Adventure 861: Day 84/Tucson/2023

And the Madness ends! The only one not crying is UCONN, and maybe the Zags feel a little better, too. We enjoyed another fine dinner and evening with our friends, the Kral's. I enjoyed watching the game immensely on the Kral's immense wall sized TV. Even the coaches look big on that screen. We'll see the Kral's again tomorrow morning since they invited us once again, this time for breakfast before we make our way to Sin City. It's been a very good stay. We got to share the space with several good friends, most of our kids, and we've begun some new relationships as well. I know we haven't left yet, but I can't wait to come back next year. So tonight we'll pray for traveling mercies, and realize as our heads hit the pillow that life is good, especially today.

Judy and Ginny sharing a chuckle at dinner.

One of our neighborhood saguaros.

Thin gruel: a comfortable food dinner of meatloaf, potatoes, cabbage salad, and collard greens.

Adios, Amigo. Until we meet again.

These two young guys guard the garage of our abode.

And this old guys waves as cars rush by on La Canada.

Adventure 860: Day 83/Tucson/2023

Palm Sunday as I've never experienced, brought to life through living truth, left me humbled. Reenacted, the call to worship stated, "When they came to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave two disciples a task, saying to them, 'Go into the village. As soon as you enter you will find tied up a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here.' They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and Jesus sat on it. Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields. Here, church members, the pastor, and children of the church paraded through the sanctuary waving branches of mesquite. Then came the anointing at Bethany (Matthew 26: 6-13) where Jesus' faithful complained about the waste of valuable oils. Jesus rebuked them. The special music was "Ride On King Jesus". From there Jesus arrived at the last supper (Matthew 26: 17-29) where Jesus predicted his betrayal. The congregation was served communion. Special music was the hymn "Eat this Bread". Jesus then moved to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14: 26-27; 32-42) where he prayed. Special music sung in a solo by the music director's wife. She sang "This Bitter Earth".....not so much for those in faith. Then came the betrayal, the arrest, the trial. Special music: "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" Then the equivocation of Pontius Pilot, after which came the crucifixion (Mark 15: 16-21) Special music: "No Greater Lover". Followed by scripture: (Luke 23: 32-43) Special music: "Jesus Remember Me". Followed by scripture: (Luke 23: 44-46) Special music: "O Sacred Head Now Wounded"  Then a call to Confession and solemn reproaches of the cross:

O my people, O my church what more could I have done for you? Answer me! I delivered you from captivity through the water of baptism but you handed me over to my captors, giving me up to die; and you have prepared a cross for your savior.

And then the deacons placed a shroud over the communion table. Special music: "Calvary".

And then we were sent out in silence. "Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us."

My voiced was silenced, but my heart was filled. Sad I am to leave Tucson, if only for Sunday mornings. My suggestion is that you follow along with the readings, and maybe the songs, for then you will realize that life is good, especially today.

Adventure 859: Day 82/Tucson/2023

Like a couple of lugubrious clerics scraping along with heavy feet in the bowels of St Peter's Basilica, Judy and I began packing today. We leave Tucson Tuesday. With traveling mercies, we'll be in Spokane Thursday. We've enjoyed our stay immensely, and hope to repeat the process next winter. We consoled ourselves with an excellent dinner at the Kral's where we watched the semifinals of the Men's March Madness. We were a bit consoled when UCONN demolished Miami in the same way they battered our beloved Zags. All we can say now: Go Huskies! Oh, there's one more thing to say: Life is good, especially today.

Obligatory cactus photo: Echinocereus Pectinatus, a flowering cactus in Ginny and David's backyard.

Ginny and David, looking good as usual.

U.S. Congressmen

The Tai Chi tree. Class meets at this tree in Children's Park.

By the time the evening concluded, the cactus had bloomed. Ginny says the bloom lasts one day. Talk about "Out, out brief candle...."

For dinner, we brought baby back ribs, Ginny created these potatoes; salad, and caramel apples for dessert. Thin gruel indeed.

This little red bird hangs around the Tai Chi tree. She was nice enough to pose for me.

I'm pretty sure that snow covered Mt. Spokane won't have quite the swagger as the Catalinas, but that might be my anguish talking.

Adventure 858: Day 81/Tucson/2023

The adventures are starting to wind down. Today, after breakfast, we ventured once again to our favorite hiking spot, Sweet Water Preserve, to hike the Desperado Loop, the only trail in the Preserve we hadn't traversed. We hiked nearly five miles, and up until the backside of the loop we traveled through scrub country filled with more dead plants than I remember seeing. Once we made the turn, we again walked through a copse of living, breathing saguaros. As usual, they were magnificent. We do enjoy walking in the desert. The weather was perfect, the temperature right around 65 degrees, and the sky that pleasant blue color, the one that warms the spirit. Afterward, since it's the last weekend of March Madness, we spent the afternoon watching the women play. Oh, my! They're fabulous. I remember as a kid, long before Title IX, officiating a game at Holy Names Academy. The girls, who at the time lived in a culture that thought they should "glow" rather than sweat, were allowed six players on a team. Three played on offense, Three played on defense. An offensive player was allowed just three dribbles before she had to pass. The three on defense were not allowed to cross half court. Times have changed. I'd have to say that women today no longer worry about "glowing", except in the rapture of a hard fought victory. It's a great pleasure to watch them perform, to watch them give their all, to watch them display their skills, to watch them handle victory and defeat with grace. In that they definitely provide a glowing example of how the game should be played. They make life good, especially today.

After most likely somewhere near two hundred years, this guy just fell where he stood.

The first half of the Desperado Loop follows a wash, which is mostly scrub brush and ocotillos.

The panoramic view along with the wide open sky raises my spirits.

This decaying barrel cactus is hollow, yet probably still provides shelter for some desert creature. I didn't check.

This dead saguaro left an imprint much like a shadow, giving me rise to consider the cycle of life.

This living saguaro seems like a hotel for the birds.

And finally, this prickly pear returns to the earth from which it came; just another living thing following God's plan. Today is the day the Lord hath made; Rejoice in it.

Adventure 857: Day 80/Tucson/2023

Yesterday, on our way to Mt. Lemmon we turned an exit too early. Realizing this, I turned on my blinker asking the long line of cars if they would let us back in the flow. One driver did. He yielded his time (Just a few seconds), his place in line (one car back), and I waved in appreciation. It didn't cost him much to act in such a kind way. In fact, he may have even felt better for the act. The idea of yielding in Tai Chi is not giving up or surrendering or capitulating or knuckling under. Rather, it is yielding to life energy. It is building the sensitivity to feel where the energy is going in your own body and learning how to flow with it, follow it, rather than blocking it with your own physical tension, your own mental agenda, or the artificial  motion you rely on when you move without mindfulness. Yielding is a skill I'm trying to develop not just in my Tai Chi practice, but in my life, too. This skill is critical in allowing others to go their own direction, to feel the flow of events in a smoother way, to allow the insults and stresses of daily life roll off me so they don't result in hurtful impact or injury. The principle is simple: yield yourself and follow the external forces. Instead, most people  ignore this simple principle and reach for a more remote and impartial method. They lust for power or they clutch their craggy fingers around the need for greed. I don't want to be like most people. I want to be content being part of the whole, part of the river of life, no better, no worse than the next. I believe if more people would practice yielding the world would be a better place. As for me, my life is good, especially today.

Be like the mountain: ever still, ever yielding.

Every day we have a chance to make our world better.
 

Adventure 856: Day 79/Tucson/2023

The temperature reached eighty-six today, and I heard my Bunny say, "It's almost too hot." So we hit the road for an adventure. First, we stopped at a new taste treat we found by accident coming home from church last Sunday. It's a family run operation called Buendia, which we didn't stop at on Sunday because there was no room in the parking lot. Today, we stopped by a little after one, and they had one table open. It will be on our tour list from now on. The atmosphere welcomed us, the food pleased our eyes and our stomachs, and we left with full hearts heading for Mt Lemmon, which is just 27 miles Northeast of Tucson, but takes 90 minutes to get to the top due to the winding and climbing. Tucson's elevation is 2388. Mt Lemmon's elevation is 9171. We didn't get that high, but we did cross the 8000 foot mark. The road climbs first through a large forest of majestic saguaros, then through a bit of scrub mesquite to some scraggily pines and finally to big pine trees whose trunks stick up out of the snow banks. The wind was howling, and from one vista I swore I could see Mexico. We finished our adventure this evening watching one of the lovey dovey movies Amazon Prime likes to produce. The movie, Journey of My Heart, is totally saccharine, sort of Cinderella meets the Milky Way. Unbelievable, but way better than fake news any day. I recommend it because a good dose of fantasy makes life good, especially today.

The grade climbs a thousand feet every two miles.

Quite a few "Rich Mitches" scattered on the mountainside.

These homes are bigger than they look.

After the saguaro forest, the moonscape begins.

Lunch interlude: The table centerpiece.

Chicken Mole enchiladas with rice and salad for Judy.

Dorado Tacos (shredded beef and potatoes)  with a side of beans for me.

Alien sighting.

So steep the guy on the right had to rest.

The view from Windy Point Vista. Temperature 64. Wind speed about 20 mph-enough to blow a hat off a bald guy.

Adventure 855: Day 78/Tucson/2023

We got the Franz's safely to the airport this morning, and by now, they're likely tucked into bed and Kara and Troy's house in Wichita. Despite our maladies, we had a good week, much as we always do when we get together. I'm not sure how many adult siblings spend time together like Judy and Karen do. I know in my own family it's rare. I also know that it's gratifying, and we feel lucky to spend time together. As for other realities, our time is winding down here in Tucson. I resisted the urge to begin packing things up, choosing instead to enjoy the day. I especially enjoyed stretching this month's lead in cribbage. We didn't play last week, opting instead to play Hollywood Gin. Right now, I'm $.92 ahead of the Cager with two days to go. I know how fickle the finger of fate is, so I won't count my pastries just yet. Instead, I'll rejoice in the fact that life is good, especially today.

I walk 1.5 miles to my Tai Chi class, usually on this street. The sun is setting on the experience, which is bitter sweet.

My route also takes me by this guy who despite a lack of apparent water, still manages to produce a plethora of arms.

It was nice to sip a cold one on the patio today. 83 degrees feels pretty good, especially in the shade.

Maybe Mimi will have better luck when we get home and she gets some help.