Gypsy & The Navigator

Bringing 2016 To A Close

2016 has been a great year for us.  Even if we didn't spend the holidays in a place filled with wintry beauty like this.  Our experience with snow this year was at Crater Lake in June.

Our winter has consisted of some rain that has made the flowers bloom happily.

We had a pretty little Christmas tree outside GypsyII that kept getting blown over when it was windy.  

We enjoyed a holiday dinner with everyone at Buca di Beppo's.  

When we had a house I would do a big dinner for everyone but now that we don't have a house we have a dinner at Buca's.  (Never did get a photo with everyone in it at one time.) Best thing is the food is good and there are no dishes to wash.

 

There was the family gift exchange.  I think the hit of the night went to Isaac who plays the drums and it looks like his drumsticks went through his head. 

Cynthia's family proves that you are never too old to pose for the Christmas Eve pajama picture. 

 The final days of 2016 have given us plenty of colorful sunsets.

 This one happened to be on our way to the 2016 Cactus Bowl.

Boise State playing against Baylor.

Amazing that they can transform a baseball diamond into a perfect football field.

They opened the roof at Chase Field and the retired military parachute jumpers came in for a perfect landing during the pregame show.

The bands performed for pregame and half time too.

Lots of enthusiasm from the cheerleaders and Buster the Bronco.

It was a painful night for the Bronco's.   A loss 12 - 31.  But, we had fun and we still love Boise State. 

The sun has set on the Boise State football season.........looking forward to next year.

 The sun has set on Tim Duncan's time with the Spurs.  He has been my favorite basketball player and I will admit there were tears in my eyes as I watched his retirement speech.  I started watching him during the 1998 season when we were Sacramento Kings fans and watched a lot of basketball.  Pretty soon I was trying to find Spurs games to watch. I was lucky to see him play both in Phoenix and San Antonio.  I am still a Spurs fan and am happy they are having a good season without Tim.

2016 has been a wonderful year for us.  We have been blessed with family, friends, good health, and the best travel adventures we could have ever imagined. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  MAY EVERY DAY IN 2017 BE THE BEST. 

 

Wishing You A Light Bright Merry Christmas.

We spent an evening at the Lights of the World Lantern Festival.  

Merry Christmas to you from Arizona.  Even the cactus get into the festivities.

Lights of the World is a unique international lantern arts festival.

The show features different cultures and civilizations around the globe. 

It is part of a cultural exchange program between the United States and China.

They say it cost $6 million dollars to put this display on.

It has over 2 million lights.

There seems to be something for everyone.

They weren't afraid to say "Merry Christmas."

It was there to see in lots of places.

These red lanterns represent good fortune in the New Year. 

It feels like you are traveling through different countries.

We were right on time for the acrobatic show.

We really enjoyed their skills.

Frequently we found ourselves asking "How did they do that?"

 

If I had to pick one display that was my favorite it would have to be the jellyfish.  They shimmered and glowed in vivid colors.

With that I will sign off and just let the images speak for themselves.

 

 

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT WITH BLESSINGS OF THE SEASON.  

Yes, What Happens In Vegas Goes On My Blog.

After our great trip to Red Rock Canyon we came back and got Ginger and went to the M Casino and Resort and met Margo and Everett for dinner. We ate at Anthony's Steak & Seafood at the Casino and the food was excellent.  The company was beyond excellent and a good time was had by all.  Well, maybe not by the bus boy who was overly zealous and took away Ginger's bread plate while Ginger was still eating.  Oh well, his mistake made for a generous plate full of free desserts for us to enjoy as well as giving us the opportunity for much laughter. 

The next day we all met at The Bellagio to see their spectacular display in their Botanical Garden.

The horticulturists and designers truly transformed this into a winter wonderland.

They change out the displays for each season as well as for the Chinese New Year.

The display of ornaments and flowers took my breath away.

The Conservatory is just off the lobby and the glass ceiling is 50 feet high.  The ceiling framework and beams are sculpted green metal of oxidized copper, called verdigris, cut in floral patterns.

The main tree rises to the glass ceiling.

Fresh flowers are in all the displays.

There were Poinsettias in so many different colors.

The flowers included among others roses, carnations, mums, azaleas, and cyclamen. 

Needless to say the fragrance is wonderful.

And I had to play the "What If" game.  What if I were incredibly wealthy?  I would rent the conservatory for Christmas Day and in the walkway I would have long beautifully decorated tables set up for everyone I knew to enjoy a catered Christmas Day dinner among this beauty. 

Polar bears and penguins played on the ice.

These guys would even make the Grinch smile.

This beauty does not come without work.  The lady on the left is replacing flowers that have become wilted.  I am sure that that is a never ending job because everything was perfect.

Best of all is sharing the day with friends.  

A little photobombing going on.  

Frosty & Ginger.  Much better without the photobomb.  

Handsome guys!

And their ladies.  

The lobby is exquisitely decorated too.  

I have long been a fan of glass artist Dale Chihuly and here in the Bellagio hangs his "Fioro di Como."  It was installed for the Bellagio's opening in 1998.

It cost $10 million dollars and covers 2100 square feet of the ceiling.  

There's a lot to love about glass.

The colors in this piece actually glowed.

Then it was time to go outside to see the fountains.

The water, music and lights all weave together to entertain you.  

Sometimes the water soars over 400 feet in the air.

This is magical.  Next time I want to see it at night! 

After another delicious dinner and more laughter and memories it was time to say good-bye for now to Las Vegas and until next time to friends.

A fairly early start to head back to Arizona gave us time to do a quick drive through the old town of Chloride, AZ.

It is an old mining town founded in 1862 but I think I was most impressed by the size of the Joshua trees. 

It is considered a living ghost town because lots of people have decided to come here to retire.

It now has a population of 352.  I hope they all watch out for rattlesnakes.

"Viva Las Vegas with your neon flashin'
And your one armbandits crashin'
All those hopes down the drain
Viva Las Vegas turnin' day into nighttime
Turnin' night into daytime
If you see it once
You'll never be the same again"

Elvis Presley

 

If You Know Someone That Lives In Las Vegas You Can Have The Best Time

Let's go somewhere!  Let's go visit Frosty & Ginger in Las Vegas.

Let's leave on a Sunday morning.  There is no traffic on the freeway.

Let's take the little Honda Fit that Kevin is letting us use that gets 40+ miles to the gallon.  

There is no traffic on Highway 93.  Lots of desert views though.

Sometimes we just need to be out in the wide open spaces.

Sometimes even mining debris is beautiful. 

This big pink jeep is carrying tourist from Las Vegas that just went on the Skywalk Grand Canyon tour.

I might as well save the $78 that it costs to walk on this glass, horseshoe shaped bridge that lets you see down at least a 1000 feet or so into the Grand Canyon.  No No No......it's not that I am afraid of heights.  It is because the rules say I can't bring my camera.  If you believe that have I got a deal for you.

Las Vegas here we are!  Dominating the skyline is the 64 story Trump International Hotel.  True to Trump style the exterior glass is infused with 24-karat gold.  

I know a lot of us love to hate Las Vegas but on this trip we found a lot to love.

Lots of love goes to Rob whose great decision to go to work for Marriott gives us such good rates on Marriott stays that we can leave the coziness of GypsyII for the luxury of hotel rooms that are bigger than she is. 

As we were checking into the hotel I couldn't help but notice even the sky was infused with gold. 

The sunset increased with intensity.  But what?  It is only 4:30.  Sundown comes early in the winter in Las Vegas.  More time for those spectacular lights on all the casinos. 

It ended in the red.  Just like I would be if I gambled.  In the red. 

Soon we were on our way to Frosty & Ginger's house.  We had been invited to a steak dinner.

Look at those beautiful welcoming doors at their house.

Not to mention the Welcome Frosty & Friends on the door.  What fun!   We were treated to a delicious dinner and had such a good time visiting and laughing. 

The next day after being again treated to a yummy lunch Frosty offered to be our tour guide to Red Rock Canyon.  Ginger had an appointment so we met up with her later.

This canyon is beautiful.  It is located in one of the easternmost parts of the Mojave Desert.

The day was overcast and the colors of the rocks were pretty but I  imagine they would glow on a sunny day.

There is a nicely paved scenic drive that takes you around the area.

Our first stop was at the Visitor Center.

We always enjoy the Visitor Centers because they offer so much information about the area and prepare you for the sights.

We were impressed with the displays and there was so much information it was impossible to take it all in in a short time.

The red sandstone rocks are dwarfed by the massive peaks behind.

The area was home to Native Americans.  It is said that as many as six different Native American cultures have called this place home. 

Due to its resources of water, plant, and animal life that could not be easily found in the surrounding desert it was a natural area for the hunter gatherer tribes that lived here.

Red Rock Canyon is very close to where Frosty & Ginger live and only about 15 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.

No wonder it is visited by over 2 million people each year.

A perfect place to take a break from the hustle & bustle of the Las Vegas Strip and take some time to scramble around on these amazing rocks.

Loved this picture of Turtlehead Peak in the background.  It is the only limestone peak in the area.  And below is some of the white Aztec sandstone and the red sandstone from the iron deposits.  Thanks Frosty for the geology lesson.

There are miles of hiking trails.  Some are short but some can take several hours.

Rock climbing is popular here.  The area is an international destination for rock climbers. 

Climbing rock faces and cliffs is for the brave.  I admire their courage.

There is bravery here too.  This tree is growing where no tree should grow. 

From 1905 to 1912, the Sandstone Quarry within Red Rock Canyon was used to extract large pieces of high quality beige & orange sandstone to use for buildings in Los Angeles & San Francisco.

This helicopter circled and circled over the area the entire time we were there.  Frosty thought that they were searching for a fugitive and that Walt should remain out of sight.  

Normally this creek runs year round.  Frosty said that it is the first time that he has seen it dry.

Being dry allowed me to see the intricate patterns on the sandstone lining the creek floor. 

What a way to end our day in the Canyon.  Traffic stopping wild burros.  Happy and healthy critters.

Stay tuned for more from Las Vegas.

 

 

 

It's Good To Be In The Desert In The Winter

A drive out into the desert hills on a bright, sunny winter day can't be beat.

There is always mystery as to what is around the next curve or beyond the distant mountains.

The cholla cactus is one of my favorites to take a photo of.  It always looks like it has been backlit just for the picture.

The ocotillo's and saguaro's always make a statement.

The clouds cause ever changing shadows on the mountains. 

Yes, there is a great deal of beauty in the desert and the warm breeze in the winter is oh so welcome.

I will admit that I spend hours watching the birds in our little backyard.  I can watch from the big windows inside GypsyII or from the chairs on the patio.

Sometimes I get the feeling that they are watching me too.  

If I sit still they will appear quite curious about me.

They should be thanking me for all of the seeds I put out.

Maybe they do.  Maybe that is what all the twitter and tweets are about.

No need for these birds to get up early to get the worm.  They can just head over to my yard after they have slept late.

Is everyone in the Christmas Spirit like these two sweet little girls?  Sometimes when it is 70 degrees it is hard to believe it is almost Christmas. 

Those of us in Arizona will grin and BEAR it being thankful that we are not where the temps are below zero.

No matter where we are this is the time of the year that clothes are shrinking everywhere.  Next up a very pleasing December trip.  




 

Good Times In Our Arizona Stay

We are enjoying our little piece of nature outside our windows in our spot in Good Life Resort in Mesa.  

Each day we are entertained by the birds stopping by for a free meal.

But better than the birds stopping by we were blessed by friends Frosty and Ginger stopping by for a few days. What a treat!  So many memories and laughter. 

 A trip to Salt River Fields for some fall baseball made for a great day!  Frosty & Walt relived their baseball days and Ginger and I remembered days at the Charm Beauty School.  

November is a wonderful time to be in the Valley.  Look at that green, green grass. 

Lots of baseball takes place in the Phoenix Valley.  Between Spring Training, the Diamondbacks season and fall baseball there is much to see.

Many hours spent visiting with Frosty & Ginger at restaurants (thanks kind waiters for letting us linger) & at Gypsy II - not to mention nightly visits to Cheesecake Factory for dessert.  It was such a pleasant time that we hated to see them go.  But, a plan to visit them in Las Vegas was put in place so we have that to look forward to. 

We have gotten to spend time with these cute, high energy little girls.

 Who doesn't love a parade? 

 This was the annual Gilbert Days Parade.

 Lots of Scout Troops showing their American Spirit.

We lost count of how many dance groups there were.  I wonder if this young lady was able to stay on her toes for the entire parade.

Loved this old police car.  

It took quite a bit of maneuvering to get this big guy under and around the traffic lights.

A little Rodeo Royalty.

For us this is the highlight of the parade.  Grandson, Isaac, and his marching band performed in the parade. Fun morning!

We have had fun playing Bingo in the Park.  I actually won once so we are ahead on $ spent.

We got to see this cute little girls school play.   (She proudly still eats apples despite all those missing teeth.)

The play was full of singing and dancing about Early Life in America.  Kristi is the one in black.

Not sure if Brooke will be a lefty like her Dad.  She seems to use both hands. 

Kristi loves it when she can have cousin Brianna braid her hair. 

We get to a lot of volleyball games because three of the grandchildren play.  I like the game but will be first to admit that I don't understand the libero position.  I know that they are supposed to be a defensive specialist but I can't always see the advantage of having them in.  Sometimes I see them as a weak link.  Maybe I will see the advantage as I watch and understand more.  But, it is really a fun, fast moving game to watch.

We are having a very enjoyable time here in the Valley of the Sun under the swaying palm trees.  However, I am planning and dreaming of travels to come. 

The lady next door doesn't appreciate me feeding the birds.  She says they are messy and that they "dive bomb" her.  I have moved my feeders to the other side of the yard away from her and I am trying to understand not wanting to hear them sing and twitter and dart about in their everlasting "pecking order" competition.  Hopefully this will make her more comfortable and I can recognize that we all like different things.

“If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes.” » Charles Lindbergh

 

 

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