Steampunk and Arboretum

I had a special time at the the 6th Wild West Con Steampunk Festival in Tucson that ran from March 3-5. It took place at Old Tucson which is a famous movie studio built in 1939.   I only went one day but will definitely go for the entire time next year.  I have never understood why it is called anything to do with Punk.  Per Wikipedia, Steampunk is a sub genre of science fiction or fantasy that incorporates technology inspired by 19th century industrial steam powered machinery.  It is set in an alternative 19th century British Victorian Era or American Wild West in a post apocalyptic future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage in a fantasy world that employs steam power.  Therefore Steampunk may be described as new-Victorian.  So if you saw Wild Wild West with Will Smith, you saw Steampunk. Let me show you some fashion that I saw.

     

     

     

This lady told me she was a steam engine mechanic.  That she was so small she could get in places the men could not.

I also went to a paint a parasol workshop      

They also had Steampunk belly dancers      

Since this took place I. old Tucson, there was a gunfight      

My favorite event was the teacup duel

Let me explain

Tea Duelling is an elegant sport for a more civilized. Instead of hacking away at each other with long, sharp wedges of metal or heaven forbid, shooting guns at one another, Major Thades Tinker and Dr. Geof Fetishman devised a way to test the mettle of an opponent through the use of a simple cup of tea and a biscuit.  

 

In tea duel like no, two duellists sit across from each other at a small table, each with a cup of tea at as near to 150 degrees as possible.  Each duelist also has a biscuit.  Both duellist dunk their biscuit into their tea.  The biscuit are to be held submerged in tea for a count of five seconds, and then they are removed.   

 

The goal of a tea duel is to put the biscuit in your mouth and bite it without having lost any pieces. This sounds easy, but the first person that has to eat their cookie before losing it loses the match.  The one who waited the long before eating their biscuit is declared the winner.      

Quite fun.

 

My friend Melanie invited me to meet her at Boyce Thompson Arboretum on Highway 60 in Superior. What a marvelous place.  I could have spent the day.  I was shocked at the wide variety of plants and trees.  There are short hiking trails.  The main trail is 1.5 miles. There is a high trail which is more rugged and takes you to the Upper Arboretum area.  The Sonoran Desert trail will take you along  a trail where you will see medicinal and edible plants.  The Chihuahuan Desert trail exhibits plants from the Chihuahuan Desert of North America in Mexico, Texas and southern New Mexico. The South American Desert trail showcases plants from Cuyo, Monte and Chaco regions of Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia.  

 

Some of the terrain is uneven so you may want to take a hiking stick.      

     

     

Octopus Aloe

 

I will be go back again

I just finished another Navajo inspired woven piece and turned it into an IPad case

Front

Back

 

   

Last Acts

My daughter's plane took off at 10AM this morning so I am sad. Yesterday we went to a couple more Potato Barn's,  this is a unique architectural type decor store with furniture and decorations.  I am ready to redecorate the RV so I was looking for an inspiration  piece to buy.  I did find some signs I like but I will just make them.  I also saw a half chandelier that if I can figure out how to pull it off, I want to make and make the bedroom more elegant and girlie.

We also went to another soda shop.  That is Elizabeth the mixologist.   

I wanted to see the tapestry my Navajo weaving teacher had in the Mesa Art Center craft show.  

  

Then we walked around the show

       

   

We met friends at Minder Binder, a funky decor restaurant   

       

We never saw a tea bar before but we found one called Tea2Go.  I don't drink much tea but my daughter loves it.

Well this ends my short recap of the fun I had with my daughter.  Today I have to get caught on my Navajo Weaving homework.

 

 

This is our last Week

This has been the most marvelous three Weeks .  I truly will miss my daughter when I put her on the plane tomorrow. My daughter and I went to the Street Eats Food Festival after my Navajo Weaving class.  The event was held at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale from February 11-12.  I liked their idea that each of the 57 trucks had $2.00 samples.  I always want to try something but I don't because I am not sure what it taste like.  The event also had cooking demonstrations, two band stands on each end of the field, food eating contest like The Dirty Donut contest which comprised of three teams of 2.  One person lays on the ground face up, the other is standing with a string with a donut attached and they have to dip it in chocolate and then feed the person on the ground.  The food eating contest we saw was four people with a giant giant burrito in front of each.   One person could only eat with one hand, another had on these little rubber horse hooves on his hands, another  was blind folded and had to eat with a baby spoon, the last had  rubber chicken feet in each hand that he had to use like a fork.

I brought a new hair ornament  

 

Some of the food trucks.  I only show the food ones but there were coffee drinks trucks, beer trucks, wine trucks and a couple liquor trucks like tequila.

When we decided to eat poutine for our dinner instead of we a sample , this was  a heart attack in a carton.  French fries, gravy, bacon , and cheese curds.  My stomach is still hurting. 

 

 

 

Was a little surprised to see a clothes truck  

One of the bands 

And a Uncommon Market, the market showcased innovative artist from around the area.

The artist that takes old vinyl albums and turns them into art is amazing.  I am going to buy two at the next common market in March because I am redoing my R V bath into a music theme.  

I don't want I but there an innovative woodworker there  

It was a great day and great experience, I would do it again but just sample the food next time.

On Sunday we went to the 29th Arizona Renaissance Faire in Gold Canyon, AZ, which is held from February 11-April 2 this year. I have been to a lot of Faires but this one was spectacular. The Faire is builder as a Medival Amusement Park an I agree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I brought a new hair ornament  

Over 20 years ago, my daughter and I went to the VA Renaissance Faire and met this marvelous lady that braided hair.  My daughter and I had braids but she braided our braids into great styles every time we went to the Faire.  As my daughter and I was walking by the Twisted braiding booth, we heard a voice calling our name, it was Melanie, she remembered us  

I am having dinner with her next week.  I can't believe she remembered us.

 

Today will be a slow day and we are just going to sit around I will make dinner and we will have a glass of wine to reminisce about this great three Weeks. I won't see her again until May.