Sedona Green Blog

6/29/09 Fossil Creek Adventure

2009-06-29T17:59:00.010-07:00

This past Sunday afternoon, I went hiking with some buddies. Fossil Creek Flume Trail. Here’s how the U.S. Forest Service describes the Fossil Creek Wilderness:

"... the most diverse riparian area in Arizona. Over thirty species of trees and shrubs and over a hundred species of birds have been observed in this unique habitat. The stream seems to appear out of nowhere, gushing 20,000 gallons a minute out of a series of springs at the bottom of a 1,600 foot deep canyon. Over the years these calcium laden waters have laid down huge deposits of a material called travertine. That rock-like substance encases whatever happens to fall into the streambed - forming the fossils for which the area is named. - U.S. Forest Service Web Site.

The Fossil Creek Flume Trail is a moderate-to-strenuous hike (8-miles round trip) that leads you to swimming holes and waterfalls at the location of a former power plant dam. Until recently, there was an actual flume, but this has been dismantled and the entire area is being returned to its natural state -- a cynic might say this simply means that State is making it as difficult as possible to access.

Yes, there are swimming holes in Sedona and throughout the Verde Valley much easier to access. But what is a relaxing swim without a stressful adventure to proceed it, eh? Actually, you can access a very popular swimming area on Fossil Creek via a short walk from the parking area, and this is where most folks do their Fossil Creek swimming. My buddies, however, wanted to do the Flume Trail. Hummm.

I would only recommend the Flume Trail to experienced hikers who are comfortable carrying several gallons of water on their backs. The trail is very exposed with little-to-no shade and the four miles in climbs 1600 feet above Fossil Creek before descending to the water. Without compatriots to keep the conversation going, it would be quite tedious.

Oh, and NOW, at one point about 2.5 miles in, the trail is totally washed out -- destroyed by a landslide during a recent flash flood. A rope anchored to a sturdy tree allows hikers to continue into the gapping crevasse then up the other side. My friends and I ran into one group of “city hikers” who turned back upon confronting this obstacle, which looked more challenging that it was. My buddy, Prescott Mike, had two dogs accompanying him, and both dogs were able to climb down and up the steep gap without using the rope. The rest of us, however, used the rope.

Once you reach the swimming holes at the creek, there are four or five waterfalls, three terraced levels of flat water, a grotto, and several, short but powerful rapids that will beat you up like a deep-tissue massage. Just remember: after your swim, you’ve a long hike back out. We ended up hiking out as the sun set.

Another caution: SNAKES! Hiking out at dusk, we heard what sounded like an extremely loud insect -- sounded similar to a cicada, more like a high-pitched buzz than a rattle, but you can guess what it was. A rattlesnake. Don’t panic. Rattlesnakes will (almost) always retreat if you do the same (slowly). This particular rattler was curled up along the side of the trail. I was ten or twelve feet away, so not in any danger. I backed away, giving the snake time to retreat, which it did. As I mentioned above, however, we were accompanied by two unleashed dogs. Luckily, Prescott Mike’s dogs obey the “Stay!” command. They stood very still, though their curiosity was peaked. It was hard to believe that they didn’t chase after the snake, but they didn’t. Good dogs! Note: I originally assumed that seeing a rattlesnake on the Flume Trail was unusual; however, I’ve since heard of another person running into a rattler on this same trail. So … watch out. And make sure your dogs know the command, “Stay!”

After the first hour, the sky was black and the stars were spectacular. That’s one of my favorite things about northern Arizona. The stars are so bright it seems you can reach up and pinch the constellations. My buddy, Cottonwood Joe, pointed out Scorpio rising over the Mogollon Rim. Nice!

Okay, that’s enough blogging for now. And I didn’t even get to mention the Sedona poetry slam. I’ll try to catch you up on more Sedona local goings-on next time. Blog more at you soon. - Mike

6/4/09 One of Those Months, Attack Eagle & Cotton Candy

2009-06-04T14:16:00.009-07:00

Ever have one of those months where you think you’re on top of things, keeping your metaphor- ical vehicle between the lines, but your metaphorical steering wheel falls off into your lap, the road becomes a roller coaster, the only advice you get is bad, seatbelts aren’t working, you start dreaming about elves, and whatever you do to try to prove you’re not crazy just makes you look crazier and crazier? Oh, well, uh … me neither.

Hey, how fun is that image to the left? My buddy, Jon, created that one by combining several images, including one of me standing in front of an eagle statue at Gold King Mine in Jerome. I was pretending the statue was attacking me. Yeah, I'm just a kid, really. You can't take me anywhere. ;)

Actually, May was another great month for Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts. No complaints on that front -- and if you catch me complaining, grab me by the shoulders and shake me back to my senses because the new location has been brilliant for us. There’s still a lot to do to get the store exactly where I want it to be in terms of sales and product, but no complaints allowed at this point. Now we're into June. Here comes the summer. Let's see how it goes.

Lizard, lizard, lizard: So many lizards dashing around Sedona’s Uptown Mall fountain at the back of the plaza! Several times a day, I’ll walk out to the large, rock fountain just to watch the lizards scuttle and dart rock-to-rock. That’s one of my favorite things about early summer in Northern Arizona: lizards.

You should smell Sedona in March and early June. The honey suckles are blooming, and the air smells like a cotton candy factory. Ummmmmmm. On top of that, the prickly pear cactus pads are loaded with yellow blooms. The javelinas have full, round bellies. Everything is alive this month. Green, purple and white. March and June are wonderful months in Northern AZ. If it’s too late for you to visit us this month, mark it on your calendar for next year.

I’ll be off work several days this month. Visitors and … things I want to do. Nevertheless, if you’re visiting Sedona, and planning to swing by Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts, you’ll get a special treat: Zen Jen will be in charge of the store on most days I’m gone; and she’s much prettier than I am.

Short blog this week. The store is full of customers, and I have to do that thing I do. Blog more at y’all soon. - Mike

5/29/09 Apocalypse Hunters, Slide Rock State Park & Roundabouts

2009-05-29T11:32:00.007-07:00

My friend, Fox The Poet, blog-posted the best article I’ve read concerning the surge of misinformation about 2012 and apocalypse hunters currently employing people’s imaginations to recruit followers (and dollars). (It's a piece by Ron Rosenbaum from Slate.com) Here's a link. Should be required reading for anyone easily charmed by mysticism -- if you reside in northern AZ, that might include you. Just sayin’.

Memorial Day weekend kept Sedona busy. At one point, Officer Potts almost ran out of spaces to send the tour busses for parking. Restaurants managers loved that. For retail, Saturday was less-than-great, with tourists doing their browsing rather than buying. Sunday and Monday, however, were very nice. On the negative, I heard a stories of traffic hold ups coming into town via Oak Creek Canyon (89A north) from Flagstaff. Reason? One of Sedona’s biggest attractions is Slide Rock State Park, nature’s version of a water park, where folks can slip-slide along the water-polished boulders, through waves and along strips of slippery red rock. Slide Rock is especially popular with Phoenix-area visitors; however, there is limited parking at Slide Rock. On busy days (3 day weekends in the summer), if you’re not in a Slide Rock parking spot by 11AM, you should probably find something else to do. Some people are persistent, however, and will park their vehicle in the highway and wait for someone to leave the park so that they can enter. Well, one car sitting in the middle of the road leads to another, then another, next thing you know, everybody assumes it’s a legitimate line. Traffic stops. The line backs up for miles with people just trying to get into Sedona, not Slide Rock, and finally the cops have come out to tell people what should be obvious. “Don’t just park your car in the road, people.”

Not a big deal, but: Roundabouts. OK, I eat my words. Back before Sedona’s roundabouts were put in, I was quoted in the newspaper as supporting them. Hummm. Well, I still like the little roundabouts between Village of Oak Creek and Sedona, but the large (er) ones at the “Y” (Sedona’s primary intersection, where 89A and Hwy 179 meet) aren’t working. Sedona is supposed to be a stress-free zone, and the roundabouts at the Y are, well, anger generators. The “Y” Roundabouts are too small to utilize turning lanes and too big to employ one-lane-for-everything. Consequently, everyone who fancies himself a good driver is convinced that “the other people” are in the wrong lane, and off go the horns. Note the bits of paint and broken glass at every entrance to the Y Roundabouts. These roundabouts are likely to be here for another five years -- usually takes that long for a bureaucracy to realize they’ve been Shanghai-Surprised. In the meantime, do as I do and be cautious as you go through the Y. Just because someone isn’t in the turning lane, doesn’t mean they’re not going to turn. As I mentioned above, there isn’t really a turning lane -- well, for a couple yards, there is, but then there isn’t -- and the roundabouts are too small to assume anyone can switch lanes before their exit; that, multiplied by two -- soon to be three roundabouts in a row -- makes for nervous tourists. On the plus side, Roundabouts DO reduce the number of fatal accidents. On the minus, they certainly increase the number of road-rage murders. Nevertheless, roundabouts ARE safer than traditional intersections. As I remind myself of that, I guess I still support them … while encouraging everyone, especially locals, to be patient with tourists encountering these circuitous “situations” for the first time.

Some friends and I are going on a Jerome, AZ adventure Saturday. I'll plan to take some snapshots and blog on that next time. Blog more soon. -- Mike

5/16/09 Made by Local Hobbits

2009-05-16T14:02:00.015-07:00

This cracked me up: “These necklaces are made right here in Sedona by local hobbits.” Background: I was on the phone with a friend from WV. At the same time, a couple young ladies were in the store browsing through the jewelry. At Sedona Green, most of our merchandise is made in Sedona by local artists and craftspeople. Also, most Sedona artists have what we call a “Sedona Name.” A Sedona name is often intended to convey how in-touch with your spirituality you are: Enlightenment, Moon Heart, Sedona Harvest -- assumptive titles that typically have the opposite of the intended effect. The more original artists and “healers” choose Sedona names that fit their personalities, such as “Dizzy Bear" "Wild Fire" or "Hobbit." (And, no, I don’t have a Sedona name. Maybe some day ... probably not.) Anyway, so I’m on the phone, and one of the ladies begins fingering a sterling-wrapped turquoise pendant that’s sitting on the counter. I ask my buddy on the phone to hold on so I can tell the lady about the pendant. I tell her it’s Kingman turquoise, known for it’s pastel green hues, and that the silver wrapping is done right here in Sedona by local hobbits. A laugh comes through the phone. “Did you just tell someone a necklace was made by local hobbits?” OK, now I’m confused. The Sedona name of the wire-wrap artist is “Hobbit.” That’s what I meant to say. “Did I say it’s made by local hobbits? I mean, it’s done locally by a hobbit -- I mean, a local craftsman named Hobbit.” The lady seems confused. “Are there hobbits in Sedona?” My friend on the phone is laughing. I don’t know what to say. “Uh … well, there’s one that I know of, and he made this necklace.”

I attended “Conversations in Music and Dance” last night at Sedona’s newest creative arts venue, Studio Live, located on Coffee Pot Drive. “Conversations” featured my buddy, pianist David Vincent Mills playing a hour of impromptu tunes as Hillary Moore interpreted the music with dance. It was fun. And definitely a “Sedona thing” to do on an evening out. I haven’t been getting out as often as I used to since we moved Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts to a higher foot-traffic location -- I’m busy all the time now. But it’s a good kind of busy.

Artist Tara McGovern recently added “Javelina Rocks” to her items for sale at Sedona Green. She paints the cutest javelina I’ve ever seen on river rock -- much cuter than the Javelina On Parade sculpture around Sedona. I’ve a thing for javelina. Not sure why. They’re not very nice creatures. Two weeks ago, The Red Rock News featured a story of a local man who, in attempting to shoo a pack of javelina out of his yard, found himself in the emergency room with a broken hand and a bite on his upper, inner thigh. Ouch! I, myself, always give javelina the right-of-way. And when they’re in my yard, I leave ‘em be. Haven’t had any in my yard for months, though. I don’t have any plants growing in my yard, but Sedona residents with vegetable or flower gardens have to be on constant alert for these 50-lb rodents. Javelina will eat anything -- they’ll eat your house cat if they catch it. Some of my favorite Sedona stories involve javelina -- let me link you back to this one from Sept. 2008 about my friend swimming pool javelina experience. “Javelina and a Swimming Pool.”

I will try to keep the blog better updated over the summer. No excuses. This spring I’ve had a number of blog readers visit the store and introduce themselves. That’s always a treat for me. Fun to hear that this blog provides a chuckle and, occasionally, useful information to folks with an interest in the real Sedona, or what it’s like to live in a tourist town. Two weeks ago, a tourist told me this is the only Sedona blog that isn’t a front to selling lodging or time shares. Good to hear it’s appreciated. And I truly appreciate it when you folks drop by the store and introduce yourselves. Blog more at you soon. -- Mike

4/30/09 Back from Vacation

2009-04-30T13:56:00.010-07:00

OK, I’m back. Took three weeks off from blogging because … not sure, why … had to do laundry, I guess. Truthfully, I’ve been mighty busy minding the new store location, and tourist season is on in Sedona, so grabbing a blogging break has been difficult.

Since the last blog, I did take a short spur-o’-the-minute vacation. It feels odd to take a vacation when I live in a vacation destination. No doubt, Sedona is much prettier than where I went on vacation, but it’s still nice to get out of town, wherever “town” is -- escape the minor dramas of small-town life for a few evenings. Nevertheless, I am glad to be back. I love this town, and its collective personality -- though eccentric -- has become my comfort zone. It’s home.

The Odds: Yesterday, a lady from Phoenix walks into the store and comments, “This same John Denver song was playing in your store last time I was in Sedona, over a month ago. What are the odds of that?” Actually, the odds are pretty good. For those who don’t know, I’m going for the world record for continuous plays of An Evening with John Denver Live 1974. I’ve played it on repeat, all day, every day, at Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts for at least six months now. Hey, it relaxes me, and if that’s as eccentric as I get, I’m doing well. Friends have warned this will sooner or later drive me crazy. Some, attempting an intervention, have brought me CDs. Alas, to no avail. Although -- I shouldn’t admit this -- I’m starting to get a wee bit tired of the album. Another couple months and I’ll probably change over to a new CD. Any suggestions?

Little lizards grow up: A couple months ago, I mentioned on this blog that Sedona's baby lizards were out in huge numbers, scampering rock-to-rock along the water fountains here in the Sedona Uptown Mall. Well, the little lizards have grown up now, but they’re still running up and down the fountain rocks. Tourists love taking pictures of lizards, so if you fall into that category of traveler, this is a great time of year to visit Arizona. I was watching them this afternoon -- the lizards, not the tourists -- and would have snapped a photo, but my camera is still at home on top of my suitcase.

Blog Jots:

Ran out today for lunch at Sedona Memories sandwich shop. It had been a couple months since I’d been there. Ummmm, best sandwiches ever. Just saying. Excellent macaroni salad, too.

Had pizza at A Pizza Heaven again last night. It’s become my favorite pizza spot in Sedona. I’ll give it a Double-Ummmm. Best Meat-lover’s pizza in Sedona. Service can be slow, but -- wow -- “That’s some good pie!” as my friend from Jersey says.

I was a guest on KAZM’s Visit Sedona Radio show a couple weeks ago; reminded folks that Sedona Green has a new and improved location -- same plaza, we’re just on the ground level now. Good show, but this one wasn’t video recorded for the internet version. Sorry ‘bout that.

New art at Sedona Green:
+ I’m getting ready to hang a large-format piece by Steve Brown. Steve is one of Sedona’s best photographers, and a good pal of mine, so I’m excited to finally get one of his fine works into the shop.
+Michael Arambula’s hand-carved tiny cactus of turquoise and other semi-precious stones are now available. Michael is an emerging AZ artist whose work has already sold well in the store. And great prices: $16 to $40 per piece!
+ Rebecca Two Moons’ prayer feathers.
+ Charlotte Mills’ beaded Spirit Jewelry.
+ Dennis Mead’s collectible Dia De Los Muertos hand-signed prints.
+ Six new original paintings by Luke July -- more from his popular Sedona Colors series.

OK, I’ll plan to blog more soon. Have a great rest o’ the week, folks.
I’ll end with a couple of my vacations photos -- not particularly interesting, but these are the only pictures I have with me at the moment. I know, I know, I didn’t mention where I went. (I’m getting a bit more private about such things. ) Here are a couple photos nonetheless. Blog more later.

3/31/09 Bobcat Rampage, Questions & Answers, Updates.

2009-03-31T13:32:00.005-07:00

Notes on recent goings-on in Sedona & Northern, AZ:

1) BOBCAT RAMPAGE! The surveillance video played on all the Arizona news channels. A bobcat walks into a Cottonwood bar and doesn’t order a drink. Sounds like the beginning of a corny joke. Actually, the bobcat ran into the club, knocking patrons over like bowling pins, and hid under the pool table. Of course, what does anybody do nowadays when they see a wild animal in a bar? Out come the cell phone cameras. The most interesting thing about the surveillance video is the crowd elbowing up to the pool table with their cell phones out, everyone daring to capture a photo. What you don’t see in the video is that one of the dudes attempting to take a picture gets his ear almost ripped off. And, yes, the bobcat tested positive for rabies. Here’s a link to the surveillance video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOJ6jd2ldkA

2) Wedding News. Lots of people have emailed me asking about my friend Allen, host of the VisitSedona.tv radio and internet show. Allen was accused of officiating a couple weddings without the proper authorization. Apparently, this made national news. Frankly, I don’t see the big deal. Here in Sedona, it seems one out of every three persons you meet is authorized to officiate your wedding. You can obtain your papers from internet churches in five minutes. The catch is that an official Justice o’ the Peace must sign the papers, and Allen is accused of skipping that step. Fact is, though, Allen is a good man whom I know and like personally. He would not have knowingly caused anyone trouble. Interesting thing about the marriage laws in AZ: If at least one of the persons getting married BELIEVES the ceremony is legitimate than the wedding is considered legitimate and legal. Too bad they don’t have the same rules on taxes … if you BELIEVE you paid your taxes correctly ….

3) Tourist season is officially ON in Sedona. So far so good. I’m on my feet all day showing folks maps of places to visit and hoping to sell them a mug or a made-in-Sedona watercolor. Every day someone will ask me how Sedona’s economy is doing. I have long and short answers, but … so far, we’re doing OK. Now, this past summer, when gas prices shot up to $4+ a gallon, our economy suffered quite a bit. Fact is, there’s not much one buys in Sedona that is a “must” purchase, so if one spends an extra hundred dollars driving up from the Phoenix airport, they tend to “reimburse” themselves by not buying a pair of earrings or a mug while in town. Thankfully, gas prices are back to reasonable, and Sedona is doing well again. Our tourist season actually “officially” kicked off with St. Patrick’s Day. Although it’s too early to say for certain … so far, so good. This March was actually Sedona Green’s best month ever; of course, our new-and-improved location (same plaza, but ground floor) has a lot to do with that.

4) Have a great rest o’ the week, folks. Blog more at you soon.

3/16/09 Sedona's St. Patrick's Day Parade

2009-03-16T09:53:00.008-07:00

This past Saturday, Sedona's St. Patrick's Day Parade

drew an enormous crowd. Well, enormous by Sedona event standards. I estimate a couple thousand people lined Jordan Road, most locals, many more than last year's parade. That may have been the weather -- full sun and 70's -- or it may have been the expectation of seeing a couple players and cheerleaders from the AZ Cardinals. (I'm not sure which players actually showed up; I had to run back and forth between the store and the parade.) The floats and other participants were about the same as in years past: the alien float, kennel clubs, all the Jeep & Hummer Tour companies, a handful of local politicians. It's definitely a small-town event that registers more as "cute" than "wow." But a lot of folks, including several I call friends, put a lot of effort into pulling this event together each year. It's a chance to see fire trucks, pretty horses, even aliens, marching down Jordan Road with the Sedona red rocks in the background. I enjoyed it! Karl Jones and his band played Irish rock and roll behind Sacajawea Plaza. Several restaurants sponsored some refreshment tents in the same location. Made for one of the busiest days I'd had at the shop this month. That's always appreciated. In case you missed it, I've posted some pics for you. Great day to you all.

3/10/09 Mostly A Picture Blog Today

2009-03-10T13:19:00.017-07:00

Sun's out. Tourists are in. Quite a busy week already, so I'll just make this week's blog a photo blog. Below are some snapshots from two gatherings that attracted a lot of my favorite locals: Greg Nix's going-away dinner -- which turned into a karaoke party -- and Christopher Fox Graham's 30th Birthday party. Have a great week, everybody.

Oh, and before I forget, this upcoming Saturday is the famous Sedona St. Patrick's Day Parade. It's going to be bigger than in recent years -- at least that's the word on the street. A couple of the AZ Cardinals and Cheerleaders will be here. Plus, our Uptown cop, Officer, Potts will be marching. Of course, there are always aliens, Granny dancers, horses, fire trucks ... it's the official kick-off of our tourist season! (The house elf is getting excited! "So many shoes.")

3/5/09 Jerome IS Open, but Nix is leaving.

2009-03-04T00:06:00.023-07:00

Quick blog today. Sedona is entering tourist season. A lot of people are shuffling in and out of the store. As I'm typing this, a couple carries one of Dizzy Bear's wind chimes out the door to see the glass beads in the sunlight ... Woo - hoo! They liked, they bought!

Oh, and I have to mention: The baby lizards are out and running around Sedona. Check out the pic!

Jerome State Park: Closed. Yes, but don't fret. The town of Jerome is NOT the Park. Northern Arizona's most famous ghost town is still open for business.

So what happened? Well, Arizona's ballooning expenses recently caused the State to close a handful of parks, and Jerome's Historical "park" was one of the victims. The Park is / was really just the Douglass Mansion. Douglass was former owner of the Little Daisy Copper Mine. His mansion -- located on the edge of a giant smelting pit -- featured original furniture, Jerome antiques, and a corny but informative movie about the town's boom and bust. Hopefully, the closure will be temporary. Still, the park was (relative to the town, itself) a tiny attraction. The main attractions of Jerome are its skeletons of world-class hotels, its steep streets that lead to nowhere and its hidden alley ways. The town is full of historic B&B's, restaurants and interesting residents who moved there to disappear. I'm writing this because news that the park closed has been misinterpreted by many. Some people think the town has closed. Now way. Not even close. The town is still as outrageous and haunted as ever. (I was just there, myself, just a week ago.)

Goings-on: Sedona International Film Festival took over town this past week. OK, took over is strong phrasing. Uptown Sedona merchants don't see a big jump in business during the Festival because the people who come in for this event are sitting in dark theaters all day. Still, it's good business for our motels and restaurants. Word is that this year's festival, though not as large as some in the past, brought in a good crowd and a lot of good films. My friend Allen Elfman who runs VisitSedona.TV attended every party and event with his video equipment and gave our little flm festival the most extensive coverage it's ever received. Check out his videos on YouTube. Just search for Sedona Film Festival or VisitSedona.TV.

Speaking of VisitSedona.TV, I'll be a guest again soon on the live radio version, which is filmed for the online version. Haven't scheduled the actual date yet, but I'm looking forward to that. Allen and I usually get into some fun banter.

Speaking of films, just heard that independent filmmaker, Tommy Stovall, is making a fictional movie about Sedona, AZ and lots o' magical-mystery stuff that happens to a visitor here. He plans to use lots of locals in the cast if possible. Stovall, along with our local City Councilman, Marc Sterling, made the movie Hate Crime, which won the Audience Award for Best Feature at Sedona's film festival two or three years ago, was actually pretty good, so let's hope this "Sedona" movie doesn't suck.

Tonight, I'm heading out to a local pizza joint for a gathering of close friends. We're wishing "Good travels" to my friend, Nix. Nix will be leaving Sedona for the East Coast very soon. Once again, I'm reminded of the transitional nature of this town. People stop for a visit, decide to stay a few years, learn a few lessons, find what they need then move onward. Nix is one of those brilliant minds and big hearts who make this town a community. He is actually one of the first friends I made in this town three years ago. He will be missed -- and always welcome in Sedona. Good travels to you, Nix.

2/23/09 A Day Off. Woo - Hoo!!!

2009-02-23T10:59:00.017-07:00

This past Saturday, I took a day off from the store. This was my first day off in 2009. It’s interesting how quickly (and easily) we settle into routines. A day off felt … peculiar … pleasantly peculiar (forgive the alliteration.)

Anyway, my buddy Jeff was visiting the area, so I used the opportunity to show him around Sedona. I enjoy being tour guide -- showing off my favorite overlooks and dragging guests along on my favorite hikes. Sometimes I’m better at this than at other times: I remember taking my pal, Monte, on a side path in Fay Canyon that (as I remembered) led to a secret climb ending on a red rock pedestal with 360 degree views of endless wilderness … instead, we ended up on a steep slope surrounded by a fortress of cactus. By the time we worked our way free, we both had bloody knees. It wasn’t my best adventure.

Anyway, this time, I stuck with a marked trail: the Cathedral Rock Trail, a popular but moderately strenuous hike/climb/scramble to top of Cathedral Rock. The trail leads up the back side of Cathedral Rock, and emerges at the “saddle,” a wide, flat U-shaped opening in the rock formation with a bird’s-eye view of Oak Creek far, far below. It had been six months since I’d last done this hike, and I didn’t remember it being so steep. I kept telling Jeff, “This is the last steep portion right here.” After the fifth or sixth time I said that, it was more a joke than an encouragement. But we got to the top, and the view was worth the effort.

Later in the afternoon, I drove to the old mining town of Jerome -- about 40 miles west of Sedona -- for karaoke with some friends. It was a good day. I’ll end here with some pics and wish all my readers a great rest o’ the week. -- Mike

PS: Just a note about the weather. Two weeks can make a huge difference in Northern AZ. Just two weeks ago we had a snow storm. Now temps are in the 70's, tourists are wearing shorts, and even Officer Potts is patrolling Uptown on his bicycle.

2/16/09 Snow's Gone. Tourists Are Coming Back.

2009-02-16T00:21:00.023-07:00

Snow's gone -- except for high on the shoulders of the red rocks. Up in the shadows cast by the towering rocks, snow can remain for weeks after it's all gone in town.

Note: The Red Rock News reported that Sedona received less than an inch of snow. Uhhhh ... in front of my shop Tuesday morning, I was pushing six inches with a straw broom. Same at my house.

Valentine's Day weekend brought good crowds to Sedona. Uptown, foot traffic was the busiest I had seen it since last October. One way to gauge the number of visitors in Sedona is to observe the parking situation along 89A in the early hours of the day. Nearly every morning, shortly after opening the store, I walk to L'Espressino for a coffee. It's a brisk, sixty-second walk from Sedona Green to L'Espressino. Along the way, I note (generally) the ratio of prime parking spots occupied to those unoccupied. Tourists rarely shop before 11AM; however, the prime parking spots fill quickly -- during our busy season, these spots are filled by 10:00. During our slow months ... great parking isn't particularly competitive. Valentine's Day weekend was the first weekend in some time that the best spots were taken before 10:00. Yes, it's a holiday, and President's Day on Monday made this a three-day weekend, but I'm choosing to take it as a sign that the tourists are coming back to Sedona.

Played a board game called Poser last night with some friends. I recommend it. Above the game, itself, I recommend getting together with your friends for a "game night." A group of my pals and gal-pals have been hosting "game nights" recently, and the number of people attending keeps growing. Games exercise the brain and stimulate the laugh muscles. Plus, I'm a big advocate of kicking back with friends and trading stories. It's good for your mental health.

About the new store location: I'm pleased as a puppy with a new blanket. Increased exposure and walk-through traffic keeps me on my feet most of the day, but I'm OK with that.

Heading up to the old mining town of Jerome this upcoming weekend! Looking forward to dinner with friends at the Mile High restaurant and a wee bit o' karaoke.

2/10/09 Sedona Snow Storm Pics

2009-02-10T10:31:00.009-07:00

Snow hit Sedona. Woo-hooo! It's beautiful! Here are some pics I snapped before I opened the store.

2/10/09 2009 Sedona Marathon, Camaraderie & 4,000 Too Many Plates of Spaghetti.

2009-02-08T13:31:00.015-07:00

2-08-09: As I type, I’m not looking at my fingers or even the screen. I’m watching the rain turn to snow. It’s chilly in Sedona this afternoon, and what started out as an on-and-off drizzle is transforming before my eyes into tiny beads of ice, then back to water as they touch the pavement. It’s a foreshadowing of wet snow, possibly by sundown. We’ll see.
Fortunately, the rain and snow held off during Saturday’s 4th annual Sedona Marathon. Our weather report warned the 1,800 participating runners that they may be viewing Sedona’s red rocks through a veil of rain, but that didn’t happen. The skies remained blue and the views clear all Saturday. A rumor circulated through Uptown Sedona this past Friday night. Word was that between four and five thousand people were scheduled to congregate Uptown for a pre-race pasta dinner. Several shopkeepers, including myself, remained open, awaiting the crowd … four to five hundred was a more accurate number. (Actually, that, too, might be an exaggeration.) But it was a profitable evening nonetheless, and the camaraderie of shopkeepers standing around, bantering optimistically -- “Another twenty minutes, and the crowds are going to be here!” -- kept us amused. Still, if the sponsoring restaurant truly expected so many diners, I can't help but wonder what happened to all the left-over spaghetti. Might be some javelinas eating mighty fine tonight.

Speaking of javelina, last week, a buddy of mine almost ran over a javelina with his truck. Where? Right here at the first stoplight in Uptown Sedona. I saw it happen. (I was in a car at the same traffic light.) It was after dark, about 9PM, and a group of four javelina were using the crosswalk. (That by itself was a funny sight.) The light turned green, and my buddy hit the gas, not noticing the javelina. Three of the pig-like creatures hurried on across the street while the biggest one, at the rear of the single-file line, jumped backward, out of the truck's way, and retreated back to the curb. No javelina were harmed.

2-09-08: I expected to see snow when I sat up in bed and peered through the blinds. No show. I hear that Flagstaff is getting pummeled with the fluffy stuff, but no snow on the ground in Sedona today. The upper red rocks do have a good dusting, and that makes for great snapshots -- at least, that’s what I tell tourists when they say they just arrived in Arizona and their first purchase is a pair of mittens. That, however, is one of the exciting things about northern AZ. The weather is just as untamed as the landscapes and the local residents. January and February in Sedona can bring snow showers or sunny skies, or both in the same day. You can start the day wearing a winter jacket and be applying sunscreen before noon. But today … well, I don’t think anyone’s going to need the sunscreen.

Oh, so far, I’m loving Sedona Green Gallery’s new location.

Got to run. Need to talk with Florange Signs about my needs for a new sign. Plus, still attempting to get the new store just the way I want it. Blog more at you soon. -- Mike

UPDATE: About 5PM today, the rain switched over to flake form. Within an hour we had an inch of genuine snow on the ground. It's now 10:15 PM, and it's still snowing! Our first real snow of the year -- likely our last, as well, but it's a good one! Will plan to post pics later.

2/03/09 Sedona Green Gallery Changes Locations!

2009-01-25T16:49:00.023-07:00

It’s official. Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts has moved -- but not far. Our new location is in the same plaza as our old store; however, the new location is on the ground level. No more climbing steps! Most recently, this spot was the Uptown UPS Store. Before that it was Olde Tyme Photos. Now it’s Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts. I’m crazy excited about the new store. Our walk-through traffic is 10X greater. The large windows allow opportunities for amazing and bizarre window displays. Two separate entrance doors accommodate a better walk-through flow for customers. The new location is no larger than the old location, but the layout is much more inviting. Exciting, eh?

I want to shout out a “Thanks” to everyone who helped with the new store, whether by lending muscle, advice or inspiration. THANKS!

You’re right … Sedona Green Blog has not been updated as often this past month as normal . I’ve been so busy plotting, planning, moving & setting up the new store that I haven’t had time to blog regularly. Now that the new store is (mostly) up and running, I plan to get back to a more predictable blog schedule. (SedonaGreenBlog.com is usually updated every Monday afternoon.)
OK, I’ll end here with lots of photos from the move. Have a great week. (Note: In the pic below that features Matthew showing art, those are not his real hands; they are jewelry display hands. It was getting late, and we were thinking of ways to creep out tourists.)

1/19/09 Short Blog -- Cardinals, Steelers, Coffee

2009-01-19T11:02:00.010-07:00

This will be a short blog. I drank too much coffee at a pot luck party last night and had a hard time shutting down my brain come bedtime; consequently: this afternoon, my eyelids feel mighty heavy.

I do want to mention that I'm grinning ear-to-ear for The Arizona Cardinals. They're off to the Super Bowl in two weeks, and absolutely nobody was expecting that. I had never followed The Cardinals before this season, and, well, didn't follow them closely this season; but I love an underdog -- especially a semi-local underdog. And congrats to the Steelers, as well. I lived in Morgantown -- 80 miles south of Pittsburgh -- for ten years. I know Western Pennsylvanians take a lot of pride in their teams. But I'll be rooting for Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.

I do plan to post news about upcoming changes for Sedona Green Gallery in a future blog; however, I want to wait until all the i's are dotted.

1/7/09 The Most Bizarre Question So Far.

2009-01-07T11:42:00.016-07:00

OK, I think it's time to take down the Christmas decorations at the store. I'm infamous for leaving my tree up at home for months beyond the holidays, but I beat the system this year by not putting up a tree ... so the taking-it-down job there is already done. That was easy.

We finally received snow in Sedona! Woo - hoo! No accumulation, but flakes as large as autumn leaves and dinner plates! Late last week, snow fell for about two pre-noon hours. The sun is out today. The sky is inky blue, the temperature 47. It's jacket weather, no doubt, but I actually have the store door wide open. This is the northern Arizona winter I love: a dusting of snow on Snoopy Rock's nose and along the upper-most ridges of the red rocks, and a wide beam of sunshine lying on the carpet. (I'm one of those people who like to sit in a sunbeam.)

I caught up with local friends a couple times this past week, once for a "games night," and once for dinner and what's-new? chat. On these occasions, there are usually new people in the crowd -- a friend of a friend, or a new neighbor -- and it was one of these new acquaintances who asked me the most bizarre question about my store that I've ever been asked.

First, let me say, I've received some bizarre questions. Everyone who works in Sedona receives bizarre questions: "If I wear kokopelli jewelry, will it help me get pregnant?" "Where's the best place in town to see a UFO?" "Does this bracelet have any special powers?" "Is it safe to visit a vortex site without sunglasses?" And invasive questions, as well: "Where do you live?" "How much did you pay for a place in town?" "What kind of money do you pull-in in a day?" Oh, and I still remember the young fellow who announced that he wasn't allowed to shake hands with tourists because they're unclean, then asked me if I was hiring. "Uh ... not today."

But one question at dinner last week moved instantly to the top spot in bizarro: She looked up from her plate, smiled kindly and asked, "Do you sell worms?"

I had to put a napkin over my mouth, I started laughing so hard. OK, I know what she meant. A mutual friend had told her that my Uptown store is named "Sedona Green," without mentioning that it's a gallery and gift shop, so this young lady assumed it was a green-living sort of hardware store; and, being a eco-friendly soul, she was interested in composting, which requires special garbage-eating worms. So the question was legit. But it still made me laugh until my abs hurt. I think this could be our new logo: "Sedona Green Gallery -- We don't sell worms."

Much to do, so I'll blog more stories for y'all later. Peace.

1/1/08 New Year's Blog (with elves, airport restrooms & loose junk)

2009-01-01T16:11:00.009-07:00

Happy New Year! from Mike at Sedona Green Gallery & his magical sidekick elf!

Many of you noticed I didn’t post a Sedona blog last week. I was on vacation, and was so busy doing nothing that I had no time to blog about it. On Christmas Day (EARLY Christmas day, I’m talking 3AM), I drove down to Sky Harbor airport and caught a morning flight to Detroit, then to Charleston , WV. No delays. In fact, it was sunny and 50-something degrees in both Detroit and Charleston. My dad picked me up at the airport, and I was at my parent’s house in time for Christmas dinner.

Small world: Guess what happened to me in the Phoenix airport terminal 3 men’s room? OK, maybe that’s not the best way to begin the story. Anyway, I was washing my hands, paying little attention to the goings-on around me, when I glanced up in the mirror and saw a familiar face above the basin to my right: there stood one of my best friends, CFG, washing his own hands. “Hey. I know you!” Next, another friend, Dylan, walks up to the sink basin on my left. Never before in my life had I run into someone I know in a major airport -- unless, of course, they were there to pick me up, or me for thee. “What are the odds?” I asked CFG. Later that day he emailed me the actual odds:

“Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport handles 100,000 passengers a day, 365 days a year. There are 13 bathrooms in Terminal 4. There are approximately 6,166,318 residents in Arizona, which lowers the odds. About 41 million of the 300 million Americans planned to travel around the Christmas-New Years Holidays, and 40% of travel happens between 2 and 6 p.m. 100,000)*(365*24*60)*13/(6,166,318)*(41,000,000/300,000,000)*(40%), so we had a 1/324,317 chance in meeting like we did, which are the chances of having the genetic disease Mucolipidosis II or having 5 of 6 numbers and winning $100,000 from the Kentucky State Lottery.”

Hope everyone out there anticipates a fantastic New Year. New Year’s Eve is always a good time in Sedona. Lots of goings-on for a small town. My friend David Vincent Mills (an outstanding keyboardist) performed at the Ken’s Creekside masquerade ball. Olde Sedona hosted an 80’s Lady’s event. But I rang in the New Year at Oak Creek Brewery (the West Sedona location -- that’s where locals go -- not the Tlaquepaque location, which is a good restaurant, but not much of a local hangout.) Oak Creek had snagged the most popular draw in Northern Arizona: Sedona band, Yin Yang & Zen Some, known for bizarre theme parties, 70’s & 80’s cover tunes and outrageous costumes -- it’s not unusual to catch them dressed as aliens, robots, cross-dressers, you name it. This time around, the guys performed in Baby New Year diapers, which was quite wacky, especially when one of Yin’s two lead singers, my friend Nate M., realized that his junk had bounced its way loose of his cloth diaper. Ooops.

The magical house elf tells me he celebrated the New Year on the saddle of Cathedral Rock with a gathering of local elves, leprechauns and gnomes. “We drank sour milk and juggled shoes!” he said. “So very fun, so very fun!”

Big changes coming to Sedona Green Gallery in the New Year. More on that as it becomes appropriate to reveal my cards. Blog more at y’all soon.

12/22/08 More Arizona Snowmen Stories

2008-12-22T13:47:00.003-07:00

Snow hit northern Arizona this past week. Flagstaff is buried under two-plus feet, and Snowbowl is now open. I hear that Grand Canyon looks like a wintry holiday card. In Sedona: Every morning I glance look out my bedroom window expecting to see snow on the prickly pear ... but, not yet ... just raindrops clinging to the cactus needles. On-and-off sunshine. On-and-off rain showers. It's good for the desert, but bad for the carpet in the store.

On a positive note, the migrating storms have given us spectacular sunsets. Yesterday, driving out to the grocery store in West Sedona, I noticed that the clouds hovering over the western horizon were red like steel wool on fire. Looked like a volcano had erupted in Cottonwood. No, I didn't have a camera with me. Sorry.

Arizona weather is hard on snowmen: A neighboring store has a wire snowman that waves at passers-by. Well, last week's wind-and-rain storm knocked him over, and the impact popped his mechanical arms off, so he just lay there twitching on the sidewalk. It was so horrible I could barely laugh. Employees set him back up and reattached his arms, but his carrot nose is now smashed backward and curves upward into his face. Not a holly jolly sight.

Update on Sedona Green Gallery's formerly seven-foot, paper Mache snowman: He's now about two-and-a-half feet tall. I accidentally left him out in the rain once ... maybe three times ... and his lower body segments quickly flattened under his own water-soaked weight. For a couple days, he looked like a living stack of pancakes -- actually, a friend told me it looked like a bean bag chair with a face. At this writing, only his top third remains. I set his top portion in a giant planter on the store balcony, but he doesn't look healthy. I fear he won't last until Christmas. No worries: He'll wave goodbye saying "Don't you cry, I'll be back again some day" Thumpetty thump thump thumpety thump thump ....

OK, I'll swinging home for Christmas in a couple days. Wish me safe travels. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and "God bless us, everyone."

12/15/08 The Artificial Palm Tree Is Gone!

2008-12-15T12:20:00.013-07:00

OK, I finally got rid of the artificial palm tree in the store. I had a love-hate relationship with that thing. A year ago (in it’s prime), the tree’s branches were lit with a thousand points of light, and I wound blue-and-green, flashing rope lights up, up and around the trunk. Well-meaning friends hinted that the “thing” devalued the rest of the items in the gift shop, but I liked it. It was what I call “A Happy Prop.” As a short fellow, I enjoyed the canopy effect of the branches. I would hang small purses and dream catchers and assorted items from the lower branches, and I could walk underneath and feel surrounded by an umbrella of merchandise. On the other hand, tall folks often banged their heads on the items hanging from the branches -- or a low limb would grab hold their hairdo. (Always entertaining). Problem was, I could never find a good location for the thing. And moving it was always an itchy, dusty chore that resulted in toppling mugs and candles off shelves and pedestal displays. Yesterday, realizing that most of the lights on my friend no longer work, and that the addition of new shelves has left no space for a giant, fake palm tree ... well, I begrudgingly dismantled him. Actually, I stripped the tree down to its metal skeleton and am now using the remaining “wire sculpture” as a display on which to hang kiln-glass necklaces. It looks quite contemporary. Perhaps I should raise prices across the board to match the avant-garde artistry of my latest display creation. Or not.

Other deconstructions:

Saturday afternoon, Sedona was plagued by strong wind gusts. Wreaths went flying. Paper cups, outdoor ornaments, strings of garland: everything hanging outdoors unhinged, dislodged and took to the air. My large paper Mache snowman, which I’ve blogged about extensively, collapsed backward into two halves. I quickly restacked his body parts and tied him to the railing. A moment later, his round head literally blew off! The snowman’s head is / was attached by a bamboo stalk that runs through the center of his body segments. Well, the bamboo piece snapped and the head dislodged, exposing the broken stick of bamboo upright from the center of the snowman’s round shoulders: looked like a neck bone. It was a horrible sight, nearly on par with last year's surprise box of mannequins heads. Regular readers remember the mannequin heads story, I hope. Anyway, I pieced Frosty back together, but he’s not looking well. Another windy day could do him in.

I've been expecting snow for days. So far, nothing. BUT I really think Sedona will receive it's first snow of the year tonight. Flagstaff is calling for as much as two feet tonight. Sedona is 2000' lower elevation, but I've already spied a few flakes.

And now for a cool picture: a snapshot that captured the House Elf's hand! He was reaching up to touch my face, and I grabbed his wrist as the camera's shutter opened. Elves hate to be photographed, and they move as fast as ninjas, so this is one of the best photos I have of Sedona Green House Elf. He won't be happy that I posted it.

12/8/08 Javelina vs. Cat.

2008-12-08T11:49:00.019-07:00

Quick blog today. I've been putting it off for months, but I absolutely must update the regular Sedona Green Web site ASAP. I've about a thousand items in the store that are not yet on the Web site. I'm sure I'm not the only one running behind this time of year. I remember an old episode of the TV show "Friday The 13th The Series," which had nothing in common with the movies except for title rights. On the particular episode I'm thinking of, a thief possessed a cursed time piece -- an antique open-faced watch that could stop time for everyone except himself for five or ten minutes. This gave him time to carry out his pick-pocketing and jewelry-store heists. No, I'm not looking to rob anyone, but it would be nice to press a button and make everyone stop in their tracks just long enough for me to get caught up on paperwork, emails, bills, Web updates, personal reading ... 'course that would take a year or two.

There's someone in the shop right now who ... I think is going to try to sell me something or tell me about his own art once he works up the nerve. He has that Sedona-artist look: sleepy eyes, untrimmed beard, worn bluejeans with red-rock stains. I look at portfolios on Mondays, but I prefer that artists make an appointment and send me an electronic portfolio ahead of time. He's looking at random crafts and artwork throughout the store ... possibly making mental comparisons between the merchandise and his own work ....

Sedona's javelina are out and roaming now that the weather is cooling. Well, javelina are always "roaming," searching for an easy meal, but as the weather cools, more of them come down from the hills and hang out in driveways and backyards. This past week, walking to a friend's house for "game night," I stepped right past a small pack of the pig-like rodents in the dark without noticing them. When I reached the porch, my friend pointed them out. They were munching away on something in the moon shadow of a large prickly pear cactus. Unfortunately, My friend's cat had slipped out the door when she opened it to greet me. Now the cat was missing, and my friend was concerned that the javelina would attack it and eat it. As my friend called into the darkness for her cat, the part of me that wants to be Bear Grylls, urged me to observe the javelina clan from a closer perspective. I approached the javelina very slowly, talking to them as I approached. Javelina have very bad eyesight, and I didn't want to startle them. I managed to narrow the space between us to as little as five feet before they paused their chewing and glared at me. Snort! Snort! OK, OK, I backed away and let them finish their meal of cactus fruit and cat. (Kidding about the cat.) The cat returned to the house about an hour later, unmolested.

Well, the sleepy artist just exited the store without approaching me. I think he lost his nerve when another customer entered and began talking. Another friend -- coincidentally, an artist -- told me this week, "We never receive anything without asking," but I'm not sure I believe that. "I try not to ask anyone for anything," I replied, and he shrugged his lean shoulders. Different philosophies. I suspect his philosophy is a better success model. But I'm stubborn.

December in Sedona is a best-kept secret. The weather can vary between 35 and 60, but the sun is often full-faced, and the cooler temperatures make perfect weather for hiking some of the challenging trails -- just watch out for patches of slippery frost in the shadows. Sedona retailers don't receive the hoards of shoppers that the big-town malls receive this time of year, so most of us have good sales going, and there's rarely a need for reservations at even the most popular restaurants.

OK, I really must let you go now. Much to do. Need to photograph lots of items in the store. And here are some random photos, I've taken this morning, including one of my backside just for kicks. (The camera accidentally went off, but it made a funny picture.) LOL. Blog more at you soon.

Next Sedona Green blog scheduled for 12/15/08.

12/1/08 My Snowman Looks Like A Space Creature. Hummm.

2008-12-01T00:41:00.025-07:00

This cracked me up: A lady in the store this past weekend asked, "What is the Sedona Vortex? Is it some sort of giant hole with smoke pouring out of it?" Shopkeepers in Sedona receive some sort of vortex question everyday. In a nutshell, here's how I answer: "Uh ... actually ... well ... there are a lot of perspectives on the vortex. Sedona's rocks are red because there's a lot of iron in the rocks, and as the iron weathers, the rocks actually rust, leaving a reddish color that glows in the sunlight and mimics -- even exaggerates -- the colors of sunset. Some people believe that the increased iron in the landscape also increases the physical magnetism of the area and that this has heath benefits, similar to how some people with arthritis will wear magnetic bracelets to ease their aches and pains. Others believe that specific areas in Sedona radiate so much magnetism -- usually areas in which you can place yourself in a position surrounded by towering red rocks -- that a "whirling" of magnetism embraces you, and that this "vortex" has health benefits and even helps in decision-making." I don't usually mention that some people believe there are crystal cities underneath the rocks built by ancient alien visitors.

Speaking of crystal cities and alien tourists, this surprised me: Last week, a friend mentioned to me that she had a friend who used to work for the CIA, and that his job was to monitor cult activities in Sedona. Note, this is all hearsay, but according to this second-hand information, at one point, there were 42 separate "cults" in Sedona that warranted "monitoring." Given the literary importance of the number "42" I suspect this is no coincidence. Hummmm.

Thanksgiving was nice this year. I wasn't able to get back East to visit with family, but a friend was kind enough to include me -- and several other locals without our own turkeys -- at the table. After we gave the bird a going-over, six or eight of us played Cranium, a board game that mixes elements of charades, Trivial Pursuit, Name-That-Tune, and Win Lose or Draw. Good times.

On "Black Friday," Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts hosted Santa Claus. My friend, author Joel M. Andre, donned a Santa Suit and posed for pictures with kids and pets, and a few adults. Andre donated his time to support my store and to support ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.) I have to admit, I especially enjoyed observing how the kids reacted to Santa. Some were overwhelmed with excitement ... others overwhelmed with, well, fear. Either way, it made for memorable photos.

A bonus from spending time with Andre: I truly enjoy conversations with writers, and Andre rekindled my enthusiasm for rolling up my sleeves and getting busy with completing some of my own writing projects. I see a busy new year ahead of me.

Oh, and I can't end the blog without mentioning the giant seven-foot tall paper Mache snowman so many of you have asked about. Well, my intention was to build a "giant" paper Mache snowman. The process: Using 20-foot long strips of blank newsprint, I wound the paper into ropes, then wound the ropes into ball shapes, similar to how you can make a ball out of rubber bands. This allowed him to be very light-weight, despite the fact that these "balls of paper ropes" ranged in size from a basketball to a bean bag. The result: At one point, the snowman really was seven-feet tall ... but the application of warm, wet paper Mache sort of ... shrank him up. When I stacked the five "snowball" body segments for painting, he only stood six-feet tall ... and he leaned. A lot. He leaned so dramatically, I feared he would collapse over the balcony, so I removed one of his body segments. In the end, he's only about four-and-a-half feet tall, but he has a lot of girth. And he's cute ... in a freaky, bug-eyed sort of way. He has eyes the size of door-knobs -- actually round, black Christmas ornaments that make him resemble the insect creatures in the original Battlestar Galactica pilot. Diane, the UPS Store lady, made him a carrot-shaped, orange, cone nose, and that lessened the "giant insect look." Finally, I added a handmade scarf and hat by Sharon Herman. Now he looks totally approachable, and tourists can't resist getting their picture taken with him. (I've included pictures of his evolution throughout the blog.)

OK, must get back to running a store. Blog more at you next week.

Next Sedona Green Blog scheduled for 12-8-08

11/24/08 Santa Is Coming To Sedona Green

2008-11-24T12:46:00.010-07:00

OK, I’ve almost finished decorating the store for Christmas. It’s a small store. Bedecking the rails and rafters with wreaths and bulbs really shouldn’t have taken a week, but … I like to take coffee breaks.

NEWS: Santa Clause Is Coming To Uptown Sedona

Bkg: Late last week, my friend, Buffalo Don, mentioned to me that when he was a young man, he used to dress up as Santa Clause during the Christmas season to bring in additional customers and publicity at his grocery stores. He suggested that I try that, and added, “You’re a jolly fellow, I think you’d make a great Santa.” I liked the idea -- I’ll try (most) anything once -- and I was prepared to serve Santa duty when another local friend, Joel M. Andre, volunteered to do the job for me. Great. That frees me up to man the camera for anyone who wants a photo taken with Santa. Plus, I won’t have to wear an itchy, fake beard. Hey, Joel volunteered! (Thanks Joel!) I think Joel will enjoy it. He’s a young, horror writer with a half dozen novels under his belt, one entitled “Death at The North Pole,” so Joel dressing as Santa will be one of those wonderful ironies life allows.
Anyway here’s the press release details:

Santa Clause Is Coming To Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts in Uptown, Sedona. Friday, Nov. 28th through Wednesday, Dec. 3rd, Noon to 4PM each day, Santa will be at Sedona Green Gallery to hear your Christmas wishes and to pose for photos. Photos may be taken FREE OF CHARGE with your own camera, or Santa’s happy elves will photograph and print your picture with Santa for $5. Additionally, employees at Sedona Green Gallery (with some help from elves) have constructed a seven-foot tall paper Mache snowman which will also make great backdrop for Sedona Holiday photos of the kids.

Sedona Green Gallery & Gifts specializes in arts and crafts made in Sedona by new and emerging artists, and is located at 273 N. Hwy 89A, Suite P, in the Sedona Uptown Mall, directly above Christmas In Sedona. For more information, you may call store manager, … [etc., etc.]

Oh, about that giant paper Mache snowman: He’s not totally built yet. Actually, at this writing, he consists of three enormous balls of newsprint sitting on my kitchen floor. But he will be complete in time for Black Friday … unless something more pressing comes up … which does occasionally happen. The house elf might help if I promise to let him hide a shoe inside the snowman's head.

Other goings-on: The big event in Sedona last week was a small plane crash. The plane went down just minutes after refueling at the Sedona Airport; crashed in a difficult to access wilderness area off Schnebly Hill Road. Two men were killed, one survived. A New York firefighter vacationing here in Sedona was driving a jeep along Schnebly Hill Road when the plane went down, and he was the first rescuer on the scene --likely saved the pilot’s life. Gotta truly admire folks like that firefighter!

Remember a few weeks back when I mentioned on this blog that estate sales and yard sales were very popular in Northern Arizona. Well, this past week, two people I know held yard sales, and I took an opportunity to visit both. Wow. I had no idea these events were so competitive! On my way to one friend’s sale, I passed five other yard sales in the same neighborhood, all with brightly painted signs urging me off-track from my friend’s sale. Maybe that’s a symptom of Sedona’s current economy. Hummmmmmm.

Holiday card time. Not sure if I’ll send out cards this year. I haven’t designed a card yet, but I need to get on that very quickly if I’m going to do it. Actually, let’s be realistic. Yeah … it’s not going to happen. Sorry. Hopefully next year.

OK, much prep to do and little time. Blog more at you soon.

11/17/08 The Spicy-Dust Smell of A Ghost Town

2008-11-17T12:23:00.032-07:00

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Righteous Kwanzaa! Etc., etc. The Sedona Uptown Mall Plaza looks like the North Pole today -- minus snow and reindeer. Last Friday, the ladies in charge of decorating our plaza brought out a team of employees to transform the plaza into a holiday scene. They did an excellent job: Glittery balls the size of small pumpkins hang from the trees; plastic candy canes are placed in strategic locations throughout the prickly shrubbery. I took inspiration from their work, and I've spent the last few days decorating Sedona Green. I've strung dozens of silver, green and black ornaments from the ceiling beams inside the store, placed wreaths outside the front door -- even tried to fit the house elf with a red-and-green suit, but he bit me.

Today, the temperature is 70 degrees in Sedona. The sky is ocean blue. High-desert sunshine is beaming the silver-foil garland on my balcony railing. Yeah, several of my friends have told me it's way too early to decorate for Christmas; but, hey, the box stores stocked their Christmas aisles the week before Halloween. The "folks" are doing their gift shopping, and we Sedona shopkeepers need to make a living, too. Trust me, nobody's getting rich in Sedona retail this year.

Been to the Arizona ghost town of Jerome twice since I last blogged. Once with my friend, Greg Lilly, author of Under A Copper Moon, a fictional novel set in Jerome during it's wild west days. Former Sedona resident, Lilly, who now resides in VA, was visiting town for the Jane Seymour art event at El Prado Gallery here in Sedona, and he took the opportunity to sign some copies of Under A Copper Moon at the various souvenir shops in Jerome. I'm usually only in Jerome after dark, so it was a treat for me to browse the galleries and gift shops with my pal. Lots of arts-and-crafts style art in Jerome, but not much on par with Sedona Green Gallery. :)

My favorite quote about Jerome was made by a Sedona friend who wishes to remain anonymous. In speaking about his dislike for the historic, hillside Jerome, he said: "The whole town smells like funky, old beer." I respectfully disagree, but admit the town does have a certain ... spicy-dust smell, similar to what you find in used book stores. But that's the smell of history ... or the rotting skins of unhappy endings.

My second journey to Jerome this week was for karaoke at the Mile High Restaurant with some of my local friends. That's always a good time, usually followed by getting my butt kicked in eight ball at Paul & Jerry's Saloon. No difference this time. I lost five games in a row to my buddies, Dennis and Matthew. Also ran into another local writer: Joel M. Andre, nationally known for his off-beat horror novels, such as Death At The North Pole.

Oh, I did another appearance on Allen Elfman's VisitSedona.TV program on KAZM last week. I think it was my best so far -- Allen and I have that back-and-forth-buddy-banter down to a style. Check it out at http://www.visitsedona.tv/ Let's see if this works ... I'll try to post a link of the segment with my appearance here:

OK, much more going on, but I'm short on time. Blog more at you soon. Really.

11/03/08 Scarves, Pumpkins & Underbellies Unzipped

2008-11-03T16:24:00.008-07:00

11-2-08 A cool front moved into Sedona last night. This morning I awoke to a white sky; segmented, parallel lines of blue showing between the clouds. “It was evening all afternoon.” (I remember that description from a poem I read in college. Can’t remember the writer‘s name, but I’ve remembered the quote for 15 years now.) Around 2:30, the clouds bulged and their underbellies unzipped. I quickly brought in the scarves and pumpkins from the patio. Rain poured for twenty minutes. The sun is out now, but the customers have not yet returned. Nor have I carried the pumpkins back out to the patio … giving it a moment … another bottom-heavy cloud is drifting this way.

Trick Or Treating in Uptown this past Friday night was great fun. Rather, it looked to be great fun for the kids. I closed the shop early and wandered around Uptown for a half hour, observing the goings-on. I had never seen so many people crowded into Uptown Sedona . I decided to eat dinner at Mago Café. The café’s patio overlooks the sidewalks and the south side of Uptown Sedona’s tourist strip. Kids, Mommies & Daddies everywhere. Uptown was packed. I enjoyed watching the costumes between bites of rice and broccoli.

Oh, I also caught the Thriller Dancers who perform in Uptown Sedona every Halloween. That was cute.

Later that evening, when I dropped by Old Marketplace for the Yin, Yang & Zen Some concert, I witnessed the largest crowd I’ve ever seen in Sedona. Probably 400 people, almost all wearing elaborate Halloween costumes. OK, maybe 400 isn’t a big crowd in your town, but that’s enormous here. An earlier party I attended had a large turn-out as well. October weather in Sedona is about perfect -- low 70’s during the day, 40’s after sunset -- so that helps bring out the crowds, I’m sure.

Note: In the time it took to type the above paragraph, the rain started up again -- I rushed out to the balcony and brought in a scarf mannequin -- rain stopped again. I think it’s done now. There’s a fragrant dampness in the air: the woody aromas of rosemary and sage. Not sure if that’s the opening pores of high-desert foliage drinking in the rain, or dinner prep at the restaurant across the plaza.

11-3-08 Attended another Halloween party last night. This one was more a going-away party for a friend who is moving to Ashville, NC, but some of the guests arrived in costume. Not me. Not a costume-kind-of-guy lately. Maybe next year. Good time nonetheless. The party was at the house of Yin, Yang & Zen Some band members, and those guys have the largest collection of 80’s music downloads of anyone I know. My friend Matthew did some fortune readings. My friends, Annalisa, Danielle and Zen Jen got their groove going. My friend Nate M. shared cup after cup of a smooth Alaskan coffee -- a gift from his Alaskan pals who had come from Sitka to Sedona for Halloween. (Seems like a long way to travel for trick-or-treating, but I guess Alaskans judge distance differently.) Cottonwood seems like a long trip to me.

Autumn is officially here. Election day is tomorrow -- sure to be followed by conspiracy theories week. Soon thereafter, Sedona will have a surge of cool-weather tourists and an occasional dusting of snow. I’m looking forward to outdoor fire pits and the smell of mesquite smoke on my long sleeve shirts.

10/28/08 "Stuff Sedona People Like."

2008-10-28T14:42:00.014-07:00

Shout Out to Rick from Detroit, a SedonGreenBlog reader who was kind enough to drop by the store last week and introduce himself. Thanks, Rick!

Flipping the through TV channels last night, I happened across a program that mentioned the hilarious Web Site “Stuff White People Like,” and some of it’s many imitators -- “Stuff Asian Americans Like," “Stuff Southern People Like,” etc., etc. Later that evening, lying in bed, I had a couple minutes to contemplate “Stuff Sedona People Like.” Here’s a short list "stuff" that came to me before sleep:

18 Estate sales - drive through West Sedona on any weekend. You’ll spot cardboard signs on every other corner: “ESTATE SALE!!!” and hand-drawn Magic Marker arrows pointing off toward side roads. (Often these signs are accompanied by colorful balloons.) Shortly after moving to Sedona, I discovered just how popular these events are. At one especially memorable sale, I entered a line of vehicles five blocks long, all of us eager to see what goodies were being “gotten rid of” by the children of someone rich and recently deceased. You see, two-thirds of Sedona’s population is retired; and, well, retired folks occasionally “assume room temperature,” and most have kids living far away and eager to sell everything for some happy cash. Anyone moving to Sedona would be foolish not to explore the estate-sale circuit before buying a new sofa, golf cart, silverware set, meditation-theory book, Indigenous Peoples Mask or 70’s-style lamp shade.

17 Local Discounts -- It’s difficult to keep track of which restaurants have opened and closed in Sedona. It’s a good bet that, if you visited the area five years ago, most of the restaurants you ate at have since closed -- or at least changed their name, their chef, their menu, ownership and management. There are some “pillars,” such as Cowboy Club and Heartline Café, but these are outnumbered. Of course, the restaurant business is that way everywhere, but when a restaurant closes in Sedona, locals frequently point to the establishment’s failure to cultivate a local following. In other words: Sedona People like local discounts, expect local discounts and will hold it against a business if they don’t offer a discount to local customers and clients. Count me in that group. Hey, I send dozens of customers to my favorite restaurants every day … I should qualify for FREE dinners.

16 Dogs -- Lots of dogs in this town. It seems Sedona people take them everywhere they go. Yeah, it’s cute; however, some dogs don't play well with other dogs, especially in the shopping district. A brave bark becomes a fingernails-on-the-chalkboard Yelp! Yelp! Yelp! and suddenly somebody's pet is missing an ear. Keep 'em on a leash, folks.

15 Honeymooners -- Young people in love spend money freely. And they smile a lot.

14 Waking Up Early -- I’ve always been a “late-to-bed, late-to-rise” person, but it seems most Sedona residents are up by 5AM. A contributing factor is the fact that AZ doesn’t participate in Daylight Savings Time. This makes our sunrises and sunsets early. Another contributing factor is Yoga -- see next item.

13 Yoga -- Sedona people like yoga. And, apparently, Yoga must be done early in the morning, preferably outdoors. If I ever wake up early -- like 9 or 9:30 -- maybe I’ll try it. Kidding, I'm always up by 9:30.

12 Weed -- a lot of folks of all ages smoke weed here. Not a weed-man, myself, so I can only speculate on the reasons. I think it’s a California influence. ;)

11 Natural / Organic Foods -- Thanks to irrigation, Arizona farms provide lots of organic food options. Other factors include obsessions with health and self, both common to Northern Arizona. See items 10 and 9.

10 Obsessing, Particularly Over Any Change -- you name it, somebody in Sedona is obsessed with it, and convinced it’s a plot by the Time-Share Companies to loosen building regulations. (And, well, often it is.) In Sedona, one often hears the warning, “This town is going to be another Las Vegas strip.” Personally, I think that would be kind of cool. (Ohhh, here comes the hate mail.)

9 Themselves -- Sedona people find themselves interesting. That’s a good thing … in moderation. Yes, the self is a powerful, magical, beautiful place -- like Sedona. Yet, it serves one well to broaden his or her topics of conversational knowledge beyond … self. “Well, that’s enough about me, let’s talk about you -- what do YOU think of me?”

8 City Council Meetings -- They’re like baseball games for this small town. Popular AND entertaining with frequent come-from-behind surprises.

7 Sculpture -- The arts -- including sculpture -- are wonderful & important, I totally agree. Still … I’ve always considered sculpture just a wee bit creepy. Reminds me of people frozen by Medusa awaiting magical rescue.

6 Hiking -- There are more trails right here in Sedona than any one person could fully explore in a life time. Most people who move here at least “plan” to do tons of hiking … eventually. Include me in the "eventually" category.

5 Cults -- If you’ve ever stood atop Bell Rock eagerly awaiting your turn on an invisible space ship, this might be a good time to hand over power of attorney to your kids.

4 Drums -- Every full moon, at the Cathedral Rock Trailhead, you'll find a giant drum circle of volunteer participants. Dozens of drummers. Hundreds of bodies in the trance-like ecstasy of transformational shared dance. Actually, there are drum “circles” all over town. Walk down some streets on a full moon and you’ll think somebody’s trying to summon KONG.

3 The Irish -- Lots o’ Irish influence here, and EVERYBODY loves the Irish.

2 Past Life Relationships -- Theologies that incorporate past-life experiences with current-life crises are fairly “main-stream” here. I describe myself as “open-minded but skeptical.” I have friends who make a living as Intuitives, and I’ve received local readings meant to decipher my “past lives.” They’re fun, interesting … but I’m a forever skeptic.

1 Volunteering -- Sedona people like to volunteer. And that’s a very good thing.

Got to run. Blog more at you next week.