When the hoomins are outside the house and we are inside, we like to look out the windows. I can see OK but Cabela needs to stand on her hind legs to see the hoomins. Click us to make us big.
Mount San Jacinto
The new snowfall on the north slopes of Mount San Jacinto looked very pretty today as we drove through Banning pass along Interstate 10. Click on the image to enlarge.
Courtyard Progress – Gate Layout
Verna and I drove to Congress, AZ today to work with the artist who is building our custom courtyard gate for the archway. He presented several sketches on tracing paper from which we were to select the art to be carved on the gate. We furnished him with some photos and ideas based on the southwestern motif of our house and furnishings. He did the rest and today we made the choices.
Image – rough layout of the lumber with the sketches placed at their approximate locations – click to enlarge
Verna made the choices for the artwork. At the top of the gate, just above where the saguaro ribs are going to be, is an image of a quail. Below the ribs, in the center of the door, there will be a kachina. The bottom panel will contain images of a bear and the famous dancing piper, Kokopelli.
Other features we negotiated were to install iron straps for strength, wrought iron above the top of the wood, antique hinges and gate latch and, as previously mentioned, saguaro ribs at eye level to allow us to peep through the gate.
In a week or two, we will have the gate installed in the archway. We will certainly post about that when it happens.
Arizona Skies
We drove up to the town of Congress, AZ today on an errand. On our way back, I took several photos of the clouds over the distant mountains. In the image (click to enlarge) you can see muted sun rays and a patch of virga (rainfall that evaporates before hitting the ground).
Seed Bell for a Cardinal
. . . and other birds, of course. Sorry this is the largest image available of the cardinal as it munches away at the bell.
Our Little Red House
This is how the front of the house and the courtyard wall looks from the road near the entrance to the RV drive-through. Click on the image to enlarge.
