Arizona Weekly Weather Report
Good morning friends, come out to my Prescott patio and listen to the rippling waterfall, windchime, and chirping birds. This week it’s finally warm enough to enjoy. But Vince and I are on a mini-vacation in Scottsdale this weekend where the temps soar into the 100s.
Last on the Card
As I drank my coffee on June 1st, I organized the last few pictures on my card for Brian’s Challenge, Last on the Card. These dessert willow flowers were so pretty, that I snapped a few pictures while Puppy Girl walked along Blooming Hills Drive on May 31st.
Unfortunately, the very last picture I took as a trio picture, and it wasn’t stellar. The one I thought was going to be stellar, the fourth one, was somewhat blurry in the part that was supposed to be the clearest.
“In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing.”
T.S. Eliot “What the Thunder Said”
T.S. Eliot never knew desert grass. The green grass is mostly plastic. The rest is mostly brown or using too much water. We have a tiny green grassy area for Puppy Girl and friends to enjoy. Trust me plastic grass just doesn’t fill the bill. 🙂
Weekly Reading
Did you get weekly readers when you were in grade school? They were news highlights and current events puzzles written months in advance. Those four pages kept us busy for at least a half-hour while the teacher graded papers. I don’t think they taught us T. S. Eliot’s ‘mythic method’ for writing poetry, though, so I’m still learning.
Eliot didn’t want to be understood as he complained that critic, “Edmund Wilson, who reviewed The Waste Land upon its publication in 1922, had ‘over-understood’ the poem (not ‘over-interpreted’, but ‘over-understood’, you’ll note).” Summary and Analysis
“Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.
T.S. Eliot
Thanks, that’s encouraging, T.S.
I finished (sort of) the book of T. S. Eliot’s poetry even though I didn’t understand the Hyacinth girl with “flowers in her hair, flowers everywhere” (The Cowsills) or Tiresias the blind seer. Apparently, I’m not alone in my lack of understanding judging from the number of analyses that have been written about his poetry. What it did for me is to remind me of how familiar writers are/were with the work of other writers (or should be – or are expected to be).
- Shakespeare
- Homer
- Greek and Roman Mythology
- Bible
- James Joyce
- Charles Dickens to name a few sources Eliot used.
With a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a LONG lifetime of reading, I expected more of myself when I started reading T. S. Eliot’s poems. Since finishing this short book, it’s been like buying a new car. Suddenly I see that make of car on the road everywhere. So it is with T. S. Now he is ubiquitous. It may have been worth the wade into the mud called the “Waste Land.”
Other Challenges that Influenced this Post
Brain vacay – a retreat back to the wordless peace of photo challenges.
CBWC – Peaceful
Lakes, mountains, and loved ones.
Thursday Trios
The busyness in the backgrounds makes the three birds hard to see but I thought they were cute and I wanted to include them anyway. Vince asked me who the girls were, and they were a perfect trio sitting there on the curb of Courthouse Square waiting for the band to strike up the music.
LAPC #202 – Minimalism/Maximalism
Sofia created a challenge for us this week that I struggle with. Minimalism is not easy, but to me, it is more striking than maximalism.
I forgot to even take my phone when we headed out practically before dawn to a car show this morning in Scottsdale. Vince took all the pictures, and I came home and played with them while he played poker for a few hours. We both had fun. You will see more soon, but for now, here is my attempt at showing examples of minimalism and maximalism at the car show.
You might recognize the background from one of my April PPAC posts, “What Do Big Cats Eat in a Scottsdale Shopping Center?” In this picture, the cats are part of the maximalism, in my opinion even though I cropped this picture to feature the car.
Challenges that Influenced this Post
- Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Peaceful
- Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge
- Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – Macro
- LAPC #202 Minimalism and Maximalism
- Last on the Card
- Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share #72
- Six-Word Challenge
- Thursday Trios
- Water, Water Everywhere #128
Ongoing on Always Write
- June Story Chat “The Backpack” by Aimer Boyz coming Tuesday, June 7.
- WQW #20 (Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays) – “Vacations that Rocked Your World” The only rule is to have at least one quote in your post about the topic. Remember a song can be a quote, too. Then just post a story, poem, or pictures that tie into and respond to your quote or quotes. The last day to post links is Tuesday at 12:00 noon Phoenix time.
- PPAC (Photographing Public Art Challenge) every Friday at 9:00 (ish). The last day to post links is Thursday at 12:00 noon Phoenix time.
That’s a wrap for today. Cold coffee hit the spot this weekend, and I didn’t lose my cup as we drove to Scottsdale.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
61 responses to “Jubilant June Ice-Cold Coffee Share”
I love your photo of watson Lake. It’s beautiful. Those cars are pretty cool looking too. I used to love the weekly readers at school…and the book fairs were my favorite too.
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It was one of the unifying reading that all kids did at the time, I guess. It’s kind of like Dick and Jane books of the 50s. Every kid in the U.S. read them.
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Love those cars, Marsha – beauties, black or white or in colour!
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Thank you so much, Leya. 🙂
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You are so welcome!
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HAPPY FACE!
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😀
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OK. Just for fun read my favorite T.S. Eliot: “The Naming of Cats.” I memorized the first part of it years ago, and I throw it out from time to time. No issue with “over understanding.” That thought really grabbed me. Perfect to keep in mind while reading poetry. Sometimes it seems esoteric, but it seems we are supposed to feel it, not understand each phrase or sentence.
We should be discussing literature when we are together. I love that.
Also, got a kick out of seeing Manny in the Tulips.
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Thanks. We can discuss literature any time, not just when we are together. I do a post called Story Chat. The one this month has caused a tiny bit of controversy, but I think it’s a great story about bullying. I just started reading one of Charles Dickens’s books, The Bleak House. Several people are discussing this story this week. (They’ve been reading it since February and this week is a daily challenge.) You would enjoy their thoughts on the book, and we can talk about it if you want to read that one. I can also read the book you are discussing in your book club and we can talk about it on the phone, online or through email. No need to wait until we see each other. That could be a while. I’ll take a look at your T.S. Eliot suggestion. Thanks for the comment! Always love to hear from you.
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I love the three bowls, Marsha and those hummingbirds are too cute. Thanks for playing Thursday Trios. I also love that shot of Watson Lake for Cee’s Black and White Challenge. Very peaceful indeed.
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Thanks, Carol. I had fun finding these trios. 🙂
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Wonderful fun images here, Marsha! Great photos of these classic cars!
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Thanks, Amy. It is a fabulous place to visit, if you ever get the chance.
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Manny’s bow matches the tulips. Yesterday Lana was taking Mocha’s temperature. It was very cute! I think I recall the weekly readers received in grade school. I think they were called Highlights or Highlighters. It definitely occupied my week!
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Thanks for the comment. I hope you took Lana’s picture. I hope Mocha doesn’t have anything catching! Manny would be very upset to think of one of his stuffed friends being sick. There was also a Highlights Magazine, if you remember that. That was super fun I thought when I was about six. 🙂
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Yes, it was highlights. No I did not get to take her photo. My phone was in another room (as always).
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Rats!!!
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You really got some great shots with all the challenges last week, Marsha! Your B&W’s are particularly stunning, especially the Maui and Watson Lake shots! Those cars are such an amazing color, too! Cute on of Manny! Glad to see all is well, we had a busy weekend with family up for Sunday afternoon. Two weeks and we will start the road trip South!
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We can’t wait. History in the making! 🙂
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We loved the Weekly Reader! I’d forgotten.
You have so many fun things in this post. I love the flowers and your photos and the cars. I don’t think I’ve tried to read Eliot; I’ll have to look into it.
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Nice to know I’m not the only one!
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I hope your cold coffee had a nice high pile of whipped cream dusted with cocoa on top, Aussie style!
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No, love. Plain Jane fat Marsha style.
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Excellent. I like that Watson Lake shot, and who doesn’t like a Little Red Corvette, unless it’s a lover of Shelby Cobras, I believe. 🙂
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You should see the shots I got today at the Martin Auto Museum in Phoenix. You will drool!
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🤤
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Marsha, Thank you for the mention and for linking up with #weekendcoffeeshare. Your B&W photos, the trios and cars are beautiful. You did great meeting the different challenges in one post. Have a wonderful week ahead!
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Thanks, Natalie. Right now taking photographs is how I spend my week. I enjoy having a place to share my week with others and see how they are doing too. 🙂
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You made me smile with the DeLorean, we just introduced our son to Back to the Future films… The photo above it is an absolute cracker 🙂
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Thanks, Sofia. Those Back to the Future films were classics, weren’t they. I still enjoy watching them.
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So much fun 🙂
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What a varied collection, Marsha! I really like those black-and-whites, especially Watson Lake. Of course, you had me with the car images! 🙂
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It was an amazing car show and they have one each month on the first Saturday. Good reason to come back in the heat!
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On occasion, I went to a small gathering in Buckeye that is held once a month in the winter. It was mostly the same cars that showed up, but everyone knew each other and their vehicles well.
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You get to be quite an expert that way, really. Vince still has little tidbits that he shares with me as we walk around.
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Your peaceful black and whites are good Love the cars too! 😀 😀
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Thanks, Cee. I’m looking forward to your next CFFC about cars! That’s jut a taste.
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Love those cars. I know what you mean about suddenly seeing connections everywhere that you previously didn’t notice. Happens to me quite often. 😉
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What are you up to today? We went to the USS Arizona Memorial Gardens this morning.
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We took a long walk, returning by the beach. Then my daughter and I braved the mall to shop at H&M. We not only survived but found some things. 😉. Haven’t been in a mall in ages!
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Sounds fun. I’d love being at the beach!!!
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love your brain vaca in pics and reading Marsha. the black and whites are amazing.
great you too a stab at the reading’
“Suddenly I see that make of car on the road everywhere. So it is with T. S. Now he is ubiquitous. It may have been worth the wade into the mud called the “Waste Land.”
💖💖💖
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Onto more inspired reading and eventually more poems. 🙂
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oh its all good … everything you do is awesome!
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LOL Say that with tongue in cheek.
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hahahaah. 💖😂🥰🥰
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9 of 21 is my favourite. Fabulous, Marsha! Have a great week 🤗💟
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Whew, you numbered them! Wow! Nine is one of my favorites, too. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week, yourself, Jo. 🙂
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As always I’m impressed by how you tie these challenges together. With the amount of ground you cover in each post I’m not surprised that you tend to favour maximalism over minimalism!
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I would like to be the kind of photographer who could see both. You do a fabulous job focusing in on important things, my friend. I look up to your talent and love your posts.
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🤗😍
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Pleased to be included among this wonderful lot of photos Marsha. I love the cars. I am glad your Last Photo met the criteria of not your favourite. Thanks for joining in 🙂 🙂
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LOL Good to have some bad pics, in other words?
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It is good to have the bravery to show everyone and not be precious about the photos that are taken. I loved showing my duds from last month 🙂
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Your duds are better than some of our best shots, though. LOL!
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That is lovely of you to say Marsha. 🙂
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I’m just a lovely person. 🙂 LOL
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Agreed
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She said with a wink and a big smile.
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Wow!
This is such a wonderful palette of peacefulness, trios and wheels.
And I do long to hit 88mph on a DeLorean. I tried it on my car but it didn’t worked 🙂
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LOL Hammad! I can reach 88 mph in my car, but it isn’t as stylish as a DeLorean. 🙂 This was a rare find. The entire bunch of cars was exquisite. I’ll be sharing some more on one of Cee’s next challenges. 🙂
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