Hiking in the Shade of a Volcano

Today's fun was set to the tune of Volcanoland (Caedmon's Call--Share the Well):

Waputki Ruins. 900 years old or so. Wow. 

These people lived in the shade of several volcanoes

The volcano-erupted just once about 1000 years ago.

Short, fat lizard living in the shade of the volcano

Penstemon, living in the shade of the volcano.

We kept looking for Frodo and Sam in Emyn Muil today. Saw some Ents. I thought I had been to Sunset Crater before, but it must have been at night because this place was totally new to me, and it hasn't changed much at all in the last several centuries. 

For dinner we tried to find one of the many pizza places that lays claim to "Best Pizza in Flagstaff"---Google Maps failed us and we instead made a round trip of the Flagstaff area, ending across the street (nearly) from our current residence, at another of the places that claims to be the best pizza in Flagstaff. It was called Picazzo's and it was good. There is a Picazzo's in Tempe also, apparently.

Trips to train station holding at three. Tonight we skipped the trains and hit 

Bookmans instead. And Baskin Robbins. Did someone send us a video message? Had technical difficulties with it.  

Yesterday's News

Chasing Trains

Awaiting Rocky and Bullwinkle

Wildlife seen near Humphrey's Peak

Ceiling of the Lava River Cave near Kendrick Peak

Found in a Fortune Cookie

Fortunes are more entertaining when pooled:

Normally I am not a fan of chinese food buffets. I do love chinese food, just not in the buffet format. However, when one is exhausted and starving, accompanied by several other exhausted and starving family members, chinese buffet is a very effective mealtime strategy. Thanks again to the Booyor family for their answers to Flagstaff FAQs.

A Note to BWDCAB and friends

There is a nice herd of bison at Raymond Ranch just a few miles east of Flagstaff. According to the ranch manager, they are currently hanging out at the far east end of the ranch which is inaccessible to minivans due to the damage done to roads during summer storms. This FBWDCAB family was terribly disappointed. We had to content ourselves with this:

Top of the world, underground

Did I mention before that the delicious new food is called Cicada Skin Soup? 

Last night we went to inspiration point. Good views of Jupiter from there. Nice 112 year-old telescope helps if you want to see lots of detail.

Today was spent at the top of Humphrey's Peak at 11500 ft, thanks to the Snowbowl chairlift. Admired the view. Danjo said the T-mobile force was strong up there. Also greatly admired the wildflowers in the San Francisco Peaks area.

 Following that we drove to the Kendrick Peak vicinity to climb through the lava river cave. It turns out that the adventurer who is normally the most timid turned out to be the best spelunker. Note to selves: talk to the flashlight guru about some more powerful models before spelunking again. However, the small size, light weight, and dependability of the current models was greatly appreciated. We all made it out alive and did not have to flee molten lava in the process, although we did discuss what would happen if an eruption occurred while we were there. Spelunker thought we should pray and cling to each other and wait for a miraculous rescue, blog author thought that praying while fleeing and taking photos would be good. Everyone else said pray while fleeing would be best. We nearly made it to the car safely, but mini adventurer tripped and skinned his elbow, resulting in minor injuries and major screaming. 

Other notes: strange buzzing grasshoppers, adventures can be had on roads-less-travelled, caves are cold, wildlife seen and photographed. One 2GB memory card full. One to go. Thankful again for a laptop for storing the excess.

 

Thinking of Chinese takeout for dinner.

Susan, how come the cursor randomly moves somewhere else when I am typing? Is it user error? How do you right-click?

Photos later. 

Thank you Susan for the loan of the laptop!

I have to say that logging on to free wi fi to update my blog is the coolest thing I have done in a long time. 

First things first: 

Yesterday was crazy. The dog dressed in my clothes by herself. My son tried to buy a game to play on my cell phone, several funny things were said by assorted children, and the kids made a new delicacy in a bucket in the backyard.  

 Today we visited Montezuma's Castle and the Flagstaff train station before arriving at our hotel, which has no sofa bed, no fridge, and no microwave, but does provide free wi fi.

I think he's greeting the sun. 

Trees and a mermaid. 

This is a microburst. Last Monday. Just the look of it convinced us to get out of the pool and go home. 

__________________________

There was an article today in the paper describing how to garden using layers of alfalfa hay, straw, blood and bone meal and compost. I would like to try it in my spare time. Maybe this fall.

__________________________

Today, and yesterday are or were spent cleaning house and monitoring the boy's evil sore throat. Not much else to say about that. It is early yet. One never knows what excitement will present itself.

Kitt-An American girl

Four children (yes, all pre-teen girls) and their two adults attended this movie with much enthusiasm today. I must say that the adults laughed all the way through the movie. We enjoyed it maybe not for the same reasons as the kids. 

The entertainment:

• Chris O'Donnell's thoroughly modern haircut-totally unconvincing as a depression-era car salesman. 
  
• The guy from princess bride (the Sicilian) as the magazine editor.
  
• The bald guy from The Devil Wears Prada as a magician.
  
• The predictable lines: Dad:"I'm going to find a job"

Kit: "in Chicago?"

Dad: No, Kit. Right here in Cincinnati"

• The fact that the villian-ess was a mobile librarian. 
  
• The monkey.
  

Around the Wii Fit Island in 80 Days

Booyor suggests tracking Wii Fit progress. I think that is a good idea. However, the Wii Fit was monopolized all day by grouchy, camp-hangoverized adventurers. Now it is very late and I am reading Jules Verne in order to encourage the new-to-required-reading adventurer. Must email with questions on chapter 1-3 before I get Fit.

Describe Phileas Fogg. 

Why did Passepartout come to work for Phileas Fogg?

What happens that causes the men at the Reform club to make a bet? What is the bet?

How do you play whist?

What is the Reform club?

Who is Angelica Kauffmann?

What is Reading sauce? Is it anything like Marmite?

Wii Fit outwitted already

The Adventurers have already figured out how to cheat Wii Fit. Are there cheat codes online as well? That would be disappointing.

No, I am not going to share how they cheated! You will have to figure it out for yourself. The alternative is to remain honest and see if it actually helps you get in shape. For my part, I am going to try that first.

Things to remember from Mary Poppins

The adventurers are home, dirty and tired, but having had a good time. Were inspired to watch Disney's Mary Poppins this afternoon by the fantastic work of the camp "queen of the drama" and her crew. 

"Tradition, discipline and rules 

Must be the tools  

Without them: disorder, catastrophe, anarchy

In short, you have a ghastly mess."

~Mr. Banks, on maintaining a proper (British) home.

If you want this choice position

Have a cheery disposition

Rosy cheeks, no warts!

Play games, all sort

You must be kind, you must be witty

Very sweet and fairly pretty

Take us on outings, give us treats

Sing songs, bring sweets

Never be cross or cruel

Never give us castor oil or gruel

Love us as a son and daughter

And never smell of barley water

If you won't scold and dominate us

We will never give you cause to hate us

We won't hide your spectacles 

So you can't see

Put toads in your bed 

Or pepper in your tea

Hurry, Nanny!

Many thanks

Sincerely, 

~Jane and Michael Banks

"Have you lost something?"

~Mary Poppins 

"It is rather like a bear pit, isn't it?"

~Mary Poppins, reacting to a messy room

Anniversary Update

We've got mail!

Finally, letters have arrived from the wilderness adventurers.

The adventurer in the "adirondaks" has a "Survivor" theme for the week. Her friends and admirers will be pleased to know she won the first "immunity cross necklace" by tying effective knots. Or maybe they learned to tie knots and had a separate immunity challenge. Letter is a little unclear on this point. It was clear that this adventurer's cabin has lots of spiders in addition to the tarp on the roof, but the other "adirondaks" cabin has a wasps' nest. 

Also, to quote the letter:

 "instead of making us use the outhouse they have one of those giant blue thing."

The other adventurer misses our smiles and sends lots of x's and o's, as well as hugs for the dogs. Requests prayer-not for anything specific; activities include "color splash" and "fun with beads." Letter written in bright green gel pen.

Accuser Recants (but I am not changing the name of my blog)

My mommy dose not drive on the sidewalk and that is TRUE.

"Sidewalk Driver Publishes Second Blog"

I realized that I have unwittingly set up not one, but two blogs (technical difficulties occurred during the blog setup process, but I am surprised it took me this long to discover that the first attempt was successful). The surprise one is at http://indiedust.blogspot.com/ 

The one post that is living there was meant for this blog, but surprised me by appearing there. Maybe I will move it. Indiedust sounds like the name of a new street drug. Hmm. Maybe Danjo the Magnificent will have to post to it instead of me. Or it can be the dog blog. Or the place where I blog about very strange things. Or maybe it can be dedicated entirely to bison. Many possibilities. Barely enough time to maintain one blog. Must go clean house. Too much time wasted today already by driving to music store to have violin bow re-haired, only to discover that they have decided not to re-hair violin bows for a couple of months due to the lucrative back-to-school rental season. With every closed door one must look for open windows. I have overcome my fear of visiting a real violin shop with e-bay-purchased violins. The man was nice on the phone. Will take cleaning time slotted for tomorrow to visit real violin shop for the first time. All the more reason to go clean for a while now. 

FBWDCAB hard at work

Even in out-of-the way places, where one might not normally expect to find bison, they are there for the petting.

What does a new blogger need?

1. Something to blog about

check--vacation is planned

2. A laptop to post with while on vacation

Hmmm--this is a problem...