Windows of Badboulder

Perhaps the greatest money-saving feature of Badboulder's main house are the windows that David installed. He constructed fifty-five of our home's seventy-two windows. Nineteen of the twenty-six small windows are clerestories which brings in natural light. They are seventeen by fourteen inches, placed closely under the roof line which helps prevent heat buildup. The other seven small windows are long and narrow to provide light and privacy. He made these windows from glass that was professionally cut which is much less pricey than custom made windows.

An impossible task for these two do-it-yourselfers was to build a home with huge expanses of glass. This installation requires cranes and large crews. However, we wanted to bring in the abundant light and views that AZ offers. David did the requisite reading, researching of products and found a way for us to have some glass without jeopardizing structural requirements.

The real money saver was the use of recycled sliding glass door panels to construct fourteen large windows. We bought twenty-eight panels in order to create fourteen duel paned windows. The panels are either three by eight or four by eight feet which are installed slightly above floor level--youngest two of our four kids are thirty-five so we're not too worried about that low placement.

We found the glass door panels at Habitat for Humanity stores and Stardust. Close inspection of these doors is necessary as many are scratched. Paint spots can easily be removed. Wear your grubbies when buying these panels; all are dirty. Most panels can be purchased for $10 to $20 and there was a glut, probably due to homeowners updating to duel paned or French doors.

David removed all the framing, usually aluminum, which was given to charitable organizations recycling for profit. My job was the cleanup--the glass sides that were glazed together had to be spotless. I used old satin petticoats for a final polishing to remove all lint. I also painted the jambs that separate the two panels; the jambs aren't very visible but do need to be finished. The glazing tape purchased online was a key element in the process.

I have some favorites among the windows: one is very close to a large boulder perfect for lizard watching and the others offer views untouched by man.

In addition to all these windows, nine of Badboulder 's doors are glass fronted, sliding or French. This means one hundred sixty-two sides of glass to clean. This also means that you will never visit us and find all simultaneously clean.

When our electrician commented on our extensive use of glass in the house, David deemed them "poor man's windows"--quite accurate and afraid it stuck. I love our poor man's windows.

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: I have heard it said that eyes are windows to the soul. If that is true, then perhaps it is also true that windows offer a view to the soul of a house. And, if that be true, then it can be said that the Badboulder house bares its soul to the world. In preparation for installing the panes and panels of glass, I affixed 3/4 inch light gauge metal jambs in each window with the jambs facing inward. To hold the windows in place and to provide a thermal break, I used UV resistant glazing tape slightly wider than the jamb, 1/8th inch thick, and sticky on both sides. By facing the jambs toward the interior, I was able to install the windows from the interior, which was much easier and safer than building a working platform on the outside at each window location. Since the jambs face the inside, there is no wooden, vinyl, or metal window frame exposed to the exterior.

a parting shot from bbman: it's hard to be cool when your fly is wide open. Capt. Norman Childs, US Army, Commander, Company D, 2-7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam, 1969

Stripey Snake Meets Zorro the Guard Cat

We talk so much about rattle snakes around here that the "long stripeys" are ignored, literally. These long garden snakes can zip over the top of mine or David's feet and all we do is give out a gasp, then if memory serves, announce to the other, "Oh, I saw a long stripey today".

Long stripeys move so fast that I thought a picture would be impossible as I've never found one in an inactive state. We have found many rattlers curled up for a nap--best to watch awhile, if a tongue is flickering, the snake is faking sleep.

Not being a snake fancier, I surprised myself by actually enjoying watching these curious snakes watch me as they slither up garden fences, pond banks, and pathways.

My artist neighbor found a large stripey in her pond with her favorite frog in its jaws. She climbed into the pond, pinched its jaws until it let the frog go, then transported the snake to the village park about a mile away. I suspect it beat her home.

This summer we lost all of our vividly colored goldfish that were being protected in a small "incubator" pond until large enough to toss into the big pond without fear of being devoured by the larger fish. I didn't see old stripey eat them but I'm blaming him. If I had caught him in the act he was in no danger of having my favorite fish choked out of his mouth.

Sunday, a baby stripey met his match--Zorro our beautiful watch cat. Zorro takes on squirrels bigger than himself. I've seen baby bunnies, half-grown bunnies and numerous lizards hanging out of his mouth. He brings dead rats up from the dry wash to decorate our pathways. Last summer I saw him in pursuit of a long stripey, claws flashing. Despite being well fed, Zorro eats the rabbits. He is not tempted by rats or snakes, enabling me to get this picture.

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: Hey, I don't know about you, but I think snakes are creepy. Or evil. Some of that mind set probably goes to the biblical role of the snake. And, never mind that some snakes can kill you. Have you ever seen the movie "Anaconda?" Cheesy but frightening. Still, many are drawn to danger or evil, especially when it is packaged with beauty or mystique. For instance, a beautiful but evil woman does not lack companionship. Harmless garden snakes, such as the stripey snakes that have endeared themselves to Badboulderlady, are, in their own way, impishly cute. They are curious and playful, and certainly not a threat. Maybe to frogs and little gold fish, but not to humans. So, my advice is, whether snakes or people, stay away from the evil ones.

a parting shot from bbman: i feel your pain. bill clinton

Yarnell's Estate Sale Treasures

A small village perched on top of a mountain in remote AZ doesn't sound like estate sale paradise, but it has been pleasantly surprising to me. I've purchased treasures up here that have traveled from most of the continents--nothing from Antarctica yet--but one never knows.

I particularly like estate sales because I'm fond of old decorative items that are rich with history. Books, paintings, souvenirs from travels, handmade linens, fads from past eras, jewelry, furnishings--its all out there just waiting to connect with a new owner.

AZ, like Florida, attracts retirees by the bezillions from all over America and beyond. These retirees move in with all their earthly goods and seemingly enjoy life to the fullest in places like Sun City, Sun City Grand, etc.etc. Alas, upon passing, not many survivors want the work and expense of moving any of the earthly goods back to frigid New York, Chicago or Michigan. Estate sales are a constant in the Valley of the Sun.


Throughout the sixteen years we've lived in Yarnell, a few local industrious types have "cleaned up" Sun City estate sales and added to their incomes by hosting semi-annual yard sales. I count them as friends--good friends.

The decorative items in my craft room/guest room are locally purchased from faraway places. The masks were made in Mexico from metal shortening cans, now a dead art, as plastic has been the packing material of choice for decades.

The Aztec painting was done by an artist in Colorado; I won the Aztec calendar pendant hanging beside in a "white elephant" game at a staff Christmas party. Cost--one dollar.

The side chairs were $3.00 each in desperate need of repair. Light sanding, ebony wood stain and leopard upholstery fabric transformed them.

The big cat painting has sparked a bit of conversation. I thought it was an ocelot, friends said definitely a leopard. Doesn't matter, it was a bargain for $5.00 and the colors are great with our Wild Horse brown wall paint.

The grey elephant side table, origin unknown, was $15.00. My mom saw me admire it and gifted me with it on one of our estate sale quests.

The African painting is worth a laugh--and the colors are good. When David asked which way to hang it I said I thought it was abstract, any which way. Didn't take our daughter, N.C., two seconds of observation to point out that it did matter. The bird is still standing on its head..
I paid a dollar or so for this one.

The decor in this room differs from the rest of the house in that most of our decorative items are Asian, many acquired from residing two years in South Korea. Many, however, were purchased right here in Yarnell at estate sales, of course.

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: Hey, it's me, up here. Psst. Today, I am the advice guy. Is your social life in the doldrums? Come to Yarnell where the quintessential social venue is the yard sale. So, go ahead, get crazy. Take in several yard sales in a day. Or, up the excitement a notch or two and hit an estate sale, too. Meet exhilarating people. Make new friends. Buy and sell priceless items. Yup, it's all right here, folks. Join the frenzy. Meet. Buy. Sell. And tomorrow? Well, do it all over again. The experience is endless. You won't want to miss a moment. And if you see Badboulderlady, please tell her to come home. I miss her. And let her know I just returned from Antarctica with a cage full of emperor penguins. Penguins, anyone?

a parting shot from bbman: math is hard. barbie

Summer Bloomers

One of Badboulder's native plants, the holly oak, is displaying an immediate response to just two nights of low forty degree temperatures. This morning, its berries had turned from green to red. Phoenix traffic lights aren't much faster, unless one of those pesky cameras is involved. A closer look at some other plants confirmed that fall is indeed in the air.

We have a short growing season at this altitude but September is too early for me to say good-bye to most of our bloomers--that goldenrod can go. There's a red leaf or two among the Virginia Creeper vines, the Pampas grass is pluming and the grasshoppers are "plaguing".

Desert plants receiving summer monsoon rains can sprout, grow, bloom and seed in an amazingly short time cycle. Seemingly dead plants, thorny-pricklies as well as the more gentle varieties, revive and flower. Even our old faithfuls: geraniums, marigolds, morning glories, zinnias, Pampas grass, and orange trumpet join the Russian thistles, wild sunflowers, poppies, and Mexican hats in their last hurrah.

It's a fantastic (better not use that word Halcyon again) time of year to use our new camera and capture the "Jubilee".

The days are still hot enough to justify making smoothies and iced cappuccinos in the afternoons; Dave's World Famous Margaritas for the evenings--WOW!

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: If I were to look out over Badboulder, from my lofty perch up here in my snug little knothole, there is not a day that I could not see blooms, full across my sweeping mountainside view, or, during winter, perhaps a tiny shimmering bloom lodged between some boulders, seeking a fleeting ray of winter's gentle sun. There is never a day when I cannot find a bloom. There is never a day that I do not look for a bloom. I take nothing for granted. I am thankful for blooms.

a parting shot from bbman: those who hate most fervently must have once loved deeply; those who want to deny the world must have once embraced what they now set on fire. kurt tucholsky, german-jewish journalist, satirist, writer, 1890-1935

The First Badboulder Home???

According to public records we are the second owners of this boulder strewn hill to try building a house. Mr. Pierce, the Texas prospector built a house and had a well drilled. His house stood for many years after his departure and we know that at least once it was occupied by a true Yarnell character--that's another story.

I speculate and imagine that the boulders in today's pictures made up Badboulder's first home. All are huge, the one to the south stands about twenty-five feet tall. It's almost as wide as tall. Two giants rest against it to the east and west, forming a nice little cave. The interior receives no moisture from our infrequent but raging winter and summer storms. The entrance is narrow but not intimidating as one can easily check for rattlers and other varmints before entering. A perfect resting place for the wandering Yavapai tribes of old.

About thirteen years ago, a Yarnellian found a piece of Yavapai pottery on Boulder Mountain and sold it for either one or two thousand dollars depending upon the storyteller. For a couple of weeks, people used our property for a parking lot as they climbed over the easier trails looking for pottery.

I headed for the local library to pore through a limited amount of written history of Yarnell. Indeed, the Yavapai did camp in the area at various times of the year. Some still return to harvest the billions of acorns our live oaks provide. Yavapai workers helped construct our famous Highway 89, the first road to connect to the small town of Congress to the south and on to Wickenburg. The "Yarnell Hill" road is famous because one can gain more altitude in the shortest amount of distance than on any other road in AZ. There are numerous switchbacks, all providing motorcycle fanciers an exhilarating ride. Exhilarating enough to be featured in motorcycle magazines. Yarnell roars on the weekends. The Yavapai helped put us on the map.

Neighbors have found pottery shards, arrows, grinding stones and basins. I haven't had much time for searching but did find one grinding stone on Badboulder. What I think I have found from Badboulder's early days is a Yavapai home--this tidy little cave.

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: Hi again, it's me, keeping an eye on Badboulderlady. That gal sure has an imagination. Can you visualize anyone living under a leaning boulder? Let me tell you. Those Yavapai Indians are too smart for that. They are the richest and biggest landlords in Yavapai County. When the city of Prescott said no to development, the Yavapais said yes, come on down. When Walmart, Home Depot, Target, etc. wanted to build in the Prescott area, the town fathers of Prescott dug in their heels and said not no but heck no. But the Yavapai tribe said yes. Their reservation is next to Prescott. So, ever time we go to Prescott, we go to Injun country and do our shopping. If those Yavapai Indians ever lived under our leaning boulders, they are making up for lost time now, raking in all that dough from the white man and living the good life.


a parting shot from bbman: political power grows out of the barrel of a rifle. mao tse-tung, china's most notable 20th century leader

Halcyon Days

We awakened to a 55 degree morning today; the sky is blue, the sun is shining and the air is cool. We're enjoying a typical October day on September 9. If all our days were this beautiful, everyone in the world would move here! As it is, half the world already has but that includes us so can't complain. In celebration of the cool weather break, the crock pot is simmering with pinto beans and ham, yum! I just might stir up some cornbread...

Our cup runneth over!

N.C. will be presenting us with a " bambina" in February. She is feeling a bit less queasy and ready to enjoy pregnancy. I had been thinking of" snails and puppy dog tails" but can readily entertain "sugar and spice".

Maria has passed the halfway point in Army basic training and after much stressing, has passed her marksmanship requirements. Keeping her head down during live fire exercises and the grenade throwing is yet to come. She is on schedule to graduate October 7.

Leslie, Mr. Blue Desert and Mr. Dooglesworth are basking on the beach with their toes in the Pacific.

At last report, our granddaughters are back in school and lovin' it. It's just reading, writing and mathematics with "no making nonsense" for these two.

The gala apples are yelling for attention. I peel apples as I watch old movies of evenings, cook them all night in a crock pot and can apple butter the following morning. We've given apples to neighbors, cooked apple crisp for a neighborhood cookout and frozen apples for future family get-togethers. Now, we must climb a ladder to reach the biggest and brightest and keep on peeling apples. The prickly pear fruit has a nice burgundy edge showing; another harvest is in sight. However, prickly pear is a great favorite of javalinas so can't count the proverbial chickens before they hatch just yet.

AAAH!

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: My, oh my. Is that ever a 50-cent word. Halcyon. I say, hmmmm. Yup, it's in the dictionary, so I guess we will have to go with it. It means a good day, or maybe, an especially good day. Like when all you want to do is have a picnic with your lover, or go sit on a cloud, or lie on a beach and watch the waves come and go, or just do nothing but day dream. Perhaps, as summer turns into autumn, that is what we are supposed to do: pause and contemplate how wonderful life really is.

a parting shot from bbman: in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth. first words in the bible, genesis 1:1

Badboulder's Kitty Corner

During the process of steel framing our home, David decided that we absolutely must have a back door for the top floor. The plans already included two side doors for each level but he was adamant about that back door. The foundation for the staircase to reach this door is concrete, ten feet deep. The structure of the staircase is masonry block, coated with stucco siding. The staircase is actually very handy for reaching the back doors of both levels of the house. What wasn't handy was the two years it took David to construct it.

Our cats love the staircase. They lay in the cool, deep shade of the bottom landing in summer. They catch the earliest sun rays on the top deck portion of the stairway in winter. Thus, we dubbed it the "kitty corner".

Like much of the house, the kitty corner is a work in progress in the decorating department. The corner now houses some favorite ceramic cats that our kids owned in their youth. The biggest cats on the staircase are made of tile using tangram pieces.

The old Chinese story of the tangram, paraphrased, goes something like this. A young scholar was taking a beautiful tile to the emperor when he had the misfortune of dropping and breaking the tile into seven pieces. He feared beheading but being a quick thinking and resourceful type, he assembled the pieces into a puzzle which he then presented to the emperor. Happy ending for all as the emperor was most pleased with his new puzzle. Through the years, several of my students have enjoyed the story, constructing new shapes and assembling the pieces back into the original square.

My stairway cats are assembled in three different poses and guard all climbers of the twenty steps and three landings that make up the stairway. I placed one tangram at the bottom just to prove that I really can solve the puzzle.

FROM THE KNOTHOLE: Hey, hey, it's me, and boy do I have to keep my eye on that Badboulderlady. Some of her stories are basically true, and others have, shall we say, evolved through the years with truth and fiction sort of melding together, kind of like the ingredients in a good margarita, so that what you wind up with is pleasant or desirable, but quite different from what you started out with. So here is my version of the stories at hand: it took me about two or three weeks to build the staircase; the Chinese scholar got frightened, ran away, and was not seen again; the Chinese emperor loved the number seven, and so had seven of everything to keep himself amused; Einstein invented the tangram; and, I made the first margarita on Earth. Now don't you see how things would really get mixed up if it weren't for me keeping an eye on things?

parting shot from bbman: i only regret that i have but one life to give for my country. nathan hale, captain, continental army