Traveling to the American Southwest - Thanksgiving 2023

November 2021 Visit

I'm a little early with my greeting for the big holiday next Thursday.

 I'll be gone for a while as we travel to Arizona for Thanksgiving and an extended, always fun, visit with family. My brother-in-law and his family moved to Sierra Vista many, many years ago when his government career took him to Fort Huachuca. 

We have visited often over the years and always manage to find something new to enjoy. A few days in Tucson is also on our schedule.

The Huachuca Mountains are the third highest of the Sky Island mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and they rise almost 4,500 feet above the desert floor. The mountain range is oriented in a northwestern direction giving it more north-facing slopes and perhaps a somewhat cooler climate than some of the other Sky Island mountain ranges with similar elevation. The highest elevations support mixed conifer forests on north-facing slopes and pine forests on south-facing slopes. Lower elevations have extensive oak and oak-pine woodlands. Management of this mountain range is divided mostly between the U.S Forest Service and Department of Defense (Fort Huachuca). Fort Huachuca occupies roughly the northeastern quarter of the range; the Forest Service manages the northwestern quarter and southern half. A small part of the southern end of the range is managed by the National Park Service as Coronado National Memorial.  via USDA Forest Service

Wishing you all here in the USA - and Americans living overseas - a very happy Thanksgiving holiday.  

We all have so much to be thankful for.

Loss.............

 

"One day we will remember how lucky we were to have known her love with wonder, not grief."

Many a chair stands empty in homes where a loved one was taken far too early.

When I go home to England in October to see my family and friends, 

one dear person will be missing, the lovely daughter of my dear cousin.

Denise passed this week after such a long battle with health issues - MS for 

many, many years, breast cancer a couple of years ago, then a severe stroke

 a few weeks ago. 

She was a fighter. She was stoic. She remained positive in her outlook.

She kept a sense of humor. She was loved by all, especially her husband, 

parents and brother. . . . . . and we three second cousins and our families.

My family is not large compared to some but we are close and get together

as much as possible. For me it's harder being so far away, however I do try to

 get home to the UK annually to see my loved ones.

Denise was so special and much loved. 

May she now rest peacefully in a good place.

The years are flying by . . . . . . .

Today is my birthday. The sun didn't shine.
 That's OK though, I feel blessed to have another birthday with a seven in it.
Next time around I might have a different feeling because then I just

 might begin to feel "over the hill."

Yesterday my granddaughter Jasmin had a birthday also.

In my eyes she's still a youngster at twenty six.

We have many things in common which makes me feel good, perhaps 

younger, and she keeps me on my toes.

This evening we will celebrate our birthdays at a very lovely downtown

restaurant. Moroccan chef in an Italian kitchen - been wanting to 

try it for some time, and tonight's the night.

Wine list should be interesting. . . . . and Bob's driving!

Cheers to anyone else celebrating an October birthday, they're always

such fun.

Southwestern skies -

Our family get together sharing a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner was more fun than you can imagine. We were 15 family members, aged 2 to 83, a family friend, and two young female soldiers from nearby Fort Huachuca invited to join us as they couldn't get home for Thanksgiving. 

Later, on the way back to our hotel we were under this beautiful Arizona sky. It had rained softly on and off earlier in the day. . . . . .but was welcomed as there had been no rain here for 55 days! It settled the dust and freshened the trees and shrubs.

Heading to a winery today in sunshine and a perfect, for me, 65F - who knew there are vineyards in southern Arizona!  I certainly don't need more wine after yesterday - but I'm hoping to see some lovely scenery long the way!

Week of preparations -

SuzAnna's Antiques - Rolesville, North Carolina - November 2021

It has been a busy week.  Two PT appointments, a doctor visit, and an MRI.  Cooking up the big pumpkin for eating (soup and a gratin) and tucking some away in the freezer.  Pulling out a suitcase - yes I'll be traveling very soon - watch this space!  Starting on the Christmas cards which need to travel much farther than I can these days. Thursday evening we managed to drive a little north through horrendous rush hour traffic to SuzAnna's Antiques for the Holiday Open House. Many of you will recall my long, lovely history with the shop, the booth I had for a while with a best friend Vanessa, and my granddaughter Jasmin working there for several years.  Since they moved out of Raleigh it's a long way to go but always worthwhile. . . . . . especially to see the delightful Susie, Jenny, Bruce (playing a handsome Santa again!) and others of their family.  The crowd was big, the holiday offerings awesome - impossible to leave there empty-handed - and when Jasmin arrived it was just like the old days. . . . . .except we were all masked of course!

This evening we'll pop over to see the Christmas tree lighting at the midtown shopping center - then it will really feel festive, and it will be cold!

Happy weekend everyone - hoping you have good weather to enjoy any holiday preparations you are working on.

Art and Beauty for Autumn -

What could be more enjoyable on a perfect Autumn afternoon.

For me, on Monday, it was a thought-provoking stroll over the

 gentle slopes of Dix Park above downtown Raleigh, with loved

 ones, to view a stunning international traveling outdoor art

 installation - WINGS OF THE CITY from world-renowned Mexican

 artist, Jorge Marin. This collection of nine bronze sculptures depicts

feathered figures in mid-flight or posed for takeoff, and acrobats.

The details of each piece are exceptional.

A stand-alone pair of beautiful wings frame a view of downtown

and are perfect for snapping a pose of someone you consider

'angelic'!

I hope you will enjoy a few photos of these beautiful bronzes.

Ángel Persélidas

Bernardo Oriental

Equilibrista 90

Abrazo Monumental

Split Monumental

Me with granddaughter Jasmin - Raleigh skyline from Dix Hill.

Enjoying a perfect November day.

ALAS DE MEXICO

Bob in an angelic mood!

Now if only I could fly!!!!!

A sad week. . . . . . . .

There were two sets of twins in my family.   

My mother and her brother, and then two years later their twin sisters. 

 Prior to the first set of twins there was also an older sister. 

So my grandma had five children in four years - quite a feat for any woman.

All are long gone but never forgotten.

There have never been any other twins. I always hoped for a sister but

got a brother when I was eight years old. He was worth waiting for

though. Siblings are always very special whether brothers or sisters.

******************

This week I received such sad news and I'm having difficulty coming 

to grips with it.

On Monday morning a dear family lost one of their two amazing daughters, 
their only children. Emily, beautiful and talented, was much too young to die. 

Wife, mother of three young children, sister, daughter, friend, loved so much

by so many.

Damn cancer in all its forms. Damn cancer for impacting Emily's

life for several years then taking her from her loved ones forever.

My condolences to the special local family of SuzAnna's Antiques, Susie

and Bruce - Emily's parents, Jenny her sister, Tim her husband, 
the children, and all their family.

Emily will be greatly missed but always remembered.

I'll spin you a tale . . . . . . . . . .

Waiting tables and the Quiet American. . . . . . . . . . 

She was busy taking orders, placing them with the kitchen, carrying trays piled with plates, and her feet hurt. Working two jobs was hard going but when you're eighteen you should be able to do it. Youth, good health, boundless energy, and of course your dreams, are all on your side. She had worked on Saturdays in a dairy shop on the main street while in secretarial college. She loved that job as many tourists popped in to order the real Devon Clotted Cream to mail back home to family and friends. She enjoyed hearing where they were from and why they had picked the west country for their holiday. She longed to see the world for herself. For a short time she served in a small tea room on Sunday afternoons. There she had to dress like a real waitress in a black dress, stockings with the required 'sensible shoes', and a white frilly apron, the clientele were often uppity and the tips not great.  She even served 'American' hot dogs from a tiny 'hole in the wall' on the harbor for a few weekends, and hated riding home on the bus her clothes and hair smelling of grease. She needed the money to follow her dream.

Anstey's Cove, Torquay, Devon - Painted for me many years ago from a post card by a friend in Maine.

Her last job waiting tables was in a small restaurant near the top of the main street. Away from the busy seafront and beaches, but popular with holidaymakers staying in nearby large hotels. She recalls him well. Tall, slim, with an American accent. He ordered the big plate of spaghetti with meatballs. She told him waitressing was not her real job, she worked as a shorthand-typist in the office of an insurance company down by the harbor. She was making plans to go to Washington, D.C. to work for a year then come back with money and marry her boyfriend. He smiled, wished her luck, told her she'd enjoy working in America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .and tucked a ten pound note into her hand as he left the restaurant. It was the biggest tip she ever received.

The beginning of a short story?  

Perhaps an entire book?  

Or one of many memoirs for family in the years ahead when

 she is no longer here to share oral history. . . . . . 

Now and then I hope to bring you more memoirs of growing up
in Devon, England during the 1940's, '50's and early 60's before I emigrated 
to the USA

Arriving in Arizona. . . . . .

Arriving in Tucson to bright sunshine, the drive south to the

 town of Sierra Vista certainly presented some very lovely vistas.

It's the desert though. It would have to do much more to entice me,

 an English gal from the land of cool, damp, rain, to stay very long! 

Family are here and have been for many years. 

We've been before but it has been some time, especially for me.

Thanksgiving Day will be special as there are several new 

family members to meet.

Giving thanks.

Hope you will be with your families and friends.

Saturday morning. . . . . . . . .

The light this morning is bright and lovely with sunshine and

 blue skies. . . . . . . but will it last?

Doubtful with the current weather forecast. Hurricane Florence has become the

 first major storm of the season and, as always, the east coast gets nervous.

The entire week ahead shows rain and thunderstorm activity. . . . . . even this

afternoon we will probably get hit by a storm.

I have veggies to grill so my 'grill master' has just received his marching orders

 to get out there early and fire up the Weber . . . . . . . . . . here's your apron Bob!

Meanwhile, I'm heading to the garden to pick the last tomatoes, the few green

 bell peppers which are small but will add flavor to the grill, and a last clipping 

of basil for pesto. Figs have been left for visiting birds, squirrels and deer, they

were disappointing this year - late coming in, sparse, and not flavorful as in

other years. 

Thanks to each of you who commented on my previous post. 

Knowing your kind wishes and prayers are heading across the pond

 to Denise as she faces yet another serious health issue, makes me

 realize yet again, how special and generous blog friends are. 

Hoping your weekend is bright and beautiful.

Finding a sense of calm. . . . . . . .

Sometimes, when life seems upended by unexpected matters of the day, 

just sitting at home is required to calm the mind.

The long, very long, like around the building queue, to get into the 

Department of Motor Vehicles to renew my driver's license, 

impossible. 90F, humid, no shade, and of course no seats.

I gave up and came home! Will try another day.

My cousin in England's lovely husband undergoing cancer surgery today,

awaiting good news. 

Hopes were dashed late last week as my newly found American second

 cousin lost her home in the horrific Redding, California 'Carr Wildfire.' 

I'm feeling helpless with 2,848 miles between us.

Some rain showers at night seem to be helping the figs ripen at last, 

however they just don't have a good flavor this year and I will not 

be making jam.

August here already. I don't know about you, but I'm 

already thinking about Autumn, my favorite season of the year.

We will be traveling this month and next, just short trips but to

lovely places. This is the year to spend time with special friends, 

including blog friends.

I need to start packing. . . . . . .I'm looking forward to 

getting back in the sky, and out on the road, to view the 

spectacular scenery we have right here in North America.

It's just so sad to see how quickly it can be obliterated 

by fire and other earth-shattering happenings. 

More Women of the World. . . . . . .

More lovely women from England, North Carolina, Canada,
 California, Australia, Kenya, Hungary, Morocco, India, Thailand.

Family, friends. . . . . . . acquaintances made just briefly along
 the way when privileged to visit their corner of the world.

All very special.

A FIRST BIRTHDAY . . . . . . . . . . .

Hello, I'm Colin and today I am ONE!

This is all so new to me - what on earth is my mommy doing bringing me

 a cupcake with one gigantic burning candle?

Daddy made me wear this silly crown. I must be a prince today.

There are a lot of people singing, and I think they're singing to me!

Many of these people I know - the other little kids and I play together often.

I recognize their mommies and daddies too.

They seem to be munching smelly cheese and crackers, and chocolates from 

England. I've already traveled to that country because it's where my

 daddy comes from! They're eating more cupcakes too, while the daddies,

 granddaddies and great grandaddies enjoy a beer, and the grandmas (one came

 all the way from South Africa, she's my daddy's mom), sip their wine. 

Everyone is chattering a mile a minute, my aunts and uncles, cousins and 

whomever - I think I have a big family and I know they

all really love me a lot. 

My cousin Jasmin was the official photographer here today - but my great

 grandma Mary took these photos. You know how she has to take photos of

 everything for this blog. . . . . . .but she asked me to write because she's just 

very busy at the moment, and I think you know why!

Sympathies. . . . . . .

This week I have learned of the sudden deaths of several people. 

One is in my own family across the pond, my sister-in-law's mother, Audrey,

 a gentle and lovely lady whom I was fortunate enough to spend time with on

 several visits home to England over the years.

 Others are family members of blog friends. . . . . . . . all of whom I hold dear,

 and I am thinking of them all this morning.

The tiny Carolina wren on the front porch this bright Spring morning.

Grief never ends. . . . . . but it changes.

It is a passage, not a place to stay. 

Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. . . . . . 

It is the price of love.

~ Author Unknown ~