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 While we visited Dick and Sandy Heismann in Tennessee, Sandy helped me start up a new blog.  I like the set up of this much better, so from now on, go to:

dilley.weebly.com

Changes

Changes, changes, changes

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Horseback Ride

Our horseback ride was on the grounds of The Harbor. John and Sarah are riding their own horses and Dan and I are on horses belonging to The Harbor. Cowboy Chad gave us a quick lesson in horse handling and took us on a trail that had beautiful wild flowers. The houses in the background are part of this spectacular development.

Cowboy Chad and Lilly

Cowboy Chad, who works as a wrangler at The Harbor, gave Lilly, John and Sarah's granddaughter, a ride in the buggy. I got my "Grandma Fix" by spending the day with this darling child, while Dan got his "Golf Fix" with John.

Texas Friends

Our friends, John and Sarah Stelzer, showed us a wonderful time while we were in TX. They live in Graham, and work at a development called The Harbor, which is located on Possum Kingdom Lake. The picture of John was taken in the Chapel on the grounds of The Harbor. Sarah is with her daughter, Rebecca.

Hiking the Mesquite Trail

We did go on the short walking trail. Dan used his phone, which has the barcode app, to read the information along the Mesquite Trail.

Alibates National Monument

We followed the arrow to the right and went to the Alibates National Monument in TX, located north east of Amarillo. It is the only National Monument in TX. We chose to not go on the tour with the bus load of 5th graders.

Wildflowers

These beautiful yellow wildflowers can be found growing on the cone of the Capulin Volcano.

Capulin National Monument

This extinct volcano, in New Mexico, erupted 60,000 years ago. It's cone, which is mostly loose cinders, ash, and other rock debris, rises over 1,300 feet above the plains. The mile long walk around the rim provided magnificent views.

Taliesin West

Taliesin West, located in Scottsdale, AZ, was built by Frank Lloyd Wright as his winter home, studio, and architectural campus.

Fun Art

These works of art are in this Fountain Hills area.

Fountain Hills

While Dan was golfing with friends, I got my exercise by walking around this lake. The fountain, which is the center of this AZ community, reaches a height of 330 feet and operates from 9 to 9 on the hour for about 10 minutes.

DeGrazia

One day, while Dan was chasing the white ball, I ventured out to see the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, a National Register of Historic Places in Tucson, AZ. DeGrazia built the gallery so his paintings "would feel good inside". There are more than 15,000 DeGrazia originals...oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculptures. The pictures you see are murals in the Mission in the Sun, a sanctuary for visitors year-round.

Main Courtyard

This was a beautiful setting in the desert.

Crosses

Crosses at the Monastery.

St. Anthony's Monastery

Upon entering the monastery, I had to put on a skirt and scarf.

The self-guided tour of the St. Anthony’s Grounds was a calming, pleasant experience. There are four chapels, several fountains, a main courtyard, a gazebo, lush gardens, a variety of crosses, adjoining housing complexes for visiting bishops, priests and men, a monks’ house and dining hall.

Art

Fun art seen on the walk in Fountain Hills.

St. Anthony's Church

Almost all of the items inside the buildings came from Greece. That is real gold that you see. There were no pews, only “tall seats” called stasidia placed along the walls. Those attending a service, stand on these seats, they can sit when they get tired. Notice the beautiful wood carvings on them.

Old Faithful

Every hour on the hour, this 330 ft. fountain can be enjoyed in Fountain Hills, AZ. I enjoyed walking around this lake and soaking up some Vitamin D while Dan chased the white ball around at the Tonto Verde Golf Course with Paul and Pam, golf friends from Colorado, who are spending the winter in AZ.