Monday, July 02, 2012

Tidbits and some Pottery

I call this kind of post "Tidbits" because it's just miscellaneous stuff I gather from around the park.  Found this crazy Taz character in one of the homes we watch.  I thought it was fitting for some of the "characters" you meet around this park.  No stuffy senior citizens here.

 
We meet this little owl almost every morning and stop to actually chat with him.  He's used to us now so just stares back with his big yellow all knowing eyes wondering why these strange humans talk to him.
 
I was so impressed to see this work going on this morning.  One of our landscape crews is blowing off the driveway of every house along the golf course on Oasis.  WOW!  What a difference.  Thank you!
 
APS is out in full force to finish installing the new meters.
 
We stopped to chat with this friendly APS lady who was diligently working on the upgrade with her crew.
 
Here is a close up of MY new meter just installed.  APS has an excellent website at www.aps.com  I go there frequently to compare my monthly billing with the previous year or to check peak useage during the day.  It will be fun to see how it changes when all the new digital meters are installed throughout the city.  I bet meter reading chores for our rangers will now be MUCH easier.
 
Here is just another HUGE cactus plant but today I took a close look at a stem that had broken off. 
 
The stem is very woody with an internal wooden core.  No wonder all those long arms can withstand the strong winds.  This branch seems to be sending out three new arms to make up for being broken. 
 
If you want fresh fruit on your trees, it obviously really pays to fertilize the trees regularly.  We were asked to feed these fruit trees for a friend this summer.  The results definitely show!

They'll have some delicious treats by this fall.
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Here is just another tree found within the park.  I have no idea what kind it is.  When you drive past, it probably doesn't even draw your attention unless...........
 
unless you stop to take a close look at the thousands of fuzzy blossoms it produces.  Cool.  There's always something new with Arizona horticulture.
 
The family of ducks is still content.
 
Don took this artistic photo with his cell phone this morning.  Pretty cool.
 
What else is there to do on a HOT summer afternoon......but go to the movies with the girls.  We went to see "Magic Mike" along with an entire theater of women and only three men present among the crowd.  Definitely a chick flick!  Fun.
 
Stopped in the pottery room this morning to say hello to Suzette Taylor and crew.
 
Here's the start of Suzette's next project....which will be an Indian doll.

There is a group of "regulars" who meet there regularly to work on various projects.  It must be kind of nice to have the whole room to themselves.
 
Sandi Feller is busy as a bee making a whole line of bowls and projects.
 
Look at the cute aprons they have. 
 
Here Sandi is cutting off a new chunk of clay for another project.
There is really a lot of nice equipment in that pottery room.  It's fascinating to watch them in action.  This is a big press to flatten the clay and force out any air bubbles.

Here is a beautiful project fresh out of the oven?  done by craftsman Edie Preis. 
 
Kathy took a class on making beads so has a whole dish full of small beads to create some interesting jewelry.
 
Here are some finished projects I saw sitting out on the shelves.
 
There are classes for potters even in the summer time. 
And one final photo back to peace and serenity.  I spotted this Great Blue Heron resting in the shade along the creek.

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