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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 6:43:22 GMT
Here's an assortment of photos taken on my early September trip to Flagstaff, Arizona. It's their monsoon season, so the first part of my trip has meant lots of rain showers in the area each day.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 6:53:58 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 7:08:18 GMT
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Post by mickthecactus on Sept 10, 2015 7:44:17 GMT
Nice to see what's on Route 66, the old Rolling Stones song.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 7:44:28 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 8:10:05 GMT
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Post by bjd on Sept 10, 2015 8:57:10 GMT
Nice photos of the lake and clouds. Just goes to show how little I know about the area -- I always think of Arizona as desert and was surprised to see the greenery, especially at the end of the summer.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 13:26:14 GMT
Thanks, bjd. Flagstaff is actually high up above the desert at 7,000 feet (2,130 m) in elevation, and is adjacent to the largest contiguous Ponderosa Pine forest in North America. It's situated on a mountain surrounded by volcanoes, and has an annual snowfall averaging 100.3 inches (2.55 m).
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 10, 2015 17:19:24 GMT
SO beautiful, Htmb!! Your photos capture the area so perfectly that I could almost smell the pines. Not only is this a fabulous landscape sequence, but the Route 66* shot and the ones of people at play make the area seem so appealing. AND you caught elk, plus the bees in the Russian sage pictures are as beautiful as anything could be. Very enjoyable -- thank you!
*Mick -- Rolling Stones, really? That threw me since I so completely associate the song with Nat King Cole. (My parents were fans, so ix-nay on age comments.) I did google it, though, and it's been extensively covered, including by Billy Bragg who made a version celebrating the A13.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 19:16:23 GMT
"Russian Sage?" Bixa, is that the plant with purple flowers? We weren't sure.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 10, 2015 19:33:33 GMT
Great set. Particularly love the shots of the lake as it grows progressively darker and the photos get more dramatic and of course the elk. I haven't seen any elk in a couple of years although we do have a couple of herds here locally.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 10, 2015 19:35:25 GMT
Oh yeah Perovskia aka Russian Sage, popular bedding plant here. I've grown it, it's pretty easy, drought tolerant, perennial but don't seem to last very long here.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 19:41:01 GMT
Oh, thanks!
Now, if I could just figure out what plant or tree (or maybe mulch) near the front door smells like pipe tobacco.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 10, 2015 19:47:48 GMT
Htmb, my candidate for your sweet smell would be balsam, Abies Lasocarpa. I spent a night in Winslow, Arizona* and the air was permeated with that wonderful scent. * major earworm trigger
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 19:52:13 GMT
Bixa, I'll scout around and see what I can find out front. Thanks. It really smells like someone outside is smoking. Totally confusing since I'm sure that's not the case.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 20:28:58 GMT
Being a kitchen gardener in Flagstaff is quite a challenge due to annual temperature extremes, small animals, wind, rocky soil and a short growing season of approximately 90 days. However, creative types like my daughter in-law manage to harvest food for the table such as strawberries, raspberries, broccoli, beans, corn, carrots, squash, tomatoes and various herbs.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 20:39:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2015 21:19:38 GMT
I am amazed by all of the watery un-dry photos as well. The wonderful garden photos are mush less surprising, because there are loads of things than can grow in hot climates (but sometimes requiring a bit of shade) if you can keep them watered adequately.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2015 21:36:35 GMT
As I said before, it's their monsoon season. I know. It seems strange to me, too. All the ball fields where we've spent time recently have been soggy, with lots of standing water.
When my son and daughter in-law decided to get married outdoors in Phoenix in early August, my daughters and I figured that at least we'd have good, straight hair, even though the temperature would be sky high at 10 o'clock in the morning. It would be really warm, but it would be a dry heat, right? Wrong. It was the beginning of the monsoon season, even down in the valley of Phoenix.
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Post by htmb on Sept 11, 2015 2:02:37 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 11, 2015 4:01:51 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2015 17:26:12 GMT
Actually I do recall that Flagstaff was about the greenest part of the state every time I have passed through there (of course that can be counted on the fingers of one hand). It looks like they have been getting all the rain this year that California is lacking.
Looking at the photos of the lake again, I think the elk there must really have a much easier life than elk in many other places. Just having to grow new antlers every year must take quite a bit of nourishment and water.
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Post by htmb on Sept 11, 2015 19:21:13 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 11, 2015 19:43:29 GMT
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Post by mich64 on Sept 11, 2015 19:59:44 GMT
I really like the pine trees, it makes such a beautiful forest when the pine trees are all of the same type, striking to look at. Hopefully some day we will do a holiday in this area.
Your daughter-in-law really does make the best out of the growing season there but the rewards look delicious! My mom and dad grew green beans and zucchini this year after years of just flower gardens. I am hoping for loaves and loaves of zucchini bread for my freezer when I return from our holiday.
I was searching the direction signs (they always interest me) and I noticed on the restaurant board "Denny's" and was laughing because this summer I was following my husband's cousin from France on Facebook as he and his wife drove the route 66 highway. This man is a Chef and owns a very established catering company in north eastern France and what do I see on his Facebook almost everyday, food pictures from Denny's! They absolutely love to eat there, breakfast lunch or dinner.
Is this the end of your travelling for this year htmb? You have had quite a busy year!
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Post by htmb on Sept 11, 2015 20:09:38 GMT
Oh, Mich! That is too funny! I wouldn't wish to set foot inside a Denny's. Funny that a French chef frequents the place. I wonder if your relatives ever ate at that particular Denny's.
I'm not sure about my travel plans for the next nine months. I want to save money for my summer 2016 trip, but I also have three longish breaks coming up during which I'm sure I'll hate to just sit at home. I'll have to see what the future might bring.
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Post by mich64 on Sept 11, 2015 20:44:37 GMT
I will have to go back and look through his photos to see if I can find which Denny's locations they were. That would be funny if they stopped at that one! I think you might have a difficult time sitting at home through breaks so I will look forward to more of your travels!
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 11, 2015 20:51:20 GMT
I am highly in favor of Denny's, Kettle Restaurants, etc. They provide a sit-down respite right off interstate highways and offer good old square meals with options for kids, dieters, and seniors. Eating on the run in fast food joints is uncivilized and injurious to ones health. I can see why a French chef would opt for American standards in a Denny's, plus he'd probably be keeping a keen eye on their marketing and food service practices.
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Post by mich64 on Sept 11, 2015 21:44:07 GMT
Bixa, they really seemed to enjoy their meals at Denny's and it was one of their first stops when they arrived in Chicago. They really enjoyed the waffles at breakfast time and the hamburgers for dinner. From viewing their photos when they dine out in Luxembourg, Germany and other European countries, I just have never seen them eating at any chain restaurants there, but perhaps maybe they just do not show those photos.
Htmb, looking back into their photos, it looks like they stopped at the Denny's in Kingman Arizona.
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Post by htmb on Sept 12, 2015 4:13:56 GMT
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