Tribute to a Great Artist

 

When I was at the Wrigley Mansion last Saturday, I spotted this gorgeous Arizona sunset painting by Ed Mell in one of the dining rooms.  I mentioned Ed Mell in a post on March 6th, just days after he passed away.  There wasn't any sign and I didn't ask, but I'm pretty sure that candle was placed in front of the painting to pay tribute to a great artist and great man.  

In another room I found another Ed Mell painting.

There were two tributes to Ed published in the Arizona Highways magazine however, the one above was a personal tribute from the magazine's editor.  I've seen many such tributes over the past few weeks.  Ed was much loved in the Valley of Sun and around the world.

I'll make this post my own little tribute to a man whose art work I have greatly admired.  

The Wrigley Mansion

 

I was with friends at a birthday celebration at the Wrigley Mansion last Saturday night and was able to tour around the building once again.  The last time I was there I posted photos of the grand staircase.  This time I have some photos of other rooms.  At one time, the room above was a bedroom for the Wrigley family.  Today it is a special meeting and dining room.

The room above was the families main dining room.

The room to the left was another bedroom.

It's always fun to wander around in this majestic place.  I always seem to learn something new on every visit.

You can see more photos from this place here, here and here.

The Other Flowers

 

The iris and the baby ducks weren't the only beautiful things that caught my eye at the Japanese Friendship Garden.  There were several shrubs in full bloom with these dainty pink flowers.

On the water were several very gorgeous water lilies.  

Scattered among the bed of iris plants were these two-tone blooms.

And, these pretty lavender flowers were also popping up here and there.  There were a lot of spring flowers to enjoy.

And Then There Were Eight

 

The flowers weren't the only thing I enjoyed seeing at the Japanese Friendship Garden last weekend.  I spotted a very proud momma duck showing off her tiny brood of ducklings.  Here she is teaching them a bit of rock climbing.  I see six little ones in this shot.

After climbing the rocks, she shows them how to cool off in the grass.  Now I could see seven little babies gathering around momma in the cool spot.  

Finally she decides to cross the path and head toward the water.  Now I can clearly see that she had eight little ducklings following her lead.  

This little encounter with the duck family was just an added bonus to a sunny walk at the Japanese Friendship Garden.  

Spring at the Japanese Garden

 

I made a trip to the Japanese Friendship Garden over the last weekend to see how spring was looking in that environment.  As it turns out, it was looking very good.

I was hoping I'd find some flowers that I don't usually see and I wasn't disappointed.  

The iris patch was full of beautiful blooms.

The blooms were impossible to resist.

I must have taken a dozen photos of these delicate blooms.   

The trip to Japanese Friendship Garden was a colorful success.

Barrio Murals

 

I snapped this photo the same evening I had dinner at the Barrio Cafe that I mentioned a couple of days ago.  This mural is in the alley behind the restaurant which is a space full murals.  In fact, I've posted photos of other murals in this alley before but it's been a while ago.  This isn't the best photo.  As you can see, I was shooting into the sun.  Not always the best idea.

Taking part in Monday Murals.

Orchid Tree

 

I saw this orchid tree as I was driving past and decided to stop and snap a few photos.  I love these trees especially when they are blooming and full of their beautiful flowers.

Spring has been making a colorful showing this year in the desert southwest.  I'll keep my eyes open for more flowering signs of spring.

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  Public art is abundant in London.

Birds at the Garden

 

I did take the time to capture a few birds with my camera when I was at the garden last weekend.  Here is a favorite, a Gambel's Quail perched on a rock.

This fellow was examining the tables and chairs near the little cafe.  I checked my bird guide and I think this might be an Abert's Towhee.  

This female Gila Woodpecker was busy poking her head in and out of the hole in the cactus.  She might have been feeding some young in there.  Either that or she was looking for a new nesting spot.

Saying Goodbye to a Tasty Friend

 

Last Saturday night I had dinner with close friends at Barrio Cafe, a restaurant that has been in business over twenty years and has become well known across the country.  Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has earned the respect of everyone she meets and her food is loved by all.  She is a James Beard nominated chef who has brought real Mexican food to the city while becoming a vocal community leader and activist.  

Chef Slivana will be closing at the end of May so we wanted to make sure we had dined there one more time before it closes.  Chef Silvana will be missed on the local restaurant scene.  I wish her a comfortable retirement.  

Violas and Other Garden Flowers

 

These tiny little flowers caught my eye at the Desert Botanical Garden.  I've seen these flowers before but this striped variety was new to me.  I always thought they were tiny pansies but I learned that they are actually called violas.  They are so pretty.

I'm not sure what the tiny little blue flowers are called.  There were several little clusters of them scattered around.

I found these unusual black petunias mixed in with the other flowers at the garden.

The flowers are abundant right now.  

A Rainbow of Cactus Blooms

 

There were a variety of cactus blooms to admire last Sunday when I was at the Desert Botanical Garden.  I'll share just a few today.  The colors were so vivid.  

Such a pretty shade of pink!

An orange bloom!

They came in all shapes and sizes.

Even a short little cactus can push out a pretty bloom.

Pretty blooms on the claret cup cactus. It was a feast for the eyes.

The Desert is Blooming

 

I hadn't been the the Desert Botanical Garden in a while so I decided it was time to go.  It was busy but I was able to enjoy the blooms.  

There were lots of cactus blooms like the prickly pear bloom above.  

The wildflower trail was bursting with color.

This is the perfect time of year for blooms so I need to get over there more often this month.

Another Historical Sign

 

Last Monday's post featured a mural paying tribute to an old sign that was well known in the city of Mesa.  This week's mural pays tribute to another historical sign.  Buckhorn Baths was a small mineral hot springs resort on the far east edge of Mesa.  Though the motel itself has been closed for years, the property has been given historical status. There have been several proposals for the sight but nothing has been settled.  So it sits waiting for the right project to come along.  This mural pays tribute to a very well known sign in east Mesa.

Taking part in Monday Murals.

Artistic Corn Hole Game

 

These two photos are left over from my visit to the Arizona Arts Expo back in late March.  These two game boards were the prize for a raffle sponsored by the artists in residence.  

Each board was covered with samples of the art produced by the many artists who participated in the expo.  It's a clever idea for a raffle prize, part art and part fun.

If you are not familiar with the game of corn hole (sometimes called bag toss), you will find a description here.  

It's fun to play.  You don't need any special skill or talent, just a good aim.  

I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today.  It's an artistic discovery.

Evolution of a Fallen Saguaro

 

Back in 2021, I posted a photo of this cactus near where my doctor's office is located.  You can see that post here.

In march of 2022, I took this photo of that same cactus.  It was still standing and still looking tattered and torn.

In March of 2023, the poor thing had finally fallen.  I remember when I took this photo that we had experienced some serious wind storms over the winter so I'm sure one of those storms caused it to fall.

I was just here again on Thursday and I couldn't resist another photo.  It looks like much of the remains have broken down or been carried away by animals but the root trunk is still standing.  It's been interesting watching it over the past 4 years.

Expensive Wheels

 

When I was leaving a restaurant one day recently, I saw this eye-catching vehicle parked in the parking lot.

It's a Lamborghini in case you were wondering.  It is certainly a beautiful automobile but I'm guessing it's pretty expensive to own.  I'll just admire it from a distance.

Good Italian Food

 About two years ago, my friend David introduced me to a great little restaurant called Adela's Italian.  It's a small restaurant located in the corner of a strip shopping center. You might say that it's tucked away into an almost hidden corner.  In spite of its sheltered location, it has some of the best Italian food I've eaten.

The last time I was there, I had the lobster ravioli which was incredibly delicious.  Everything I've ever ordered there has been exceedingly good.  This tiny little restaurant could successfully compete with any of the more popular places around town.  

Soup Night with the Pups

 

Yesterday I featured some flowers from my friend's garden.  Today I have a photo of the table at my friend's house. It was set for our dinner party.

I have a group of friends who periodically meet for "soup night".  Someone prepares the soup and someone else brings a salad  and bread.  It's always a great evening of conversation, laughs and a lot of solving of the world's problems.  

This time it was at the home of Max and his furry siblings.  

Here is Winston keeping watch on the cushion with Max tucked in below.  You saw these two last year in this post.

These two dogs are good at posing for photos.  The other dogs who reside here eluded my camera once again.