Mount Lemmon

We headed through Tucson to drive up to Mount Lemmon. My friend Alex said we could watch the temperature drop as we drove up the hills.










Sure enough - by the time we made 8000 feet - the temperature dropped from 105 to 73[?] The drive it self was beautiful. The winding road passed by many scenic views of rock formations and valleys.















Eric and Alex

First days in Arizona
















Eric and I are out visiting our friend Alex before heading over to my cousins in Phoenix on Friday. We headed out this morning to Tuson to visit Pima Air Museum and to drive up Mt. Lemmon. The Air base museum which is right next to a giant aircraft junk yard. Cool!















We spotted some great planes - including my favorite - the Lockheed Constellation.
















Of course it was 105 degrees - so it was not pleasant walking around. Other planes we spotted included Boeing B-29, The Super Guppy and some former Air Force One Planes.

Cepheus.


Just finished up another window. My sister Cathy and I worked on this one as an anniversary present for my aunt and uncle. I have been using this pattern for about a year now. The constellation Cepheus in the Northern Autumn Sky i believe. It is part of the 2 piece pattern that includes the Little Dipper.

The constellation















I handed off the glass to Cathy for 2 weeks and she copper-foiled the piece.




















Soldering done









Finished Constellation

Gay Lawn Jockey

I have seen these statues in peoples yards over the years and have always liked them. I am sure that was because of their electric / illumination potential as opposed to their questionable historical background. I was always told [assumed?] the statue was a racist leftover of the deep south. There are now several sources [1] [2] online portraying the statue's history as a noble one tied to the underground railroad. However, I suspect those alternate histories are being spread by the lawn jockey industry. [more info]
A simple survey of their online catalogs still shows some very questionable material.

So several years ago i put out the word that I wanted one for a project someday. I thought I had a very unique idea for taking this racist symbol and turning it into something more entertaining / less offending. Well.... apparently I was not the first to stumble on to the idea as i spotted this rendition this weekend while camping.

A very nice job. My idea is still a little better. I want to place the statue at the edge of a pond and swap the lantern for a motorized disco ball. But without a lawn [ or my own gay bar..] I am not sure what i would quite do with it.












Racist symbol Lawn Jockey

+ chaps + disco ball

= gay icon Lawn Jacques.

Not too bad.

Toy Store!


In the process of fixing the Vanagon, i stopped by Glenwood Electronics on Hague street today. [An electronics components supplier here in town] What a place! Full of old push button switches and lights and old components! It was great just poking through the place. Back in the day, they probably did alot of business with all the manufacturers here in town. Now days.. probably notso much. I definitely plan to keep these guys on my list.