Which Cordes has the antiquery?

We had a ladies' outing today, we did. The goal: around the Bradshaws and down the hill on SR 69 to locate an antique shop somewhere in Cordes. Georgene had read about it in the AAA travel magazine recently. She didn't recall which particular Cordes, of which there are three. There's the Junction, the Lakes and the original. And so the four of us (G., plus Patty, a grandchild and myself) started out at the most accessible, Cordes Lakes, which sits cheek by jowl next to Cordes Junction. Just incidentally, do take note of the Black Mountains to the east, barely visible through the smokey haze drifting down from forest fires near Flagstaff.

I was last in Cordes Lakes in the early 90s. Actually, just through it on the way to the confluence of Big Bug Creek and the Agua Fria River, a beautiful riparian spot in the high desert. At that time, Cordes Lakes struck me as a somewhat seedy little post-WW2 settlement with no history for retirees who had just enough money for a single- or double-wide and who wanted to get to "higher, cooler" country than Phoenix. We never saw any "lakes' which were probably some real estate man's short-lived pond or two.

Maybe this was one of the "lakes" -- a reservoir near the creek. My, how the hamlet had changed! The real estate bust caught the area in mid-regeneration, with new streets and a surprising number of new pricier, stick-built houses but also a lot of undeveloped land. Several of the homes were quite elaborate. We speculated that Cordes Lakes had become commuter turf, figuring that the lots were not nearly as costly as developments closer to Phoenix.

It was a strange mix: abandoned houses, neglected but lived-in buildings, modest but tidy properties and the aforementioned nearly-McMansions. Not at all your usual Arizona 2000s from-scratch, boom-town development. Anthem it's definitely not. Now for a few sights we saw...

Somebody in Cordes Lakes has a big distributorship -- bandanas for the motorcycle, ATV and snow board crowd.

And somebody else in Cordes Lakes saw those wonderful metal beasts imported from Mexico and had to have a few: two bulls and three giraffes. Giraffe #3 is a youngster reaching up to munch out on tree leaves, below. (BTW, I am told that the Iron Corral down by Anthem where the big beasties, real and mythological, were sold is no more. Too bad.)

Spotted this Chinese-style frog/toad at one of the more thoroughly landscaped houses, while the two-dimensional saguaro with shades below was at a motel in Cordes Junction.

We actually spent a good amount of time wandering Cordes Lakes, exploring as we looked for the antique shop. But we were in the wrong Cordes. Our goal, it turns out, was in the original Cordes, a place full of history, down on the Old Black Canyon Highway, pop. 11. Coming up next.

Critter exotica

Lest you believe that Prescott's critter exotica is limited to javelina and ring-tailed cats, I've collected here other beasties I've seen while wandering our town. 'Frinstance, that's one fine toucan spotted at the Grayleaf Galleries last winter.

The gilt-encrusted rhino was for sale at the gift shop in the Prescott Resort, which had a rather grand collection of frogs, painted ponies and other goodies.

The camel (above) and the elephants (below) were photographed in one of our many collectible shops.

On the other hand, the life-size giraffes made their home down in Cordes Lakes. BTW, does anyone know what has happened to the outfit that was selling the giant made-in-Mexico giraffes and lions and saurians; I'm told that they have left their yard across I-17 from Anthem.

In my book, the critter above must certainly be a firebird, don't you think? It, too, resided at the Grayleaf.

As for the zebra, it happened soon after I handed the younger granddotter an empty toilet paper roll one day this past summer.

Linkage: If you don't read the comments, you may have missed the wonderful clock that Avus linked to. For a fun trip, you might follow the pair of Arkansas lads who rode west on their bikes; in the process they discovered the White Spar. Among new local bloggers is a woman with two Maine coon cats. And yet another article about Arcosanti, the Utopia that wasn't.

Rural Rust

So --do you suppose that this fine horse comes from the dragonworks down near Anthem? The style is somewhat similar, though the venue is quite different. Horse I caught this weekend outback in the high country.

This seems to have been a weekend for rustic rust yard decor. For example, this wagon down in Yarnell....

...this one time truck in the high country adorning the same property as...

...this relic that graces the entrance to the estate.

All by way of saying I'm home, I have lots of pictures and no time tonight! A wonderful weekend was had by all.

The Iron Zoo on I-17

Ever since our visit to the dinosaur lady out Iron Springs Road last fall, I've hankered to visit the source of her huge metal sculptures.

The chance came last week on the return trip after we saw the dotter and GD off to Alaska. There it was, on the west side of I-17 at the main turn-off to Anthem. The Metal Corral, the place is called. A veritable zoo of B*I*G rust-colored animals for your yard and mine.

A veritable Serengeti, it was. And as hot as the South African desert, too. The niece and I hurried to take our pictures so that we could get back into the air conditioned car!

The one disappointment -- far more modern animals than saurians, dragons or unicorns.

Here the critters were lined up to use the facility.

Even though I'd prefer a unicorn or stegasaurus, I'd sure settle for a lion, a bighorn sheep...

...or this eagle (or is it a roc? I can't be sure.)

Nice horses. The granddaughter would be freaked out to own one of them. Wow!

The cobra overlooks a collection of beasties and iron mariachi musicians lying down, awaiting shipment to a buyer in California. A blacksmith works in the shed at left; yes, in mid-summer. In Phoenix. However, only ornamental iron work is made here in Arizona. The animals come from a facility down in Baja near the border. I'd love to see that animal works!

Jurassic Park 2

Little did we know as we set out yesterday -- me with my daughter and granddaughter, down for the day from Flagstaff -- that we had a proper adventure in store. Seemed exciting enough just to have a package of kiddie magic from Denny's that colored the milk pink!

But. Perhaps you recall the scene from your childhood, your nose pressed against the glass of the candy store or the Christmas toy display, wishing and wishing. Like that, there we were, at the fence of the estate with the dragons and dinosaurs because "you've got to see these," I had told the kids.

As we stood there wisting, the lady of the house spotted us and hiked over. She explained that often people stop with their children to look and she invites them in to have their pictures taken. And so we entered the magic realm.


Just to give you a real idea of the size of the T. Rex!


And the brontosaurus.


It's not often a little girl gets to ride a dragon unless she's in a novel by Anne McCaffrey or one of its imitators.


The iron donkey was of a more suitable size for one going on five...


... tho the smaller brontosaurus might have made a good ride in its time.


For some reason the rusty rhino was scary -- the granddaughter didn't last long atop the beast.


The cobra's coil is a fine place to do a final "Whee!"

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We learned that most of the critters are made in Mexico and shipped to an importer down in Anthem. Next additions to the zoo include a gargoyle and a unicorn; most recent was a spiky stegasaurus.

Aside from a goof in setting my camera for zoom shots, my only regret looking back is that Sunday was one of those gloriously brilliant fall days in the mountains; photography would have been easier had we had a gloomy overcast!

The splendid lady on Iron Springs Road not only enjoys her wonderful menagerie but enjoys sharing it with strangers. What a great way to live.