Prairie

True Foods

2011-07-03T23:32:11+01:00

Man oh man, six months have gone by and do I ever feel every bit of a lazy lump and very guilty for neglecting Prairie for so long. I'm very grateful for all your emails asking what had happened to me, if I was alright and why the hell wasn't I blogging Prairie any longer. So apologies all around to everyone. Okay so here's the deal. The first person who sends a comment with the words "Lazy Lump" in the text will get one of my photo cards. And I will actually give them a choice of what sort of image they would like. Whew! I feel so much better now. Don't forget to include your email address.

So here I am again and this time, I need to go back to January when I visited my family in Phoenix, Arizona. My lovely daughter Julia, works as Marketing Coordinator for Fox Restaurants, and True Foods, one of the many Fox Restaurants happened to be hosting an event at the Mines and Minerals Museum. The event was P.F. Chang's Rock and Roll Marathon Series, which started from the heart of Phoenix and finished in Tempe. The marathon tours throughout the United States stopping in 25 different cities with runners supporting various charities and loving every minute of it. Although there were quite a few sponsors this time, P.F. Chang's, historically tends to grab the spot as the Title Sponsor.

After a very long, threatening lecture the night before about how I'd have to be up early, Julia managed to get me out the door before the sun came up. True Foods set an "uber" delicious table of goodies for the runners. Fresh juices, organic muffins, piles of bananas, yogurts, granola and of course, I had to sample all of it. Everything was scrumptious !!

"FRESH, FUN, CHIC, UNIQUE" This sums up Fox Restaurants perfectly. Founder Sam Fox, has sprinkled his boutique restaurants in the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas and Kansas. The man is amazing. He's managed to create boutique restaurants which are truly unique and fresh in concept. I dined at five whilst visiting Arizona and was immediately impressed by the beautiful decor and how each one had it's own distinct character and ambiance. I'm attaching a link to Fox Restaurant Concept's website at the bottom of this post. I love this website. It's inviting and so well designed.

Two hostesses showed up to help us set the tables.

The handsome guy in the photo below with the two hostesses, is Chef Shane Cox. He loves his job, I could tell as it was all he talked about. He puts in long hours at his craft and is really proud of the work he does for Fox.

Looking down from the second floor I could see the runners were assembling. When my daughter told me it was going to be at the Mines and Minerals Museum, the first thing I thought was "how boring is this going to be." I was so wrong and absolutely fell in love with this place. It was fascinating.

Just to give you an idea of the scale of this museum, I was standing on the level where all the banners are hanging, looking down onto the main floor. The circumference of the walkway goes all the way around the room to a wide stairwell leading to the first level. All of the lit cabinets contain examples of brilliant minerals from every earthly country and I'm going to show you some of them. They look anything but, earthly.

I had immense respect for this woman. There were also men in the three wheeled chairs participating.

Below: Chef Shane Cox, Local Store Marketing Coordinator Sarah Boisseree, and my lovely, crazy, genius writer daughter, Julia Archer. Love you Julia. x

I have to admit that I spent a good two hours looking at these ancient, colourful rocks. When I was a little girl, I use to spend many weekends on my Uncle Irvin's farm in Dakota, hunting Indian arrowheads. Within a few years, my family and I had filled several shoeboxes full of arrowheads and other interesting shapes. So I had an appreciation of rocks and minerals and the history attached to them.

My first impression of the mineral rock below, that it looked like a living plant from the bottom of the sea.

The rock below reminded me of bird's feathers. Do you see it ?

And this one - shredded Parmesan cheese maybe ?

Errrr - bad ass parasite or alien baby, can't decide. Nope, it's only calcite. Whew!

Jello and cauliflower ??

This is an original sepia photograph of a child in a mine shaft. I think it was take your child to work day.

This was so cool - a miniature display of an authentic mining village. Complete with saloon, mercantile store and a house of ill-repute.

The poster below happened to be on the back of a door in the ladies bathroom. In fact, there was a different poster on every door. Being the OCD person that I am, I had to check the back of every door.

There were also several displays of everyday products that have mineral content as an ingredient. This really drove home the point for me, that minerals bring great convenience to our lives.

This will blow your mind, it's so clever. It made me look twice and I was grinning from ear to ear. The case below is a display of food. But actually, it's all mineral rocks. Whoever thought of this is a wonderful genius.

Everything on the plates are some form of rock mineral. I love it !!

I couldn't resist editing the image into a polaroid effect. It reminds me of pictures from the 1950's that I would see in my Mother's cookbooks.

I had such great fun at this event. Thanks for inviting me Julia !!

On a more personal note: The next few blogs will be about new beginnings. My life has changed in drastic measures over the last six months. I'm now living in Cornwall, on the south coast of England and have accepted an offer at Falmouth University's, Tremough Campus for the Fine Arts Photography Course starting in September. It's lovely here by the sea. Instead of the blackbird's song, I now listen to a cacophony of fog horns and the shrieking of seagulls as they tap dance on the roof of my bedroom. I share a flat with two splendid, young women. Yikes! The last time I had a room mate was 1975. It's all a very big adjustment, especially for a grouchy, middle-aged woman like me.

I've also cut off all of my hair, boy short, and have let my silver grow out. As soon as I get the courage, I will post a new photo.

I so miss my friends that I left behind in Cambridgeshire. Thank you all for the encouraging phone calls and texts these last two weeks. I especially want to say thank you to Kim and Clare for helping me with the move. I hope you have forgiven me for making you unpack the hire van and then finding out my packing idea did not work and having to start over again.

As for my cows, dare I say, I miss them the most. I have a picturesque view from my bedroom balcony across the bay to Flushing, and just the other day did spy some Angus cows on the hillside above some million pound mansions. I think I shall be walking up that hill soon. New friends to be made.

Thank you for your continued support everyone. x

http://www.foxrc.com/

http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/arizona

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Looking at Photos

2011-08-01T23:53:53+01:00

As a photographer, I'm always looking at photos and trying to understand them a bit better. I tend to collect old images off the internet as I come across them and save them to my desktop. Sit down and have a look with Prairie !! This one below is very odd. I've named it "The Stare."

Are you familiar with the current {almost past it's best now} rage called "planking?" It's where people lay their bodies rigidly across fence posts or the edge of balconies. They pose in all sorts of strange places and some have lost their lives by tipping off of high places just to participate in this strange sport. Even foul-mouth, millionaire chef Gordon Ramsey, once planked and posted a photo of himself on twitter or some sort of media venue. When I saw this photo, the first thought that came to mind was, planking. They've almost got it right - will just take about fifty more years until it catches on.

These children scare me. They undoubtedly were movie extras for "The Shining."

I have caught some whoppers when I was a teen, in fact I came home with five humongous northern pike that I pulled from a deep creek in Dakota, but nothing like this one. Wow-sers !!!

I'm posting this photo simply because I like her hat. And they look like a sweet couple as well.

The photo below is hilarious and at the same time, slightly disturbing. I think it's been floating around the internet on various sites for a while now. I always have wondered if the bird landed on her head on it's own or if some annoying parent put it there to get a cutesy for the family photo album. Is the little girl terrified? Her reaction looks genuine to me. Poor kid. Look at her little fists, all clenched up !!

This has to be a photo from some Hollywood movie set.

I don't know what is on the steps. It looks a little bit like baby piddle. I may sound a bit corny as I ramble on about these pictures but this is what's fun about interpreting images. And no two person's opinions will be the same. By the way, I love the woman's saddle shoes. I use to have a pair exactly like them. Are you getting into this a bit more ? Just pretend we are sitting on the sofa together looking at photos and analyzing. And we can drink a beer while we look at the pictures, how fun is that ??

This one caught my eye. Because I worked in a boutique for two years, selling and fitting females of all ages into ball gowns and prom dresses, I couldn't resist commenting on this fashion statement. I'm sure for it's day, it was absolutely lovely and very expensive as well. The young woman is beautiful. Still, {here it comes} when I saw this photo, I just wanted to rip those sleeves off the dress and make her take off that thing on her head. It's not a head-band {alice band} and not really a hat. I thought to myself, this head thing-y is not the appropriate accessory. Now I'm bothered. And the flowers, ribbon and the dust cloth she's clutching - all gotta go !!

A boy and his chicken, how very strange. And he's smoking!! What a bizarre photograph. Do you think it's old? I've stared at this one and cannot help but think it's fabricated or photo-shopped. Very creepy.

If you're close to my age, you most likely have one of these old school photos in an album or a shoe box. This was taken in 1950 of a group of fourth graders. Don' t know where it was taken or what school as this is all the information I could find. Notice how every single child is looking at the camera except the one girl? I'll bet her Mother was not happy.

I'm posting this one because I like photos of old cars. I believe this was taken in California and I read that this coffee shop just recently closed down. A bit of nostalgia shuts it's doors. Sad.

That's a very big bow you have on your head little Missy !!! Very sweet picture.

This has to be a Halloween party. What a hoot. Toothless and possibly legless as well.

My son in law loves to play poker so much, I bought him a set of poker chips as a wedding present. I wonder what he thinks of the woman on the right - good poker face, eh Daniel ? I'd like to imagine they're playing Pinochle. I so miss playing that card game. Have not found anyone in England that's heard of it. The card game of choice in this country, is Bridge.

What we have here is a very sharp dressed kid. I feel a ZZ Top song coming on any minute. he looks bound for Broadway - yes ?? I so want his hat.

Errr - what on earth ??? What can I say about these two? I'm sure for the times, they were considered poshly dressed. I don't want to make a cruel statement because you and I both know, the parents have dressed them in these ridiculous poodle-like outfits. Will someone please send me a witty comment about these two little flowers and take some of the pressure off of me ?

I love everything about this image. Who ever took it was a genius. The subject matter is quirky and the the photographer cropped it perfectly. Very Martin Parr-ish.

Would these dresses not be considered as child abuse ?

This woman has an incredibly tiny waist !!!

I'm looking from her beehive hairstyle to the lampshade and the hair and back to the lampshade, back and forth, back and forth. It's hypnotic. One of those high school, date night photos from the 1960's ?

OMG. She so reminds me of ME !! I use to push my two dollies {Feather-tick & Blonde} around in a little baby buggy like that. Sometimes, I would dress my cat in doll clothes and pin a blanket all around the top to keep him in the buggy. He would eventually claw his way out when I started down the gravel road to my cousin's house. Apparently, the bumpy ride along with his brains rattling as I drove him over the rocks, was more than his little cat nerves could take. It was, very bumpy. There he would go, running for his life, scampering off down the dusty road in his green gingham dolly dress, the top button so tight his little eyes would be bulging out. Poor little cat.

I now know what happened to the Wicked Witch of the West. She moved to California, ditched the broom and bought herself a brand new car. Doesn't she remind you of that witch - just a little ?

What interesting subject matter. That is a boy to the right - right ?

And this is how I use to take a bath.

When we aren't exchanging emails with pictures of the boots and shoes we want to buy, my good friend Jo and I, exchange emails of hairstyles. This one will not make it on my list. Obviously this was a very contrived pose taken in a studio setting.

It's been fun and as always -

Thanks for reading Prairie - share the love !!!

St. Mawes

2011-08-28T21:16:08+01:00

I had been reading so many nice things about the little village of St. Mawes recently, that I was anxious to ferry across and explore it for myself. It was one of those grey sky days. A fine and steady mist was coming down and I was glad I remembered my umbrella.

St. Mawes is just one village on The Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, which is home to some fabulous Cornish villages. This peninsula, is a popular tourist destination attracting holiday visitors from around the UK, Europe and beyond. The Roseland Peninsula is found along the south coast of Cornwall which claims to have a warm climate all year round. This will be my first winter living by the Cornish sea and although it's to be warmer than East Anglia where I moved from - I'm sure it's not going to be anything like Phoenix.

Its scenery and undulating coastline made St Mawes the choice location for ‘Poldark’ a very popular series on television. The Agatha Christie film Murder Ahoy was filmed here, as was the 1964 film Crooks in Cloisters. An episode of the TV series Hornblower was also filmed here. Falmouth Harbour had it's own excitement recently when Brad Pitt arrived to film World War Z.

This natural harbour is rated as the third largest in the world and can be easily navigated from Falmouth to Truro in Cornwall. St Mawes is particulary popular for visiting Yachts and boasts three boatyards, as well as local marine engineers and boat builders within St Mawes. It's one of the most affluent villages along the Roseland with most residences being either retirement properties or holiday homes.

I love this rusty, crusty fishing boat with it's smelly nets, gee gaws and peeling paint.

I stopped to chat with this father and his two young boys for a moment. They were fishing for small crabs, the variety that you don't eat. A fishing line baited with a piece of bacon was let down and the little crab would latch himself onto the meat. The Father would put him in a bucket of water for a few minutes so the boys could have a look and admire their catch. Then back into the water he would go.

After a nice cup of tea and a scone, I headed off in search of the castle. St. Mawes Castle as well as Falmouth's Pendennis Castle were both built by Henry the VIII to defend the coast from French and Spanish invaders in the 1500's. I heard that a few years ago, a gentleman who worked at St. Mawes Castle fell in love and married a woman employee who worked at Pendennis Castle. I searched high and low, as did my friend Paul, who told me the story, for a newspaper article about the romance and wedding but we could not find anything about it. Oh well, it's a lovely story. If anyone claims to know this not to be true.... all I will say is "Paul told me so."

I wasn't sure what was going on here and if I would have known these girls were going to jump, I would've been standing closer. I was a bit distracted by the man with the white beard. He looks like Santy Claus.

And there they go !!

So back to Falmouth and one more quick look at the castle as we sail by.

Past the pretty village of Flushing.

And back to Falmouth Harbour.

I've posted links to both castles so you can read all about the history of these landmarks.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/st-mawes-castle/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/pendennis-castle/

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Happy New Year from Prairie

2012-01-01T14:18:45+00:00

Wishing my Prairie friends all the best in 2012. Love to you all x

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Brighton Beach

2012-01-02T11:55:44+00:00

I've had these photos of Brighton kicking around on my desktop for ages now. Brighton or "London by the sea" as it's sometimes called, is a favourite holiday destination here in England. No text today, only images.

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