Arizona 2014: Coolidge Days or A Little Jewelry In The Desert

Day 1

Coolidge Days Begin: We took about 3 hours to unpack and set up, but with help from our next-booth neighbors and favorable winds, we got the booth set and ready to sell.

Mom at her sales post - ready for the day.

My dear friend Eileen stopped by and helped set out the earrings and bracelets - thank you! My brother and sister brought their families and really got the selling started. One of my best friends from high school, Alice Lasher, came by and we had a trip down memory lane...remembering my first excursion down to Rocky Point in Mexico and our famous roles in the senior play. Off to a great start!

My little niece, Sawyer, taking time to smell the mums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2 

Second day set up was much easier. I "lost"a few pieces during transport, but had plenty of inventory to replace them. This market experience reinforced my decision to sell my jewelry in a boutique/ shop setting without the wind, blistering sun (90 degrees in the shade of the tent), and tons of kids wandering in and out touching (and taking) a piece or two with no parent in sight. I had a lot of complements and sold a few more pieces today.

I realize the target audience at this fair were more interested in the belly button rings and plastic machine guns, than my hand made, one of a kind jewelry. At least I made mom happy and saw a few friends from my high school days in the process. 












For the time being, all my jewelry will stay in Coolidge. Hopefully, the Artisan Village of Coolidge will get off and running in the next few months so my collections will find a permanent home. Until then, a sampling will be on display/sale at my dad`s office (915 N. Arizona Blvd).  I tend to think of my sales in terms of plane tickets...this time I earned at least enough to fly out to visit my sister in Louisiana!
 

Utah Backyard Trekking: trails, views and ocassional waterfalls

With no major trip planned abroad this summer, I decided to do more exploring in my own backyard...

 

Ensign Peak: 5.3.14 ~This was my first time on this hike, so I didn't know what to expect. A couple of people were coming back down the trail as I made my way up...when I say "up" I mean straight up until you reach the top. It is only a half mile or so up, but it is good I brought my camera so I could have several rest/photo stops. I always think of myself as the "little engine that could". I am never first up the hill, but I make it eventually...after a bit of huffing and puffing. As I ascended I was amazed at the fields of yellow flowers blanketing the hillside. Some people zoomed pass me and jogged back down and I wonder if they even noticed just how beautiful the morning was. Once the sun broke free from behind the mountains, the colors brightened up and almost glowed in the light. Amazing! I had the top of the hill to myself for a while and enjoyed the breezy solitude. As with most difficult things, once the hard climb is over the rest is "all down hill". I am sure my knees will have something to say about that in the morning...

 

Battle Creek: 5.17.14 ~With spring in full bloom and the temps reaching 80, I decided to take a hike a little closer to home... I had been up Battle Creek about 15 years ago so enough time had passed for me to forget the tough bits. Now known as Pleasant Grove, Battle Creek was the sight of the first battle between Mormon militia and Native American Ute Indians. I saw neither militia nor Indian on the trail today, just a constant stream of high school kids on "group dates" and young couples backpacking their babies up to the falls. Turns out a lot of people head up there to repel down the falls and it was packed that afternoon. I was just happy to make it up and back without heat stroke or sunburn.

Red Butte: 6.28.14 ~ By June the summer is in full swing. I have never actually visited Red Butte Gardens, a famous spot for enjoying nature and an open air concert, but I did find the trails just behind them. Most of the wildflowers have long since faded and all that is left is amber waves of grain. Unlike my previous hikes that took me all the way up then all the way back down, this one was a bit more rambling. Below me was the familiar UofU campus where I spent the better part of 2 weeks in February 2002 working nonstop for the Olympics. I turned around just as I came upon the UofU Hospital.  It was a perfect way to enjoy the morning sun and sweeping views of Salt Lake City.

 

  
  

Bonneville Shoreline Trail: 7.4.14 ~ If you turn right at the "Y" trail head you not only bypass the hoards of holiday hikers. but you also see a different side of Provo. I started out early to avoid the promised 4th of July heat and to catch a glimpse of the hot air balloons racing across the valley. I ended up spending almost 2 hours, hiking, daydreaming and snapping photos of summer in full swing. Happy 4th of July!

Provo Canyon:7.24.14 ~ One of the nice things about living in Utah is the extra July holiday. The 24th is "Pioneer Day", commemorating the day Mormon pioneers made their way into the Salt Lake Valley. I took the opportunity to try out my new Schwinn bike on the trail from Glenn Canyon Park to Vivian Park. Technically, a northern extension of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, the jogging/biking trail up Provo Canyon is one of my favorite. It was first gear all the way up. Much more of a work out than I remembered. At least it was a cool coast all the way back. I stopped off at Bridal Veil Falls just as the sun was peaking over the cliff side. Perfect holiday morning!

 



















Provo River Trail: 8.2.14 ~ Geneva Road to Provo Lake...well almost. I was loving the hazy sky which held back the August heat. Unlike my ride up Provo Canyon last week, I was able to stay in 3rd gear almost the entire time. Sustained by apricots from Anya's "orchard" and a VERY old granola bar (I thought those things would last until the next century,) I was in a perfect summer daze as I biked along the river trail.Once I reached Provo Lake State Park I was sadly turned away...they now charge for all forms of fun on the harbor (bike riding and sunbathing included.) Oh, well, I decided I was in it for the journey, not the destination today. 

 
Provo Canyon 2: 8.23.14 ~ Fortified by CupBop Korean BBQ from the food truck at the farmer's market, I headed up Provo Canyon to once again bike the trail from Glen Canyon Park to Vivian Park. The Heber Creeper was heading back up the canyon just as I arrived at Vivian Park. Cool temps for August - even had snow on Timp - it was a perfect day to break a sweat.

 

 

Murdock Trail: 9.6.14 ~At the base of Mt Timpanogos is a canal covered and converted into the Murdock Trail. I wasn't sure how far 30 minutes out would take me on my trusty Schwinn, but i knew 1 hour would probably be my limit today. I made it to Pleasent Grove, just one stop short of the road to Battle Creek. Hard to tell exactly, but it was about a 10 mile round trip ride, a record for me. My initial pride at completion has been joined by sore legs and an aching bum. Definitely "earned" the Korean Cupbop for lunch at the Provo Farmer's Market.

Jewelry Inspired by Trips and Travels

A Magnificent Yearning - travel inspired jewelry

by Amy Barnett 

On SALE at the upcoming Coolidge Days 

October 4-5, 2014

Here are examples of some of the jewelry that will be available:

Once the Euro became the currency of choice in most of Europe, I had lots of "unusable" coins (and a few "devalued" ones from Russia and Ukraine.) I even have a few from places yet to explore...

Found a new use for my old kopek coins in stackable watch bands.

Chunky "Shabby Chic" bracelets in honor of the weekend markets in the South of France.

Nothing says "Arizona" like a chunk of turquoise and a thunderbird.

Memories of Venice, pearls of green and blue and an up-cycled vintage golden earring.

A sampling of a few more one of a kind stone pendants and statement necklaces...

Travel: Filling the Chasm

I am not sure what prompted me to be so honest today and put my feelings about life and travel down for all of cyberspace to see....but, here it is.

"I always thought that by now I would have a husband, children and a garden, but that hasn't happened yet. So, I fell in love with grand canals, playfully counted steps as I climbed to the tops of towers and planted my feet firmly in the clouds.

Travel fills a part of me that was once a chasm."

Arizona 2014: Desert life - A Chance of Rain and Probable Mist

Rain has always been a welcome change in the desert. We had so little of it growing up in Coolidge that we would run out to sit in our car to wait for the wall of dust and then the torrent of rain during the monsoon season. Too late for spring rains and too early for the summer monsoons, we got a few sprinkles the last week of May. According to the weather app on my phone, there was only 10% humidity...just enough to moisten the air over town. It was 92 degrees at 7:30am, but through the wonders of a "dry heat" it felt like 80 degrees. Luckily I was up early working in my mom's garden, or I might have missed the rain all together. Even caught a few sprinkles in the bird bath. The new mini-patio I built out of reclaimed bricks was the perfect spot to enjoy the brief rain.

In the afternoon we met up with my sister, Larena, and her loveable little Sawyer at the new outlet mall off of I-10 (one wrong turn and you end up at the Wild Horse Pass Casino on the Indian reservation.) The shear joy on her face when she sees her grandma is a site to behold. My sister-in-law, Summer, and niece, Annie, joined us for a misty walk around the outdoor mall. By this time, temps had reached 102 and the morning clouds had dissipated. The extra humidity from the overhead mist machines made my hair friz, but it was worth it to make the walk in the sun bearable.

After a couple of hours, Sawyer had reached her limit. Despite that, she was a sweety as we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. 

I went home to have a dinner and a movie with my dad. A meaty chef salad from T & M Pizza for me and a tuna salad for my dad (mom would be happy) and a home viewing of "Gravity" to end the evening.