By Amaya Gayle Gregory Appreciation is such an underrated word. Appreciating what I have, what’s already in my life, changes the energy flow entirely. It’s common to focus on what’s missing. Noticing that’s what you are doing — priceless. The other night, after writing the piece that started with, “What do you want?” I had to admit that I had a few wants myself. Love how that works … it’s always for me. It’s never just for those who read what I write. It was readily apparent that I could check a couple boxes on my list. I noticed that…
Author: Tommy
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Sedona News – The city of Sedona invites all residents to take an online survey before Feb. 1, 2022 to provide input on potential projects related to the city’s budget process. Take the survey here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6671365/Budget-Survey-Fiscal-Year-2023. Every year, the city evaluates what projects will be included in future year budgets by weighing needs, funding and other competing priorities. The survey seeks input from the community on projects city staff has heard should be implemented. The survey asks nine questions on a variety of topics, including: Workforce housing Shared-use paths Environmental sustainability Property acquisition Additionally, there are questions that ask residents…
… It was a beautiful day on the lake today … not an abundance of birds, but we did get some interesting shots. Above is an early on shot I got … hundreds of redwing black birds in a partially submerged tree in one of the small bays off of Castle Hot Springs Creek bay at the NW portion of Lake Pleasant. There were hundreds of redwing blackbirds in the bay and then they flew. I had grabbed a focus on the tree instead of a particular bird as it increased the probability of getting many birds in focus. I…
Sedona News – The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is honored to be the home for the Met Live Opera programs for the 2021-2022 season, presented by the Sedona International Film Festival. The season will continue with Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto” on Saturday, Jan. 29. There will be one show at 11 a.m. — a live simulcast as it is happening at the Met! Plan to come early as John Steinbrunner will lead a pre-opera talk one hour before the production. Tony Award–winning director Bartlett Sher creates a bold new take on Verdi’s timeless tragedy, resetting the opera’s action in 1920s Europe,…
Clarkdale AZ News – Clarkdale Historical Society and Museum invites everyone to a rollicking First Friday Presentation on Friday, February 4 at 10:00 am at the Clark Memorial Clubhouse gymnasium. Jim Duncan, Steve Wombacher, Howard Swab, Johny Franquero and Cliff Ayres will entertain the crowd with their stories about growing up in the 50’s and 60’s in Clarkdale. Barbie Duncan will introduce the speakers and attempt to keep the event civilized. (Mrs. Duncan, nee Osborne, was one of seven Cottonwood sisters who ignored the adage against dating the boys from Clarkdale.) This program is offered at no charge, though donations…
… I just received my new 800mm lens on Saturday and finally today, One and I got out on the deck for a while this afternoon and I took some shots to see how well it works … exceedingly happy is one way to put it; for its intended purpose of pulling subject matter up close and producing high quality images. I tested it on a crow, One and some heavenly bamboo leaves that were catching late afternoon light. Two subjects are exceedingly difficult to get good detail in and those are all black and all white … tomorrow down…
Sedona News – The Old Town Center for the Arts is pleased to present Marshall Shore, the ‘Hip Historian’ and Special Guests, for an evening of Arizona and Verde Valley obscure, and fascinating history and trivia, Saturday, January 29th at 7:00 PM. Marshall Shore’s passion is uncovering the weird, the wonderful, and the obscure treasures from our past: the semi-forgotten people, places, and events that have made us who we are today. Though he is credited as the “Best Phoenix Historian,” Marshall has gone on to explore the state of Arizona to learn more about the people, places and…
The Jolson Story On January 25 At 3:30 Pm; Jolson Sings Again On January 26 At 3:30 Pm Sedona News – Before there was Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, Kanye and Jay-Z, Justin Beiber and Beyonce, Madonna and Michael Jackson, The Boss and Billy Joel, before there was Barbra, Elvis, Frank, or Judy . . . a son of Lithuanian Jews, who immigrated to America with his parents at age five, was arguably the first American pop superstar of the 20th century. And until he died in 1950 at age 64, Al Jolson was acknowledged as “The World’s Greatest Entertainer.” Although Al Jolson remained…
Sedona News – On Sunday, February 6, 2022, Chamber Music Sedona will present “Unbound,” a concert performed by violinist Tessa Lark, jazz guitarist Frank Vignola and pianist Teddy Abrams. Performing a program that includes classical, jazz, improvisation and originals, these three multifaceted artists are sure to create an unforgettable concert experience. “Unbound” will take place at 3 p.m. at the Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd., Sedona, Ariz. 86336. Praised for her astounding range of sounds, technical agility and musical elegance, boundary-crossing violinist Tessa Lark has appeared alongside numerous orchestras and at prominent festivals and recital…
Sedona News: Two of Sedona’s best performing musicians will be performing at Steakhouse89 this week. On Friday, January 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, January 22, from 6 to 9 p.m., it’s rocker Corey Spector heating up the Steakhouse89 lounge. He is energetic, talented, has a great voice and engages the audience by having them request songs from the fifties to today through a special phone app he set up so patrons can make their request right over the Internet, thus creating an interactive musical experience for everyone. When he performs, he creates this bond between himself, the…
By Tommy Acosta Sedona News: It’s a no brainer Sedona is in dire need of affordable housing for our workforce. That is why it’s odd influential voices in the community would be arguing against the city’s purchase of the Cultural Park to be used for that purpose. Yes, the price tag for the park itself is almost $20 million, and that’s only for the land. However, one can be assured that there would be plenty of private enterprisers willing to sink a few million dollars into building affordable housing on the abandoned property. It’s no secret the city is flush…
Sedona News – To commemorate the new year, the Met Opera is presenting an encore of the first-ever Live in HD title, Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present “The Magic Flute” encore on Saturday, Jan. 22. There will be one show that day at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 1 p.m. The production was staged and produced by Broadway’s Julie Taymor (of “The Lion King” fame). A wonderfully playful, visually-stunning presentation ideal for people of all ages, it features an imaginative integration of beautifully constructed puppets and world-class singers. “The Magic Flute”…
Flagstaff AZ – The National Park Service is extending the public comment period on the Draft Backcountry Management Plan and associated environmental assessment (EA) for Wupatki National Monument. The extension will now go through Sunday, January 30, 2022. The purpose of this Plan is to provide protection and preservation of irreplaceable resources and wilderness character, while establishing long-term direction for public access and experiences to be had in eligible wilderness and other backcountry lands of the Monument. The EA describes two alternatives: a no-action alternative and an action alternative — which has been identified as the NPS preferred alternative. The no-action alternative reflects a continuation of current management practices, as established in the park’s 2004 General Management Plan.…
By Amaya Gayle Gregory Sugar and spice and all things that are nice, that’s what little girls are made of. Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails, that’s what little boys are made of … or so said the poems from the early 1800s. Thank goodness we see more clearly now … or do we? What are you really made of? What makes up the illusory self? Illusion does not mean non-existence. It simply means not what it appears to be. Most look and see flesh and blood bodies. If they consider consciousness, they see it as residing within the…
…. to close the week out we’ll tale a look at two aviators returning to where their flights originated … for me it was a return to KSEZ after a photo flight up to the San Francisco Peaks and the volcanic field after a snow storm and for the Red Tail Hawk it was a return to the perch from which he had originated a successful hunting flight … first he stopped to dine on his kill perched on top of a Saguaro cactus and then the return to the perch to look for more delicacies roving the desert waiting…