Texas, Grand Prairie - Jeff Beck at the Verizon Theater

Photo: Jeff Beck Sunday at Verizon Theatre (Rex C. Curry/Special to DMN).

Words cannot accurately describe this concert - beautiful! amazing! thrilling! I don't know of any artist who can entertain an audience for 90 minutes without singing. But as Joe said "who needs a singer when you can make your guitar do the singing." Jeff Beck was simply spell-binding...he's a master. We've been to a lot of concerts, and left several thoroughly satisfied, a few even left us euphoric. This one though could have topped them all. Beck performed in Grand Prairie at the Verizon with three amazingly talented musicians - bassist Rhonda Smith, keyboardist Jason Rebello and drummer Narada Michael Walden. All three could be performing on their own, but add Beck to the mix and WOW! I'm still thinking about what I witnessed. Amazing. To read what the Music Critic at the Dallas Morning News had to say about the concert
Click Here

2010 04 10 NM, Carlsbad Caverns National Park

The Bashful Elephants! Do you see them?




It was my first visit to Carlsbad Caverns, but for Joe it had only been 45 YEARS! We enjoy the underground magic and mystery of the caves, cool and quiet, it makes you wonder who would crawl through a little hole in the ground just to see what was in there. I am glad someone did, but I am not that curious.


Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. The park is filled with prickly pear cactus, chollas, sotols and agaves. You would never guess that there are more than 300 known caves beneath the surface. The park's 117 caves were formed around 250 million years ago when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone, creating some of the largest caves in North America.

There are many species of wildlife in the park. Birds, insects, reptiles and mammals - including bats! In fact there are 17 different bat species. A large colony of Brazilian (or Mexican) free-tail bats wows visitors every evening from spring through fall with its spectacular outflights. Two other species have also been found regularly in Carlsbad Cavern—cave myotis and fringed myotis bats. They typically roost in a different part of the cave and their exit flight is typically later in the evening than that of the free-tail bats.

2010 04 09 TX, Guadalupe Mountains National Park

One of America's best-kept Secrets! We were in awe of El Capital miles before we entered the park. Views from the salt flats before you enter the park are incredible and a feast for the eyes. The remoteness is stunning and beautiful. The immense rockface against tranquil blue sky and wisps of clouds.....so peaceful and lovely. It truly is a place to rejuvenate, definitely worth the drive to see a world with such incredible spirit.

Texas' only legally designated wilderness area and the world's finest example of a fossilized reef. This area was part of the Butterfield Overland Mail route that included a stop at Pinery Station. It was one of the most favorably stage stops on the original 2,800-mile route, and the highest, located at 5,534' in Guadalupe Pass. Over 265 million years ago it was a vast tropical sea. Hard to imagine such a place - how different it must have been from today.

2010 04 08 AZ, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Our day in Tucson started with a drive through Arizona toward Saguaro National Park. While looking for a place to grab a bite to eat we discovered there wasn't much available in the area. A Park Ranger suggested we try the cafe at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum so we were off. The museum is open every day of the year. It was founded in 1952 and is a private, non-profit whose operations and growth are entirely financed by admissions, memberships and contributions.

We were pleasantly surprised with our visit. Stunning examples of over 100 species of cactus and other desert plants were set in a landscaped setting. A nicely paved 1/2 mile loop trail provided sweeping views of the Avra and Altar valleys. Plants, Animals and minerals are also on display - probably one of the most interesting mineral displays I've ever visited. There is a Bighorn sheep exhibit and 2 aviaries one with over 40 species of native birds, the other with several species of native hummingbirds. There also fish and amphibians too. A great place for kids, young and old.

Back to why we came....Food! The food at the Ironwood Terraces Restaurant was delicious. Joe had a nice Cobb salad and I had a delicious blue corn crusted chicken breast with chipotle sweet potatoes. Not at all what we expected - we were sure it would be a hot dog kind of menu!

2010 04 08 AZ, Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park consists of two districts: Saguaro West-Tuscon Mountain District and Saguaro East-Rincon Mountain District. The two areas are separated by the city of Tucson, are located about 30 miles apart, and together preserve over 91,000 acres of the Sonoran Desert, including the park's namesake, the Saguaro Cactus.

The Sagauro Cactus is the historic symbol of the American Southwest and is King of the Sonoran Desert. Pronounced sa-war-oh, the Cactus has been protected within the park since 1933.

The Sonoran Desert is one of the hottest and driest regions on the continent. Summer midday temps commonly climb above 100 degrees Farenheit and the region receives fewer than 12" inches of rainfall in a typical year. Between summer and winter rainy seasons it's not unusual for months to pass without a drop of rain.
The Saguaro flowers from late April through June. Creamy white, and big and bold, each blossom opens after sunset in the cool of the night. By the next afternoon it has wilted and the brief period of bloom has ended. The spectacle is repeated night after night for about four weeks and as many as 100 flowers will have bloomed on each Saguaro.

Saguaro fruit ripens in June and July. The sugary pulp contains as many as 2,000 seeds. The very few Saguaro may live well over 200 years and reach over 50 feet in height. A one-inch tall Saguaro is between 5 and 10 years old; at 6 feet is may be 35 to 70 years of age; between 50 and 100 years of age it begins to grow branches. Old age and death occurs between 150 to 200 years.
The Saguaro is renowned for the odd shapes it assumes, inspiring fanciful imaginings. I thought this one looked like an Indian in ceremonial dress displaying a pose or dancing. It's fascinating how everyone sees something different.

We were driving through the park on an unpaved route and happened upon this Rattlesnake crossing the road. Just a remindere you need to be oooh-so-careful when exploring the park. All kinds of wildlife reside here and we must remember we're guests in their home - and not the other way around.

More photos of the park are on Flickr. Click on the link at the top of the page to browse the collection.

2010 04 07 CA, Joshua Tree National Park

In 1936 President Franklin D. Rosevelt proclaimed the area to be Joshua Tree National Monument. In 1994, as part of the California Desert Protection Act, Congress renamed the area Joshua Tree National Park. Thanks to efforts in the 1930's, a community activist by the name of Minerva Hoyt saw beauty in the spiny plants and slithery creatures of the region, where others did not. Thanks to her efforts we have Joshua Tree National Park to enjoy for future generations.

The park lies between the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Each is home to species characteristic of each desert ecosystem. The unusual Joshua Tree isn't really a tree but a wild-armed Yucca. Joshua trees can grow over 40 feet tall - at a rate of about 1 inch per year. The two desert ecosystems are home to numerous species of plant and animal life. The Colorado Desert is home to the Kangaroo rat, Zebratail lizard, LeConte's thrasher and the Kit fox. Examples of wildlife of the Mojave Desert is the Desert woodrat, Antelope ground squirrel, Desert spiny lizard, Black-tailed jackrabbit and Yucca night lizard. Cactus, Yucca, Juniper, Scrub Oak, Smoke Tree, Palo Verde, Ocotillo, Brittlebush and Cholla Cactus along with wildflowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Annuals survive drought by living only in spring then going to seed as conditions harshen. Seeds can lie dormant for several years until conditions are again favorable.












Unusual rock formations abound in the park. Here is a shot of Skull Rock....aptly named.
To see more photos from Joshua Tree National Park click on the link on the front page of the blog.