VIEWFINDER

Artistic Hospitality in Patagonia

When Kathleen James and Gary Retherford moved from Houston to Patagonia, they came seeking the solitude of a rural community. But by a quirkyturn of fate, this artistic couple now has visitors from all over the globe lounging on the wide porch and relaxing in their renovated Territorial home. After remodeling

the mud adobe house originally built in 1915, James and Retherford turned the detached garage into a New York-style loft-leaving the house empty of people, but full of a diverse mix of contemporary American and Mexican folk art. Former owners of an art gallery in Houston, the couple decided to open the house by appointment as an impromptu gallery. Before long, visitors were clamoring for the opportunity to stay overnight in the main house, which James and Retherford call La Frontera.

"We didn't set out to open a B&B," said James. "But now I have all of these interesting people coming into my living room."

Since opening their home to visitors in April 2004, this artsy couple has explored a new frontier - sharing the historic home in true Southwestern-style.

Information: (520) 604-6762.

Phoenix Then and Now

In the grand scheme of things, Phoenix might be considered young, but that doesn't mean it has no history. Since its incorporation in 1881, Phoenix has steadily grown to become the nation's sixth largest city. In their newly published book, Phoenix Then and Now, Paul Scharbach and John Akers chronicle the development of Phoenix through a photographic history. The authors juxtapose photographs of commercial buildings, homes, churches, temples and other settings in the city's early days - "then" - with modernday - "now"-counterparts. Readers will appreciate Phoenix's transformation into a contemporary urban metropolis.

Information: www.thunderbaybooks.com.

Lake Havasu Enlightenment

During the night, the tricky turns in Lake Havasu, located on Arizona's western border, become almost invisible. Peopleattempting to navigate the lake after sunset run a high risk of damaging their boats, or even losing their lives from unexpected crashes. But with the help of the Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club, the nighttime waters of the lake are becoming a bit safer.

Dismayed by the alarming number of accidents after dark, a group formed the club, determined to ring the lake with replicas of famous lighthouses from around the United States. Already the group has overseen construction of eight lighthouses and has plans for at least four more this year. While primarily meant to keep people safe, the club's illuminating project gives a scenic air to the lake during the day and provides a stirring light show at night.

Information: www.lhlighthouse club.org.

EVENTS 10/05

Grab your cowboy hats and trek on over to the Phoenix Art Museum's unveiling of new works by members of the Cowboy Artists of America at the 40th Annual Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition & Sale October 22 through November 20. The sale of these artworks is planned for a ticketed event on October 21, Information: (602) 257-1880 or www.phxart.org.

Discover Hispanic culture with hands-on art activities, including papel picado (paper art), tinwork and straw mosaics at the 2nd Annual Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. This Dia de los Muertos celebration, scheduled for October 28-30, also features storytelling, mariachi music and ballet folklorico performances. Information: (928) 774-5213 or www.musnaz.org.

For many more events, go to arizonahighways. com and click on Experience Arizona.