to the fall we blow goodbye kisses, bid winter hello

Bonjour! Hope all is going well in your neck of the woods. Things are pretty good here in the great desert. It's a bit chillier than I ever imagined it could get (brrr to a low of 31* tomorrow night!). The sun's rays tend to warm up the apartment throughout the day, though. We have yet to turn on the heater, but we haven't turned on the air in a solid month! Woohoo to decrease in energy usage/owed $$ to the electric company). Hehe.

Enough about weather-related musings. I figured, since it's December and all, I'd update you all on David and I's 2010 "to do" list. It's not looking very good in terms of completion. However, we've done a whole lot more than we would have originally done. So hoorah for that. Plus, we have a whole 30 or so days to complete the rest of the little things. :)

The new ones we've crossed off since the last time I updated the list --

• make ice cream David actually got an icecream maker and since then our fridge has been stocked with the homemade sweet dairy product. We've considered making a catnip icecream!
• color a picture Oh...you want proof? :) Here:

• Go Camping Finito! We went to the Sonoran Desert National Monument. In fact, that's the way we spent our Thanksgiving. Took our mind off the fact that we weren't with friends or family. We had a good time and I took plenty o' pics. Enjoy them:
  

David setting up the tent. I helped after taking a picture. :)


The tent (I did the interior decorating, hehe).




Hello, lonely cactus!




An old wash. There were lots of old washes -- you can tell because they are more sandy/smooth and lots of greenery line either side of them.


Pretty.


Came across this old, dried up saguaro cactus.


We claimed it as our own. See how it comes with a handy handle?


So dry! I felt like a mini survivor man.


We gathered rocks and old debris to make our little fire pit.


David starting the fire. :) We cheated and used a lighter.


I love the colors here. :)
A pastel, water-colored sky should make any heart go pitter patter.


All our stuff + David making the salmon. It was so good!


:)

Remember that dried up saguaro cactus from above? Well, we found a use for it. Perfect nighttime fire pen! :P


Hope it doesn't make you barf or roll your eyes too hard. :)

The whole list:

• build an igloo (pictures here)
  
• go strawberry pickin' (pictures here)
  
• make tofu
• write a lover letter to each other
• don't eat processed food for 30 days
• read a book together and talk about it
• make ice cream
• try a new restaurant (we hit up the Red Lion Grog House in Fountain Square - yum!)
  
• pull an all nighter
• color a picture
• grow a garden
• buy a bike and ride it
• go to a museum
• host a dinner party
• pay off a credit card
• buy something at a farmers market
• go fishing
• go to a music show
• go to noraebang (karaoke)
• make wine
• shadow a beekeeper(pictures here)
  
• walk in a park
• go bowling
• no technology for 3 days (including phone, computer and TV)
• draw on the sidewalk with chalk(pictures here)
  
• go to a festival (any kind)(we went to the Indianapolis Brew HaHa!)
  
• go camping w/ no whining from wendy
• make homemade ravioli from scratch (pictures here)
  
• take a road trip(pictures here
  
• try a restaurant from diners, drive-ins and dives (pictures here)
  
• take a class on whatever
• go to the indy 500(no pics! but it was fun. :P )
  
• practice our german and spanish
• bring food to our neighbors
• buy a $20 lottery ticket (don't judge)(that was an unfortunate $20 down the drain!)
  
• try miracle fruit
• make our own pizza from scratch
• go to the zoo
• go to a place that makes cheese (pictures here)
  
• go to the shipshewana flea market
• volunteer somewhere (animal shelter?)
• move out of the state(pics here!!)
  
• have an international skype party
• make a play jungle for goguma and lamia
• have a picnic with wine/cheese
• go a week without air conditioning in the summer
  
• have a dance party
• take a nice picture together
  
• repurpose a piece of furniture from flea market/garage sale/craigslist (picture here)
  
• don't drive for 1 week

So, we've got 27 done. For sure, we're going to be able to complete 4 more...hopefully a few more in addition. Stay tuned!

Cheers,
Wendy

she'd roll round the side of the mountain

Ahoy! :)

This week David's mom and grandpa came to Phoenix to visit us and some of David's extended family. It gave us the excuse to explore a little bit more of our surroundings, so that was nice. It was also great to see familiar faces from familiar places.

One place we ventured was the White Tanks, in/around Sun City (about 40 minutes or so from where we live, so not too far away)! My Aunt Clara suggested it, telling us that it was one of my Uncle Roger's favorite places in the whole world.

There really was something magic about it. Everything was almost bleached -- whitened and paled to a heightened degree of monochromatic. I find muted tones all from the same family quite charming, so I was quite pleased with my visual surroundings. Fortunately, I brought my camera to snap a few pictures.

Enjoy!

As we were driving into the park, I couldn't stop from squeeling, "How beautiful!" I think everyone in the car thought I must've been a bit crazy, but I was truly struck by how the light lit up the cactus' prickles.


See what I mean about the paleness?


These are real, authentic petroglyphs -- rock carvings etched into blackened stone by an ancient people telling a story to passers-by.


My handsome hub


:)


David and his grandpa


And now with his mom. Check out that crazy-tall saguaro cactus.


Dry, dry, dry


More petroglyphs


The trail ends with a waterfall. It's all dried up right now, but runs during the rainy season.




Stones are bigger than they look, eh? Compare them to David!


I just love the colors here


See the little puddle? :)


Pastel sky


Au revoir!

Cheers,
Wendy

you feel the tickle of the trees

Oh my gosh...I'm probably the most abysmal blog updater in the entire world! It's been a whole month since I updated -- can hardy believe it! Anyway, lots of things have happened in the past month. That includes my most favorite holiday ever (Halloween!!) and a trip to Oregon to celebrate the festivities! :)

I figured I'd share some photos from this lovely adventure. David and I went there to visit our friend Amy (seen many times in this blog before). When David and I moved to Phoenix, she moved to Eugene, OR -- a mid-sized college town about 2 hours south of Portland. If you ever get the chance, I suggest a visit. :) I truly enjoyed biking everywhere (as opposed to driving). It inspired me to fix up my sweet little bike back in good old Phoenix!

Pics:

Mushrooms at a Farmers' Market. Eugene is known for its tasty mushrooms. Yumm. If you know me, you know I love mushrooms! I find them fascinating.


Friendly man with a pet parakeet. He's had it for years. :)


He let me hold it!


Pretty, pretty


Love the colors + the vintage scale. I wish I owned that scale...


Ah, fresh produce.


Lilly at Amy's apt.


Bella (her old roomie's pup)


We spent a little while in this lovely book store. I was fully absorbed in a mushroom field guide. :)


VooDoo Doughnuts (featured on the Food Network, I believe!)


Mmm -- this burrito place was so good. And hello, dino!


During our four-day trip, I consumed 7 lattes. :P Amazing coffee skills, for sure!


I was so glad I got to relish in these fall colors! David was pretty stoked, too. :P

Those are just a few pics from our basic trip. One night, however, was especially entertaining. Seriously -- there's nothing better than a bunch of adults dressed to the max in zany outfits. Even better with good food, good drinks and great music. Sneak peak:


My costume


I killed Pooh (david)


Amy was rain




Zombie brainz, toasted skins, dump of the dead, octopus eyeballs, ancient graves, vampire coffin.




Lots of dancing






The night ended with David in a tree.

That's all for now. Cheers!
Wendy