Echoes of the Southwest

The Glendale Memorial Park Cemetery is recognized as the first cemetery in Glendale and founded in 1900 by three Glendale churches.  The initial part of the cemetery is now known as the Historic Desert Section.  Buried in the earth in this area are Civil War soldiers and Glendale’s founders.  There is a mass unmarked grave for those poor unnamed souls.  The cemetery sits on 21 acres and houses around 17,000 burial spaces.  The majority of the grounds are covered with crushed granite will the rest is covered with grass.  There is a fountain with lots of shade trees to make your visit more comfortable and serene.

One of the places you might want to visit while in Arizona is the historic district of Glendale.  It is located in the heart of Glendale and has a variety of things to do.  If you love antique shopping, they have a few shops to choose from as well as other one-of-a-kind shops.  Many of the shops are located in historic homes which were renovated and decorated for each unique store.  There is no shortage of places to eat and drink in this location.  La Piazza al Forno was featured on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  You will also find a library and lodging establishments as well. There is a lovely park with a view of the city’s business building to the quaint shops and restaurants along the street.  This park has hosted many events such as the Chocolate Affaire, Glendale Glitters, Summer Band Concert Series, and Teddy Bear Day just to name a few. This website gives you a list of all you will find in Glendale’s historic district:...

From the moment you walk in the door, you are hit with the wonderful smell of mint and chocolate.  Cerreta Candy Co. is known for their mouth-watering French Mint, but they manufacture many other types of sweet treats.  Located near the downtown historic district of Glendale, AZ, this candy factory has been around for over 40 years.  The company was started by Jim Cerreta Sr. who learned how to make candy from his father-in-law while living in Canton, Ohio.  The establishment has been maintained by the Cerreta family where three of his sons currently have a hand in every facet of the candy enterprise.  Even Jim’s grandchildren are doing their part and helping out in the family business. Not only do you get to shop the many varieties of sweets they manufacture, but they offer tours so you can see how the candy is made.  You are escorted throughout the back area of the place which takes about 30 minutes and is presented Monday through Friday from 10a...

Your wedding day is very special, but some people don’t want a church or typical garden wedding.  These people want to get married at a venue that reflects who they are.  Some places are quirky while others are in hard-to-reach but breathtaking locations.  Wherever you chose for that special day, Arizona has many great places to get married.  Here are just some of the ones I found: Elvis Memorial Chapel The Elvis Memorial Chapel is a movie mementos museum for movies filmed at Apacheland, and was donated to the Superstition Mountain Museum.  It was taken down piece by piece, nail by nail, and has been reconstructed on the museum ground.  It is also where weddings have been performed and sometimes with the watchful eye of Elvis lurking from behind. Top of a mountain Many love the gorgeous views from any of the mountains in the state.  Some pick South Mountain with its view of Phoenix or others may choose the red rocks of Sedona. ...

When visiting Arizona, there are many places to see.  Two places that come to mind right away that top people’s lists are the Grand Canyon and Tombstone.  Of course they should be on your list, but there are other places you should check out as well. Sedona and Oak Creek The city of Sedona spans to some degree in the Verde Valley, between Coconino and Yavapai counties. Surrounding the downtown are vivid orange-red sandstone rock creations as vibrant as Sedona’s sunset. There are many places to hike and enjoy the breathtaking scenery this place has to offer.  People come to this serene settlement for the mountainous hiking trails, spiritual healing powers of the vortexes, and even for some UFO hunting. Sedona has it all. One of the main characteristics of this town is its many vortexes which seem to have New Age spiritual healing abilities. Some are certain the organic formations of the red mountains are contributing factors to the energy of these soothing pow...

When I take photos of any abandoned place, I will use doors, windows and even shrubbery to frame my shot or add a bit on interest to the photo.  These pictures were taken at an abandoned house we found along the Arizona highways.

Here are some crazy laws in Arizona that have made it onto the books: 1. Hunting camels is prohibited. (Good, I wouldn’t want to see a dead camel head in a den.) 2. Any misdemeanor committed while wearing a red mask is considered a felony . (Is pink ok?) 3. There is a possible 25 years in prison for cutting down a cactus. (Only 5 years for kicking it.) 4. Donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs. (What if he falls asleep while taking a bath?) 5. A class 2 misdemeanor occurs if one places a mark upon a flag which is “likely to provoke physical retaliation”. (You can yell like a sailor all you want and not get fined.) 6. It is illegal to manufacture imitation cocaine. (The real stuff is ok?) 7. When being attacked by a criminal or burglar, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon that the other people possess. (“Excuse me, can I have your gun so I can shoot you, thanks.”) 8. It is unlawful to refuse a person a glass of water. (This makes sense sin...