Five days and counting...

The painted panels are complete. Here are the photos I promised, in the aol pictures window to the left.

I didn't think to take pictures of every step in the process, however, I took a few along the way.

If it wasn't for Ted, I wouldn't have gotten this far. He is a friend and member of our church family who is always at the ready to do whatever has to be done, and when it has to be done, in our community. I didn't have to ask him if he would do the job, because I knew he would. He beat me to the question, though. As soon as he heard we were working on VBS, his words were, "Bea, what do you want me to build for you this year?"

I love that man!

Yesterday, I wrote about the saguaro cactus. I couldn't add the photo then because I had not received permission from the photographer. Today I received his email and his blessings to include the photos.

This one is the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Saguaro National Park, Arizona, complements of Terragalleria.com, an online gallery of travel photographs by Quang-Tuan Luong. They are free for personal use, but absoutely, he wants you to ask for permission to use them.

Tuan's photographs from places all around the world are not only aesthetically appealing and beautiful, but spiritual and poetic. When I see his photos of the landscape in Arizona, I see with understanding.

Here's another one taken at sunset in Arizona on the Hugh Norris Trail. Again, I did not take this photo. It's from Terragalleria.com, with permission.

Click here for interesting facts about the Saguaro. It's where I found the facts included in this entry.

Ooh, these pictures are so big! This one shows the detail of the arms of a saguaro, which usually start growing after the plant is about fifteen feet tall!  Slow growing, the average saguaro has about five arms and is 30 feet tall. The bigger they are, the older they are (generally), and the more arms they will have.

Now if you'll take a look at my interpretation of the Saguaro cactus, you will see mine are very young, having only two arms, which tells you they are at least fifteen years old!

Ted is going to make 'feet' for the painted panels so they will stand freely, and then I'll add some other objects and scenery to further create a Mexican desert feel for our Fiesta.