Nostalgia

Two Stepping Couple

Two Stepping CoupleNeither of us are quite sure when this was taken other than to say sometime in the early 1980’s. We recognize the dancing style as being the Texas Two-Step since we were into the country music thing then (and still are today but without the going out to nightclubs thing).

When this was taken, we were in our house gathered with family and friends for some occasion. It might have been a family celebration or of Verna’s sister Carol and husband Rod’s renewal of vows. We’re clearly having fun at whatever occasion this was.

This photo courtesy of Verna’s sister Brenda.

Throwback Thursday

Verna and the Casa Grande Ruin

We visited Casa Grande several times before we retired in 2009. This photo of Verna and the ruins was probably taken around summer of 2002.

The national monument consists of the ruins of multiple structures surrounded by a compound wall constructed by the ancient people of the Hohokam period, who farmed the Gila Valley in the early 13th century. Archeologists have discovered evidence that the ancient Sonoran Desert people who built the Casa Grande also developed wide-scale irrigation farming and extensive trade connections which lasted over a thousand years until about 1450 A.D.

Throwback Thursday Wanderlust

Four Corners Area These pictures must have been taken somewhere between 1998 and 2004. Verna and I were touring the southwest states back in the days when we were both working and living in California.

We took the top two photos at the Four Corners Monument where the state lines of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico intersect. I took the bottom photo the same day at Monument Valley, which is about a hundred miles west of the corners along the Utah-Arizona border. Verna is posing in front of the famous “Mittens” escarpments made famous by their repeated appearance in Hollywood western movies, mostly by director John Ford featuring John Wayne.

Later this month, we will begin an excursion that takes us to California for a couple of days, then on to Nevada, Utah and finally Arizona again. The Four Corners are not on the itinerary, but we plan on spending a night at Monument Valley.

We always take pictures of our trips and plan on posting some of them here and on other social media. Stay tuned!

Throwback House Progress

October 2010 House Progress

Verna and I posed for this photo in October of 2010, just a few weeks before we moved in to our Arizona Home. The house foundation and framing started in August of that year, so this was about two months of progress into the four months that it took before it was certified for occupancy.

In the six years, four months and one week since this photo was taken, we have been and continue to be extremely happy with our decision to move to Arizona. Life threw some curves at us during that time, but we’ve recovered from those and continue to happily prosper (split infinitive intentional).

Throwback Thursday

Canyonlands National Park

Eight years ago today – Enjoying the beautiful scenery of Canyonlands National Park. This is near where Verna collected a small vial of red dirt that would later be used to provide the color match for paint on our Arizona home. Click on the image to enlarge.

Throwback Thursday – Arches National Park

Arches National Park

Verna and I were visiting Arches National Park on July 21, 2008. This was when we were still considering retirement in about a year from then and deciding to use up some of our accrued vacation time.

The object in the background is a sandstone hill where three arches-in-progress graphically show the evolution of arches sculpted by wind and rain. There is a mostly completed arch on the left side with a just beginning stage in the middle and an intermediate stage arch-in-the making on the right.

Click on the image to enlarge.