Benson to Hart Ranch Summer 2010

 In February the Phoenix Barbershop Chorus performed their annual biggie.  We don't always get to go, but have for the last couple years.  It is held in the really beautiful old theater in downtown Phoenix, the Orpheum.  If you get a chance to get down there you should go inside to see the detail that went into the renovation.

 We attended with my big brother George and Wilma.  A terrific performance as always!!!

On a little less grand scale, the Benson Barbershoppers performed during the semi-annual arts & crafts festival held at the St David monastery.  Here I am with the whole group, my brother George on my right, both of us singing bass, George can sing baritone, I don't have the range.  My sister in law Wilma sings lead, and is standing back row, 2d from left.  My "ex-step sister and ex-step brother" are also in the group (my step mother recently re-married, that's why I call them 'ex'.)

Okay, so how do YOU say OOO??

 Eloise had simply been going up around the corner to check the mail, but on her way the neighbor's pit bull decided he didn't like her color, and decided to add some purple to her arm.  The skin wasn't broken thankfully because she had just put on a heavy sweatshirt.  Think what might have happened if she just had on a tank top!

E's Pit Bull Souvenir 

Before we settled into our Benson nest, we stayed a night or two at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.  This is the famous "bone yard" where the Air Force keeps its outdated or extra or salvage aircraft.  This is us in the 'overflow' camp without electric or water.  The 'full-hook up' campground part was full. 

 

 Right across from where we were parked, workers were installing solar panels on all of the base housing in that sector.  Out on Golf Links road, there is a solar "farm" of a multitude of solar panels.  It's really impressive.  If you're in the area, drive by and have a look.

Gary with Samuel Medeiros

 We were able to be with my niece Darlene Medeiros and her family (Geo's oldest daughter).




 Tom Medeiros, Sam's daddy,  in background

 Gary's SIL Wilma, Samuel, and brother George








We had to  finish up of some projects before we could take off.  We placed 26 cubic yards of crushed rock around the area between roadway and driveways.

Gary working on the second load of rock

We pulled the weeds from the area, put down weed repelling material, and shoveled on the crushed rock. 

 The truck that delivered the rock was pretty cool.  Here, Gary (not related) pushes a button that engages the starter and backs up the truck to the tow bar of the trailer.  That allows for one deliverer to easily deal with and transport the load. 

 Here the trailer container loads into the bed of the truck, hydraulically. 

Trailer container almost loaded into truck

 So here's the way it works:  Loaded truck and loaded trailer goes to job site.  Driver unhooks the trailer and drives the truck to where it is to be dumped.  Drives back to trailer, and the container on the trailer is gobbled up by the truck.  The truck then can drive it to where ever and dump it.  The truck returns to the trailer, unloads the container back onto the trailer and away it all goes.  About the coolest truck I've ever seen!!!

Newest tree at Benson

We planted this tree 'out front', it was from a mail order outfit.  It's a desert willow hybrid, but it is supposed to get 15 to 20 feet tall.  It had already developed some pretty blossoms before we left.  The hybrid doesn't have the pods so no mess. 


Because of a city building code, we weren't able to make our concrete RV pad as long as we wanted when we had it poured last year...we had to stay 10' away from the property line.  Our neighbor took up some of his concrete pavers this year, and gave them to us.   Since it is okay to have something 'non-permanent' on the ground we placed them in the area under the rear of the motorhome.  There were just enough to do the job!  Thanks neighbor!

Gary Adds Last Tile

We were able to haul in a bunch of sand from a wash just up the street, so this project was "priceless".

Since we didn't sift the sand, it took a little effort to shove it between the tiles, but we got 'er done!

Brushing sand in cracks

So, okay, it wasn't THAT BIG a project, but it will be really nice when I lay on those blocks to change out more than 5 gallons of oil each year!

We were really pleased that the fruit trees were showing fruit before we left.  It was a chore to drape plastic sheeting over the blossoms each evening an overnight freeze was expected in Feb and Mar.   This apple will be tasty when our tenant, Matthew, picks it later this year.

That's a pear tree on the left.  It had a few on it by May.  E's zucchini in foreground were doing well but just getting a good start when we left.  We picked everything we could before we headed out.

Apple tree on right.  The mesquite in the background is a messy, dirty tree that drops many pods that need to be picked up.  That tree is a goner as soon as I get up my nerve!  All I have is an electric chain saw, but it may be adequate.  Mesquite is pretty tough though.  You can't see the two pecan trees just out of the picture on the right.  They have been bearing for several years.

Sunset in Benson

Alright, enough about Benson.  It's a great place, but it's not the ONLY place.  When we left we headed pretty quickly for San Antonio, Texas.  Yep, to work at our rental there.  Wasn't much trouble there except that all the rains had washed severe ruts in the back yard.   The holes left from a couple years ago when we had all the trees removed, and the stumps and exposed roots ground up had settled.  Front and back looked pretty sad.  We had 12 tons of 'enriched top soil delivered.  We had to wheelbarrow it around in garden size barrows.  Enriched means extremely stinky!  Neighbors made a big show of holding their noses as they drove by!  Our immediate neighbor on our right, Sandie Carr, has been exceptionally helpful over the years, and lets us borrow whatever we want.  If not for her our repair time there would be a nightmare.  Thank you again Sandie!!

We stayed in the Fort Sam Houston RV park on the Army post.  It was hot.  Hot, Hot, Hot.  So, our refrigerator died.  Our milk turned really icky because it was so warm.  We were able to find a mobile repairman to come out to the RV space and he and his helper replaced the cooling unit on it.   We were happy to learn that he was going to use a new part, instead of a rebuilt one.  It only took a day to do the work, but he broke the LP gas line and didn't have any parts, so we used the electric setting until he could come back the next week with the part.  Everything has been frozen where it's supposed to be, and really cold for my cokes!  Cost to repair:  $1800.  Our insurance covered all but the $100 deductible.  A new unit would have cost over $4000.  The insurer wasn't going that way!

We headed from San Antonio to the Houston area to see our old friends Steve and Amy Turney.  We hadn't seen them for years!  We set our RV at the Lake Conroe campground, another Thousand Trails Park and drove into the city to see them.  We left home without our camera, so we resorted to using the phone camera.  I can't seem to hold it steady enough for a good picture, and we didn't take as many shots as we might have otherwise.  Steve was the caller at Pope AFB, NC.  When E and I got stationed there he asked if I would be interested in learning to square dance.  I think I put him off because we were just settling into Pope.  When he asked months later I said yes, and that was the beginning of our love affair with this hobby.  We are ever grateful to Steve and Amy for teaching us such a valuable pastime.  We spent the day with them in their new RV, which is really, really nice!!  These are pictures from the restaurant and inside their rig.

Eloise is showing Steve how to access the geocaches in his area here in Houston as well as at their permanent place in Mission, TX.  Steve is undergoing treatment at Anderson Medical Center for colon cancer.  They've had to relocate to a local park for several months.  The park is just minutes from the center.  They were fortunate to have found a facility so close by.  It is a beautiful park.

The next day we spent out getting our geocache fix, in and around Conroe.  This is Bird Island.  The cache was located near where Eloise is sitting. 

Bird Island

Conroe was fun, and great to see old friends, but we are off now to Chesterfield's Babler State Park, near to St Louis and our youngest daughter Kim and her family.  We stayed for 10 days enjoying them and the park.  We were fortunate to have been able to stay over a weekend because all of the weekends are reserved  6 months in advance.  When we came in and went to pay there had been a cancellation, in previous years they only reserved about 1/2 of their sites.  This year they were all reservable.  Needless to say we have it on our calendar to make reservations for next year.  We should have 2 graduations to attend then.  These pictures were taken at a Mexican restaurant.  Again, forgot a camera...my expertise with the phone camera is sadly pathetic. 

Jessica and friend Mark

Sam and friend Natalie

Kimberly

From St Louis we went clear across the state over to a Missouri State Park named Weston Bend.  A nice park with lots of bike trails.  One goes along the Missouri River, which is marked with signs describing what Lewis and Clark saw and found. There were eight caches along the trail.

Eloise comes

Eloise goes...

On a trip around the campground one morning we met Liz and Earl Brown from Effingham, IL.  Earl is an assistant pastor of St Johns Lutheran Church.  They have 3 pet iguanas.  We were a little startled at first, but after speaking with the Browns for a while, they encouraged us to get up close and personal.  The first thing to remember is to not treat them like you would a dog.  You don't hold your hand in front of them for a sniff, they interpret that as you have something to eat and will take a chunk out of you.  When we saw them, they were sunning themselves, trying to warm up for their foray into the woods.  Their diet is fruit and vegetation.  The pets names are Jasmine (purple leash), Lilly (pink) and Mavis (red).  Liz spent time with Eloise.  She explained that they were really afraid of dogs of all sizes.  They have a long life and make really great pets.  They started out with one pet, but later were contacted by animal rescue in Denver and asked if they'd adopt it.  Another one came to them also as a rescue.  Earl told me that one was best, two were manageable, but three is pretty taxing to keep up with them.  They all have an individual personality.  One will come over to their rocking chair and wait to be picked up to be rocked.  Actually, I'd think a rocking chair would be dangerous...  The Brown's were very outgoing and patient with us.  Earl says that they spend a lot of time telling other campers about the pets.  We enjoyed learning about them, but we both agree they are pretty peculiar! 

Weston Bend is a nice campground with lots of trees, which makes the 96 degree temperature feel like 70.  NOT!!  The trees do help however, but they interfere with satellite RV reception.  We moved to another spot and were able to get a signal. 

Ginger and Duane with us for dinner at a Thai restaurant in Leavenworth, KS.  She had to hurry off to her tutoring session at the Fort library.  We were pleased to be able to spend a couple of hours with granddaughter Lauren in the park.  We took her out to find a couple geocaches and to the farmers market.  We sure enjoyed our time with her.  She seems happy to be there in Emporia, KS, about two hours away from Ginger and Duane.  She is currently working at a fast food place.  Continuing with college she says is a possibility for this fall.  She had to come up to Fort Leavenworth for medical help because her knee was hurting.  Doc says she'll be okay.  Fortunately she still qualifies for medical care because of Duane's military retired status.





The Pfamous Pfander Pfamily reunion was held in Hopkins, MO., a ways north of St Joseph, on Sunday, August 1st.  Five of the seven of Eloise's siblings were there.  Lorna in California and Maxine in Minnesota couldn't come.  Many nephews and nieces couldn't attend for various reasons which was regrettable.  Kim, her friend Frank, Sam and Jessica came over for the event.  Ginger and Duane came up.  Lauren couldn't make it over from Emporia.  We moved up from Weston Bend S.P. to a county park, Mozingo Lake, near the reunion site.

Gerald, Horace, Kim Joe, Sam, Jessica

Duane  and back of Melvin's head

Betty and Eloise at desert table

Neva and her mom Lana (Neva named after Eloise's Mom)

Betty P. and Berneice

Nephew Adam

Berneice, Kevin, Ginger, Joe

Eloise, Kim, Little Sam, Duane, Frank

Eloise and Kim

Eric, Jessica, Sam, Adam

Before the day was over, Duane and Ginger stopped by our campsite.  Duane tried to help get our new DVD/VHS connected.  We had a set-back with a cable, but we got satellite working so we're in good shape:

Duane movin' wires

We pulled out of Mozingo Lake two days later, heading northwest.  We decided to stop in Vermillion, SD for a time.  We had been here about 5 years earlier and had much fun at the National Music Museum on USD campus.  There is a city park that has 30amp electric hookups.  There is no charge to stay up to 3 days, but after that you deposit $5 for each additional day.  We stayed 3 days there going to the museum and out geocaching.  The mosquitoes were thick everywhere we went...especially in the campground.  One time we sprayed ourselves really heavy, and they still tried to bite...and some drowned in the spray!

A Dale Carnegie Building houses the music museum

I think the museum should be called the National Musical Instrument Museum to be more accurate.  Last time there I took about a gazillion pictures and inflicted them onto everyone that I could.  I'll try to be more judicious this time around.  I still think it's a great museum, but I'll try to contain myself!  The museum has over 13,500 instruments but only about 7% can be on display at one time!  We saw many of the same pieces as on our first visit, but enough were new to make it worthwhile.  The admission is FREE, and they didn't press or nag for a donation, however I gladly gave the $7 each that was suggested on the counter.  Also provided FREE the use of a handy 3X5 touch screen computer-like gadget with ear phones.   I'd never seen one before, but it is evidently current technology.  It has video and slide productions and lots of music demonstrations of the various instruments (not nearly all of them).   They have a web site that has a really nice virtual tour, just go to:   www.nmmusd.org

 This is a drum located in the entrance area.  It is from Thailand.  The monks used it in some of their religious functions.  Played by cupping the wrapped hand, not with anything else.  It was never to be touched by any part of the feet.  In fact I recall from having been stationed in Thailand, they consider it a huge insult and  very rude to cross your legs with your ankle at your knee and show them the bottom of your shoe.

B.B. King's guitar.

Violin by Amati from the year 1628.  Favored for its volume and projection of sound.  Exhibited in London in 1872, 1895, and 1904.  In Italy in 2006.

Twenty-Five valves operate 'free' reeds.  Patented in
1859

Nyckelharpa or keyed fiddle.  1800's Sweden.

Left - a Russian Balalaika, played by plucking the strings.  Made in 6 different sizes.

Matched set of clarinets in the keys of A, B-Flat, and C made in Munich.

This key system was popular in Germany until 1900.  Brahms wrote chamber music for clarinet based on it.  I couldn't tell for sure if the keys on each of them were different, but I think maybe so. 

This was one of my favorite instruments in the museum.  The recording of someone playing it was exquisite! Notice the tiny tin tub on the surface where the player dips his fingers in water. This is what the write up on it said:

"Glass armonica, France, ca. 1785.  Although sets of glasses, tuned by filling them with water to different heights and sounded by striking them with hammers, have been in use at least since the 15th century, it was only in the middle of the 18th century that they became popular.  Among the scientists and inventors who got involved was Benjamin Franklin.  During his years spent in London as a representative of the American colonial legislature (1757-1762), he heard performances on the newly fashionable musical glasses, and, as he describes in a letter, he was charmed by the sweetness of its tones, and wished to see the glasses in a more convenient form.  He had a glassblower make him a set of 36 hemispherical bowls, graduated in size, with a hole in the middle so that they could be placed in a row on a horizontal iron spindle and rotated by a treadle mechanism like that of old-fashioned sewing machines.  The player touches the glass rims with moistened fingers.  Franklin called his invention the armonica.  Most surviving glass armonicas were built in Germany or Bohemia during the first half of the 19th century.  The Museums's armonica, with its elegant case, in one of the earliest examples, built in France about 1785.  The spindle is turned not with a pedal, but by an iron crank with an ivory knob, indicating that the owner perhaps preferred to have a servant do the work."

Echo horn, in G.  ca. 1897.  Gold and silver plated bells.

Bagpipe, 1700's.  Differs from Scottish bagpipes because it has a bellows instead of blowing into the bag.








That's it for this session.  Hope you enjoyed.  This edition didn't take us all the way into Hart Ranch, there were a couple things that Eloise will cover next time.  Adios.