-
May Mayhem: Michigan and More
“Where’ve you been?” “We’ve missed you.” “Are you even still alive?” OK, no one has actually said any of that to me, but let me pretend someone noticed I haven’t been blogging in a couple of weeks. I have an excellent array of excuses, though, otherwise known as my May calendar. But before we get into an illustrated account of why I didn’t blog in May: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and What’s Been on Your Calendar, hosted by Sue, Debbie, Donna, and Jo. So have a seat, grab a treat, and let’s get to it. The Day Job If you read my April…
-
Desert flowers and the monthly book roundup
I’ve been neglecting my blogging lately. I’ve now missed two weekly posts in the last month, though I have an excuse other than working: I’ve been having fun! My friend Laurel visited last week, and we hiked and explored and went to a concert, and now I’m collapsed in an exhausted heap, struggling to make my hands move enough to type. Well, OK, I’m not quite that tired. And I have enough pictures for at least a month of posts. I still need to sort through them all, so this week I’ll just share a few featuring one of my favorite photographic subjects: desert flowers. But before I get to…
-
Plants in space! (and plants in my yard)
Plants in space! I’ve been waiting all week to write that headline. In case you’re new here, I work for the University of Arizona. Last week we had our annual faculty cookout (my first one, since I started my job during pandemic, and it’s hard to have a cookout over Zoom) at one of the university research facilities here in town. When we weren’t stuffing our overeducated faces with amazing Mexican food, we were offered tours of some of the research facilities. Long-Suffering Husband and I took a tour of a laboratory where scientists are studying how to grow plants to support a human mission to Mars or the moon.…
-
March is over?? What the actual !@#$%
Today is the last day of March, and I have no idea where the month went. I also have no idea where January and February went, or where 2022 went, or where my youth went. I’m not alone in my inability to perceive time accurately. At least once a day here at Camp WTF, Long-Suffering Husband or I will say something like, “It’s Friday? How’d that happen?” or, “Damn, we’re old. How’d that happen?” Kind of like Groundhog Day but with more whining. So today, let’s look back at March. Maybe if I have a record of what happened, I can wrap my head around the idea that another month…
-
More Snow in Tucson!
It snowed in Tucson! Again! That’s twice now this winter, in case you’re keeping track. We didn’t get much here in Midtown, but my colleagues who live a little higher up had several inches on the ground. We had to be content with this: If it hadn’t been a snow day, I’m sure my neighbors would have wondered about t he ctaking pictures of their yards. I wish I’d been off work yesterday so I could drive out to Saguaro National Park. They got several inches. Article of the week Sometimes I share interesting articles or videos I run across in the course of farting around on the internet doing…
-
Saguaro National Park East
This week we’ll revisit the east unit of Saguaro National Park (see here and here for previous posts with pictures of this lovely place). I have friends in town and joined them for a leisurely hike in the park last weekend. We’ll also have the usual meme-y silliness. But first: Good morning, happy Friday, and welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! This week’s post will be short, because a) I’ve spent most of the week working, and you probably don’t want to hear about all the exciting meetings I’ve attended, and b) I have to leave for another exciting meeting shortly. Mica View picnic area…
-
California Delta Part 1: Paradise Cut (+Books! and Memes!)
Today I’m going to take you on a visit to one of my favorite places in the world–and the setting for my novel-in-progress, Delta Dawn–the California Delta. Well, I’m going to take you to one tiny piece of it, Paradise Cut outside my hometown of Tracy, California. We’ll also talk books, and I have the usual batch of meme-y hilarity. But first: Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer and the What’s On Your Bookshelf Challenge, hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb. Grab a treat, have a seat, and let’s get to it. When most non-Californians think of the state, they think of Hollywood, San Francisco, Silicon Valley–movie stars and…
-
A visit to Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson, Arizona
This week I’ll take you on a tour of Sweetwater Wetlands, another place here in Tucson that a) has actual water, and b) is not a swimming pool or a water hazard on a golf course. Last week we toured Sabino Canyon, so apparently it’s Water in the Desert Month here in my demented corner of the interwebs. I’ll also have the usual hot, fresh, batch of memes, but otherwise this post will be short, because I’m trying to get serious about completing the Novel Revision from Hell. After spending at least a year and being not even halfway done, I’m starting to understand why authors drink. I do have…
-
Fall Color in Sabino Canyon
One of the best things about having a friend come to visit (besides, you know, enjoying the friend’s company) is the excuse to play tourist in your own city. My friend Arlene visited for a few days, during which we: I’m happy to report that we’re both now in excellent physical condition and have solved all the world’s problems. Hahahahahaha. Right. I’m actually happy to report that my pants still fit and my voice, legs, and hips still work. I’m calling that a win. Another win? Getting to see actual fall color and actual water, both of which are rarities in my adopted desert home. But before we get to…
-
My poem won a prize!
Back in September I shared that my poem, “The Future Held in Store,” was a finalist in the Arizona Authors Association annual literary contest. Well… it won third place! I’m excited because I’m pretty inexperienced as a poet. This is the first time I’ve ever let anyone else read one of my poems, let alone submit one, so yay! I’m bummed I had to miss the awards banquet due to COVID exposure), but I didn’t get COVID, so that’s another reason to celebrate. And now I just noticed they put my real name rather than my pen name on the certificate. Oh, well. I have a little more news, a…
Janet Alcorn
Suspense | Horror | Romance
