Thursday, May 22, 2025

One of Those "Who Says?" Weekly Link Round-Ups

 


Things are going well here at Casa Kittling, although Denis is a bit grumpy. I don't blame him. One of his doctors was running so late that Denis had to leave without seeing him so he wouldn't miss his return trip on Dial-a-Ride. I do understand how some medical appointments can run over scheduled times, but it's still a pain in the neck.

I've heard and read many times that people are supposed to become more conservative as they age. Who says? If anything, I'm becoming even more liberal.

One of the television series Denis and I like to watch is The Rookie; however, as I was watching the latest episode the other night, it dawned on me why I prefer watching UK crime dramas. UK crime dramas don't have the bad guys whip out assault rifles and spray endless rounds of bullets everywhere, not caring who or what they harm. I swear, every time I watch those assault rifles come out, I want to wade right in the middle, grab the guns, and use them to bash the bad guys into outer space. Fortunately, this is all in my mind and I'd never do such a thing, but I am so sick of violence. Give me a good old-fashioned Midsomer Murders death-by-pitchfork any day. *wink* 

Evidently, as a person ages, their focus is supposed to turn inward, toward themselves and what directly affects them. I'm finding that I am continuing to look outward to things that affect us all...  I'm not quite sure how I got off on that tangent, so here are some cheerful daisies I saw at the Phoenix Zoo last week. 



Have a great weekend, and enjoy the links!


►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄
  • Capuchins have started abducting newborn howler monkeys in a bizarre and deadly fad. More from Smithsonian Magazine.
  • Salmon in the Pacific Northwest are facing a new threat: booming populations of seals and sea lions.
  • Meet the bat-eared fox, an unusual animal that can hear insects burrowing underground. (Don't tell anyone, but Denis calls me "Bat Ears.")
  • This eye-catching rattlesnake found in (Scottsdale) Arizona has unusual "leopard spots," likely from a genetic mutation.
  • Birds are dying mysterious, violent deaths in this northern California neighborhood-- and no one can explain why.
  • A study has found that chimpanzees perform first aid on each other, and it may shed light on the evolution of human health care.
  • A robotic spy bowerbird observes sneaky juveniles pretending they're female to steal offered trinkets. (I think I could watch bowerbirds all day.)
  • Eleven dog breeds that no longer exist.


The Wanderer

►Fascinating Folk◄

►I ♥ Lists◄

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

At the Heard Museum with Karen

Our niece, Karen, came for a long overdue holiday from the UK in March. In between visits to the hospital to see Denis while he was recuperating from major back surgery, we did manage outings to a few favorite places. Karen had never been to the Heard Museum, so I made sure that was one of the places on our limited itinerary.

Come along with us!


There are so many eye-catching exhibits in the museum, and photography can be tricky because of all the glass.


Of course, there are many wonderful examples of pottery. The artist who made this is Lucy Lewis of the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico.


If jewelry making and silversmithing is more your thing, this is a Zuni bow guard, 1900-1930.


Sample turkey feather blanket, 1981. Artist: Ramona Sakiestewa, Hopi. Ramona rediscovered the process ancestral weavers used to create a feather blanket. She learned that a 2.5-foot by 3-foot feather blanket required 180 yards of yucca cord and 3,000 feathers. It may not be pretty, but it does look warm!


The Heard had several cradleboards on display. Paiute cradleboard, c. 1920. Diamond-shaped designs are placed on Paiute cradleboards for newborn girls. A boy's cradleboard would have crosses on it, according to Brenda Drye, Kaibab Paiute.


Yuraryaraq hood, 1980s. Muskrat fur, calf skin, furs of Kuskokwim mink, seal, wolf, wolverine, Arctic hare, and beaver. Made by Augilnguq (Minnie Parker), Yupik, Alaska. It's a warm day here in Phoenix, and I can break out in a sweat just looking at this!


There is plenty of art outside in the courtyards. Left: Crane Woman, c. 2005. Artist: John Hoover, Unangan. Right: Heron and Turtle, 1990. Artist: John Hoover, Unangan.


Heading Home, 1979. Artist: Allan Houser, Chiricahua Apache.


You can almost forget that you're in the middle of one of the largest cities in the United States-- until you look up.


Basket weaving has always fascinated me. I can't imagine any place having a better collection of the basket weaving art than the Heard Museum. This is just one of many exhibits.


There are also many paintings to be seen. This is Rose and Coyote Dressed Up for the Heard Show, 1981. Artist: Harry Fonseca, Nisenan Maidu/Native Hawaiian/Portuguese.


Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories. This is a sobering section of the museum that tells a very important part of Native American history. That barber chair with the shorn hair on the floor always brings tears to my eyes. The second the children arrived at the schools, their identities were stripped from them.


See the next photo for the description. These handcuffs are tiny.


You can always click on any photo to magnify it.


The Beginning of the End, 2019. Artist: Susan Hudson (Traditional Woman), Navajo. This quilt honors family and close friends who attended Toadlena Boarding School in Newcomb, New Mexico.


"My people are a race of designers. I look for the day when the Indian shall make beautiful things for all the world." --Angel DeCora (Winnebago), 1909.


This photo comes nowhere close to doing these art pieces justice. "Moondance" jar. Artist: Russell Sanchez, San Ildefonso. This was the one Karen and I chose as our favorite in the Museum Shop. Unfortunately, we didn't have a spare $55,000 to buy it. I believe the day Angel DeCora spoke of is here.


Afterwards, a snack out in the courtyard. My prickly pear lemonade was very tasty, and the sparrows managed to con bits of crackers from Karen.


I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit. If you ever come to Phoenix, I'd be more than happy to take you to the Heard Museum. It's a Must-See!

Monday, May 19, 2025

Nightshade by Michael Connelly

 
First Line: The marine layer was as thick as cotton and had formed a thousand-foot wall that shrouded the entrance to the harbor.

Department politics exiled Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Stilwell to a low-key post on Catalina Island. Now used to dealing with the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts in his new territory, Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighted down at the bottom of the harbor. 

Jane Doe is only initially identifiable by a streak of purple dye in her hair. Stilwell is determined to work the case even though it means sharing the investigation with two extremely hostile LA homicide detectives he used to work with.

As Stilwell digs deeper, he begins to uncover closely guarded secrets and a dark inner core to the tranquil island that was supposed to be his escape from the big city.

~

Sheriff's Detective Stilwell is a welcome addition to the Harry Bosch School of Policing. A former sheriff's dive team member, he's a good fit for the quieter pace of Catalina Island in Michael Connelly's Nightshade

A new addition to the Connelly canon calls for a new setting, and I really enjoyed getting to know Catalina Island, which-- in Stilwell's world-- is known as "the Island of Misfit Toys" because police officers with blotches on their records are sent there if they can't be fired outright. Naturally, boating plays a big part in life on the island. Stilwell has gotten to know his fellow officers, their strengths and weaknesses, and he's in a relationship with a woman who's always lived on Catalina. Her very different perspective means that they don't always see eye-to-eye.

The investigations are what we've come to expect from Michael Connelly-- intriguing, engrossing, and filled with interesting factoids (like Prada's RFI chips). I'm definitely looking forward to learning more about Stilwell in the next book. Bring it on!

Nightshade by Michael Connelly
eISBN: 9780316588492
Little, Brown and Company © 2025
eBook, 352 pages

Police Procedural, #1 Detective Stilwell
Rating: A
Source: Net Galley

Thursday, May 15, 2025

A Compliments All Round Weekly Link Round-Up

 


It's a slightly overcast day here in Phoenix. I'm sitting at my computer while the cleaning woman who comes twice a month mops the floors. Denis and I are contemplating a visit to the Phoenix Zoo to visit a new exhibit (The Big Cats of Arizona) and to check up on other favorite critters. A few minutes ago, Michelle (the cleaning woman) told me how much she liked the new pull-out drawers in the bottom cabinets in the kitchen. I thanked her and said that I would have to pass along her compliment to the person who installed them, our niece, Karen.

Karen the installer

One of the installed pull-out drawers

I know that "Karen's drawers" have certainly made my life easier, and I'm glad Michelle likes them, too.

Back in March, I shared a couple of photos of the afghan I made for Karen. Here is another photo showing it in its new home in the UK. As you can see, Karen isn't the only one who likes it!



While I'm sharing compliments, I'd like to thank the book-giving friend who knows that I like mysteries with strong Native American themes. I am so lucky to have the family and friends that I do. I love them to bits all year round, but they make all the difference in the world when things unravel a bit. 

A virtual hug to you all. Enjoy the links!


►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄


►The Wanderer◄

►Fascinating Folk◄
  • Belle Starr: The Wild West's forgotten outlaw queen.
  • Anthony Horowitz on mystery, metafiction, and a new Susan Ryeland novel (and show).
  • Eleanor Roosevelt is being honored on a new U.S. quarter.
  • Trailblazing filmmaker Ava DuVernay has received the Smithsonian's Great Americans medal.
  • Eugenie Clark: the marine biologist who fought sharks' "bad rap" as "gangsters of the deep."
  • Witold Pilecki, the Polish resistance fighter who volunteered to be sent to Auschwitz so he could sabotage the Nazi death camp from the inside.

►I ♥ Lists◄

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

April at the Desert Botanical Garden

Denis was finally home from major back surgery, recovery, and rehab, and in no time at all, he was chomping at the bit to go somewhere. Since April is prime time at the Desert Botanical Garden, that is where we chose to go. 

Come along with us!


Orange Mexican honeysuckle going ballistic outside the gift shop.



Texas Olive



Mountain aster with a greedy bee.



Rock hibiscus. These were so gorgeous, bobbing in the breeze. I would've taken a short video, but the Desert Wildflower Loop was heaving with people.



Poppy



Canyon Spotted Whiptail



I love visiting when the palo verdes are in bloom. They create shady golden tunnels to walk through.



Gila woodpecker with a bird's eye view of the garden.



Prickly pear



Catclaw Acacia



Palo verde blossoms



Male Gambel's Quail at the Patio Cafe




Flame skimmer dragonflies



The new Christensen Family Desert Oasis



In the Christensen Family Desert Oasis


In the Christensen Family Desert Oasis


In the Christensen Family Desert Oasis


This cactus looks like a snake coming down out of the tree, doesn't it!


It was a lovely day out even if the garden was crammed with people. I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit!