27 March: Visit to the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa

Right after church, Ted Raguso asked if I wanted to go to an air museum.  Now, I don't know much about planes, but you know little boys always like planes, trains and cars.  So we went.  It was pretty interesting. 

It turns out that they used to call themselves the Confederate Air Force, but here in the USA, the word "Confederate" has some meanings that many do not like - too many people lost in the war, still fresh in their minds, even though it was long ago.  So, they changed their name.

They were having a military flea market inside the hangar, and a military vehicle show outside that day.  The vehicle show was interesting too.  One was a perfectly restored WW II jeep - a real jeep, not an imitation or postwar commercial one.  I didn't realize that Kaizer was made to share the prints with Ford, who made identical machines.  But, Henry Ford being the guy he was (or was it his son?  no matter), they put a little "F" on all the parts.  So, restoring a Ford WW II Jeep is more challenging, because you have to track down all the parts with "F" on them.  Heh, heh, maybe that's why they did it - to make their vehicles more collectible????

I spotted a vehicle with a Canadian military insignia, flying the New Brunswick provincial flag, and numbered with a "CZ" on the side.  What gives?  It was an all-purpose military truck, and yes it's originally from Canada.  Ha ha, can't get away from those Canadians, can you?

One of the tracked vehicles was some kind of gun carrier - eek, the armament on that thing!  Kind of a propos in gun-happy Arizona, let me tell you... but that's a story for another time.

March & April: Backyard Flaura & Fauna!

Oranges

In early March, I had the first orange blossoms on my little orange tree :-) Other folks' trees have been blooming for several weeks, such a sweet smell... and now my tree smells nice too. Maybe this year I'll get more than one orange from it :-)

Like last year, and the year before, there were so many blossoms on the tree, but last year I got only one orange, and the year before, only three.  After the blossom petals fall, you can see tiny fruit where the flower was - but they all disappeared, so sad.

So... just before he left, Eric helped me put a screen cover over my orange tree.  The idea is, if it's birds (and we do have a lot of birds clattering around here in the spring), then it will stop them from accosting the tree 'til the fruit gets larger, when it seems they might be safe.

It's a clunky contraption, but I hope it works.

Roses

It turns out that I have two rosebushes in the backyard, along the fence.  Had I known that, I'd likely have put the shed somewhere else!  Oh well.  The one on the south wall, is beautiful pink, smells lovely, came out with at least half a dozen blossoms.  The one on the east wall, is beautiful orange, came out with only three or four,   Both were lovely while they lasted!

The red rosebush appears to have been attacked by caterpillars or bugs.  I've sprayed to prevent further damage.



 

Here's an update from early April.  Again, still lovely :-)  I will have to spray them earlier next year.




 

And here's from a week or so later.  They just kept coming :-)



And a few days later.

Creeping Vines

 Those who've been here know that I have a patio area covered in vines.  These vines appear to originate from my neighbours' house - their whole south side, and half the west side, is covered with them!  I shudder to think of the damage that they've done to their house's structure.  Oh well.

Anyway, these vines periodically get these big, beautiful, yellow blossoms on them, so beautiful.  Also, good hummingbird attraction as well - I've seen them a few times, but never fast enough on shutter to catch a picture.

Here's what it looked like this year.

Honeybees!

One Saturday in March, my neighbour told me by text, that the bee's nest on his house would be taken down Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, in the middle of the night.  What bee's nest?  Oh the big one facing my kitchen window.  Hmm, never saw it.

I don't know how I missed it!  It was over a metre across, it was crazy!  Constant activity around that hive.  I was wondering how I always had bees around my outside lights at night, and I'm sure that's why.

Before relocation - about a metre (3 ft) across!

Apparently, they were honeybees and not nasty bees, so they were going to a farm - being relocated.

The guys didn't show up on the appointed night, but about a week later, while falling to sleep, I heard something and looked out front.  Sure enough, a couple of white vans marked with the name of the bee keeper's farm, and saying "Bee Relocation Service", and they were readying their suits & ladders.  Now the eaves are empty. 

There are still a few forlorn honeybees flying about.

After relocation - just a few forlorn honeybees buzzing about

16 March: Something out of the Movies?

There was a little mishap on Bell by the Fry's this evening.

I had zipped down to Fry's to get some groceries, and saw a bunch of flashing lights in the corner of the parking lot.  I had to look closely, trying to figure out what everyone was staring at.  There was  one car crunched, the other upside down. I think someone was still in the upside down car when I first arrived. Two police cars in attendance. When I was leaving, one was on the tow truck, and they were about to hook up the second one...

OK, not so dramatic, but I thought it was kind of unusual, kind of like out of a movie.  Remember that scene in Blues Brothers in the mall, where the cops are in their car, upside down, spinning?  Ha ha ha!

10 to 22 March - Eric visits Phoenix

Eric came to visit for almost two weeks this year.  He made it a sports extravaganza, taking in a NASCAR race, 4 baseball games, and an evening of dirt track racing.  We did Sedona & the Grand Canyon on a road trip.

Let's Go Racing!

13 March: Eric and Dean go to NASCAR

It was loud!  It was fast!  It was thrilling!  Lots of fender benders, of course - what would NASCAR be without a few crashes????

19 March: Eric & Dean attend evening of Dirt Track Racing at Arizona Speedway

It is way, way, way out east & south... an hours' drive, even with little traffic!  Had stock cars, modifieds, and sprint cars.

The funny thing is, with Phoenix being as big a centre as it is...  Grand Forks track is way, way nicer!  Stands, concessions, and all.  Oh well, in spite of that, we had a good time.  And some beer.  Beer helps too.  [ it looked like beer helped a lot of people that evening :-) ]

Other Car Stuff

Gotta check this museum out next time: Arizona Museum of Open Wheel Racing

We drove by, after the baseball game in Tempe, but they were closed :-(

The Martin Auto Museum

We visited the Martin Museum, a little gem of a private auto museum tucked away on the east side of I-17 just south of the 101 loop.  It is a small, unassuming building (although it does have a cool sign), but inside it has a fantastic array of race cars, performance cars, sports cars, and memorabilia.  Very cool.  Check it out if you're ever in town: http://www.martinautomuseum.com.

Play Ball!

14 March: Eric & Dean attend California Angels vs Cincinati Reds in Tempe Diablo Stadium

18 March: Eric & Dean attend Kansas City Royals versus California Angels in Surprise Stadium

16 March: Get Out of Town!

Eric & Dean take road trip to the Grand Canyon

I did not realize that Eric had never been to the Grand Canyon.  He expressed interest, and when I realized that he had never been, we just had to go!

On the way, I insisted on a side trip through Sedona, taking an extra maybe 3/4 hour, mostly to see the view from Oak Creek Vista.  Oops, forgot that it was spring break, ugh!  Took over an hour just to get to Sedona.  Mostly 2 lane, and a lot of traffic circles... had a chance to practice my circle etiquette.  Let's just say that Eric found my etiquette a bit lacking a couple of times.  I needed the practice, I guess!

By the time we got to Sedona, we were starved, so we stopped for lunch.  Ugh, parking, finding the restaurant, then getting out of town...  I guess I could have planned it better.  Oh well, more dad & son time :-)

Oak Creek Vista

One of the most interesting things about here is that you can look back into the canyon that you just wound your way up out of - and see the teensy weensy cars winding their way up the road you just came on!

Grand Canyon

Well, of course, it was...  Grand!   Heh heh.  Eric and I stayed a respectful distance from the edge.  Yikes, there were others who were way out on ledges, even a couple who sat with their legs dangling over a long long drop... he was reading her poetry.  How romantic... but not so much if they get startled and fall to their deaths...  oh well, that would never happen, right?  Actually, it happens all the time!  Ya can't legislate intelligence.  Hmmm, more about the Arizona school system another time.


Eric hopped the low barrier and went out on a plateau, right as soon as we got there.  Thereafter, he stayed well back.  We overheard a guide saying that you should stay your own height's distance from an open edge - so if you fall, you are ensured that you can grab something, even if it's a trip-launch.  Good advice, I figure.

...and then Eric went Home...

Sniff.