ARIZONA EXPEDITION!

My expedition to Arizona started with a flight out of XNA (www.flyxna.com), which meant I was able to have supper the night before, with loved ones that live in Northwest Arkansas.

The flight on Allegiant Airlines took off and landed on time, so that my son and his friend, Ross, were able to pick me up at the Mesa, Arizona, airport---just as they assured me they would!  These two became acquainted years ago, on a rock climbing expedition on Baffin Island, in the Arctic Circle.  Their meet up for additional rock climbing in Arizona, was under much different climate conditions! After picking me up at the airport, and a quick lunch, Ross took us to the beautiful Cochran "estancia", which would be our home for the next several days.  

The next day, we started out early to find the place where the Chicago Cubs play their spring training baseball games, called Sloan Park (www.mlb.com).  None of us had ever been there before, but with the help of Google maps, we found the big field outside the stadium where folks parked.   For those who did not want to walk the remaining distance to the entrance, there were men on special bicycle transport vehicles, who were happy to take you to the entrance, for a fee. 

Since the tickets my son and I had were in a different location from the Cochrans, as soon as we got to the entrance fence, I found someone to take a photo of our group, thinking it would be the only time we would all be together.  

However, as it turned out, we all entered at the same location, which enabled us to get our group photo, made in front of the big Cubs wall sign. 

After a while, I went to where the Cochran family was  sitting, to get a photo of all of them together.  I allowed plenty of room in the photo, so that their oldest son, (who was unable to make it in time for the game because of a work assignment in California) could "photoshop" himself into the seat that was intended for him, beside his mother. 

I had read on their website that game attendees could have a special greeting put on the Sloan Park marque, so I stood in line with many others, to see how it worked.  They put my request on the marquee, which said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GROVER", and gave me enough time with the posting, to get a photo of me pointing to the greeting.  This marque is in the concessions area, and did not have a set fee, rather donations only.  However, there is a different marque inside the ball park, and seen by the entire stadium, where one can purchase a message, that will be flashed on the big sign next to the scoreboard, saying whatever the purchaser wants. 

The kind gentleman who took my information for the Happy Birthday Grover greeting, told me I could go to a different location, just a few feet away, under the green umbrella, and get a Happy Birthday Grover button, complements of the Chicago Cubs.  When I went to that location, I told them we were also celebrating Dave's birthday,  so they made a button for him, also.  They also had souvenir signs for folks who were attending the game, for the first time, so I also had one of those made for the Cochrans. 

Then I took the "First Time" sign down to the Cochrans, to get a photo of them with it.  Other folks sitting nearby, thought I was a Sloan Park employee, who was going around giving these signs to first time attenders, and started waving to me, saying they were also "first timers", so could they also have a sign??!  I was amused and told them they could go up to the concessions area, find the lady under the green umbrella, and get a sign with their name on it.  The Cochrans later told me that several people in their row, then climbed over them to get to the stairs, so that they, too, could have a souvenir sign! 

The 74 degree temperature posted on this bill board, and the clear blue skies, show that my prayers for good weather for the game were answered in a most wonderful way!

The first pitch for the game was actually four balls, pitched by a popular singing group (BOYZ2MEN), shown in the photo below, in the light blue shirts. 

Sloan Park is a relatively new baseball facility in Mesa, Arizona.  I took a panoramic photo of it on my iPhone, as shown below.  That is my son waving on the far right side of the photo. 

In keeping with the long-standing tradition of the fans singing as the music plays, "Take me out to the ball game", we all stood up and sang the song.  My son is shown with three fingers lifted, as we sang "Three strikes, you're out, at the old ball game!"

The Cubs team prevailed over the Chicago White Sox team, so the Cubs mascot was able to take to the field, waving the giant "W" flag, indicating a WIN, WIN, WIN, for the Cubs!  (By the way, I used the MLB.com phone app to get our tickets, so they were on my phone after purchase.  I am happy to report that entry went smoothly, as the electronic readers at the entrance gate and my phone communicated as intended.) 

After the game, we went back to the Cochran's house, and met up with their oldest son, who had driven in from the Los Angeles area, and was able to join us for supper.  He had heard about an outdoor eating place (called Jalapeno Jacks) with very good reviews, so we gave it a try, and everyone seemed happy with the food they served.  One of their staff took a photo of our group, as shown below.  They had a beverage on their menu that only one in the group was willing to try---Sarsaparilla.  I found this interesting because my son's namesake, regularly dug up sassafras roots every spring, to make a tea which he said was good for "thinning the blood".  Decades ago, one could buy sassafras roots in the produce section of supermarkets, but recent concerns over its toxicity, have diminished its availability in the United States. 

After supper, we spent some time outside in the Cochran back yard, enjoying the fire, and listening to the sounds of the desert birds.  The photo shows my son looking at his phone, because he was using a phone app, to identify the bird that was serenading us. 

After time outside, we gathered in the living room to play a couple of rounds of the card game called "Five Crowns", which I did not win!

The next morning, we went for a walk in their neighborhood, and the grandson who is a professional photographer, took a photo of his mom and me, in front of an amazing cactus plant:

We continued on to walk through their clubhouse, with lovely southwestern architecture:

After the walk, we went to a game store the guys found on line, to look for a group game we could play later that day. 

Grover bought the Wingspan and Terraforming Mars games as a gift for the Cochrans, to thank them for their hospitality, but also because he wanted to play these very complicated games with them!

The photo below shows us around the table, playing the Terraforming Mars game. 

The maximum number of players for Terraforming Mars is five players, so Grover served as the "M.C." for the game, and assisted us newbies in understanding the many intricacies of its strategy.

The next morning it was time to take Grover to the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport for his flight home.  After saying our goodbyes, and heading for the airport exit, it was my first time to see, in person, one of the WAYMO driverless taxicabs that are available in this area. (These vehicles rely on more than just cameras, they are also radar-equipped, so they can drive in foggy and low visibility conditions.) In spite of the WAYMO technological advantages, I was still thankful the Cochrans took my son to the airport, and not a "phantom" driver! 

It was wonderful to get to be together with these family members and enjoy various activities together.  Even though family gatherings require some planning and work, I think they are very beneficial for living a fulfilling life.  After all, Scripture admonishes us to "not forsake the assembling of yourselves together".  One usually thinks of this in terms of church attendance, but it can also apply to family get togethers!  I can say with assurance, that "assembling together" with all these beloved family members, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia

 

"TRIAL AND ERROR" PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION!

Over a decade ago (August 15, 2011), I published a blog about Crystal Cove State Park on California's Pacific coast, that included several photos and comments about the assortment of colorful beach umbrellas, that sprang up from the sand like springtime flowers. Here is one of the photos I included in that blog:

That blog was picked up by Hearst Publications, so it made me realize that I am not the only one who finds pleasure in seeing these "made for shade" devices in photographs!  Since I live in a land-locked state with no oceans, I had never thought of owning a beach umbrella.  However, on a recent trip to the Florida coast with family members, I purchased one of these umbrellas (as well as a beach chair), and brought it home with me to Arkansas, with the goal of doing some photography "experiments" with it.  

Before carrying the awkwardly-shaped items to the actual location I had in mind (which required crossing two creeks, while carrying the items under my arms), I did a "trial run" before wading the creek, to see if I was able to get the umbrella to stand up in the gravel.  An internet search before I started showed that plastic bases can be purchased to serve as an anchor for beach umbrellas.  Knowing this, I also had with me a collapsible bag that I could fill with gravel and use as a base, in case the umbrella pole would not stand up on its own.  Fortunately, the small gravel at this location worked quite well for supporting the pole!

I was successful in wading across the two creeks carrying these items to my desired location, which was an outcropping of flat rocks on the second creek.  It does not take a genius to figure out that a pole is not going to stand up by itself on top of flat rocks, so I had to find a little patch of gravel between the rocks to use as a base. 

Once I saw that the umbrella would stand up on its own, I stepped back to get a photo of the umbrella and chair, with the small waterfalls in the distance. 

 

Out of curiosity, I also took a photo of the chair by itself, facing the waterfalls, and the umbrella not in the picture.

Then, I waded across the creek, and shot a picture with mostly creek in the foreground, umbrella on the right, and waterfalls on the left. 

 

Standing beside the waterfalls, I took a photo of the chair and umbrella in the distance.

 

The next photo was intended to show the rock "bridge" that crossed the creek at this location, creating the one foot drop that caused the waterfalls 

While I was spending all this time on the flat rocks,, I noticed they had some similar attributes to the "Turtle rocks" I have photographed at Petite Jean State Park in Arkansas.  (See blog dated April 16, 2015 for info on that state park visit)

Here is a photo of the placard at Petit Jean State Park that tells visitors about the turtle Rocks:  

My plan was to come back to these turtle rocks on another trip, and bring my tent, for a photo shoot. (After all, a tent is basically an umbrella that goes all the way to the ground!)  I have always dreamed of taking a photo of a tent after dark, with it glowing from a lantern that was on the inside of the tent.  Knowing the logistics of such a shot would be a challenge for me, because it would involve hiking in the dark, carrying a tent and lantern on my back, while wading across creeks, I thought perhaps I should do a "practice run"  of such a photo, closer to home.  The first step is getting the tent set up:

I managed to get it set up, and did so in the daytime, so it would be easier.

 

My "TENT IN THE DARK" photo is less than stunning!

 

 

Even though I was not at all pleased with the photos in the dark, it was a valuable lesson.  I learned that mosquitoes will find me and bite me at twilight, even though it is February!  One reason I was doing this photo experiment in the winter is because ticks and chiggers are less likely to bite me then.  So it did not occur to me that I should have put on mosquito repellent if I was going to be outside at twilight .  Also,  I realized that there is no need to carry the tent the long hike to the waterfall , because the waterfall would not show up in the dark, without some special effects such as "light painting" that I have heard renowned photographer Tim Ernst discuss.  If you Google "How to take a photo of a glowing tent at night", there are numerous video/text tutorials that give details on obtaining such a photograph that could be used for advertising or gallery exhibits.  They were more than I wanted to tackle, as all I wanted to use was my iPhone and no tripod!

Another thing I learned by spending the time outside on this unseasonably warm February day, was that it was a good time to look for a "root" photo, that would be a visual aid for me to learn one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses.

Sycamore trees are prevalent along the creek, and often their roots are exposed, as they cling tenaciously to the bank, to keep from falling over 

The verse I am trying to memorize is from Revelation 22:16 of the New Testament, and says

I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

Can you see in the photo below how an "offspring" is coming out of an opening in this ancient sycamore tree??

The bright light shining though the top of the photo can remind me that the verse includes the phrase "bright Morning Star"  .    Even thought this photo shoot did not produce any particularly stunning photographs, it was such an enjoyable day to be outside in God's Great Outdoors, and it gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia

MONTREAL EXPEDITION!

Montreal means "royal mountain", and refers to the mountain overlooking downtown Montreal, Canada, that is called Mount Royal, and has an elevation of about 800 feet.  Mount Royal, and the cross on top of it, serve as my visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses from Psalm 24:3-4 that says,

"Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?  The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god."

There is a 103 foot tall cross on top of Mount Royal, that serves as a landmark for the city, and intended to testify to answered prayers, from a time when floods from the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers, were having devastating effects on the Montreal area.  The military officer, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, is credited with the first cross erected on top of Mount Royal in 1643.  He was the founder of Ville-Marie, a religious mission that means "City of Mary", in what is now Montreal, Canada (www.MTL.org)

Our group got to ascend this "royal mountain" and enjoy a view of the city from a scenic overlook, as well as a stroll through the park there, that Frederick Law Olmsted had a part in designing (the same landscape architect associated with Central Park in New York City).  The park is called Mount Royal Park, and was started in 1876.  The photo below shows Beaver Lake, which is a small artificial lake.  It also has numerous hiking and biking trails and cross-country skiing trails. 

St. Joseph's Oratory (www.saint-joseph.org) sits on the slopes of Mount Royal, and is a National Historic Site of Canada, and is Canada's largest church.  It has one of the largest church domes in the world, and you can see a photo I took of it on the blog I published, called "Canada Motor-Coach Expedition!", on October 24, 2024. 

 

Our guide told us that "oratory" basically means "prayer", which is what people do there, including me! It was the miracle-working prayers of Father Andre, in the early 1900's, that began to draw attention to this place of prayer and worship.  Religious pilgrims from all over the world come to this sight, and many of them climb up the wooden steps shown in the center of the stairwell, on their knees, as a sign of devotion.

Many people who went to Brother Andre, to ask  him to pray for their healing, were indeed healed of a variety of maladies.  There is a display of crutches and canes (ex-votos) left behind by those who had been healed, during the lifetime of Brother Andre's ministry, in the lower level of St. Joseph's Oratory.  Brother Andre died in 1937, and after his canonization, became known as Saint Andre of Montreal.  {Sometimes, lighting a votive candle can be used to signify fulfillment of a vow (Latin, votum)}

Brother Andre had a pious devotion to Saint Joseph, the husband of Jesus' mother Mary, and as such,  Joseph could be called the stepfather of Jesus.  There is a venerated statue of St. Joseph, in the Votive Chapel of St. Joseph Oratory.  The white letters of the glass votives, remind visitors that Saint Joseph is the patron saint of Canada. 

Our group used Dorchester Square as the  drop off/meetup location  for exploring downtown Montreal.  It is a lovely place to stroll around, reading the plaques below the numerous statues, to learn a few aspects of Canadian history.  There are also places to sit under a sun umbrella, ride a bicycle, or languish on a park bench. 

From Dorchester Square, our group walked towards one of the many entrances to The Montreal Underground City.  As we walked, we passed dozens of workers, who were busily engaged in putting down new bricks into the street.  I was fascinated with the precise measurements I saw a worker taking, as he had to cut bricks to fit around a circular manhole cover in the street!  It seemed everywhere we went in Canada, there was renovation, construction, and repairs taking place.  Our guide told us that the harsh winters in Montreal wreck havoc on their infrastructure, so there is a massive push during the warmer weather months, to get as much work as possible completed, before the snow season hits. 

Those harsh winters are one reason there has been so much development in what is known as "Montreal Underground City".  Our guide warned us that it is very easy to get lost in the sprawling complex of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.  Later, I noticed that sentiment expressed even in one of their advertisements that called the underground city mysterious and CONFUSING!  I was looking forward to working toward my 10,000 steps per day in such a haven for window-shopping!   However, I was very careful to not stray too far from where I entered the underground, so that I would not miss the designated meet-up time our guide had given us.  The photo below shows just a tiny part of the expansive space. The pink figure at the bottom, is a part of a unique art walk featuring fifteen temporary pink sculptures, collectively known as Monsieur Rose ("Mr. Pink") and are the emblems of Mignonisme, by Philippe Katerine.  Mignonisme (from "mignon" or "cute" in French) is a philosophy or way of seeing, that promotes bringing out the beauty in the ordinary.   (I also saw several Mr. Pink installations when I was walking around Quebec City.)

Fortunately, everyone in our group was able to exit the underground city, and meet our guide, as planned in Place d'Armes square, in front of Notre Dame Basilica (www.basiliquenotredame.ca).  One of the Basicilica towers was surrounded in scaffolding, undergoing repairs.  Notre Dame is a French phrase that means "Our Lady", which is a title for Mary, the mother of Jesus.  There are several places that bear the name "Notre Dame" besides the one in this photo--most notably, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and Notre Dame University in Indiana. 

The interior of the church has been described as one of the most dramatic in the world, and regarded as a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture  It is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings. 

The meticulous carving of the wooden circular stairway leading to the pulpit, also has sculptures at its base, as well as above it.  When the church was completed in the late 1800's, it was the largest church in North America.  The church is a Canadian National Historic Site, and was the setting of Celine Dion's wedding in 1994.  Just 22 years later, it was the site for her husband's funeral service. 

Another area where our group had free time for lunch and wandering was Place Jacques-Cartier.  I had a magnificent time strolling the streets, and snapping countless photos.  It seemed no matter which way I pointed my camera (aka, iphone), there was a picturesque scene to capture!  The fact that the weather was what we would call a "Chamber of Commerce Day", in the USA, multiplied my enjoyment!

I came across some of my travel buddies as I was exploring, and we exchanged cameras to get photos of our visit to this unforgettable location. 

Our wonderful Montreal guide (www.NORMANBOIVIN.COM) had told us there was every kind of restaurant imaginable within this district, and he specifically mentioned a creperie.  Since crepes are so famous in French cuisine, I was delighted to get to see their chefs in action, making the delicious-looking delicacies.

I thoroughly enjoyed the art gallery that featured sculptures from First Nations artists.  I had become familiar with the Inukshuk, because it was used on the flag for the Canadian Territory Nunavut (a place my son taught me about, when he went on a rock climbing expedition on Baffin Island).   Also, when I went to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, an inukshuk was the mascot emblem used.  (An inukshuk is a figure made of piled stones or boulders, constructed to communicate with humans throughout the Arctic.  My apologies to experts on the topic of inukshuks, because I learned when I was researching this topic, there are variations on their design, nomenclature, and spelling,  that are important to the Inuit people, but thoroughly confusing to a hillbilly like me!).  The lovely lady at this gallery was very patient with all my questions, and even let me take her photo with one of the inukshuk art pieces she had on display! 

In 1976, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Montreal, and the construction of the 541 ft. inclined tower aspect of the stadium, (shown in the photo below) forever changed the cityscape skyline of Montreal.  It is the world's tallest inclined tower, and was not completed until ten years after the 1976 Olympic games.  The original design concept was for the round stadium to have a retractable roof, which was to be opened and closed by cables suspended from the huge tower.  Sadly, the design was better in theory, than in actual practice.  It continues to be toublesome to maintain, but even more troublesome to demolish---hence, being called "The Big Owe" by insiders.  For more information on tours, visit their website at www.parcolympique.qc.ca

Our group had supper at a restaurant that was located between the Olympic Stadium, and the (former) Olympic Village that housed the athletes, shown in photo below.   (Seeing the Montreal Olympic Village, reminded me of the opportunity I had in 1988, when a professional dietetics associate arranged for the two of us, to tour the food service facilities of the Olympic Village in Calgary, Canada.  It was a fascinating experience, with the highlight getting to see Prince Albert II of Monaco, who was there for Olympic bobsleigh event.)  These buildings below in Montreal that once housed athletes, are now apartments and office spaces.

Yet another feature of the Montreal skyline is the Biosphere (www.espacepourlavie.ca), shown in photo below.  Originally, this was the United States pavilion constructed for Expo 67.  The sphere's geodesic dome was designed by Buckminster Fuller.  The dome was the inspiration for the design of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT Center in Walt Disney World, in Florida.  While the one in Montreal is a three-quarters sphere, the one in Florida was expanded to create a full sphere appearing to be balanced on legs. 

If you have any nautical knowledge, you probably recognize that this sign at the Port of Montreal uses the "nautical flag alphabet" to spell out "Grand Quai" (quai is the French word for "dock").  This is the location where our group connected with the vessel that would take us on a cruise up and down the Saint Lawrence River. 

The announcer that told the group what we were seeing (in both English and French), told us this structure, which looked like dozens of brown boxes stacked on top of one another, was built for the World Exposition of 1967.  It is called Habitat 67, and was designed by Israeli architect Moshe Safdie.  This is the same architect that designed Crystal Bridges Museum (www.crystalbridges.org) in Bentonville, Arkansas.  Folks can tour the facility, and if I ever go back to Montreal, it is on my "must see" list!  More information is available at www.habitat67.com

The photo below shows me with uplifted arms, in gratitude to God, for the wonderful experiences I had  on this St. Lawrence River cruise, and for the glorious weather!  In the past I have been on trips where a boat ride was planned, but had to be cancelled due to inclement weather.  So the beautiful blue skies on this day, and my entire time in Montreal, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia

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