SimplyLife

It was a beautiful afternoon here today, so I snuck away for a short hike while my husband was mowing.  Ramsey Canyon is beautiful anytime of year, but especially in the summertime.  The gigantic sycamore trees, the sound of running water, and usually hummingbirds, but today the hummers were absent. Instead, I was greeted by clouds of butterflies along the trail.  They didn't seem to be bothered by my presence and continued their wing exercises.  There were several varieties sunning themselves in the dappled sunlight and then fluttering around as if getting the flying thing down just right.  When I was a kid, I used to chase them with a net through the fields and the unlucky ones ended up pinned to a piece of cardboard.  I prefer a camera these days and I was glad I brought it along. So instead of a lot of text this week let me show you some of those delicate and elegant little creatures. As you know, butterflies start out as caterpillars, eati...

This morning we enjoyed a conversation with our dear friend, Wendy. It was on our patio over a cup of coffee with Clancy occasionally pushing his wet nose onto my laptop.  Wendy, however was at her dining room table in the Congo.  That's right, she's in Africa.  A missionary for over 20 years to various people groups in that region, it was the first time we've had a video chat.  It was a reminder of how far communication has come over the years. Back in the early 90s when she served her first term on that exotic continent, letters took weeks to get back and forth. They were treasured, read and reread. We were happy the thin air mail paper had arrived safely to tell us of her adventures in learning new languages, adjusting to a new culture, and a new menu. It was truly special when a cassette arrived and we heard her voice. Our girls produced their own and sent a rambling audio letter of school news, and a concert of vocal and piano selections. T...

Living in the West for the last nine years has given me an appreciation for the strange, weird, dangerous, and beautiful flora and fauna of the high desert.  The first thing I learned upon arrival is that most everything in the desert bites in one way or another. The plants have thorns, seen and unseen. There are arachnids with wicked tails, otherwise known as scorpions, Black Widow spiders, and snakes of every ilk. Then we learned that there were centipedes of unusual size and bugs that resembled aliens from another planet. Coyotes, javelina, and the occasional bobcat were local residents too. The cacti and wildflowers are unique, some even a touch exotic. Cow-tongue, cholla, prickly pear, desert willow, rattlesnake weed, yucca, sage, creosote bush, Apache plume, and fairyduster. All are tough and thrive in our challenging conditions. After scratching our heads and vainly trying identify what we were looking at, we went to the local bookstore for help. The Audubon Fi...

The last two years have been especially challenging for my flower gardens. Between an historic cold snap of zero degrees for two nights in a row and a killer drought of 6 1/2 months last year, my plants took a real hit. There were several plants that outright kicked the bucket after the extreme cold. When last spring rolled around, the poor things were brown and crispy. Vainly I looked for a hint of green, but alas, they were unceremoniously removed and tossed in the dead plant pile out back. Some struggled along and finally managed to leaf out, putting out a few blooms. The roses were mediocre, so I cut them back with impunity in the fall. There's always next year, I maintained.  Spring 2012 rolled around and with high hopes of bushels of flowers, gardening began again in earnest. The roses recovered from their 2011 doldrums and produced nicely all through May. There were however, a few more flower fatalities and some slackers who just hadn't recovered in the courtyard. Repl...

When you bite into that burger, what's on top of it?  Ketchup, mustard, salsa, relish, onions, cheese? All of the above? None?  I love condiments of all kinds, all ethnic persuasions, colors, textures. They add the zing to whatever I'm eating. As a kid, ketchup was my number one favorite. It goes well on most anything. Ask my Aunt Nita who was a real rebel back in the day and put it on her eggs. I was mildly shocked at this as a child, but followed her example and found it to be pretty tasty. Now I prefer salsa and cheese on scrambled eggs, but nothing can replace ketchup on a myriad of foods. So what's a condiment? It comes from the Latin word "condimentum" which means seasoning. I can see my Latin teacher standing to cheer on this one. I should try to decline the noun, but I'm not sure if I'd make it. All good words come from the Latin, which is common knowledge, sort of like "all words come from the Greek" (My Big Fat Greek Wedding).  Diction...

Taffeta, silk, crinoline, pearls, silk flowers, ruffles, bustles, sweetheart, v-neck, cathedral train.... You guessed it, I was in a bridal boutique. One of those great moments moms get with daughters is shopping for a wedding dress. And as every bride will tell you, they know when THE dress is found.  I remember that moment myself, uh..a long time ago now.  Lo and behold the very first dress I tried on was the dress, although several more dresses were brought out just to make sure.  It was a short shopping trip, but the dress was on sale, fit perfectly, and I whisked it out the door that day. The boutique we visited on Saturday was relaxing and sophisticated. Debussy and Handel furnished the background music. The deep-carpeted showroom was full of lush and lovely dresses of every kind. The owner, a Brit immediately set us at ease, listening carefully to Emily's vision of her special day. He and his assistant began to explain the designe...

After living in the severe winter weather of Western New York for a lot of years, we traded the snow in for sun and the high desert of southeast Arizona in 2003. Here sunny days are the norm and clouds nary sprout until it's monsoon season. The official rainy season is from June 15 to September 15. Most natives don't want it to start until July 4 because there's some superstition that the rain will be cut short. Thus the saying - "Rain in June, no monsoon." It's been our experience that it starts whenever it's good and ready with a bit of rain coming in June, but the majority arriving in July and August. The monsoon is a well documented weather pattern peculiar  not only to India and other exotic regions, but the American Southwest. During the winter, wind flow in Arizona comes from the west or northwest. When things begin to heat up, wind patterns begin to change to the south or southeasterly directions gathering moisture from the Pacific and pulling it...

The winner of a copy of The Time Under Heaven is Alana Torraca. Congratulations, Alana! Your book will be on its way this week. 

I thought it was time for another bit of Cochise County history this week. Instead of a person or event, we're looking at a place. It's the main employer and biggest presence in our area, which is Ft. Huachuca. It's pronounced wah-choo-ka , in case you're wondering how to wrap your tongue around it. An obscure Indian word that loosely means "place of thunder."  The whole thing came about in 1877 when Capt. Samuel Whitside and Company B, 6th U.S. Cavalry were tasked with protecting the settlers and controlling the Apaches from finding refuge over the border. Trying to find a good camping place for his men, the Captain settled on a beautiful canyon that was wooded with lots of running water, had excellent places for observation, and plenty of grass for their horses. So Camp Huachuca was established, gaining the title Ft. Huachuca five years later and designated a permanent Army post. There was a lot of action in the late 1800s--Tombstone was in its heyday...

I'll be giving a copy of The Time Under Heaven to the winner of a drawing on July 11.  Just click to follow SimplyLife between July 1 and July 10, and you'll be entered. It's SIMPLY simple. The Time Under Heaven is available at Amazon in paperback or Kindle.  Reviews In "The Time Under Heaven," first-time author Laurinda Wallace has created ordinary, relatable, and approachable characters, weaving a story of struggle and ultimate success from a faith perspective. And just when you think you know where the story is heading, it veers off into unknown territory revealing how unexpected life is. Wallace's storytelling captures the reader's emotions and attention with characters that have heart and soul and settings with vivid realism. "The Time Under Heaven" is a great read that will leave you wanting more.   Francine Biere, Author of Death in the Desert. Editorial Review - The Time Under Heaven – Laurinda Wallace’s debut novel is a...

We've been on vacation for the last two weeks, so hence the silent blog. Grandparenting has been the main focus. Grandpa kept two four-year-old boys entertained with treasure-hunting  (geocaching) using his treasure finder (handheld GPS). Grandma made cupcakes and homemade bread with them. Kneading the bread dough was the most popular activity in the kitchen, other than putting more peanut butter on the bread. We colored, painted, played the memory game (remember those little cards?) and a slew of other things--walks, swimming in the pool, reading books, and watching Tropical Storm Debby flood the street so you could canoe down it. It was a pretty exciting time. Once we were home, the master bedroom was repainted (we hate painting) and both of us are still alive to tell the tale. I think every muscle in my body is complaining at this point, so I'm glad a massage is just around the corner. Sunday night will be the reality check to get back in the swing of ...

In the early evening on Tuesday, David and I were able to observe the transit of Venus. With a pair of binoculars and a piece of paper, we saw a black dot on the face of the sun appear on the paper.  It was low tech, but it worked.  For those unfamiliar with the transit of Venus (which included myself until this past week), it is a rare event which happens every 100+ years. It also occurs in pairs, the last transit was in 2004 and was best viewable from the East Coast. This time Arizona was a prime spot for viewing. The next time the planet Venus crosses the sun is in 2117. You and I won't be around for that one. Astronomers were able to get incredible pictures of the transit in 2004 and this past week for the first time ever. They've had to rely on drawings and grainy photos from the 1800s for the last one. This astronomical event was on the heels of a recent solar eclipse, and a full moon. Previous to the Venus event, we were out armed with sunglasses and ou...

This has been an exciting and scary week. Lots of details, lots of emails, FaceBook posts, and now book sales. Yippee! Since I don't have any deep thoughts on the whole process right now, this will probably be the shortest post ever. (My brain is slightly overloaded.) I want to express deep gratitude to my husband, family, and friends who have encouraged me on the book writing journey. Thanks also go to my readers at SimplyLife who've been encouraging as well.  There's lots more to do and hopefully lots more books on the way.  Thanks to all the readers who are taking a chance on a new author. I hope you enjoy The Time Under Heaven .   Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.

This weekend we remember the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for this country by laying down their lives for freedom, for the defense of the United States of America.  Those lofty ideals upon which this country was founded are under massive attack today as they have been in every generation. Religious freedom, individual responsibility, freedom of speech are in mortal danger as we look across the political landscape that promotes government intervention and control over every aspect of our lives. Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address is more relevant today than ever as Americans fight against each other, making ideology more important than doing what is right. I can picture our 16th president, lanky, gaunt, incredibly sad, but still determined as he stepped to a podium to deliver this two minute speech on November 19, 1863.Our country was suffering great loss--beyond imagination and the president carried the burden of death, conflict, an...

It's almost here. It's on the horizon, even closer than that. It's been a dream and now it's a reality. For those of you that know me, you've guessed already.  The "it" is a book. One with my name on it, officially published, and you can download it to your Kindle or buy it in softcover. I've been writing since I was a kid. One of my earliest attempts was publishing a neighborhood paper for East Koy--that little intersection where there are more cows than people. I handcopied about five one-page editions and sold them for a couple of pennies each. I can't remember what news was worth printing at the time, but it was East Koy, so it might have been about the cows that got out or Mrs. McGowan baking a special pie. Then there was high school as editor of the literary magazine for two or three years. There have been lots of stories started and stopped over the years, most have gone in the round file.  The dream dissipated during the real life drama o...

It's hard to believe, but I've been a mother for almost 32 years.  It's the job you never retire from and you really can't resign either, although there were a few days it crossed my mind.  My own mother has had the title for over 50 years and she'll tell you that although the job description changes some over time, it's a job you have for life.  So would I change anything?  Not a chance. This weekend I enjoyed being a mom and grandmother.  Our youngest daughter set her wedding date and we talked about music, her dress, the reception, and all those exciting things that go into putting the biggest event of your life into place.  Today I talked with our oldest daughter and grandsons.  I'm grateful to be past raising small children, but exceptionally thankful for grandchildren.  As the saying goes, they're the reward for not killing your children.  Now it was never that bad, but there's nothing like grandchildren. They are a great ...

Much of the beauty in Cochise County is linked to its mountains, which are part of the sky island region.  Haven't heard of sky islands before?  These are mountains that are forested and surrounded by  " seas" of desert and grasslands.  This area provides a unique habitat for wildlife of all sorts. There are stories of jaguars in our area, along with sightings of many rare birds. The sky islands represented by the Huachuca Mountains are quite near our home and we take advantage of hiking the trails throughout the region every chance we get.  The Huachucas are where the Sonoran and Chihuahan deserts converge which creates a unique biological environment. Probably our favorite sky island area is Ramsey Canyon, which is part of the Nature Conservancy.  In many ways it reminds me of Letchworth State Park because of its beauty and the peacefulness that is felt the moment you step from your car.  If you need a place away fro...

Here's another tale of the Old West for this week's post.  I've chosen Cochise County Sheriff John Slaughter. Our county has a long and checkered history of lawmen who danced precariously with law and disorder. For the western history buff, you know many of them by name. The Earps, John Behan, Burt Alvord, Harry Wheeler. John Slaughter was the exception.  Born in Louisiana on October 2, 1841, his family moved to Texas where he grew up in the cattle ranching industry.  He married, had two children and entered law enforcement as a Texas Ranger.  His nickname wasTexas John. When his first wife died of smallpox, he was left to raise two children on his own.  He met his second wife, Viola in 1879 when she was only 16 years old.  After a speedy courtship, Viola's family finally agreed to the marriage.  He was after all a good prospect as a successful rancher in Douglas and a famous lawman. John was 38 years old at the time....

Once upon a time there were three theres.  They were the Homonym family. Their names all sounded alike, but they're very different.  The first was the big Papa There.  He was an adverb and you could find him in sentences about places, moments, and particular matters.  He was all about action. The Papa was busy going here, there , and everywhere.  Then along came the Mama.  She was all about relationships and was a pronoun.  This was confusing for some people who often misspelled her name.  (I can relate to that.)  The Mama Their loved people.  She could be found in gatherings of all kinds.  Their weddings, their parties, their vacations, and much more.  The Mama was very popular. Now the Baby They're was a combination of his parents. He was a contraction.  He was both a pronoun and a verb.  He went everywhere with his parents the Papa There and the Mama Their. They're a very happy famil...

We enjoy the birdlife around our house--most of the time. We have feeders just outside the courtyard and every morning my husband fills them and tosses a generous amount of cracked corn on the ground.  He even makes "Dave's Special Birdseed Mix" for our feathered friends.  The bagged mixes aren't good enough for our birds.  My job is to keep the hummingbird feeder filled.  Finches, sparrows, wrens, flycatchers, silver cardinals, ladderback woodpeckers, doves, quail, and several different varieties of hummers all frequent the yard.  A vermilion flycatcher has been spotted and in April several pairs of Bullock's orioles will nest in the mesquites.We also have a pair of roadrunners, Prairie falcons, and Great Horned owls that claim Casa Wallace as part of their hunting territory. With so many birds converging on us, there are a few stories to share about our bird adventures.  I'll share the latest. Since this is nesting season, w...