Hand Me Down My Walking Stick

People who know me -- and people who see me out walking often -- include my walking stick in their mental picture. Years ago, when my husband and I tackled steep hillsides and even small canyons, I learned the advantages of a third "foot" in preventing spills and squeaking past scary footing.

But I have a problem. When I walk downtown, running various errands, it's easy to misplace my beloved, lightweight, expensive pointy-tipped staff. Every time this has happened, I've recovered the stick. Except the last time. It's gone.

So I had to quickly come up with a new stick. Not a cane, mind you, but a tall hiking staff. Aha! Look in the basement. My husband had an inexpensive alternative to my pricey black stick: either one of a pair of ski poles he bought at a late lamented second hand shop for a couple of bucks.

Never one to worry about appearances, he left whichever pole he used in its original configuration, complete to the dingus at the bottom, which has something to do with staying atop snow, I presume.

Not me. I'm a city walker these days -- appearances count. I used my fine new clippers to trim it off.

Turned out that the leather strap was weak, as well, so I added this fine red replacement. Test drove the walking stick this afternoon and all's A-OK, though I think a spray can of black paint is in order. And I wouldn't mind a slightly pointier tip.

If you want a similar walking stick, go to the back room of the Salvation Army thrift shop and rummage through the box of ski cast-offs. I see a couple of candidates right there in that picture I took last week.

These Gifts Are Meant for Walking

This is a post I should have made in January -- but I never got around to taking the critical pictures. So now I'll brag up my daughter and SIL. To be specific, they are among those people who are blessed in the gift-selecting department.

You may recall that several months ago, I was careless with my prize black walking stick and had to make do with a thrift shop ski pole conversion. But it wasn't black. This past Christmas, the kids presented me with a long tube. Usually, that means an extra big or an old historic topo map that SIL has printed out just for me. Imagine my surprise when out popped a brand new black walking stick. Believe you me, I'm being extra careful not to leave it behind.

Then there is the new approach to socks. Sewn. Cut from Polartec fleece. Comfy. Warm. And wild. Suitable for wearing with one's favorite river sandals.

The stars showed up in a package a year ago.

Here are my new socks for 2007. Don't they look like legs borrowed from a Dr. Seuss character?

Walking no more

How to say this?

Julie--GrannyJ--died Monday evening in the hospital.

I have been meaning to post an update for everyone about her hospital stay; she wanted me to let y'all know that she had a "shiny new toy"--aka pacemaker--and was healing up and ready to start blogging again. But, alas, I kept putting it off.

She entered the hospital two weeks ago for shortness of breath, which was diagnosed as bronchitis. While she was there, her cardiologist and her care doctor decided she needed the pacemaker, stat. While they were implanting the pacemaker, she suffered a collapsed lung. Things seemed to be getting better; she was healing, she had good color, she was just waiting to get out and was looking forward to having me take her on a few drives.

But then she suffered an additional post-surgery complication, something called an "ileus", which means your digestive tract has shut down. Normally, an ileus resolves itself, but hers persisted, and the docs were trying everything they could.

Nothing worked.

Her body--tired of all the medical procedures--simply gave out, she had a breathing crisis, and then her heartbeat plummeted (even with her fancy "shiny new toy"). I was there, holding her hand, while she passed. Far better this way than spending a few more years declining more and more.

She loved this blog, and all her interactions with every one of her commenters. I know you all will miss her--but not as much as I will, and the rest of her family and IRL friends.

The picture at the top is of her and my father, when they were newly a couple. The picture below is from just two years ago, showing her with her trusty walking stick and one of her favorite R.E.D. sweatshirts with a splendid northwest coastal Indian graphic. She loved exploring Arizona, and even as her health deteriorated, she did her best to keep exploring.

If you feel like doing something in her name, I was thinking that you should try to locate a local wildflower organization and donate to it in her name. Mom loved wildflowers, and she did her best to cultivate them in her gardens over the years. Sometimes it succeeded, sometimes it didn't. One of her joys was venturing out into the woods, whether the various forest preserves around the Chicago area, or the national forests here in Arizona, and discovering which flowers were out and about.

I will probably be posting various memories for a while at my own blog; you are welcome to come read and share.

Peace and blessings to you all--OmegaMom/Kate

Screen Critters

We all know that the reason for window screens is to keep the creepy-crawlies out. In my world, there's another reason: to provide a landing place for various flying creatures, so that I might photograph or examine them (or both.) As a certified night owl, I have my lights on at least until midnight so the catch should be good. But our rains have been sparse this summer and the critters have followed suit. Nonetheless, an interesting handful now reside on the hard drive.

Number one is a hawk moth. This is the fellow who hovers like a humming bird and unrolls an unbelievably long tongue to sip nectar, preferably from night-blooming flowers. However, this week, I've seen this moth at almost all times of day as well as at dusk. Probably means his season is drawing to a close. Too bad I didn't use the flash -- the pretty colors might have shown up (pink and black.)

This was a medium-sized moth whose colors popped quite nicely. No idea what he looks like on top, however; that's one problem with window screen photography -- you see the undersides of a critter.

Once in a great while, one of those huge moths puts in an appearance. About a 4-5 inch wing-spread, I'd say. Quite spectacular.

Usually toward the end of the rainy season, mature praying mantises gather on my screens at night. This year, there's been a grand total of one. However, I did find a first cousin -- a walking stick -- on the screen one evening. On the inside, yet. Must have come in when I called the cat!

Bug Photos Galore: Wow! I've just visited Cindy's Bug Safari. She's got some beautiful photography and interesting posts. Do take a long look!

Restocking

Thus far, since my return home, I hadn't been desperate for anything that required shopping. However, earlier this week I had word that the Sson was showing up tomorrow, yet, to pick up the Pinzgauer he had acquired on eBay from the Iowa survivalist. Huh? I guess there's a story there that I can possibly relate tomorrow night. In the meantime, a larder that will support GrannyJ for several days is a dud when it comes to her Sson. Off to Albertson's it was this afternoon.

I was replenishing my supply of instant hot chocolate when the Ovaltine shelf caught my eye. Oh, memories! If you're in my age group, you belong to one of two groups: those whose mothers said that Ovaltine was simply too expensive (the Depression, you know) and those mothers who gave into their (spoiled) kids' desire for a mysterious Little Orphan Annie secret code ring (or maybe the wonderful Little Orphan Annie circus), which required the inner seal of the Ovaltine container. As you might guess, I owned neither a ring nor the circus; a neighborhood girl whose father was a doctor did get a circus once -- which was a very disappointing cardboard punch-out affair. I think I learned my lesson about premiums at that point! FYI, Little Orphan Annie was on the radio right after school let out way back then.

Here's another display that deserves comment. To be specific, just how would you describe your generic version of a Triscuit (a trade name thoroughly covered by copyright, of course.) No, I would never have considered the term "woven", but I suppose that it is descriptive enough. More likely the fibers for both sorts of crackers are actually extruded back at the factory!

I bombed on one important item -- the AA battery charger, having left my little unit back in Alaska along with most of my pictures and a collapsible walking stick/monopod. Important that I have plenty of batteries ready for Saturday's Prescott Photo Walk. Tried, variously, Staples, Walgreen's & Albertsons. #1, it turns out that battery chargers are usually sold as a premium with batteries, not separately. The only set of four batteries plus a charger that I found was at Staples, but it was limited in use to special hi-tech cells. So I bought another set of four and borrowed a charger from the neighbor.

Do you get as frustrated as I at the distinctive mums that show up in the supermarket floral section? I've tried planting them, but never been successful. These are today's tease.

Out in front of the store, patio furniture was on sale. Huh? Since when have grocers been in the home furnishings biz? Can't answer that one, tho Albertsons as a smallish store has to display its merchandise atop the highest gondolas (the cheese and sandwich goody section, I believe) unlike Fry's, which has an extensive department. However, I must say that this "sale" is a modest affair compared to the "new" Banana Tree store down the pike which put up its liquidation sign (below) as soon as it opened.

Finally, I spotted the elephant car in the parking lot as I waited for my ride home with the supplies. Maybe a little bit too smiley, but a nice change from all those serious cars in any event.

Three Squares

After Sam and Linda took me to retrieve my walking stick at the bank, after we had ah-ed and eyed the awesome saurians out Iron Springs Road, it was time for -- you guessed it -- rhubarb pie. And so I was in PV for the first time in quite a while. With my new eye, which is trained for spotting the off-beat Whatever.

Thus it was that I discovered Berry's version of three square meals: breakfast ... lunch ... pies. I'll buy that approach to nutrition any day. Berry's is in a modern, shopping center type of location these days. I liked it better over on Grove Street in the old Victorian. Besides -- it was a helluva lot closer to home. But the pies haven't changed, thank goodness.


Some PV businesses just wouldn't fit into a modern shopping center like the city fathers are promoting these days. Where, for example, would Prescott Valley Archery put all those antlers? Where, by the way, did PV Archery get all those antlers in the first place?


Also ill-suited to the slick modern commercial environment, a business such as this. Tattoos plus a boutique and a Mystery Merchandise clothing exchange. Wonder if they have second hand leathers?

You know you're in Alaska...

...when you are greeted by a polar bear at the airport. However, I'm hard put to give you pictures of all those other cliches that stick in my memory: igloos, dog sleds, snow everywhere, seals, walrus &, of course, a big moose or two. I haven't seen any such as yet. Not likely too, either. After all, it is summer, if a grey one.

No, I have been travelled all over the place by the Dotter, taken a zillion photos & tried to tame the Alien Computer. It takes time, folks! My bear above wants to be straightened out and he wants a tap or two on the PhotoShop contrast button, but I thought I'd better shout a hello or two before Walking Prescott is completely forgotten.

There are fascinating matters to report & picture: the ubiquitous latte shacks you find everywhere ... impressive moutain peaks looming over you at every turn ... water, water everywhere ... and even a glimpse of a glacier or two. With luck and perseverance, I'll be back in a day or two.