Macro Monday - Purple Orchid

These lovely orchids are so spectacular in the nursery that they call out to be taken home.  The instructions are to keep them near a window but out of direct sunlight and to water by placing two ice cubes in the pot once a week.  I suppose that is to prevent over watering.  I have tried this several times and the blooms last several weeks then fade.  After that it seems to be the end.  I have never been able to keep them alive let alone to bloom again.  Maybe there is a secret that has not been revealed to me.  Any suggestions?

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Sunday Bridges - Pedestrian Bridge over West 23rd Street

This pedestrian bridge crosses West 23rd Street at Eugene Field Elementary School.  It has a circular ramp at each end and is handicapped accessible.  I can swear that I have seen bridges of this identical design in other cities but cannot recall just where.  If you know of another I would like to know where it is.  In fact I think I remember seeing one in video footage from Iraq but I am probably mistaken.

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Black & White Reflections - Steel Sailboat

Outdoor sculpture on overlook south of Pedestrian bridge, Tulsa Riverpark.  

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Skywatch Friday - Tulsa from the West

A late afternoon view of Tulsa under a winter sky as seen from the 21st Street Bridge.  This bridge angles across the river from northeast to southwest.  On the east side it is East 21st street and on the west side it is West 23rd street.  On Sunday I will show you a really neat pedestrian bridge that crosses  West 23rd.  Stay tuned.

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Sepia Scenes - Under the Bridge

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Wordless Wednesday - New Blue Rose

The Blue Rose Cafe on Riverside at 18th Street.  Standing room only on a Saturday afternoon.

The New Blue Rose Cafe just opened in a new spot right on the Arkansas River.  Sue and I ate there with her daughter last Thursday and the food was good.  When I drove by there on Saturday afternoon it was packed, as in standing room only.  It was a beautiful day.

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Ruby Tuesday - House Finch

The little guy at my feeder in this picture is a House Finch.  He looks like a sparrow who has been shot on the head with red spray paint. 

With all the snow and cold weather we have been having, our bird feeders have been busy with hungry birds.  We put out mostly sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and black thistle, avoiding the millet that comprises the bulk of many cheap mixes.  We are apt to see a Goldfinch, House Finch, Towhee, Nuthatch, Titmouse, Cardinal, Blue Jay, and a variety of sparrows.  Some of our more persistent visitors are the squirrels who delight in defying our "squirrel-proof" bird feeders.

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Macro Monday - Red Anthurium

Anthuriums are popular for their bright waxy blooms and shiny leaves.  They last a long time as cut flowers but exude a sap that can irritate the skin.  The bloom is actually a type of leaf that grows around the flower spike in the center.  They are so bright and shiny that they are often assumed to be artificial.



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Sunday Bridges - Interstate 44 over Arkansas River

Interstate 44 from beneath the West end

Interstate 44 from the southwest

A steel stringer bridge was first built over the Arkansas River at South 51st Street in 1952. At that time US 66 passed through Tulsa on 11th Street and crossed the river 4 miles north, just west of downtown.  

Interstate 44 was originally signed in 1958 as an interstate designation of the Turner Turnpike linking Oklahoma City and Tulsa and the Will Rogers Turnpike linking Tulsa and the Missouri state line southwest of Joplin, along with the US 66 bypass in Tulsa that linked that city with the two turnpikes. The old 51st street bridge was replaced by the present 4 lane bridge in 1982. 

I-44 roughly parallels old US 66 from Chicago southwest to Oklahoma City. West of Oklahoma City it angles southwest of US 66 until it terminates in Wichita Falls, Texas.  As usual an excellent history of US 66 can be found in Wikipedia.  Note that the second photo is intended to place the first in context.

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Black and White Reflections - The OneOK Plaza

The OneOK Plaza, 5th Street and Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma.   This was featured once before but from a different perspective.   There is an unsubstantiated rumor that our friend Yogi! works here.

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Skywatch Friday - Snowscape

The New Blue Rose on Riverside Drive.  (Click to enlarge)

I took this photo of a beautiful unblemished field of snow under a deep blue sky in Wagoner County last Friday Feb 11 when we drove over to see Wren.  The low temperature the night before was -12° F (-24.4° C).   

Today Susan, her daughter Jennifer and I ate lunch at the new Blue Rose which is built  out over the Arkansas River at 18th and Riverside.  I can personally recommend the Classic One-third pound grilled Hamburger and cheese fries.  Most yummy.

It is a nice place and we sat out on the terrace in the sun where it was quite warm.  The high this afternoon was 81° F (27.2° C).  That is a difference of 93° F (51.6° C) in one week.  Oklahoma weather is never boring.

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Sepia Scenes - Old Lady on Brady

The  Brady Theater, 105 West Brady, Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Completed in 1914, the Brady Theater was originally designed as a municipal auditorium and convention hall by the architectural firm of Rose and Peterson of Kansas City, KS. The building was known as Convention Hall for the first forty years of its life. 

When the facility officially opened, it was billed as the largest hall between Kansas City and Houston. In 1930, world-renowned architect Bruce Goff was hired as designer of a major interior remodel. He had thirty days to transform the barn-like interior into an elegant showplace.

In 1952, additions were constructed at the front and rear of the original 1914 structure. Upper and lower lobbies were added and the building was renamed Tulsa Municipal Theater.

In 1979, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The architectural design at the time was referred to as Western Classic Revival.  It is locally referred to affectionately as the old lady on Brady.





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Wordless Wednesday - Pansies in the Snow

Courage, spring is coming.  Woodward Park, Tulsa, Oklahoma


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Ruby Tuesday - Arnie's Bar

Good old Arnie's Bar, a Fashionably seedy pub and a Tulsa institution.  First opened by Arnie Simmons in 1956 on 15th Street, it is now located at 2nd and Elgin, literally next door to the old Blue Dome service station and across the street from the Blue Dome Diner.  I used to go there back in the late 1960s and early 1970s when I was a grad student at TU and could get over in the evening after a class.  I didn't have the time to be a regular although I think I would have enjoyed that.  It is what is known as a shotgun bar, long and narrow with a bar along one side and tables in the back.  The idea being that if you stuck a shotgun in the front door and pulled the trigger you would probably hit every one in the place.  Arnie had a huge collection of jazz stored on 7 inch reels of recording tape.  If you asked to listen to something in particular he would growl that he didn't take requests but 15 or 20 minutes later you would hear what you asked for.  Arnie had character, and he ran a good clean bar that was a pretty laid back place except for St. Patrick's Day when all bets were off.  My drinking days are over but I understand it is still a great place for a cold beer, some decent music, and a congenial crowd.  There is an interesting history of the place you can read HERE. 

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Macro Monday - A Hint of Spring

Sue and I dropped by Southwood Nursery Sunday afternoon.  We are shopping for a tree to shade our back yard.  While we were there we admired the many pots of colorful flowers.  These little jonquils are a welcome splash of spring yellow.


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Across the Arkansas

Interstate 44 over the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Oklahoma, February 12, 2011.


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Wren Alston Miller - We Meet at Last

Susan and I drove over to Wagoner today to meet baby Wren at last.  She is now 10 days old and very beautiful.  Please forgive so many pictures of Wren and her grandfather, but her grandfather is somewhat smitten with her.  Wren Alston Miller - it is a lovely name.  Alston is an old family name and honors her late aunt, Catharine Alston Miller.  A Wren is a sweet little bird, and a name that is new in our family.  Something old and something new.  It was love at first sight.

Skywatch Friday - Up We Go

Into the wild blue yonder.


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Luke and Wren Getting Acquainted

Luke is quite taken with his new daughter and appears to be giving her some fatherly advice. 

With another 6 inches of snow Tuesday night and more still falling, we are home bound.  At least we are hesitant to drive the 50 miles over to Wagoner to see baby Wren.  For now we will have to content ourselves with the photos Cara has uploaded to her Facebook page.  

 Ten year old Joshua is very pleased with his new little sister.  Cara now has 2 beautiful children.

 I love that pouty lower lip.  I can't wait to see her for myself.

Wordless Wednesday - Let it Snow, Let it Snow

More is coming.


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