Friday, June 17, 2011
Flagstaff Part Deux
We went back to Flagstaff in late fall 2010 and stayed in a nice little place with a fabulous view of the front side of the mountain on which the ski area (SnowBowl) sits.
This was the view from the cabin where we stayed. Just strikingly gorgeous and a balm for our heat weary souls.
Though a storm came through while we were there it was just too early in the season and there was not enough snow for skiing. So we made several day hikes in the area and found some amazing ruins and sites.
This hike was amongst some cinder cone like hills at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. You can't tell, but those rocks we're standing on are HUGE. We had to climb about 10-20 yards up them and Alec had to use the telephoto lens to get that picture.
And out in the middle of the desert are the ruins of Indian dwellings that are made of the same red clay that you can find throughout this state. The precision with which they made these bricks and laid them is astounding. As are the stones they used for doorway lintels. They sure looked heavy to me.
This estate had a couple of these round games stadiums and a very interesting blow hole.
They built the homes right into the rocks, which was pretty smart. Much easier to keep out vermin and other people.
What we figured (and the guidebook validated) was that the air was rushing through cracks in the rock under the soil and funneling through this hole. Apparently, the stat of Arizona though that deserved a little platform... and apparently, they were right. We all stood on it so the air could blow up our shirts. It could have been a very Marilyn moment... but alas, we did not have the white dress and strappy sandals.
Here's a good example of how they were built right around and on outcroppings of rock.
This was the view from the cabin where we stayed. Just strikingly gorgeous and a balm for our heat weary souls.
Though a storm came through while we were there it was just too early in the season and there was not enough snow for skiing. So we made several day hikes in the area and found some amazing ruins and sites.
This hike was amongst some cinder cone like hills at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. You can't tell, but those rocks we're standing on are HUGE. We had to climb about 10-20 yards up them and Alec had to use the telephoto lens to get that picture.
And out in the middle of the desert are the ruins of Indian dwellings that are made of the same red clay that you can find throughout this state. The precision with which they made these bricks and laid them is astounding. As are the stones they used for doorway lintels. They sure looked heavy to me.
This estate had a couple of these round games stadiums and a very interesting blow hole.
They built the homes right into the rocks, which was pretty smart. Much easier to keep out vermin and other people.
What we figured (and the guidebook validated) was that the air was rushing through cracks in the rock under the soil and funneling through this hole. Apparently, the stat of Arizona though that deserved a little platform... and apparently, they were right. We all stood on it so the air could blow up our shirts. It could have been a very Marilyn moment... but alas, we did not have the white dress and strappy sandals.
Here's a good example of how they were built right around and on outcroppings of rock.
Doing away with the yucky carpet
After living with it for a couple of years we just couldn't take the carpet anymore. Previous owners had dogs and apparently those dogs were wild, if you know what I mean. The front room in particular got pretty smelly when it warmed up in there and frankly, it was just disgusting to try to vacuum and walk on.
So, out it came, and we vacuumed no end of dirt, sand, dead crickets and cockroaches (the big ones) and had to help a little lizard find his way back outside. Then we had to wash down the floors to try to cut down on the dust from the unfinished concrete. Whew.
When we have time and money and have sufficiently recovered from the other myriad household projects, we will put down a stained overlay with an acid wash finish and seal it. It will be an amber color. It will look verrrry nice. I have a very good imagination.
The plus side is we got to get another of the Persian rugs out of the garage and use it again. Yay!
Looks a little funky with the nice rug and then cracked concrete but we've lived with worse.
So, out it came, and we vacuumed no end of dirt, sand, dead crickets and cockroaches (the big ones) and had to help a little lizard find his way back outside. Then we had to wash down the floors to try to cut down on the dust from the unfinished concrete. Whew.
When we have time and money and have sufficiently recovered from the other myriad household projects, we will put down a stained overlay with an acid wash finish and seal it. It will be an amber color. It will look verrrry nice. I have a very good imagination.
The plus side is we got to get another of the Persian rugs out of the garage and use it again. Yay!
Looks a little funky with the nice rug and then cracked concrete but we've lived with worse.
Cali family visit
August 2010 - Had some family out to visit. For some reason they wee trying to figure out gang signs. Silly children. Eating, swimming and playing games (charades anyone?). Can you think of a better way to spend a summer weekend?
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More fireplace
With the amount of care we took with this thing, you'd think we use it all the time. But we live in the desert. It's usually pretty doggone warm around here so using the fireplace sounds like a very uncomfortable idea--having one in the house seems like a waste of space.
We definitely do not use it for heat, but you'd be amazed at the ambiance it creates to burn one of those presto logs in there at Christmas, when it's 80+ degrees outside and you're wishing for cooler weather and snow. :)
The "shelf" you see is helping to hold up the tiles on the face which aren't touching the bottom tiles (because they bump out a couple inches over the bottom) so cannot be held in place by them. But the shelf is held up by the vertical boards below.
Almost done!
The two boards in the center are holding up the tiles that are on the inside lip of that inset and those are holding the tiles above. Temporary but necessary. Think house of cards.
Done! Bellisimo!
We definitely do not use it for heat, but you'd be amazed at the ambiance it creates to burn one of those presto logs in there at Christmas, when it's 80+ degrees outside and you're wishing for cooler weather and snow. :)
The "shelf" you see is helping to hold up the tiles on the face which aren't touching the bottom tiles (because they bump out a couple inches over the bottom) so cannot be held in place by them. But the shelf is held up by the vertical boards below.
Almost done!
The two boards in the center are holding up the tiles that are on the inside lip of that inset and those are holding the tiles above. Temporary but necessary. Think house of cards.
Done! Bellisimo!
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