Uncle Joe and the Western Bola Tie

My handsome younger brother Joe Hoyt looks mighty stylin' in the authentic Bola Tie.  It's from Danny's Jewelers on Tegner in Wickenburg -- the perfect gift for Bro Jo's b'day. 
This classic hand-made silver jewelry used to be a staple at Danny's taller  but now that the maestro is working pretty much in gold exclusively, I picked a Bola for Joe made by one of the best young American Indian silversmiths working today. 
The  clasp is Navajo. It's Silver and Tourquise. Makes you wish you commuted by horse instead of by car -- you could dress up in Danny's Finest and look mighty sharp.


Happy birthday, Joedy!

Wabash College - Crawfordsville, IN

Old Poppy here looks mighty good in the stylin' cap from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.  Since I didn't attend school there I probably ought not to wear the cap.  But two high school buddies, Morrie Adams and Tim Werbe are grads of W '65, and so I get a hall pass in this case.

Adams and I were talking the other day, and the conversation got around to colleges, caps, and, lo and behold, this shiny white all nice and clean baby arrived from the UPS dude.  Check it out:  don't you like the look?

Morrie is a monster. Awesome. Thoughftul and generous.  Go, Wabash!

Mercedes 300 TD. 271,368 miles on odo.

Saw this baby today in the Basha's parking lot in Wickenburg.  Poked my head through the front window to check the odo -- knew that Diesel Benz Turbos lasted forever.  271,368 original miles.  Pretty impressive stats.

Steinbeck "Grapes of Wrath" Truck for Sale. Some work needed.

For sale - cheap. Straight out of Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath." And sitting in an empty lot in Wickenburg, AZ.


Truck go-to guy  James Terman says it's most likely a '36 Ford fuel delivery vehicle.  The three separate tank tops suggest a customer option of kerosene, leaded gasoline, or ...... what's in that third tank, James?

The old Ford is pretty rusty. But she's still a beaut,  and a classic, and a reminder of a simpler time in our history.

Just like me and James!?

As Seen on E-Bay!

Check this Chevy clunker-junker on display at a "used car lot" not far from Wickenburg, AZ.

According to the sales pitch on the windshield, owner of this '53 Bel-Aire tried to find a buyer on E-Bay.

Wonder what the Blue Book is.....?

Singapore ... 1970 ... Honda Twin ... Joe Hoyt.

Brother Joe Hoyt astride his Honda Twin somewhere in Singapore in 1970.  It's pretty avant garde to be wearing a helmet back in that era ... and the shoes, the shoes. Explain yourself!

Steer Manure Smells Like Poop.

Lowe's big box store in Surprise, AZ sells steer manure -- "better than regular old cow manure," according to sales associate, Bob. I can attest that the manure smells like .... well, manure. P-U.

Wickenburg Municipal Cemetery.

You learn a lot about a place and its history when you take some quiet time in the sacred space where a town buries its ancestors. I had the chance to do that this afternoon in the Wickenburg Municipal Cemetery, where I began to put "names to faces" of families I've heard and read about, and in some cases gotten to know a bit.

A couple of things struck me: (1) so many of the Sons of Wickenburg have their U.S. military  affiliations inscribed on their headstones; (2) the plots themselves are festooned with deeply personal mementos -- letters, pottery, fotos, toys, and, of course, flowers; (3) the Hispanic Legacy of the American Southwest is evident in our little town's cemetery; and, (4) some of the earliest settlers in these parts -- long before Arizona became a state -- are interred here.

The Heard Museum in Phoenix.

The incomparable Heard Museum in Phoenix is about to host its annual Native art, jewelry, and artifacts exposition!  Pina and I went last year, where we took this foto of one of the artists and his family. We'll be back the weekend of March 5th, and maybe see you there?

Wickenburg's Bradshaw Mountains.

A big storm blew through Wickenburg on Feb. 19th, and left 1+ inches of rain in town, and some 6" of fresh powder snow up at altitude in the Bradshaws.  Made for quite a stunning photo once the sky had cleared on Feb. 20th!

Glacial Rainbow, New Zealand.

Our friends Margot + Jim Butler just arrived home in Greenwich after two weeks "tracking" in glacial foothills of New Zealand. Margot's got a pretty good eye with her Nikon, and caught this little rainbow in a waterfall not more than 3 kms. from their hotel.  What a tip it must have been.  Travelers to New Zealand say it's got about the most spectacular vistas in the world, if you're up for the lengthy flight.

La Liz Lights up La Panama.

Our Medina friends Liz and Ken Weir were in Panama City two weeks ago for some birding, a meeting, and transit of the Panama Canal.  Ken photographed his bride with ultra-modern Ciudad de Panama in the background, not to mention the bluest sky we've seen in a while. 

Wickenburg RV Lifestyle.

About a mile east of Wickenburg on the 60 Highway, "Hospitality RV Park" is home to some 400 residents who come from all over North America for the mild winter weather here in Arizona. I stopped by the park today to check out the very cool sign, and a whopper of a Fleetwood Motor Coach for sale in the parking lot. '08 model, $252,000+ when new (sticker is still on the vehicle), and a motivated owner will let it go for under $160k.

1991 Volvo 940 Turbo.

There is something very classic about the look of this 1991Volvo 940 Turbo dash.  Colors complement each other. Dials are easy to read. Ergonomics of the layout are comforting, familiar.  You're in your uber-comfortable leather seats, looking at your instruments, and you think you can drive forever. Except you need to get gas every 275 miles or so -- and pee more frequnetly than that, if you're a man of a certain age.

Wickenburg's El Ranchero Restaurant.

Employees, family and "amigos" of Wickenburg's iconic El Ranchero restaurant, were a big part of the celebration at 63rd Annual Gold Rush Days parade last Saturday.  If you like the outfits, you'll love the chicken enchiladas!!