Sunday, February 26, 2012
Mummy wanted to go see the wild flowers. They are about six weeks early. The road out to Saguaro National Park (west unit) is loaded with about 10 different varieties.
Mummy poses.
We went out to the paved nature trail, an easy walk for my mother.
Tackstem.
We counted seven different varieties of flowers.
Fiddleneck.
And about seven different kinds of cacti.
Blue Phacelia.
Mummy bought a 100 Desert Wildflowers book so we could identify which ones she saw. For some reason it is very important to know the name.
There are lots of saguaros in Saguaro National Park. I am glad the land has been preserved.
In the morning I was at the gym, doing 45 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the treadmill. Since starting to watch what I eat and exercising I have lost 14 pounds (216 to 202) since January 24.
We went out to the paved nature trail, an easy walk for my mother.
We counted seven different varieties of flowers.
And about seven different kinds of cacti.
Mummy bought a 100 Desert Wildflowers book so we could identify which ones she saw. For some reason it is very important to know the name.
Creosote bush.
There are lots of saguaros in Saguaro National Park. I am glad the land has been preserved.
Saguaro!
My shorts are falling down!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Another day of digging. We are working on two prehistoric pit structures.
This morning Jeff was working in the northwest corner of one house and found a carved palette.
Jeff excavating.
Palettes are relatively rare and are often found in ceremonial contexts. This one was made from a grayish-blue stone and had a single line engraved on its border.
Palette (click on picture to see detail).
Jeff and Olivia's pit structure is a "house in a pit." The Hohokam who built it excavated a large, semi-rectangular pit. They then set posts in place, built walls, and then put dirt back between the edge of the pit and the exterior side of the wall. Portions of the floor were plastered, although this is poorly preserved.
Jeff and Olivia excavating.
The house that George and Bill excavated is a true "pit house." The Hohokam excavated a pit, built the superstructure, and then plastered the floor and the walls of the pit.
Excavated house.
It will be interesting to learn what the decorated ceramics we are finding in these houses date to. Were they built at the same time? Or is one house older than the other?
Jeff excavating.
Palettes are relatively rare and are often found in ceremonial contexts. This one was made from a grayish-blue stone and had a single line engraved on its border.
Palette (click on picture to see detail).
Jeff and Olivia's pit structure is a "house in a pit." The Hohokam who built it excavated a large, semi-rectangular pit. They then set posts in place, built walls, and then put dirt back between the edge of the pit and the exterior side of the wall. Portions of the floor were plastered, although this is poorly preserved.
The house that George and Bill excavated is a true "pit house." The Hohokam excavated a pit, built the superstructure, and then plastered the floor and the walls of the pit.
It will be interesting to learn what the decorated ceramics we are finding in these houses date to. Were they built at the same time? Or is one house older than the other?
Thursday, February 23, 2012
If I was Maggie Gallagher or Brian Brown, of the National Organization for Marriage, I would be getting very freaked out right about now. In the last month:
- Washington state legalized same sex marriage
- Maryland legalized same sex marriage
- the New Jersey legislature approved same sex marriage
- voters turned in a petition to overturn the anti-same sex marriage amendment in Maine
- the 9th Circuit Court affirmed the overturning of California's Prop 8
- another judge decided that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional
Did I miss any?
Things are happening so fast and across so many fronts, the anti-gay crowd is going to have a hard time raising money to pay for advertisements, lawyers, bus tours, and Maggie's donuts.
- Washington state legalized same sex marriage
- Maryland legalized same sex marriage
- the New Jersey legislature approved same sex marriage
- voters turned in a petition to overturn the anti-same sex marriage amendment in Maine
- the 9th Circuit Court affirmed the overturning of California's Prop 8
- another judge decided that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional
Did I miss any?
Things are happening so fast and across so many fronts, the anti-gay crowd is going to have a hard time raising money to pay for advertisements, lawyers, bus tours, and Maggie's donuts.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Dig update. We are busy digging out at the fort, focusing on a pair of Hohokam pit structures.
Both are in areas that were once driveways and the dirt is terribly compacted.
The house that Olivia and Jeff are digging had an upsidedown plainware bowl in the roof fall.
Bowl.
They excavated a 2 m by 2 m test unit in the center of the house and found the hearth. I found a broken redware bowl in the south side of the unit.
Click on the picture, can you see the unexcavated hearth?
I screened dirt for George and Bill today, pounding it through the screen. I was pretty worn out at the end of the day.
I found some arrow points.
Bowl.
They excavated a 2 m by 2 m test unit in the center of the house and found the hearth. I found a broken redware bowl in the south side of the unit.
Click on the picture, can you see the unexcavated hearth?
I screened dirt for George and Bill today, pounding it through the screen. I was pretty worn out at the end of the day.
It was a busy weekend. Evan came down from snowy Flagstaff. On Saturday we went to Rosa's for lunch. I had a bean burrito!
Evan awaits his avocado enchiladas.
We journeyed to the Arizona Historical Society to attend 100 Years, 100 Quilts. We saw many lovely quilts.
My favorite.
I liked the small figures.
Stunning.
In the afternoon, I made supper for Allen, Mary, and little Nathan.
He liked the asparagus.
Evan awaits his avocado enchiladas.
We journeyed to the Arizona Historical Society to attend 100 Years, 100 Quilts. We saw many lovely quilts.
My favorite.
I liked the small figures.
Stunning.
In the afternoon, I made supper for Allen, Mary, and little Nathan.
He liked the asparagus.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Out at the old fort site we are finding many prehistoric features. They appear to date from about A.D. 1000 to 1150, based upon the pottery decorations.
Olivia and Jeff excavated a 2 m by 1 m test unit in a large trash mound. They found a lot of pottery and chipped stone, as well as a broken arrow point and a piece of a shell bracelet.
Olivia and Jeff digging a unit.
Nearby, George excavated a large pit that contained a lot of broken pottery.
George photography pottery in a pit.
Near the base I pulled out part of a decorated bowl.
Red on brown bowl fragment (click on picture to see the design).
I had Dan strip dirt off of a pit structure. It had burned and a line of wall plaster was visible, the interior blackened and the interior reddened from the high heat.
Burnt wall plaster.
If you click on the next picture you should be able to see the lines of burnt plaster better. George will be excavating this house soon.
Pit structure awaiting excavation.
Olivia and Jeff excavated a 2 m by 1 m test unit in a large trash mound. They found a lot of pottery and chipped stone, as well as a broken arrow point and a piece of a shell bracelet.
Olivia and Jeff digging a unit.
Nearby, George excavated a large pit that contained a lot of broken pottery.
George photography pottery in a pit.
Near the base I pulled out part of a decorated bowl.
Red on brown bowl fragment (click on picture to see the design).
I had Dan strip dirt off of a pit structure. It had burned and a line of wall plaster was visible, the interior blackened and the interior reddened from the high heat.
Burnt wall plaster.
If you click on the next picture you should be able to see the lines of burnt plaster better. George will be excavating this house soon.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Today is Arizona's 100th birthday. I have lived in this somewhat insane state for 24 percent of that time.
I dressed up for a small Centennial event and was interviewed for the Channel 4 news live at noon. My mother thought I did a great job, but then I have been interviewed so many times, it comes easy.
It started to rain during the interview and so I did not have to go back to the dig site because we were rained out. We actually start digging tomorrow- wonder what we will find?
1912 Homer.
I dressed up for a small Centennial event and was interviewed for the Channel 4 news live at noon. My mother thought I did a great job, but then I have been interviewed so many times, it comes easy.
It started to rain during the interview and so I did not have to go back to the dig site because we were rained out. We actually start digging tomorrow- wonder what we will find?
Sunday, February 12, 2012
It is spring time in Tucson. At work I often see healthy looking coyotes running past my window.
Coyote.
I purchased a finch sock when I was up in Flagstaff and I am happy to see three goldfinches climbing around eating thistle seed.
Goldfinches! (click on picture to see better).
Yesterday was a busy day. Mummy hasn't had her haircut since last spring, so I took her to Swade and we got haircuts.
Before.
Paul and I gossiped about things.
After.
A woman named Mari works there now, and she cuts women's hair.
Mummy getting coifed.
We went to the Presidio Park and the cannon was loud!
After.
Then we went to lunch, the knitting store, and Kmart, where Mummy purchased pants. This morning she complained they have a baggy behind. I went over to the Patrick-Brady estate and played five games of Scrabble with Patrick. Several times I had seven-letter words, but could not use them.
Radiant!
I won three of the five games, mostly because I had really good letters.
Oh! Patrick really isn't a sore loser.
Coyote.
I purchased a finch sock when I was up in Flagstaff and I am happy to see three goldfinches climbing around eating thistle seed.
Goldfinches! (click on picture to see better).
Yesterday was a busy day. Mummy hasn't had her haircut since last spring, so I took her to Swade and we got haircuts.
Before.
Paul and I gossiped about things.
After.
A woman named Mari works there now, and she cuts women's hair.
Mummy getting coifed.
We went to the Presidio Park and the cannon was loud!
After.
Then we went to lunch, the knitting store, and Kmart, where Mummy purchased pants. This morning she complained they have a baggy behind. I went over to the Patrick-Brady estate and played five games of Scrabble with Patrick. Several times I had seven-letter words, but could not use them.
Radiant!
I won three of the five games, mostly because I had really good letters.
Oh! Patrick really isn't a sore loser.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
I've been watching the original Dark Shadows. On Netflix, starting with episode 210, I'm up to episode 295, the first one in color. Maggie Evans has just shown up at the Blue Whale. Everyone thought she was dead!
It's Maggie Evans!
I watched the show as a kid, back in 1969. We'd get home on the school bus and run inside and catch the end of each episode. Sometimes I was so scared I would hide behind my mother's chair.
Watching it now is interesting. The flubbed lines, the sets practically falling down. Dr. Julia Hoffman's startling resemblance to albino Michael Jackson.
Michael.
Johnny Depp is busy making a Dark Shadows movie. I'm looking forward to dragging Evan to it, to an actual movie theater.
I watched the show as a kid, back in 1969. We'd get home on the school bus and run inside and catch the end of each episode. Sometimes I was so scared I would hide behind my mother's chair.
Watching it now is interesting. The flubbed lines, the sets practically falling down. Dr. Julia Hoffman's startling resemblance to albino Michael Jackson.
Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall).
Johnny Depp is busy making a Dark Shadows movie. I'm looking forward to dragging Evan to it, to an actual movie theater.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Mummy is watching Peter Pan. She is knitting squares for an afghan for me. I am at my desk, working on a family history and watching episodes of the original Dark Shadows from 1967. I'm really enjoying them, so hokey and at times poorly acted. I like Carolyn Stoddard the best!
Two of three 9th Circuit judges ruled that Prop 8 is unconstitutional and the anti-gay folks are having temper tantrums about it. Must suck to be Brian Brown and Maggie Gallagher right now. I wonder if Brown sobbed again?
I planted some sunflower seeds today. I hope they sprout. I got a Burpee's seed catalogue today- I wish I could grow a real garden here in Tucson, but I seem to have a black thumb.
Two of three 9th Circuit judges ruled that Prop 8 is unconstitutional and the anti-gay folks are having temper tantrums about it. Must suck to be Brian Brown and Maggie Gallagher right now. I wonder if Brown sobbed again?
I planted some sunflower seeds today. I hope they sprout. I got a Burpee's seed catalogue today- I wish I could grow a real garden here in Tucson, but I seem to have a black thumb.
Monday, February 06, 2012
It is spring time in Tucson. Little Tiny is always excited to see me, running up to the fence and demanding to be picked up.
Kisses.
On Saturday night she was in her pen and crying, probably because she was cold, and my mother went next door and took her out and brought her to our house. The neighbor man eventually came and got her.I am sure he would rather she lived with me, since he doesn't like her. While this was going on I was up in Flagstaff. Evan convinced me to climb up Turkey Hill.
On the way up.
At times he had to listen to me panting, because I am not used to the elevation.
At the top.
It was his birthday, so I was willing to gasp for air. I got him a book on mead-making, a book on cider-making, and a stone pipe made by Allen. He liked his gifts. In the afternoon, I made him a chocolate cake with peanut butter-chocolate frosting.
Delicious.
On Saturday night she was in her pen and crying, probably because she was cold, and my mother went next door and took her out and brought her to our house. The neighbor man eventually came and got her.I am sure he would rather she lived with me, since he doesn't like her. While this was going on I was up in Flagstaff. Evan convinced me to climb up Turkey Hill.
At times he had to listen to me panting, because I am not used to the elevation.
It was his birthday, so I was willing to gasp for air. I got him a book on mead-making, a book on cider-making, and a stone pipe made by Allen. He liked his gifts. In the afternoon, I made him a chocolate cake with peanut butter-chocolate frosting.
