To demonstrate it is all a matter of perspective, one morning I took several photos of the morning sky, one after another as I panned from due east to due west.
At the Desert Botanical Garden, I staffed the yucca station where I got to explain how the natives used yucca, cats claw and agave to make baskets - how drying the yucca in the sun versus the shade gave different color.
On Wednesday November 11, I flew to from Phoenix to Atlanta, and then drove to Greenville, SC, to visit Martha's mom and step-dad, Ann and Terry. We toured the downtown area along the river and stopped at one of the fine restaurants that specializes in beer. I knew that a sommelier was a specialist with knowledge of wine; I learned that a cicerone was the equivalent for beer. Just as a sommelier has to pass exams to hold themselves out as wine specialists, there is a similar system of testing and certification for a person to hold themselves out as a beer specialist or cicerone.
I also saw several Tin Tin posters and took photos for our friend Bridgette.
On Thursday, I drove to Sumter SC and had lunch with friends Harry and Barbara. After treating me to a nice lunch, they took me on a quick tour of town, to include showing me the damage done by the October flooding. This included damage to the Swan Lake - Iris Gardens.
Then I drove to St. Augustine FL where I spent the night. On my walk after dinner, I came across this old National Guard Armory.
Friday, I drove to the San Pedro Center in Winter Park FL.
The Catholic Diocese of Orlando owns and operates this center where multiple conferences can be held at the same time, with dorms, cafeterias and meeting rooms. The Closer Walk Nature Trail is a raised boardwalk about a quarter mile long that goes from one of the dorm areas to the large lake on which the retreat center is located.
Another part of the center has a waterfront area with sports and boating activities.
To volunteer as a hospitalero on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, one must attend the training provided by American Pilgrims on the Camino and that is why I was at the San Pedro Center.
In addition to the training, we also were broken into teams to help with the meals. My team made these wonderful desserts with the symbol of Santiago on top.
There is a small cemetery for the Catholic clergy from the diocese, with the largest marker and grave so far for the first bishop of Orlando.
After the training ended on Sunday, I gave a fellow trainee a ride to her hotel. As we drove around the hotel, we found some dumpsters under attack by feral cats and raccoons.
Back in Phoenix, Thursday November 19 was a special night for those of us who volunteered on the Bruce Munro installations at the Desert Botanical Garden. Bruce Munro and his wife came and talked with us and presented each of us with an autographed copy of one of his books. This was followed by refreshments and then a chance to view the installations before they opened to the public.
On Friday evening and Saturday during the day (November 21 and 22), I had the first weekend session for my American Government class at Wayland Baptist University. Wayland has four terms per year, each for eleven weeks. The winter term goes from November 9 to February 12 with breaks for the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Our Saturday session included class at the downtown Phoenix campus and then in the afternoon a visit to the Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe.
On Saturday evening, Bruce Munro presented a lecture about his work for Agave level members at the Desert Botanical Garden. Patty and I had dinner at Gertrude's Restaurant and met two Tuesday docents, Yvonne and Bill, who joined us. We then went to the lecture - a very nice presentation where we learned some of Munro's history and inspiration.
On Wednesday November 25, Patty and I volunteered to help take the 8,000 luminarias our of storage and get them set up. We were among about 50 volunteers and staff involved in the process. They had a nice catered breakfast for us while we worked. Afterwards, as we were leaving, we came across this wonderful vehicle - solar cells to charge the battery that drives the motor to assist the bicycle move - very cool.
At the Desert Botanical Garden, I staffed the yucca station where I got to explain how the natives used yucca, cats claw and agave to make baskets - how drying the yucca in the sun versus the shade gave different color.
I also saw several Tin Tin posters and took photos for our friend Bridgette.
On Thursday, I drove to Sumter SC and had lunch with friends Harry and Barbara. After treating me to a nice lunch, they took me on a quick tour of town, to include showing me the damage done by the October flooding. This included damage to the Swan Lake - Iris Gardens.
Then I drove to St. Augustine FL where I spent the night. On my walk after dinner, I came across this old National Guard Armory.
Friday, I drove to the San Pedro Center in Winter Park FL.
The Catholic Diocese of Orlando owns and operates this center where multiple conferences can be held at the same time, with dorms, cafeterias and meeting rooms. The Closer Walk Nature Trail is a raised boardwalk about a quarter mile long that goes from one of the dorm areas to the large lake on which the retreat center is located.
Another part of the center has a waterfront area with sports and boating activities.
To volunteer as a hospitalero on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, one must attend the training provided by American Pilgrims on the Camino and that is why I was at the San Pedro Center.
On Friday evening and Saturday during the day (November 21 and 22), I had the first weekend session for my American Government class at Wayland Baptist University. Wayland has four terms per year, each for eleven weeks. The winter term goes from November 9 to February 12 with breaks for the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Our Saturday session included class at the downtown Phoenix campus and then in the afternoon a visit to the Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe.
On Saturday evening, Bruce Munro presented a lecture about his work for Agave level members at the Desert Botanical Garden. Patty and I had dinner at Gertrude's Restaurant and met two Tuesday docents, Yvonne and Bill, who joined us. We then went to the lecture - a very nice presentation where we learned some of Munro's history and inspiration.
On Wednesday November 25, Patty and I volunteered to help take the 8,000 luminarias our of storage and get them set up. We were among about 50 volunteers and staff involved in the process. They had a nice catered breakfast for us while we worked. Afterwards, as we were leaving, we came across this wonderful vehicle - solar cells to charge the battery that drives the motor to assist the bicycle move - very cool.
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