3-19-2015 THRU 3-31-2015
Sunrise.
We had not been on one of our favorite trails yet this year, so we figured we had better hit the……
There were many Hedgehog Cactus in bloom.
The Michelin Man Saguaro is still standing.
I guess this is why they call it the Slate Trail. I would hate to fall on these rocks.
It’s March 23rd and we saw our first rattlesnake in the campground. It was about 3 feet long. Knowing that they can strike about half of their length I decided to stay at least 3 times its length away. We stayed close by, to make sure no one accidentally drove over it, until it was off the road.
We also saw one on the road in front of our campsite when we took the garbage out. It was alive but real sluggish. When we got back later it was just laying there and we determined it was dead. The camp host said it looked like it had been run over which usually happens when they first come out to warm up on the asphalt.
For the third year in a row we have had a flat tire on the Subaru. It has always been the rear tire on the passenger side. Now I know that the Outback is not a “chick magnet”, but I sure wish it was not a nail magnet.
Sandy’s last sunset picture at the campground was taken on the 29th since we were at Ron and Jane’s the last two nights of our trip.
Although we did not get a picture of them, we met a very nice couple, Sheryl and Larry, from Nevada City, CA. They left Cave Creek a couple days early to head up to Lone Pine, CA after we had told them about Tuttle Creek Campground on Hwy 395 along the Eastern Sierra Mountains. They also enjoy camping in some of the more out-of-the-way scenic campgrounds.
This Tuesday the 31st is our last day in Cave Creek so we went to the Carefree Café for breakfast. Afterwards we strolled through the Sundial Gardens in Carefree.
This group of Palo Verde trees is on the entrance road to Cave Creek Campground.
Ron, Jane and Charlie too, thanks for all your hospitality and spending the time with us. We hope to see you later this summer in the Tetons.
Until next time,
Dave and Sandy
3-14-2015 THRU 3-18-2015
This is going to be a long blog on the Musical Instrument Museum, we spent 6 hours there and rushed the last 2 hours, so if you are not interested in musical instruments just glace at the first five and last pictures. My first run through of pictures to post had over a hundred, but I whittled that down considerably.
One evening when we were at Ron and Jane’s for supper there were some interesting clouds out their back yard.
The campground has a group site where clubs can come an have a get-to-gether. One weekend a group of Airstreams were using the site. These are for our niece, Heather, who has rehabbed an older Airstream.
There was only one motorized Airstream in the group, It’s the one way back in the picture.
We have driven by the MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) over the years and thought we should stop in. This year we talked with a couple people who have been there and decided to go. What an amazing museum. Just about every country in the world is represented by a display.
They had a special exhibit with Drums of the World.
Besides the displays they had TV screens that transmitted to a set of head phones you wear. The nice thing about these were that you did not have to select anything. As you got close to the screen or exhibit they would come on automatically.
In case the above picture is hard to read, “Played to appease deities during Buddhist chod meditation; constructed from the caps of two human skulls (male and female) collected from “sky burial” sites. The twin drumheads are specially cured human skin.” This was on of the most bizarre exhibits we have ever seen.
This ceramic drum is about 5000-6000 years old.
Display of the old and new ways of communication. The only thing missing is my I-phone.
There are many displays of instruments that musicians personally used.
There is a room dedicated to just instruments that are played by, disc, metal rolls, paper rolls, etc.
The museum also has a facility for restoration of instruments.
And there are hundreds of displays showing instruments, old and new, of countries around the world.
Peru. Sandy and I like the flute music from that region.
We thought the origins of “Taiko” were interesting.
Harmonicas.
My brother Joe made one of the “cigar box guitars” last winter and he even learned to play it.
That’s Marty Robbins in the center of the TV screen and the black outfit is one of his.
There is a display showing the making of Martin guitars.
And one of the making of violins in Italy.
We have always thought of bagpipes as a Scottish and Irish musical instrument. But we found out it was used throughout Europe, both western and eastern.
The creativity of some bagpipes was amazing.
Now that this long blog is over; everyone put on a “HAPPY FACE”.
Until next time,
Dave and Sandy
