Another First Friday

in Flagstaff, and will probably be my last for awhile. I will be leaving at the end of August, so won't be around for the September fling, but my-oh-my, what fun it was today. Of course, I know the first Friday in Phoenix was also great, I hear there was body painting on Grand Avenue. Will have to check my sources to find out the details.
Here in Flagstaff there were also some fun things happening. George at Fire on the Mountain Hot Glass Studio was doing live glass-blowing demonstrations. He is always entertaining when showing how to blow glass, and tonight was no exception. George is a truly talented glassblower who makes a difficult art form appear easy.
There was also a fashion show held in the street, preceded by a great little duo from Tucson called Ryanwood. The two entertaining young men are comfortable in front of a crowd, and make you feel as if they are singing just for you, and having a great time doing it. The fashion show after featured a gown made from Cardinals footballs jerseys. "Interesting", and I'll leave it at that!
Galleries were all open, featuring some new and some established artists, and most locations offered refreshments, an added bonus. Heritage Square was the scene of more music and the feature of the evening, "KungFu Panda". I think most of the locals were out and about tonight.
I know that there is a strong sense of community in this town. Many folks here know each other, and the evening was full of greetings for both people and the many pets that are welcome here. As much as I would like to say that I felt I belonged, I can't honestly claim that. I think community is forged over a longer period of time than just 6 weeks. I have made acquaintance with some people, and given time, am sure friendships will be formed. I was content tonight to watch the people interact with one another, and am confident that someday I too will be a full-fledged member of this wonderful little community.

Home Based Jeweler's Showcase: Deb's Glass Designs

Home Based Jeweler's Showcase: Deb's Glass Designs

Back in the Frying Pan

or at least it feels like it. I am working in Phoenix for a few days, and not to whine, but it sure is HOT!!!!! It is great to see my family, friends and co-workers, but the heat and the hazy Phoenix air? Not so much.
So, my question of the day is: What do you do when the place you live is not really the place you know you need to be? How do you make it work when you must stay? This is the question that I have been trying to answer for the past 7 years. If anybody has any suggestions, please tell me.

Field Trips and Tourist Season

This past weekend Bob and I played "tourist" in Flagstaff. We did some of the things people do when they come to town for a short visit. We went to Arizona Snowbowl on Saturday and rode the ski lift up and down the mountain, taking lots of pictures along the way. Since it was warmer than usual in town that day, the trip up the mountain was a welcome respite from the heat.
The view from the top are phenomenal! On a clear day you can see the Grand Canyon, but on Saturday there was a wild fire and the smoke obscured the view in that area. There were other things to see, though, and I have included lots of photos. As you can see, the sky was blue, the forest was green and the air was clean!
Sunday I went on a "field trip" with Jamie. We went to Lowell Observatory for the night displays, and looked through the telescopes, listened to the lectures, watched the presentations and played with the interactive displays. It really felt like she and I were on a field trip with just the two of us, and it was fun!
One of the things that made this visit so memorable were the enthusiastic staff members. Most of them appeared to be students who had a passion for astronomy, which they demonstrated by sharing their knowledge of the night skies. They explained things in layman's terms making it easy for us to understand and process.
This little trip opened my eyes again to the importance of passion in your life. Passion for what you do to make your world special to you; passion for your calling, passion for your purpose in life, passion for your friends and family. I know that pursuing that which makes your heart sing is what will provide joy. I also know that it's not always possible to "do what you love or love what you do", as the shirt (Life is Good) says, but you can hold a tiny piece of your passion close to your heart and take it out when you need it most. Sometimes the memory will be sufficient to get you through your day.
It's been said many times that if you believe it to be possible, it is. I know this to be true. I dreamed often and constantly of leaving the city for the summer. I believe that dream that I often "took out when I needed it most" coupled with synchronicity helped make my being in Flagstaff this summer a reality. My passion for art, life and love has been reignited!