Castle Hot Springs

This is one of my favorite places to go so I am going to first tell you about the place and then about our little jaunt there last Sunday. This is a copy of a recent magazine.

DEVELOPERS LOOK TO REVIVE CASTLE HOT SPRINGS RESORT

JUNE 20, 2016 AT 5:04 AM

Castle Hot Springs Resort, as seen in the March 1974 issue of Arizona Highways.

Tucked away in the shadow of the rugged Bradshaw Mountains, not far from Lake Pleasant, Castle Hot Springs once boasted a dazzling guest list — from Rockefellers to Carnegies to a Kennedy. Yet for 40 years, the resort sat empty, frequented only by a caretaker and countless owners whose grand plans for the site fizzled.

The place boasts the kind of rugged beauty that can’t be found at urban resorts. It’s an oasis — a canola-yellow mansion in the mountains, surrounded by natural hot springs, fruit trees and hiking trails. But it sits at the end of a rough, rocky road that Arizona’s official historian calls “not really passable, and not even jackass-able” after heavy rainfall. It endured fires and floods after it opened in 1896; after a 1976 blaze, it closed to the public. It had been maintained by ASU for years and of course no one could get inside but apparently some local business partners are going to endeavor to revive this first Arizona resort and bought the property for $1.95 million at a online auction in 2014. There have been many people that have tried to accomplish this for over 40 years and trust me if it happens I will be first in line. The original drawn guests traveled on private Burlington Northern Santa Fe train cars, hopping off at the Morristown station and climbing onto stagecoaches that transported them to the resort. where guests enjoyed accommodations that included swimming, golf, hiking, horseback-riding and tennis — and, naturally, Arizona’s beautiful weather.

Today, only a few structures remain. Fires claimed the Palm House and the Wrigley Building (named after another famous family that stayed there). The bright-yellow Kennedy Building still stands although mostly gutted. The second floor of the yellow building — referred to as the Kennedy Building, after future President John F. Kennedy, who recuperated there after World War II — once served as a greeting and check-in area for guests. It’s gutted now, but there are a few historical gems that remain, including a telephone booth that reportedly housed the phone with Arizona’s first telephone number: 1.Here are a few pictures from the past...

For more information you can go here

Now here are some pictures of our little jaunt there...

Rough dirt road but look at all the mailboxes!!

 How about these wild donkeys..

You can see the palm trees and the yellow house here.

 Just another abandoned house along the way and

 more palm trees...

This is not a mirage but is Lake Pleasant. A man made lake.

The real problem with restoring Castle Hot springs  is the getting there. The road is very rough and all dirt. Someone said they studied building a cable car from Lake Pleasant but that doesn't sound very feasible either.

Just a little fun....

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot. Once a day it was taken and sold to the tannery.
If you had to do this to survive, you were “piss poor.”


But worse than that were the really poor folks who couldn’t even afford to buy a pot. They “didn’t have a pot to piss in” and were considered the lowest of the low.






The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the term, “dirt poor.”


The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing.
As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.
Hence, “a thresh hold.”




Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the “upper crust.”




Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.
They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.
Hence the custom of holding a “wake.”

You CAN teach a old dog some new tricks

I have been in process of trying to organize things for our upcoming trip. I have always wanted to have a wardrobe capsule....
and low and behold as I stood and began pulling clothes from my closet that were in the black and beige tones, dozens of outfits appeared. My highlight color will not be orange like in this sample and I like print items so will use many of those. I read an article that said a woman had outfits in her closet but rarely wore them...she finally figured out they were not in her comfortable colors. The light bulb went off for me....My favorite colors are black, beige, taupe and maybe a little grey, so is it any wonder I have very little blue things and the ones I have go with nothing. I think I would like a little red as my highlight color. It was also suggested to use a shawl (which I have) but it said you could use a brooch to pin it to stay on your shoulders and guess what? I have a brooch that was my Grandmother's that I would love to wear. All this may be a no brainer for you but it is exciting for me and I didn't have to go shopping.

I also discovered I can put my mail on hold for vacation right online and they will deliver it on my stop date. Yahoo!

I have been practicing using my cell phone as my camera and am going to use only that on our trip instead of carrying a camera and phone. We will see how that goes.

 

This and That

I have trouble getting shoes that don't hurt my feet and was searching for a pair to break in before our up coming trip....this is what I found!

Sketchers:) So far they have been working out good.

Have you seen tomatoes growing upside down? Well this is mine and it seems to be working fine

but I don't think I should think in salad terms:)

 

Here is a tidbit. If you download books using overdrive and suddenly start having trouble? Don't hurry and buy a new device like I did. Uninstall overdrive and then re-install it. Might just solve all the problems. I learned this the hard way recently but am the proud owner of a new Nano.



Check this out.....

Comparison of the Titanic and a cruise ship today. Nothing like  picture to give a little perspective!




and last but not least.......

 

This and That

I am not sure why I haven't been motivated to post but it is a fact. I took these pictures to post but it has been a while so it is "old" news. Oh well here it goes...
My modem went out so I had to get a new one and more important, set it up.

With help I got it done and wow!! So much faster and clearer. I should have thought it was time because I had the old one over nine years.

I had a favorite candle in my kitchen and used it all up so I was on the hunt for a replacement. I don't like a lot of the ones they have but low and behold I found this one...

at Walmart and I LOVE IT!! Most interesting, on the side it says "Made in the USA" and as I read it the people began this business in Fayetteville, Ar. We were there as posted here. I am going to have to make another trip and get some more because I really like it:)

 

 

 

Hubby brought me a bouquet of roses and Star Gazers (my favorite flower). It was so very pretty and the star gazers lasted for a week and a half.

If only I could sent the scent  along:)

 

 

 

Here is my little parakeet

                                                          Rico, my pretty baby blue bird.

 

 

Here is a quick as a wink Frito casserole for one.

Put a layer of Frito's, then some can chili. Let it sit for a while or over night and then heat it up in the microwave and put cheese on top. I love to add shredded lettuce.

I leave you with this gorgeous sunset from my Arizona skies.

 

 

 

 

Somethings to ponder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This and That

Remember these? My daughter was born a month early so I had to pin the legs smaller or the pee just ran down her legs.

Baby cages so children that lived in apartments could get sunshine? Yikes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think this is called a oxymoron.......

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sure this would be considered cruel in todays world....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Testing a bullet proof vest?????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You gotta love this....

 

Brothel tokens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only in California will you find these......

 

 

Pasadena, CA.

 

This and That

Normally I knit for newborns in need but got a little Christmas present ready early for the Granddaughter....

 

A little cosmetic bag...didn't it turn out cute!

You know how when you get older the things you wouldn't eat as a kid you now think is good???
Well, look what I re-discovered....

Broiled grapefruit with cinnamon and sugar.




I am reminding myself.........

Go ahead...let loose, let her rip, and come May I will be on Medicare so no worries about the doctor bills....

Or so they tell me.

 

 

 

This and That

Many years ago my daughter took a dried flower class and she made me this wall hanging...

 

Recently she said I should get rid of it because it was so old and outdated but....

 

I still like it right where it is, in my sewing room.

a sweet friend had surgery recently and I took over a large bowl of soup, when she returned my bowl she included several crocheted items to add to my charity box.

 

 

 Thank you  Martha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite pictures of myself, do you know why?

 It was before I learned to be concerned about what other's thought:)