East Or Bust

The truth about my side of the family is we never do things the normal way and this goes back to my great-great grandmother traveling East by covered wagon.  She left her husband, packed up the kids and made her way to New York to start a new life...which makes me laugh because it sounds very typical of the women in my family. Not the leaving husbands part, just going in opposite directions.

Though, last week, Mark and I did make it West. This was our second trip to Arizona and we stayed with Mark's aunt and uncle.  The first visit was stressful for my in-laws because they were prepared to  run interference between Mark's Uncle Gary and me because Gary has a bit of a thing for collecting machine guns and strong views on immigration which they worried would offend me terribly. 

The funny part is that Gary and I got along very well...we were careful and respected one another enough to not become adamant about expressing our beliefs and we actually found common ground. Gary is a hardcore animal person and he and Connie basically run an operation rescue on their land. Fifteen cats, three dogs, a rabbit and three horses. Gary is the one people call when someone has abandoned yet another litter of kittens.  I respect Gary a great deal. In fact, the first trip was such a success that Mark and I chose to visit his aunt and uncle on our own for this visit.

Of course the animals were everywhere.  I wish my pictures had turned out...here is Ollie, whose pen I helped clean (except for the afternoon I fell asleep and missed my start-time!).

Here he is with his mask on  backwards...to me he looked so cute!  Ah, the indignity.

   

And even though I am not a small dog person, these little guys were endearing (sort of...the bigger one didn't like us! Connie said she was happy to see us go!):

They have a lovely house and Mark and I had a lot of privacy on our end of place...but, my favorite spot is this...it's the doors off of one end of their bedroom...I love the bouganvillas and how they almost match the stained glass roses on the mini bell tower.

Connie will kill me for posting this photo...but as she was trimming the umbrella with tiny colored lights, I couldn't help but think that I wish my 39 year old legs looked as good as her 61 year old legs! I guess sixty really is the new forty!

We ate out most of the time we were there and the hands down favorite was Joe's BBQ in Gilbert. I'm not even a BBQ nut like Mark is, but my brisket and hot links did the job!  Joe's is only ten years old, but has a great reputation and is being featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network show on May 19th.

I was enchanted by all of the flowers and flowering shrubs we saw along the highways and roads, but Connie's flower pots were gorgeous...so many cheerful yellows....

This blew me away. I had no idea that in certain places people irrigate residential land...We had to get home one day so that Gary could flood his property and horse pasture...

The water flows in from Colorado and costs $18.00 per hour of "floodtime"....they drink well-water because the water that flows to Arizona is basically coming in by way of open ditch and people worry that so much of it evaporates that it leaves some concentrated "bad things" behind. Yet, many people do drink it.

I have to report that the most idiotic thing overheard on the trip was when Mark was wandering through a Ralph Lauren Polo store and saw a girl showing her boyfriend some shirts he might like and the guy, demonstrating how much of an idiot snob he is, noticed the sale price, scoffed and said, "I don't ever buy Polo on sale."  Mark had to laugh out loud.

All and all it was a great trip and we so appreciate Connie and Gary opening up their home to us...Plus, I came home with a new HOT PINK camping knife courtesy of Gary, which I guess is the benefit of having an Uncle in-law who is prepared for any emergency you could present...No hot dog stick will be safe from me n' my blade! Notice the vintage book endpapers it's resting on...they''ll be a business card holder soon. 

OK....AS PROMISED.  This is just Day One of the giveaways that will begin today and end next Friday.  The rules?  Just leave a comment and you'll have a chance at winning the item I offer up!  Enter again and again!! Ha! How's that for blatant comment wrangling! I have no shame! But, you guys are such  loyal readers! Plus, I like giving things away!

Item One:

The eight ounce jar of Andrew  Weil's Organic Manuka Honey pictured above. It's infused with extracts of astragalus root, schisandra berry, elderberry and amia fruit.  Two to three teaspoons a day is said to help your immune system, plus it's sweet and so good.  Origins has ticked me off for using excess shipping packaging, but because Andrew Weil is donates all of his after tax profits to an organization that supports Integrative Medicine, well, I made an exception. Plus, Origins has taken some good steps and was named one of the top 30 "greenest" companies by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership.   And they are working on getting  the parabens out of their products completely.  And all of their packaging is at least 50 percent post-consumer recycled.

Stay tuned for more One Year Anniversary Hi-jinx!  And some bath and body give-aways courtesy of my trip to Lush.

                                          

Comments

[Becky]

Sounds like you had a fun trip. Love your new pink knife.

[Sierra Pelona Crochet]

I love the pics of Ollie -- what a handsome horse! :)

[Emiko]

Thanks for sharing the photos of your trip - looks like you guys had a great time. Love your new camping knife too - I think it'll get some good use!

We're planning a camping trip next weekend and I hope weather will cooperate!

[Nancy]

I'm glad you had such a nice trip to Arizona. I'm looking forward to another camping post featuring your new knife.

[Kai]

I feel as though I travelled WITH you, Laura! That, my friend, is the mark of a good writer! I am soooo in love with Ollie. My people have been horse lovers forever, and that was definitely passed along to me! Ollie is a BEAUTY! The doggies - well, I confess I am a kitty person! Connie is 60? Holy cow! I'll be 58 in September & my body hasn't looked like that since my teens. Sigh. I nearly fell out of my wheelchair laughing over the pink knife. Very cool & VERY Laura! You're such a cutie! As for the honey, I may have to try that one. I have Systemic Lupus - an autoimmune illness - & I refuse to take the prescription meds the doctors hand out for it. They have BAD side effects! That honey may be a GOOD thing! Surely would TASTE better than Prenisone or Plaquenil! LOL!

[Christine Marie]

Another great post! The next time you go to to Arizona to see your youthful and cool aunt and uncle...could I come, pleeeeez?

That knife IS so YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find that honey intriguing, too. Although that is NOT why I am commenting. You know, you can't get rid of me. :-)

[jenny]

I've just recently discovered your blog and am loving it! I, for one, am a HUGE Laura Ingalls fan, and did not know about her fairy book. So thank you so much for alerting me to it! I've just started a new blog, as I'm newly unemployed and my friend suggested I start a blog since I'm on the internet all day, anyway!! http://jennyonargyle-jenny.blogspot.com/

[Kelli Lusk]

Hi Laura,

I loved this post and I am so glad you had a great trip. On your last post, I must buy that book you talked about. So far I have bought Let's Get Primitive and Shelter for the Spirit. I realy love both of them so I will take your advice and buy this one next. Have a great day.

Kelli

[susans at black eyed susans kitchen]

Laura, Your trip sounded fun. The polo comment? Most of the people who live around here could have said that. I figure that it leaves more stuff on sale for us to buy! The pictures came out great. Susan

[bunny]

Horsie!!! I love!! Ollie looks good!