Ladee's Travels

I started the holiday Monday with a short geocaching adventure.  It took me to an area near to my home but one that was new to me.  The geocache was placed to bring us to this forest in the city to see these adobe homes from the 1930s. Phoenix Homestead Historic District was part of the federal government's program to resettle disadvantaged farmers and unemployed urban workers to planned, part time subsistence farm projects. This experimental program was initiated by Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal Administration in 1933. The Phoenix Homesteads were established in two sections on a piece of land originally known as the Baxter Tract, located approximately four miles east and north of downtown Phoenix (just north of Thomas and 27th Street). The first section, known as the Rural Homes of Arizona, was located on the southern forty acres of the Baxter Tract. This land was subdivided into forty lots; twenty-five homes were built in this section in 1935. The homes were design...

I walked through the Desert Botanical Garden this morning. The focused mission was "cactus blooms".  I realized once I was half way through that I did not get the names, so just enjoy the beauty and diversity.  I took the lens that allowed me to get close because I have a new gadget coming that will allow me to get even closer.  I wanted this as a base set of photographs. I have tried to tone the reds down a bit because they are very overwhelming on the screen.  This is an succulent flower.  These are very tiny flowers.  And I didn't notice the stripes on the cactus until I brought the photographs home to view on a larger screen.  I couldn't find any of these "open and in bloom", so maybe this is the full bloom stage.  One of the staff members stopped me as I walked to leave and asked if I had seen the "Stapella Gigantea" in bloom (Giant Starfish).  These are from Zambia to South Africa.  T...

Montezuma's Well is located east of Interstate 17 in Rimrock, AZ.  Take exit 293 and drive through McGuireville (stop at Nikki's Grill for a great meal) and Rimrock.  The location is well marked with signs.  Also, there is a really nice picnic area, so remember to pick up a lunch at Nikki's. The Well is not considered "accessible" as there are steps and rough paths.  I only had time to walk the upper path.  There is a continuation of the path that winds down the hill to the creek and returns to the parking lot. The information that I provide on this page was taken from the Park Service's information displayed around the area. The internet has many more details if you are interested.  There is no cost to enter. A donation is appreciated. Find the red box near the path exit.  It is across the parking lot near the restrooms.  This building is the office.  Rocks layer on either side of the path.  This is my first peek as I a...