Book Report

Did I tell you that I forgot to take my Kindle to Tucson?  I put it in the car with my purse on the way to the airport at 4:30 am.  We parked.  We checked our bags.  I went through the joys of a personal pat-down with airport security.  Uh, oh. . .  My Kindle is still in the car!  So close and yet so far.  No way was I going through security again.  Mark offered, but I didn't want him to go through it either.  Even though he gets to breeze through the metal detector without searches.  Anyway, I still got to read a good book.

Orphan Train by Cristina Baker Kline.  I'm thankful there are still real live books made of paper that feel so good in hand and for bookstores at the airports.  Loved this survival story of two women both left as orphans and how they connected with each other. 

Tucson Botanical Gardens

 Even though it's February, gardeners in Tucson are already planting their container gardens.  The weather was perfect in the upper 70s low 80s.  Thank you to Mrs. Porter who started a beautiful back yard garden that evolved into the Tucson Botanical Garden.  I loved all the benches, so many that were in memory of gardeners.

The iris were blooming and there were lots of violets.  It's always so surprising  to see such familiar plants in far-away  locations that are so different from our own.    I love irises and theirs looked so happy.  Some were blooming already!  I suppose they have the best of both worlds in this garden--irrigation to quench their thirst but also the dry conditions of the desert so they don't rot.  Not one damaged corm in the bunch.  Was that because iris borers don't like the desert?  Or because the caretakers take such good care?  And the violets--well, I have a love-hate relationship with them.  They always look so much prettier in someone else's garden :)

We Went to A Big Party

 We went to a big party in Tuscon with Isaac, sponsored by the American Gem Trade Association.

 This is the piece that created all the buzz, including winning Honorable Mention in the Objects of Art Category.  Mark and I think that it should have won the whole show, but we might be prejudiced. 

 And this is Isaac with Adam Ramseyer, the artist who created the spaceship.  These two were on top of the world that night.  It was great to see Isaac so happy and to meet Adam and his mom.

You can see more of Adam's work at Ramstar Designs.

And more winning designs recognized at the show are  here.