Moon Rising
2015: Almost There
2014: Winter Water Running Through Watertown
2013: The Pretty Pink Sailor
2012: Many Thanks To Those Of You Who Come To Peer Through My Window
2011: And I Thought My Feet Were Big!
2010: ABC. Easy As 123. As Simple As Do Re Mi, ABC, 123, Baby You And Me
2009: Under The Black Palm Tree
2008: The Zoo In Stateroom 7377
2007: Pillars
2006: Fiori Di Como
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Garlic Is Life

Photo courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Garlic is life.  The smells of my childhood wouldn't be complete without the smell of garlic wafting through the air.  I've only met one person in my entire life who said they didn't like garlic. 

"I don't like garlic.  Ruins any dish you put it in."  Those words came from our neighbor John who, along with his wife, was deemed "the best new person I've met" in #36 of my 2017 year-end meme.  Those words almost ended our newfound relationship.

I'm a skilled enough cook that I can whip up a meal sans garlic for the night I finally get around to inviting them for dinner (Hey Susan!  Let me know what your schedule looks like - we'll make plans.) but for all those other nights, and all those other meals, I've found several garlic-filled recipes that I definitely will be slipping into my rotation.

Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken Thighs with Charred Lemon Salsa Verde & Asparagus

Rosemary Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

Creamy Roasted Garlic Potato Soup with Crispy Brussels & Chili Oil

Baby Artichokes with Garlic and Tomatoes

Thai Style Green Beans

Garlic and Rosemary Grilled Chicken with Scallions

Garlicky Bok Choy

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic and Chili

Classic Garlic Bread (Ed's favorite way to eat bread)

Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

Oven-Roasted Garlic

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Roasted Potatoes (Can't have enough potatoes!)

Grilled Garlic and Black Pepper Shrimp


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: The Queen Of Copper's King
2016: Working The Land
2015: Pre-Columbian Toothlace
2014: Who Needs Sochi? We've Got Watertown.
2013: On The Brink Of A Duel
2012: Cheap And Accessible
2011: What’s In A Name?
2010: Missing The Day
2009: Shameless Self Promotion
2008: Dwarfed By A Behemoth Of The Sea
2007: Ditched
2006: Hudson River Solitude
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Dog From The State Of Sonora

I've been living in Tucson, Arizona off and on for 38 years and this week was the first time I've ever had a Sonoran Dog.  Since my best friend was in town, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity for Ed and I to try something new and for them to experience a Southwestern specialty.  

There are two places I considered going to for this Southern Arizona treat - El Güero Canelo and BK Tacos.  El Güero Canelo has been around since 1993 and recently received an American Classics award from the James Beard Foundation and BK Tacos was featured on the Travel Channel's Food Wars show.

As a group, we decided on BK Tacos because we also wanted to try their grilled carne asada tacos, featuring meat cooked over a mesquite fire, which is a custom in this area.

A Sonoran Dog is a regular beef hot dog, wrapped in bacon, cradled in a soft, pillowy, slightly sweet roll, topped with whole pinto beans, grilled and fresh onions, fresh diced tomato, decorated with mayonnaise and a dash of mustard and finished with their secret jalapeño sauce.  It's served with a plump, tasty, grilled yellow pepper on the side.

The tacos were great, definitely a win, and I've gotta say I was also pretty impressed with the Sonoran dog.  I liked everything they put on the dog, and the mayonnaise was a surprise.  I didn't think I'd enjoy mayo on a hot dog.  The grilled yellow pepper it was served with was delicious - soft and warm, with a nice charred flavor. 

Next time, we'll hit El Güero Canelo.  I'm all about taste tests and a little local rivalry.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: More Like A Submarine Sandwich
2016: Good Stuff, Maynard!
2015: Spiky On The Outside, Sinfully Delicious Inside
2014: The Most Awkward Descent Down A Snow Covered Hill. Ever.
2013: At The Top Of My Favorite Cities List
2012: Not Looking Anymore
2011: There Is Hope
2010: Where The Bunnies Of The Desert Hang Out
2009: The Marion County Shirt Factory Incident
2008: Eddie Roams The Mayan Ruins Friday
2007: Self Service Antiques
2006: Begin At Once
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Comfortable Love

This is the practical route for sure, but this year I bought Ed two cards and he bought me three.

Our first Valentine's Day as husband and wife.

After we read the cards, we watched a movie.  Win-win.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: I Heart Cats
2016: Sweet And Undefineable
2015: Grand And Important
2014: Winter Is A Table Set With Ice And Starlight
2013: The Romance Of The Road
2012: Celebrate With A Wild Desire
2011: Powerful Stuff
2010: Falling In Love With Ugly 
2009: A Love Like This Can Know No Death 
2008: Peace To This House
2007: The Sultan Of Love 
2006: It’s Even Better Than Arbor Day
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Free Spirits

My best friend Vicki's daughter Mina (in orange) and her best friend Kelsey posing in the doorway of an old building in the Barrio Viejo section of Tucson.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: May Your Guiding Light Be Strong
2016: Rock The Moc
2015: Hustle And Bustle In Ancient Guatemala
2014: The Flakes Got Up Early And Stayed All Day
2013: Headed For A Slow Boat To China
2012: A Roaring Forties Tasmanian Devil Of A Blue
2011: Waiter! There’s A Beer In My Soup!
2010: I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Wolf
2009: Eddie Getting His Licks Friday
2008: The Place Is In Ruins
2007: Winter Shadows
2006: The Angels Of The New York D.O.T.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Healing, Herbs, And Community

This store has been around since 2003 and I would have never a) known it existed, b) gone inside, or c) been able to tell you a thing about it, if it weren't for my best friend from Nashville and her daughter coming across it as we walked around downtown Tucson this past week while they were visiting.

The Tucson Herb Store is located on 4th Avenue in Tucson, Arizona and from what I gathered during my short visit seems to be a great place to pick up herbs, essential oils, teas, and incense.

They even have smudge sticks should you be in the market for that kind of thing.




~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: This Is Everything
2016: Shocking
2015: Waiting For Turistas
2014: The Still Before The Storm
2013: Sizzle, Drizzle, And Pour
2012: Dreams Explored Over Dinner
2011: I’m In Love And It’s Not Even Valentine’s Day Yet
2010: Eddie As Fisherman Friday
2009: Birds And Barbells On Muscle Beach
2008: A Girl On The Shores Of Cozumel
2007: I’m Not Exactly Sure What You’re Proposing Here
2006: The Blizzard Of 2006
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Bestie In The Caldera

My best friend of 32 years came from Nashville to visit me in Arizona.  Here she is (the very tiny person in the center of the photo) at Gates Pass, standing in the caldera between the Tucson Mountains - seen in the distance - and the Santa Catalina Mountains, which are not visible in this photo because they're behind me.

The road through Gates Pass began in 1883 when it was carved out by Thomas Gates, a local pioneer, saloon keeper, and rancher, as a shortcut to his carbonate mine in Avra Valley.  A sign at the top of Gates Pass says, "While exploring these mountains, he found this natural canyon, marked by 'bubbling springs, streams, and lush growth'.  Gates paid $1,000 to clear and grade the winding road over this pass, which now bears his name.  Three years after he built this road, he was appointed the superintendent of Yuma Territorial Prison.  Gates made it one of the best-run prisons in the country."


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: A Living Snapshot Of Another America
2016: C'mere, Give Me A Hug
2015: La Bufadora And Almejas Gratinadas
2014: In The Nick Of Time
2013: This Business Means Business
2012: A Nodding Donkey On The Hill
2011: What A Croc
2010: Flash Of Pole
2009: They Hire ‘Em Young These Days
2008: Setting Sail At Sunset
2007: Happy Bee
2006: It’s Not Unusual
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Scraggly Winter Tree

Sunset, 6:07 PM.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Finding Money In The Mule Mountains
2016: The Sounds Of The Desert
2015: The Ancient And Mysterious
2014: The New Rest Area
2013: Sidestepping Nemo Wasn't All That Hard
2012: Fun, Fresh, Fabulous Little Neighborhood
2011: What Do You Get When The Daily Rant Meets The Plum Trucker? A Plum Crush!
2010: Industrial Morning
2009: Sunset On Venice
2008: Knots And Nautical Miles
2007: What Is The World Coming To When The Girls Next Door Think They Are Fat??
2006: T.T.D.L.I.T.H.A.T.I.F.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Maybe This Time

I used to watch Glee religiously. I loved the characters, the show tunes, the original songs. It's not on anymore, but I'd happily pick up where I left off.

Last night on Grey's Anatomy, one of the patients in the beginning of the show was belting out "Maybe This Time", a song from the musical Cabaret. In Glee, the song was sung by the extraordinary Kristin Chenoweth. It's one of my favorite versions.

On a side note - it's weird seeing Matthew Morrison again in this clip because recently on Grey's Anatomy they just killed him off - he was playing the abusive ex-husband of Jo, one of the main characters.

Yeah, I watch too much television.  I know.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Queen Of The Copper Camps
2016: He Ran By And Told Me To Share Links
2015: Heading To Shore
2014: Chocolate And Gnocchi - The Best Of Any World
2013: Looking And Smelling Good Behind The Wheel Of A Big Rig
2012: Necessary Evil
2011: Getting Drunk On Summer Fun
2010: How Is It The Fish Don’t Freeze???
2009: A Meal Even 300 Year Old Monks Would Love
2008: Not A Knock Knock Joke
2007: Eddie Shades Friday
2006: The Idiot And The Box
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Wipeout!

Ed took this picture in Oceanside, California of a surfer wiping out just as he made his way to shore.  All the surfers wore wetsuits.  I know it's California, but it's still February, people.  That water is COLD!



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Protecting The Garden
2016: A '58 Turns 58
2015: The Animals Came In Two By Two
2014: The Jolly Green Giant Lives In Blue Earth
2013: My Man's Got More Than A Million
2012: He Might Not Be Able To Move A Rubber Tree Plant, But He Can Certainly Get Transportation In California To Come To A Screeching Halt
2011: Business As Usual In America
2010: Teeny Tiny Cows Are So Delicious With A Side Of Teeny Tiny Tortellini
2009: Sleeping Atop Signal Hill
2008: Eddie Reads A Book Friday
2007: Finally! Someone Who Thinks I’m God’s Gift To Man
2006: Pool Shark
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Beware, Stupid People

Captured a picture of this brown pelican on the pier in Oceanside, California.

They must perch here often because just below the railing was an area cordoned off with rope and a sign that said, "Don't get too close.  He bites stupid people."

I was not bitten. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: A Creator's Paradise
2016: The Naked Truth
2015: True Civilization
2014: Late Afternoon In South Dakota
2013: Farm To Market
2012: Providence Silhouette
2011: We Got Fatter But We Lost Weight
2010: Stripping, Vitamins, And Cheesecake
2009: Ocean Front Crowd
2008: He Wouldn’t Recommend His Wife To Anyone He Knows
2007: Spring Has Sprung In My Hotel Room
2006: High School Hottie
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

First Birthday As A Married Man

This is the first time I've ever been able to say this...

Happy Birthday to my smart, sexy, funny, sweet, generous, loving, extremely handsome HUSBAND!!!

Looking forward to many more wonderful years of celebrating with you!



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Established 1975
2016: Happy Birthday, My Sweet Prince!
2015: Celebration At Sea
2014: Winter Baby
2013: Let Me Count The Ways
2012: He’s Been Waiting For This Day For Thirty-Seven Years
2011: Twisted Raoul
2010: The Spring Chicken Celebrates His Big Day
2009: Eddie It’s My Birthday! It’s My Birthday! Friday
2008: As Pisghetti Gains Another Year, I Lose Eight
2007: Happy Birthday My Sweet Eddie!!!
2006: The Many Faces Of Ed
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Binging On The Box

We have a 2006 model engine in our truck, and because of this, we don't meet the CARB  (California Air Resource Board) requirements to travel in California as we wish.  We do qualify for the low-use vehicle exemption though, which allows us to travel in the state of California 1,000 miles per year.    

We will be picking up a load this afternoon and leaving the state.  This trip will use the last of our miles for the year.  Because we're so tight on miles, we couldn't' use our truck to drive around this weekend.  We delivered our last load on Thursday, so that left us sitting around in the truck Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  We did find local public transportation on Saturday to get out and do something, but the rest of the time we were essentially stranded in an area where we couldn't get any TV channels and the internet was the worst I've experienced in a loooong time.  I could barely eke out an Instagram.

So on Saturday, knowing we'd be in the truck all evening and all of the next day, we picked out a few Redbox movies to keep us busy.  Ten movies, to be exact.  Here's what we rented:
The Snowman:  From executive producer Martin Scorsese, The Snowman is based on Jo Nesbø's New York Times bestselling thriller series. When an elite crime squad's lead detective investigates the disappearance of a victim on the first snow of winter, he fears an elusive serial killer may be active again.

Marshall:  Based on a true story, MARSHALL follows future Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, as he defends a black man from sexual assault charges against his white employer.

Battle of the Sexes: The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.

Geostorm:  Something's wrong with the satellites that control climate and prevent devastating natural disasters. It's a race to uncover the threat before a worldwide geostorm engulfs the planet.

Mother!:  When a poet and his young wife open their doors to a pair of unexpected houseguests, a series of disturbing events turn their idyllic home into a hellish nightmare. Jennifer Lawrence stars in the mind-blowing thriller from director Darren Aronofsky.

Kidnap:  The film is a heart-stopping action thriller following a mother (Berry) who will stop at nothing to rescue her kidnapped son.

Atomic Blonde:  Charlize Theron stars as a secret agent who gets double-crossed as she attempts to escape out of Berlin with a priceless dossier in this breakneck action-thriller.

Mark Felt: The powerful true story about brilliant Felt, "Deep Throat" the Watergate whistleblower, who sacrificed everything in the name of justice.

Home Again:  Recently separated from her husband, Alice (Reese Witherspoon) finds an unlikely new family and a budding new romance when three young filmmakers move into her guest house. A story of love, friendship, the families we create, Home Again is a modern romantic comedy with one very big life lesson: starting over is not for beginners!

Bladerunner 2049:  A new blade runner unearths a secret that could plunge what's left of society into chaos and leads him on a quest to find a former LAPD blade runner who's been missing for 30 years.

The Snowman kept my interest.  I LOVED Marshall.  Battle of The Sexes was great (Billie Jean King was a badass!).  Geostorm was eh.  Mother! was HORRIFIC, absolutely horrific.  I hate anything by Darren Aronofsky, I should have known better.  I couldn't get through Atomic Blonde but might go back to it.  Mark Felt was extremely topical, we could use a Mark Felt right about now.  Home Again was delightful.  And Bladerunner 2049 isn't my thing, but Ed liked it.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Ghost Town Patrol
2016: Steakhouse Din
2015: Water Is Precious
2014: Who's That Behind Those Foster Grants?
2013: Where Are The Cushy Couches And Fat Laps?
2012: The Stealth Trucker
2011: Aisles Filled With Q-Tips
2010: Lights, Camera, Action!
2009: Desktop Material
2008: C’mon In
2007: Eddie Hits The Bricks Friday
2006: Built With The Organization Gene
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Quonset Quartet

Quonset huts at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California.

Known as the West Coast's premier expeditionary training base, Camp Pendleton is the Corps' largest West Coast expeditionary training facility, encompassing more than 125,000 acres of terrain, with more than 2,600 buildings, 500 miles of roads, and more than 38,000 military family members in base housing. 

The daytime population of 70,000 includes both military and civilian personnel and has been the largest employer in North San Diego County for more than 60 years.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Baltic Gold
2016: 350 Days Of Sunshine Per Year
2015: Tenderly
2014: What Else Is There To Do When It's One Degree Outside?
2013: Packing Up
2012: A Man Can Do All Things If He Will
2011: Spinning Our Wheels
2010: It Takes Two
2009: Buona Sera King Louis
2008: The Newest B & B Trend Might Not Take Off As Expected
2007: Pirelli
2006: Classic Sal
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

The Land Of Little Water

In person, this moon was amazing, the picture just doesn't do it justice.  It was full and so white, setting behind the mountain just as the sun was coming up.  I'm glad I got to snap a quick picture as we drove through Twentynine Palms, located in the Mojave Desert in Southern California because it was truly one of the only things worth looking at.  

From the Twentynine Palms city website:

"The first recorded exploration of Twentynine Palms was made in 1855 by desert surveyor Colonel Henry Washington. He found Native Americans, principally from the Chemeheuvi tribe, living in the surrounding hills and near the spring they called "Mar-rah," meaning "land of little water." The spring, which is now called the Oasis of Mara, is located on the grounds of the historic 29 Palms Inn adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park Headquarters and Oasis Visitor Center. 

The early Native American inhabitants (Serrano, Chemheuvi, and Cahuilla) were followed in the 1870s by prospectors in search of gold. The Oasis of Mara was a favorite camping spot. There, prospectors would rest and replenish their water supplies before venturing farther into the unknown desert. The area was then generally known as Palms Springs. 

Legend says that the name of Twentynine Palms was first used by these gold miners because of the 29 Washingtonia filifera palm trees surrounding the Oasis, and in fact the area was designated as such in the description of a mining claim by two partners known as McKenzie and Germain, who stated that their claim was a certain distance from 29 Palms Springs. However, it is also known that an A.P. Green, a member of an 1858 survey party, reported that there were 26, not 29, fine, large palm trees at the oasis. There are many stories told of the derivation of our present name, including one that claims that it was Colonel Washington who named it for the number of palm trees he found at the oasis at the time of his 1855 survey, but this has never been authenticated. 

In the 1870s, local Native Americans led prospectors to locations south and east of the oasis where gold had been found. Thus, mining began in the area that later became known as Gold Park. It was not long before freighters were hauling supplies to be used not only in the Gold Park District but also in the Dale Mining District east of Twentynine Palms, where other valuable deposits had been located. Gold mining continued sporadically through the following years, but ended about the time of the onset of World War I, when no further new ore deposit discoveries were occurring.

After the war, many veterans returned to their homes suffering from tuberculosis and the effects of the mustard gas that had been used in combat. Dr. James B. Luckie from Pasadena, California, treated many of these men and in the 1920s began to search for an area in the California desert that would provide a beneficial environment for people afflicted with respiratory and heart ailments. After visiting many places, he chose Twentynine Palms because it had a moderate elevation and clean dry air, as well as being accessible to large cities. Veterans brought their families and began homesteading the 160-acre parcels then made available to settlers by the federal government at no cost. It was this homesteading that determined the widespread area that is Twentynine Palms today." 

The city is most famous for being the location of the world's largest Marine Corps training base, the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. 

I marvel at some of the things one can photograph in the desert - cactus, sunsets, mountains, odd-looking plants - but I'm not really a fan of any kind of desert landscape.  I'm sure this place has some appeal for its residents since the city motto is "A Desert Oasis", but I found the city and surrounding area with its rundown houses, sand battered storefronts and endless barren terrain to be depressing and bleak.  It defined desperate and lonely to me.

I read that it's also known for its pristine air and brilliant star-filled nights.  I can see how that might be appealing.  Who doesn't like star gazing?

And I bet it looks a whole lot better at night.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Urban Creep
2016: Ed's View
2015: Place Of Refuge
2014: A Story Told In Stone
2013: Eddie Sandwich
2012: Finally – Freight To Buzz About!
2011: For The Crybabies
2010: Chillin’ In Utah
2009: Taking The Peas For A Ride In A Cozy Little Shell
2008: Wyth Jane’s Kin In Wytheville
2007: Color In Architecture
2006: Living On
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Fiber, Feed, And Food

According to the National Cotton Council of America, "Texas is the leading cotton-producing state in the nation. Cotton is grown in 17 states stretching across the southern half of the United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Cotton is a fiber, feed and food crop.  About two-thirds of the harvested crop is composed of the seed, which is crushed to separate its three products–oil, meal, and hulls. Cottonseed oil is a common component of many food items, used primarily as a cooking oil, shortening and salad dressing. The oil is used extensively in the preparation of such snack foods as crackers, cookies, and chips. The meal and hulls are used as livestock, poultry and fish feed and as fertilizer."

A bale of cotton weighs approximately 500 pounds.  Here's a list of things that can be made from a bale.

The photo of this mostly picked-over field was taken in Texas.  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Time For A Questival!
2016: The Last Link Should Be Your First Stop
2015: The Gods Are Angry. Or Laughing.
2014: These Four Guys Always Have The Same Expression On Their Faces
2013: Save Money On Sandwiches, Buy Nice Car
2012: Big Money Needed For A Relaxing, Feel-Good Experience
2011: The Original Metrosexual And The Petting Zoo
2010: Cribs For Corn, Not Celebrities
2009: LL Cool E
2008: Hunt On Hold
2007: The Blondes Come Marching In
2006: Thank You Is Not Enough
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

One Of Many

There are 446 bridges in Pittsburgh.  This is the South Tenth Street Bridge. It spans  the Monongahela River and connects South Tenth Street on the South Side to Second Avenue and the Armstrong Tunnel under The Bluff. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: The First Mustachioed Man In My Life
2016: Cooking Is Love Made Visible
2015: Hawaiian Memorial
2014: We Do Not Remember Days, We Remember Moments
2013: Sharing The Long Haul Lifestyle
2012: Love, Peace, And Soooouuulll
2011: Taste The Fire
2010: Finally, A Shot At Playmate Of The Month! (Sorta)
2009: Remembering
2008: Eddie Gets His Eyes Checked Friday
2007: Shifting The Sun
2006: My Daddy Is Gone
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!