Tag Archives: Our World Tuesday

Our World – Dia De Los Muertos

Saturday was a busy, busy day for the family. Heather went with her Mother to western Oklahoma to visit family. Logan has a lot of stuff going on and so he and I stayed home. So I took him to his horseback riding class, then to his Improv comedy workshop, and then to his rehearsal (Have I told you that he auditioned for and got a part in a Christmas play coming up.)

Anyways while he was at rehearsal I ventured to the Brady District north of downtown and took in the Day of the Dead celebration at Living Arts of Tulsa. I had always wanted to go and now I had my chance.

The first thing I saw were the murals. For something celebrating the dead they sure are alive. I love the big bright colors. The holiday is known as Dia De Los Muertos and originates in Mexico.

They are macabre in a friendly kind of way.

I really don’t get the symbolism.

This is my favorite.

There were two stages and lots of performances. I saw Ballet Folklorico Tonatiuh performing some amazing dances.

The video is only 12 seconds long. These young ladies are spectacular. It brought back some great memories of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico which I got to see during a two week stay in Mexico City when I was in high school.

As good as the murals and the performing arts were, the most fascinating thing at the show for me were the Altars or Ofrendas made to departed loved ones. The Day of the Dead is the day that the dead reunite with the living. The altars are set up in honor of the dead, not to worship them. Lots of good information here. The altar above is for Robin Williams.

This one is for the women who were convicted and executed for witchcraft at the Salem witch trials.

This one was set up in honor of dog. Note the treats and personal items and photographs. The candles are to help guide the spirit to the Altar.

Their were altars that were very personal. Note the fresh fruit and snacks which is common. The marigolds are common also.

Note the beverages which were favorites of the departed and the bread, Pan de Muerto. The dead do not eat or drink the beverages. Instead they absorb the aroma and extract the essence of the food or drink.

A suicide support group had put together an altar.

I loved the whole concept of once a year reuniting in spirit with the loved ones. I found the whole thing to be a celebration of life and an affirmation of a belief in the afterlife, rather than a macabre fascination with death. It got me thinking, I think I might have to specify what I want on my Ofrenda. Pictures of Heather, Logan, and I on the beach would be a must. And my GPS receiver and an ammo box for geocaching, one of my many participant ribbons for my running, a sunrise photograph and one of my cheap film cameras for photography. . Oh, yeah a Fat Tire Beer, and a Snicker’s Bar. And a Breaking Bad DVD, along with one of Chinatown (the best movie ever made. I’m not even going to discuss it!) And don’t forget a Metallica CD, or Five Finger Death Punch. I could go on and on.

What about you, what would your Offrenda have on it?

Our World Tuesday

Geocaching on a Sunday Afternoon

The weather was warm and sunny on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys are not playing until Monday night, Logan had a friend over, the lawn didn’t need mowing so I loaded up and ventured to Tulsa’s Oxley Nature Center to hike their North Loop trail and see if I could find a geocache or two.

I’ve hiked the trail several times over the years. I have never ever met anybody else. So I guess that it makes it my trail. Sunday was perfect, if a bit warm. What I loved was the that the wind was blowing quite hard but in the woods, on the ground, noting was stirring but the you could see and hear the tree tops going back and forth. I don’t know about you but that is about the sweetest music I could ever hear.

I was in heaven out in the woods. It is how I recharge my batteries.

The October light was awesome. The trees haven’t changed color but they are thinking about it. Everything is getting a little more pale.

I found only one cache but you know, looking for caches is all the fun. I love geocachers, “OkieBeans”, “Barrel O’Monkeys” only bloggers get more creative with their handles. I looked for three caches. I found two actually but could only log one. The other one I could see it but I certainly wasn’t going to try and get it when I’m out their by myself.

I rested a little bit, wondering why I didn’t bring any water on such a hot day. I didn’t figure that out but I did enjoy sitting on my personal bench on my personal trail. Oh, by the way, feel free to come out and hike my trails, nobody else seems to be.

You can see my various wanderings on my hike above. I parked my car and gathered up my stuff and headed down the trail and then realized that I didn’t spray myself with DEET. I thought all heck with it and then I remembered how miserable I am both with the chiggers and other creepy crawlers so then I went back. You can also see where I stop and try and find the geocaches and other times when I lose the trail and have to go figure out which way to go. Plus I stop for photography breaks and have been known just to stop and look around at what is going on around me.

Anyway, a great Sunday afternoon that the Cowboys didn’t get a chance to ruin.

Linking with Our World Tuesday

Oklahoma Sugar Art Show and Grand National Wedding Cake Competition

I have a confession to make. I am addicted to the the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show. Sugar art is basically cake decorating and at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show it is cake decorating on steroids for here is the Grand National Wedding Cake Competition directed by the the Food Network’s Kerry Vincent.

The cakes are amazing. They are works of art that are supposed to be made entirely of FDA food grade contents including all decorations. What I don’t get is how come nobody seems to care how the cake is. It seems like at the end they ought to be serving the cake. Oh well, nobody besides me seems to even worry about it.

I found an Oklahoma themed cake. Praire’s are always good in Oklahoma.

I loved this entry with an Indian theme. I really liked the elephants.

I liked this one with eccentrically stacked cake segments and then a flower cascade on the other side.

I love this art deco cake but I am wondering just how the lights on it conform to the rules that everything on the cake must be edible. I mean do they make edible light bulbs now?

I don’t know who won or lost. I think the presenters are all winners. At the top level all the cakes are wonderful. I just like looking them.

And I have something else to confess. This is the second time I wrote this post. I wrote it up last night and scheduled it and it disappeared!! Imagine my surprise when I signed on this afternoon to check on it and it was nowhere to be found. So, which one of you out there stole my post?

Linking to Our World Tuesday

2013 Oklahoma Sugar Art Show

2012 Oklahoma Sugar Art Show

Our World – Up the Hill with Bob

Last Saturday Logan and I ventured up to All-Star Therapy Group in Ramona. Ramona is pretty close to Pioneer Woman Country. We got there and Cisco was getting prepped for Logan’s lesson.

We went outside, which is always my favorite and stopped for a brief photo op.

Bob, the guy that runs the place and who has an incredible heart for the kids that take classes there grabbed three of the kids and told me to c’mon and off we went across the pasture.

And then up the hill through the trees and brush. And these kids know that you lean forward in the saddle just a hair when you go up the hill.

We got to the top of the hill, where on a clear day you can see downtown Tulsa, and got everybody arranged and then told everybody to smile.

It was my turn to do my thing.

And then it was time to go down the hill. With Bob reminding everybody to lean back just a little back in the saddle.

Our World Tuesday

Our World – A Walk on the River

A couple weeks ago me, son Logan, sister Ellen, her husband Irv, and their grandson Mr. Beans all met up in Idaho Falls to see dad and just kind of get together. We all except for dad decided to go for a walk on Idaho Fall’s greenbelt adjacent to the Snake River. Above, left to right is Logan, Irv, and Mr. Beans.

There’s Ellen sandwiched between Irv and Mr. Beans. The greenbelt has lots of places to sit and rest. We took advantage of most of them.

The Snake River is rather pretty as it goes through the greenbelt.

In addition to the benches there are lots of places for photo ops. We liked this two tone vegetative Elk.

Me and the kid. Do you like my high spf hat? I had a dermatologist take a divot out of my forehead earlier this year. I’m trying to prevent any more of those.

And here are the Falls. They are very pretty and make a pleasing noise as the water goes over them. A fun fact is that not all of the water goes over the the falls. The City of Idaho Falls has had low head electric generators on the river since 1900 and presently the city gets about 30% of its electrical requirements from these generators.

At the top middle of the photograph you can see the Idaho Falls LDS (Mormon) Temple.

I am not Mormon but I think it is a beautiful building well situated.

So, have you taken any family walks along a river lately?

Our World Tuesday

Our World – National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum – Oklahoma City

Last Friday was my day off. We had family business to attend to in Oklahoma City so made the trek down the Turner Turnpike. After we had our business done we visited the The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It used to be called the “The Cowboy Hall of Fame” and that is what almost everybody in Oklahoma calls it but you know times change.

The “End of the Trail” sculpture right at the entrance is huge, beautiful, and haunting. I never get tired of looking at it.

I love their Abraham Lincoln sculpture.

They have a huge collection of western art and lots of information about western life and cowboy culture. I love this cavalryman and his horse in full charge.

I am always looking for new things. I had never noticed this blanket before.

If you find yourself in Oklahoma City with a few hours to spare and are interested in all things western then go check it out.

Our World Tuesday

Our World Tuesday – Fireworks

Hey I know the Fourth of July is over. That is alright I’m still going to post fireworks pics from Tulsa’s fireworks show on the Fourth.

The show gets bigger and better every year and the fireworks ever more complex.

People show up and spend hours there picnicing and hanging out. We used to do that but we have figured out a way to get there late and leave early. That leaves all sorts of time for people watching.

I love taking pictures of people taking pictures. Just so you know.

Like this, I’ve also captured the famous leaning tower of Tulsa. Don’t laugh too hard. A local lady got convicted of murder last year for pushing her husband out a window of that building.