As I went through the vintage pictures and the text I noticed how many Legends were associated with animals.  There was Sarah Gorby, Who was the first person in Arizona to be licensed to rehab wild life. She was in the parking lot of a supermarket one day with some of her critters.  A man walked up and curiously asked what kind of dogs she had.  She snapped off something about a Himalayan breed of sheep dog.  He was astounded, never heard of the breed.  She finally told him they were not dogs but javalina.  That started a close friendship between Lee Marvin and Sarah that lasted her whole life.  Marvin once remarked that hers was the only house he had to wipe his feet after he left.          

Catherine Reidy, a pioneer woman and homesteader, also dealt with some interesting critters.  In her case it was rattlesnakes.  During the depression she helped out her family by skinning the snakes and making clothes and jewelry that were featured in local stores. 

BD Daniels’ dogs were more than pets, they were professionals.  Daniels was a hunting guide in the Southwest Mountains of Arizona.  His dog Copper was so good he caught the attention of a hunter from California who wrote a children’s book about him.  The book was made into a movie titled “THE FOXES AND THE HOUND.”             

While working through the edits of these Legends and a hundred others, including a Medal of Honor recipient, 1800 Pioneers, and even a Countess, I was still plugging away, when I could, on a manuscript on a historical US Navy helicopter squadron.  Talk about strange bedfellows, or in this case, strange compute mates.  My mind seems to enjoy jumping from the sublime to the ridiculous.

And just to make my brain even more confused in the middle of all this I got an invitation to a signing On Saturday August 2012 at the Native American Celebration in Gallup, New Mexico.  This is a once-a-year event attended by the surrounding tribes.  It is a colorful event and rather exciting as the Native Americans perform their tribal and religious dances in full regalia. Something that has been in my bucket to see.  I’m really looking forward to it.  I’ll be presenting and signing my two New Mexico books: Outlaw Tales of New Mexico, and Myths and Mysteries of New Mexico on the ART STROLL.  If you have an opportunity to visit please come and say Hi.  For more information on the celebration try this link:gosw.about.com/od/gallupnewmexico.p/intertribal.htm

Next blog I’m taking you on some wild helicopter stories including rescues, a football game in the Antarctic for people and penguin fans and some good old navy humor.

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Who says Arizona doesn’t have clouds.

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