MAR 12 FLUTES!!


 WE are now at the end of our Tucson patisserie croissants. Have to wait til the weekend to stock up more. But no sitting in the sun to enjoy them, it’s cloudy and dull but at least no rain, with a high of 17 by 2pm.
  We take off for the day to visit the quaint little funky town of Patagonia, elevation 4000ft, population about 300! Nice craft and gift shops, a lot of local artists, a good bakery, and a beautiful little opera house which hosts classical concerts some Sundays. We went once before and everyone got dressed up to attend, with a glass of wine after! Really civilized in this far-out neck of the woods.
  The main attraction here is Odell Borg, the flute-maker at HIgh Spirits flutes. I have told Ted we are “just going to visit” but of course that changes...
 We meet the newest sales guy Danny, who spends a lot of time telling us how they actually make and tune the flutes, and about the new earth-tone flutes which resonate at 432hz, which is a strong healing vibe. They certainly feel and sound healing. I fall in love - again - with a beautiful polished cedar flute inlaid with moonstones and a haunting low voice. Danny offers us a deal I can’t refuse, along with an instruction book/CD, and a CD from an Oregon flutist. We ask about Odell and shortly after he appears.
  This man has single-handedly  established a business way out in the outskirts of this little town, employing 20 gifted craftspeople and musicians supplying flutes around the world. He is a legend. We enjoy a visit again, swap some war stories and he promises to check out the double flute I bought 3 years ago and have nev/er been able to really master.  I will have to look into sending it back from Canada. He wonders if it was somehow bored incorrectly. And I thought it was just me! HIs son Jonah plays in on a vid on their website and it sounds wonderful!
  As we leave, instead of wrapping my flute in bubble wrap, Odell puts it into a handsome woven indigenous patterned cloth bag! So generous! I will treasure this. 
  That evening after Ted has once again BBQd lamb chops I play Zuni Sunset to the hills with my new flute. Ah heaven. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TED’S RETAIL THERAPY

    Ted insists he doesn’t like shopping but he’s all set to take me to the Tucson Premier Outlet mall way up on the north west of the city on Saturday. Before that the RV residents have had a craft sale with all the lovely things they make all winter. Tempted but not much, enough stuff already.     I detour for 15 minutes to a store I want to checkout and when I get to the meeting spot, I find no Ted but it’s the Famous Footwear store.      We visit many shoe stores on our travels always looking for ANYTHING that Ted can wear. His walkers are getting on, with his sore feet he now likes Teva sandals and can’t find anything in Calgary at the price he wants to pay! I am starting to think he will have to have his shoes custom made.     Imagine my joy when I see him at checkout paying for a pair of Teva sandals. One pair!! I insist he go back and see if they have another pair, same size. Bingo. We are not going over this again when these ...
Read more

MAR 16 GORGEOUS DRIVE TO PAGE ON THE COLORADO

One good thing about this early return is the first two days' driving up through very scenic Arizona and Utah - national parks, gorgeous scenery, deserted roads. With our own bathroom and food on board for 4 days, we feel safe and secure for our drive north.   Feeling optimistic about our lovely drive,  I then break a piece off my front tooth! And no prospect of getting it fixed any time soon. Like the glasses I broke and glued the day we left on this trip!   We hear Canada is to close the order so we are really concerned what this might mean for us! But we can only head north and hope or the best.   I receive a note from my Shanghai  contact asking if they can send us some masks! How thoughtful. ow had is this going to be??   Up early (for us) we are off at 9am. Not far north of Phoenix we see snow caps on the mountains, a sure sign we are heading the wrong direction. We flip in and out of Navajo time and lose an hour, which we will regain tomorrow. ...
Read more

MAR 11. BIRD HAVEN

This is a popular lake for kids and families but the other end of the age is ‘wake free” for canoes, kayaks paddle boards only - and waterfowl. Despite rain forecast, the sky clears and even some sun for us to take a long walk along the Sonoita river, and meet few people even though the 65 site camp is full. It’s mainly retired folks here now and the dozen or so sites at the end and on the lake are lovely. Twice hummingbirds     try to get in our camper, see the reflection in the bathroom mirror I suspect! Nothing red to attract them. But it’s nice to sit at our site and listen/watch them and other birds. It’s the beginning of the return migration but only a few of the many varieties of hummingbirds are back already. Our heater is still going on overnight so it’s just not that hot yet.     In the cottonwoods, we watch a couple of stunning bright red male vermilion flycatchers vying for territory so there must be a female about. No one has seen the famous but rare...
Read more