It's Tanna Time

As a planner dealing with open space, land conservation and outdoor recreation and trails, the subject of land use planning, how cities and their suburbs are developed are increasingly on my mind. You hear more and more of trying to be carbon-neutral. The basic issue is sustainability, which is not even a passing thought for most Americans. The following article echoes some of my concerns and brings up the 100-mile rule (your daily needs, especially all foods, come from within a 100 mile radius)--a good quick read on the subject. . . .
http://www.crosscut.com/mossback/16796/

I have a song playing intermittently in my head and can't remember most of the words or the artist, AND IT IS DRIVING ME NUTS! googling didn't help, HELP! It is a modern song, sung by a guy, about life, and a phrase contains reference to "cruising down Haleakala" (a dormant volcano crater on Maui). Please, who is the artist?

Hooray!!! I finally finished that long term statewide outdoor recreation plan for Arizona that I have been laboring over for nearly 2 years. I am happy with the outcome and think it will be useful to many planner and resource types. Lots of data. The next one isn't due for 5 more years and I hope to be on to other things (retirement?) by then. It has been getting good reviews and has been approved by the Governor and the feds. It is available on www.azstateparks.com/partnerships/planning/planning.html

Now I am starting on the State Trails Plan for Arizona (another 5 year plan). This one should be a fun one too! I am looking forward to the public survey process and research (yeah, I am data geek and love to analyze numbers).

For some reason I can't receive DSL still. Qwest may have to send someone out. I was just getting used to be able to jump on the Internet whenever I wanted.

Finally got the right person and Internet access at home should be back on by May 15 evening. Amazing how long it takes to find the right process/person in big companies.

I can't access the internet--working on it!

I just purchased a set of large reusable washable (nylon) grocery bags that open wide and easily clip to the sides of a grocery cart to keep them open while you shop. 2 bags fill the cart and you can fill them while you shop and the bagger refills them as you check out. I like these much better than the little cotton bags because they open so wide for filling and unloading and they have wide straps to carry them upstairs or from the car into the house. Much better than trying to carry multiple little bags. Bet the inventor is making lots of money.

I took this past week off from work, to take a needed break and to get personal stuff done (house cleaning, taxes, filing). I like it!

I ordered a bunch of plants to replace those lost in the winter freeze, lots of forage plants for the tortugas. The iris are blooming, lots of gorgeous and different colors. One I have never seen before; all over cream with an orange tongue and delicate lacing of 24K gold on the throat; it looks unreal/fake. Hummers are out in force! I love this time of year.

C&D stopped by for lunch and a visit yesterday on their way down to celebrate with the racers. ;() Congrats to the racers!! Nice visit--wonderful to see family! I learned some new things about LJ and how to access my email account with PCS. YEAH! Thanx Dave.

Gorgeous day, warm and sunny, light breeze, iris are blooming, lots of birds, zebra tailed lizards are courting, birds are gathering nest building materials. I dust and scrub--SPRING is here.

Today would be Mom and Dad's 59th wedding anniversary! They were married in San Salvador on March 19, 1948; Fred was born 10 months later. They are never far away in my memories. (Dave beat that; he was born nine months after his parents were married--not wasting any time!)

Isn't this June C&D's 40th anniversary?

Mid-March and near 100°--ouch! Tortoises are out way early, looking none the worse the wear for the earlier freezing temps. It is going to be a long hot summer. But for now, the yard is colorful with wildflowers and a few green shoots are beginning on the very brown trees. Our week of Spring is here!

Today i numbered all 272 pages of my five-year plan, numbered and renumbered 100 tables and 50 figures, this is the tedious part. tomorrow it gets PDF'd and sent out to the steering committee for preliminary comments; then i have until the end of the month to make any changes before it goes out for public comment. Who in their right mind is ever going to read this epic tome? I know, it isn't meant to be read in a sitting but rather skimmed for facts and data as the need arises, but still!

What can be broken with only one word?

Two old friends called the other day and reconnected (always a good thing). They use to live in Flagstaff just a few streets over from the Flagstaff Post residence. The husband, Dan Dagget, has published his second book that is generating lots of debate in the conservation arena. It is called "Gardeners of Eden: Rediscovering Our Importance to Nature."

Dan argues that "we have become aliens on our own planet. Once upon a time, he argues, humans enjoyed a mutualistic relationship with nature. In much the way that bees depend on flowers, beavers on creeks, and wolves on elk, ecosystems evolved in the presence of humans and began to depend on them, over time, to set fires, apply hunting pressure, and cultivate the soil. We were gardeners in Eden – natives living with, and using, nature symbiotically. No more."

Once upon a time (when I first met him in the 70s) Dan was an extreme environmental activist-a member of Earth First. He has changed his tune- not a complete reversal, but definitely a paradigm shift. Environmentalists are having fits over the message in this book. Worth a look at the article below if you interested in this topic.

www.headwatersnews.org/WhiteDagget101705.html

With anticipated temps in the 80s this coming week, I am planting veggies in the garden, starting with cherry tomatoes (great for garden grazing). Last time they naturalized in small cracks in the patio and sprawled throughout the backyard. Tortoises loved them. I'll replant herbs in the next few weeks. Fresh herbs make meals pop. No more frost (she chants hopefully)!!!

I just successfully installed Office 2004. As soon as I get email set up I can officially work from home. Happy, happy.

Who said, "You killed my father. You must die!"

And how did I enjoyably spend the last 2 hours?

Just finished the AZ population and residential development growth trends for my 5 year recreation plan. I'm depressed! The story of the Thornburg family moving to AZ in the early 1900s because California was getting too crowded ring true.

Today's rains and winds are rapidly denuding my ficus tree. Dead leaves are falling by the bushel. It still remains to be seen how much woody damage was done by the freezing temps. The intensity and duration of the cold temps this winter are reported to be the most severe in the last 50 years. I will have a heavy pruning schedule this spring. Unusual weather for Phx.

"snowmen fall from heaven unassembled"

Sad Ficus and happy nasties!! Question: I reversed my ficus pic but when I uploaded, it re-reversed itself?

Couldn't figure out how to upload 2 pics at once, so did 2 separate entries. baby steps. Aren't they adorable!!!