Me and Hound

I miss her so much.

Wind is blowing WEST. Time to go.

At Painted Desert & Petrified Forest National Park

Winslow, AZ airport hanger.  Brandi had to see what was inside there, so she scaled the wall and looked in!

Brandi getting her Indian Fry Bread Fix in New Mexico.

A rest stop along Interstate 40.  Serious Tornado country.  It was quite the 'shelter'.

Moonshine stop, in the Smoky Mountains.  haha

Family Cemetery in Tennessee 

Well, I'm on the move again.

Back on the road.  'Come what may'.

I feel both joy and sadness.  I love the open road.  It's where I feel I can breath, and think clearly.  This trip is joyful to have Brandi travel with me. But I am very sad, not to have my dog, REMI WITH ME.  but we'll  make some stops along the way and see some things I haven't seen before.  Our first stop was at the top of the beautiful Smoky Mountains and into TENNESSEE  and to our FAMILY Cemetery.  Middleburg, TN.  My grandparents and great-grandparents are buried there, along side many other relatives.  It was a nice feeling, being there.  Among so many family members.  I imagine that we'll all be happy to see and meet each other on the other side, as well.

Next Stop, was MEMPHIS.  We went down to the famous BEALE STREET.  Home of Louis Armstrong, B.B. King and many other jazz, blues, and R & B legends performed.  There's still live music, restaurants, and things to see and hear.  The Mississippi River runs right along side of it.

Then it was on to, ARKANSAS.  Not a whole lot to see, but a long way to drive into 

OKLAHOMA.

This is where I came up with a NEW NAME for my sweet little BRANDI.

"HAG-A-THA" 

"THE ROAD RUNNER"!

When this girl has an itinerary in her head, look out!  She is not stopping to see trivial things if it interferes with her time schedule.  Here's her rules for stopping.  You don't stop unless you accomplish 3 things.

1. GAS

2.  PEE

3.  SNACK

And you better do all 3 FAST!

Now, if you have to pee, and we don't need gas?  You better know how to hold it, or wear your depends, sister!    I think her motto should be 'GET IN, HANG ON, AND SHUT UP!" haha

After driving through Oklahoma we stopped at the World Famous BIG TEXAN STEAK HOUSE.

In AMARILLO TEXAS.

IT was BIG! and the steaks were HUGE.

Next day, it was on to Albuquerque, NEW MEXICO, where Brandi got her Indian fry bread fix.

Then on into ARIZONA, where we BRIEFLY stopped at the PETRIFIED FOREST AND PAINTED DESERT National Park and took a couple pictures.

We got into Winslow for the night and on Saturday, spent the day with David, and then arrived at our final DESTINATION;  MESA. 

It was a great trip, and I wouldn't have made it in 3 days without

"The Road Runner".

I got to add places to map that I hadn't been to before, and now I'm here in AZ for a little while, until the wind, picks up, and blows me another direction again.  And it will.  It always does.

A little summer update

Matt and his friend put on a great 4th of July Party. 

Food, Family, Friends, and Fireworks.

Big Fireworks!! (professional fireworks)

 Lexi continues to excel in music.

She performed at an event at that church.  This was her first time

in front of a live audience.  She has a voice, guitar, piano, teacher who is really encouraging and good.

 Anna.  My little 'Squirrel'.

Full of energy.  She is doing swim team and anything else that keeps her moving.

I'm still recovering from my neck/back surgery.

I'm trying to remain positive.  I still have pain, but not the kind that I was having.  I'm hoping to be back on the golf course by November, and back to the gym this month.

I have a lot more I would like to write about, but haven't. I don't have internet at my house so I'm limited on how much time and data I have.

Paintings by David....Enjoy

 RAVEN

Painted by David Paulson

 ELK

by  David Paulson

CARDINAL

Painted by David Paulson

Ronald Curtiss Beals "Ya done good."

 Yep.  That's my Boy.

I am so proud.  He worked so hard for this.

He had a goal and stuck with it.

 I can't express how proud I am of these two.

With much hard work, families, and sacrifice, these two,  worked so hard to get these college degrees. 

 I also want to recognize JEN, for all her love, encouragement, and support.  It was a team accomplishment.  They made many sacrifices along this journey.  Thanks Jen for all you do.

The apostle Paul taught;

 So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Galatians 6:9 

Way to Go 

RONALD CURTISS BEALS,

(as Grandpa would say,)

"Ya done good."

Arizona trip May (part 2)

 Kempton is taking golf lessons and doing really well.

I was lucky enough to follow him around and watch him for 6 holes.

 Always looking for something to climb.

Brandi and I always want to get some Arizona Filalberto's

 before going back to North Carolina.

 On our way to go see David.

A little FAMILY Slumber Party in Winslow.

So happy that we were all able to go see David.  He is so amazing.  It was so uplifting and we were able to have breakfast and lunch with him We played games, talked about all different things and prayed.

May trip to Arizona

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to CURTISS

 TIME FLIES

Alisha, Curtiss, Brandi, Krista, and EV

Family Birthday dinner with Curtiss.

Springtime in North Carolina

SPRINGTIME IN NORTH CAROLINA.

So many different colors and plants, than where I grew up in the Arizona Desert.

Everyday I see something, I've never seen before.

Pretty cool.

I "stop and smell the flowers" a lot.  (and take pictures of them)

Coming to America

Inside Ellis Island.  My Great Grandfather, Giuseppi Joseph Falcone

walked through these doorways, in this room, to come to America with his brother.

This is the Ship Manifest from the Ship that Lena Perna, my Great Grandpa's 2nd wife, came over from Italy.  She was traveling with a child, and had $72.  That was the most money, on this page, that anyone had.  They traveled in the bottom of the ship, with the poor people.

It was so cool to be able to look up this information, right there on the computers.  It was a great feeling, seeing their names.  I felt a special feeling, and had a better understanding of why my dad did so much genealogy work.  I felt grateful for the sacrifices that my grandparents endured. Because of him, coming to America I have had many blessings.

I can only imagine how wonderful it must of have felt to see the Statue of America, after being 'packed' on a crowded ship for 14-16 days, in the bottom of the ship, with one suitcase and some snacks.  It truly is a marvelous sight to see!

A welcome light of hope and dreams. 

Mass Incarceration in the US

Here is why I am an Advocate and Activist, for prison reform. 

Hair Extensions

 

Look, while walking up on the 'Highline',  The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It is owned by the City of New York,
 We discovered where they grow my 'HAIR EXTENSIONS'!

Perfect Match.  And all I have to do, is pull weeds.

ahahaha!

A Sad Reminder of what Terrorist can do. We will not Forget.

 One World Trade Center is the primary building of the new World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.^[9] The 104-story supertall structure stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site, on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center. On March 30, 2009, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed that the building would be known by its legal name, One World Trade Center, rather than the colloquial name, Freedom Tower.^[1]

The tower's steel structure topped out on August 30, 2012.^[3][11] On May 10, 2013, the final component of the skyscraper's spire was installed, making One World Trade Center the fourth-tallest skyscraper in the world at the time by pinnacle height. Its spire reaches a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 m) in reference to the year of the United States Declaration of Independence.^[12][13][14] It has been the tallest structure in New York City since April 30, 2012, when it surpassed the height of the Empire State Building.

 St. Paul's Chapel-- a Sanctuary at Ground Zero, after 9/11.
This small chapel is right across the street from the where the Twin Towers stood.
Many sought refuge there.  It was a somber, yet somehow, comforting feeling inside, for me.

Ground Zero, memorial pools, and the names of the  2,996 

murdered Americans.  We will not Forget.

Brandi and I felt the unbelievable, senseless, loss of so many.

The building and Architecture, is truly a "Modern Marvel".

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

 GIRLS WEEK-END to NEW YORK CITY!

Time Square, Cake Boss, Les Miserables, Broadway Shows, Food Tour, Subways, Bakeries, Little Italy, China Town, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Museum of Modern Art, and more!

I Had a blast with my Sister-Sheila, Daughter-Brandi, and Niece-Krista.

I have never been to New York, so everything was exciting to me.

(more pictures to come)

Arizona Trip (Part 2) March 2014

 A quick visit with Curtiss and Jen.  We went over to watch the sunset at the new 

GILBERT ARIZONA LDS TEMPLE.

Really pretty temple and I always enjoy the Arizona Sunsets. 

 Kempton loves to play this 'game' with me.  He sticks his tongue in and out while I'm trying to take his picture.  I have to take 'Burst" Shots on my camera to capture him.  (smile)

I Was able to squeeze a visit in with my Good Friend Janet and her Husband and daughter, and grandson.

We first became friends when I worked at Maricopa County Hospital, as nurses, and both our husbands worked for Salt River Project at the time.  We have remained very good friends over the years.  Last year she had a small 'mole' on her leg that turned out to be Melanoma and had to go through chemotherapy and was really sick.  She is now in remission with all good reports and feeling good.  But, NOW Her Husband just got diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer and is in Radition and Chemotherapy.  We just never know what this life and trials are going to dish out to us.  We went and ate at "The Mining Camp Restaurant" at the base of the Superstition Mountains.  I remember going there often when our relatives would come out and visit from back east.  They serve dinner family style, with metal plates and cups down long tables like Miners.  I always looked forward to the ICE COLD MILK SERVED from a metal Pitcher, into metal cups. 

 Had to grab a little Mexican Food.  We went to 'On the Border'.  

 Got to watch my little Monkeys swing around on bars.

 Went to a new park over at Riverview park and where the new 'Chicago Cubs' spring training facility is.

 SPIDERMAN showed me his skills.

 Here's a little 'zip line' for the kids.

And, good ol' Mr. Beals willing to pick me up at midnight from the airport.