Halloween 2010

We've been having a great time in the Apache Junction/Mesa area. We went to the huge swap meet in Mesa with Ginger (she is a good friend I worked with in Michigan) on Friday. Everything there is new and they have some beautiful stuff there. I didn't buy a thing, but Bob sure was on a roll! Every time he caught up with Ginger & me he had another bag in his hand. Then we went to Barry & Rachel's (my 1st husband's brother & sister-in-law) for dinner on Friday. We had a great time...it's always a lot of laughs with those two! They invited us to spend Christmas with them, which was so nice of them! We're leaving Wednesday to head toward Utah to meet up with my California cousins for Thanksgiving, then we'll work our way back into Arizona until February, when we will go into California for a couple of months.

Yesterday we went to Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa, AZ with Ginger. They offered $15.00 in free slot play and a free buffet with a new player's card. Bob & I won $255.50! :-) Ginger didn't fare as well, but we had a good time. When we left the casino, I suggested stopping by Barry & Rachel's to see their little granddaughters trick-or-treating. When we got there, Vivian & Ronnie were there, as well as the rest of the family (except Barry, who was out of town on business), so I was glad we stopped by. Vivian looked so much better than she did the day of Judd's memorial service, so I was happy we saw her and that she is doing better.


Rachel handing out candy.


Little Victoria & Great-Grandma Vivian

Baby Kortney, the bat girl.

Brit, Lil V & Kort

Michael, Britney & Kortney

Ronnie & Rachel. Looks like
Barry better get home soon. ;-)

Vivian & Bob

Tuzigoot National Monument, Clarkdale, AZ

Tuzigoot (LOVE that name!) National Monument is another ancient dwelling of the Sinaguans. It was built around 1000-1400 A.D. The name TUZIGOOT is an Apache word for "crooked waters" and this ancient ruin was probably named after the meandering Verde River. This, like Montezuma Castle, is another excellent reminder of their superior level of civilization.

Tuzigoot National Monument.

Another outside view of Tuzigoot.

Tuzigoot

Inside the dwelling.

Another inside view.

The beautiful Verde Valley.

Fort Verde State Historic Park, Camp Verde, AZ

Fort Verde State Historic Park was built in 1871, mainly as a supply and operations base.

Renovated jail.

Fort Verde

Fort Verde.

Montezuma Castle, Camp Verde, AZ

Yesterday we spent the day playing tourists and visited Montezuma Castle National Monument, Fort Verde State Historic Park and Tuzigoot National Monument. These pictures are from Montezuma Castle. It is neither a castle nor did Montezuma ever travel this far north, but the name has stuck. It is the best preserved and most dramatic cliff dwelling in North America. Visitors used to be able to go inside, but once the freeway was built nearby, they had to stop allowing access because there was just too many people visiting the park. It is amazing to us how intelligent these ancient people were in constructing their homes. The Sinaguans left this area in the late 1300's, although it is not known why.

Montezuma Castle.

Montezuma Castle.

Arizona Sycamore trees.

Their spotted bark was

so different from other trees.

This is Castle "A", next to Montezuma Castle.

Snake!!! There were several

small snakes & lizards in the

brush.

Depiction of the inside of the

Montezuma Castle.

Beaver Creek...the water source

for the Sinaguans.

Blazin' M Ranch, Cottonwood, AZ

This evening we went to the Blazin' M Ranch in Cottonwood for a Cowboy Chuckwagon Supper and Cowboy Variety Show after dinner. It was a really fun and entertaining evening! When we first got there, we went in the shops on the ranch and then took a wagon ride through the ranch. Then we went in the barn for supper and the show. The dinner was chicken, ribs, roasted redskin potatoes, corn salad and baked beans with apple pie a la mode for dessert. The entertainers were excellent...they could sing, tell jokes and were excellent musicians. One guy did a screamin' version of Orange Blossom Special on his fiddle! This entire evening was so different from anything we've ever done and we would definitely return here again when we're in the area. We met John, Jane & Bonnie on the wagon ride and then they sat at our table at dinner. They are from Utah & Colorado and we really enjoyed visiting with them.

At the ranch


These were mechanized wood
carvings. It was just amazing
what this guy did with wood!

Another wood carving...

I've finally got him

where I want him. :-)

Graveyard we passed on the

wagon ride.

Inside the barn theatre

The band.

This is Otis...don't let his crazy

looks fool you...this guy could

SING! Plus, he was hilarious!!!

Sedona, Arizona 10/21/10

We spent today in Sedona, Arizona. Of all the places we have visited so far, Sedona is by far our favorite. This was our 3rd visit there and it is never disappointing! We had dinner at the Javelina Cantina. It has been voted the #1 Mexican restaurant in Sedona for 12 years running and it was easy to tell why. It was excellent! On our last 2 visits we ate at Oaxaca Restaurant and it does not hold a candle to Javelina Cantina. We will definitely eat there on our next visit. For those of you who have never been to Sedona, you really should add it to your "Bucket List"! Hopefully these few pictures will show why we love it there.

When we got back to our campground tonight, one of the workers was at the lot next to us and Bob mentioned we had been in Sedona all day. He said, "You know what they say about Sedona, don't you?" Bob asked what it was and he replied, "When God created the Grand Canyon he was living in Sedona". :-)


This was Lucille Ball's Sedona home.
When she lived there it was pink.


Cathedral Rock.


One of many statues in town.
Sedona is very artsy and has
several art galleries.


This is our new home we
purchased today. :-)


Red rock formations.

Is this gorgeous or what?

Bell Rock.

Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Moon rising over Sedona...

RIP, Judd!

Yesterday we went to a memorial service in Sun Lakes, AZ for my first father-in-law. He passed away last Friday and since we were in Arizona, we felt fortunate to be able to attend the service. It was a very nice service and afterwards they had a luncheon at the church. My first mother-in-law invited us to her house in Casa Grande afterwards to visit with the family. We did go and really had a nice time. We had a lot of laughs and it was great spending time with them, I just wish it could have been under better circumstances.


I took this on the way to Sun Lakes.

Vivian, Barry, Ronnie & Lezlie.

Rachel, Barry, Vivian (& Toby),

Ronnie, Lezlie, Aunt Gwen (& Maggie).