Holy Rollin': Desert Christ Park

As much as we Northern Hemisphere-ians associate the Christmas holiday with frigid temperatures and blankets of purest snow, the fact is that even at its coldest, Bethlehem probably won't dip below the mid-50's Fahrenheit this December 25 (I totally checked weather.com or something).

With Christmas just a few days away, it only seems appropriate to visit California's answer to the barren, sun-scorched terrain of ancient Jerusalem - Desert Christ Park in Yucca Valley, CA.

Constructed in 1951 by designer/evangelist, Frank Antone Martin, Desert Christ Park is a five-acre statuary garden depicting the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.  Situated on a sandy hillside, the park is the perfect place to reflect on the joys of the season in a setting not too dissimilar from the first Christmas, I reckon.

The wacky tacky adventure team enjoyed the opportunity to
reflect the attitudes and poses of the 60-year-old desert statues.

It's probably bad form to crash the Last Supper but I have a feeling He'd say,

"There's always room at my table."  What's a few more loaves and fishes, anyway?

Desert Christ Park is not itself a church but its religious nature makes it an ideal candidate for our "Holy Rollin'" series.  Plus, the grounds do include an awesome rock chapel - The Rock Chapel to be exact.

Through the cruciform window of The Rock Chapel, one can catch a glimpse of Christ's ascension.

With a capacity of about twenty people, we think The Rock Chapel 

would make an ideal location for an intimate, wacky tacky wedding.

The real fun of DCP is the opportunity for immersive participation with Martin's scriptural sculptures.

Emily was pretty proud of herself for helping...

Spoonin' and sunbathin'

"Seven heads are better than two," as the old saying goes.

It's been a rough thirty-three years.

I think there is a reason that people flock to the desert for spiritual awakening; America's Southwest has long been heralded for its calming, healing, and centering properties and Desert Christ Park is no exception.  Whether you're of the Christian faith or not, Desert Christ Park will make a believer (in sweet, roadside statuary) out of you.

Group hug!

Although it is difficult for me to understand, I realize that there are folks out there who actually enjoy the cold climes of those parts of the world that experience real winter weather.  I am such a wimp when it comes to the slightest chill that I am thrilled to report that these pictures are an accurate reflection of a Southern California Christmas (it's supposed to be 82 degrees on Wednesday).  My Christmas wish (which could be the beginning of my own personal episode of The Twilight Zone) would be to make like the statues of Desert Christ Park and bask in the perpetual peace and sunshine of the desert all winter long.  I love our winter weather!

"Winter Weather" - The Benny Goodman Orchestra (1941)

Warm or cold, we truly hope that all of your wacky tacky celebrations are merry and bright!  Merry Christmas!

Desert Christ Park

56218 Sunnyslope Dr

Yucca Valley, CA

www.desertchristpark.org

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Signs of the Times: Yucca Bowl

Pardon me, New Yucca Bowl - Yucca Valley, CA

We do our very best to bring you the best in bowling alley beauty that we can find.  Sometimes, even when an alley's bones are old, the rest of it has been updated, remodeled, or "fancified" and the last remaining vestige of its former glory is a lone sign.  New Yucca Bowl isn't a proud, boastful sign; it's the crown of a sun-scorched bowling pin shyly peeking out from atop a simple light box.  Yes, this sign has probably seen better days, but you'd better believe that when the desert sun goes down and the perimeter lights start their twinkling, there isn't a more glorious sign to be seen on Broadway (even with a few bulbs missing).  And as I always say, let ye who is without a few bulbs missing among you, let him cast the first stone.


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Reckless Abandon: THANKful for Deserted Domiciles

It is that time of year again when we Americans show our gratitude for the abundance with which we live through a glorious display of gluttony and greed.  First we gorge ourselves on a disgraceful amount of food and then we trample each other for discounted electronics that we cannot afford anyway; seriously, every year the news is chock full of footage of people injuring (sometimes killing) their fellow human beings to get a TV/cell phone/video game console with built-in obsolescence.  Can you tell that I am a bit of a humbug when it comes to the contemporary holiday tradition?  Having worked in retail for many seasons, I like to count my blessings as far away from shopping malls as possible.  The furthest locale for my kind of gratitude is the desert and the places that remind me to be grateful for all that I have are the decaying, abandoned houses along the highway. 

There comes a moment in every fervent search for a very particular abandoned, desert house when one realizes that in the search, one has driven past a hundred abandoned, desert houses - all worthy of exploration.  As it turns out, the desert isn't just untamed winds and prehistoric flora, it is a vast frontier of never ending opportunities for exploring abandoned properties.  The combination of the feeling that you're doing something naughty with the opportunity you have to make up a history for the property and its former occupants turns what is really an innocuous activity into something very exciting.  So, with reckless abandon we set out to explore these abandoned wrecks.  

"Danny was here"

Our first stop was this abandoned house in Yucca Valley, Twenty Nine Palms???  Wherever it was, it was a sweet little house.  Based on the remaining fixtures and the style, the house appears to have been built in the late 1940's/early 1950's.

You know those times when you jokingly pretend you're modeling and
the result is a super-uncomfortable photograph that you insist on sharing
 with the world anyway?  This is not that...obviously.

Decorating by paintball - interesting choice.
The scalloped trim and the radius shelves made we want to move
 in and save this place.

Some wallpaper was still intact because it was on the kitchen ceiling.

A large service porch had a sink and room for washer,
dryer, ironing board, and storage.  Is it weird that I have turned
this into real estate shopping rather than a gritty examination
 of this abandoned, and undoubtedly haunted, shack? 

Speaking of all things haunted - even in the full light of day,
 the house was a little spooky and came complete with the obligatory
disembodied doll arm.

The landscaping and lawn ornaments were atmospheric
but all in all they left something to be desired.
I did bring a souvenir home - the Frigidaire name plate.

The climbing tree was pretty awesome though

And then there was the fiberglass go kart body
parked in the breakfast nook and another on the side yard.

It is hard to find logic in an abandoned desert home but we just couldn't get over the go karts; why were they there?  Were the previous residents professionals on the international go kart circuit?   Were they working on a fossil-fuel-free transportation system for city residents?  Were these rejects from Autopia that Disneyland was stashing in the desert?  The answer came a short while later when we followed the lighthouse in the distance.

Our beacon

Even in a defunct state, this stately architecture lit our way to our next abandoned location - a family fun center!

Complete with racetrack and more go karts!!!

Mr. Tiny had the bright idea to bring a bit of the lighthouse
 home but what does one do with a gable full of termites and
rusty nails?

Man, oh man, would I like this for the backyard though.
You know I love a good water feature.

A short but challenging course.

Smith's Ranch, while technically not abandoned, fell into the "abandoned" category because it was desolate when we found it; the dusty floor of this primitive drive-in theater combined with the fierce winds definitely lent a feeling that no one had populated its grounds in many years.

Smith's Ranch plays up-to-date pictures

While there are still plenty of flickers yet to be played at Smith's Ranch,
it seemed like a screening of The Last Picture Show would be entirely apropos.

We were feeling so high on our abandoned adventures that we thought nothing could bring us down...

And then Mary was taken out by a giant arrow.

Whether your celebrations find you heading to the middle of the desert or to the comfort of your family home, we wish you a functioning wacky wagon, a roadside filled with wonder, and a very Happy Thanksgiving - you turkeys!!!  

(Source)

We have much to be thankful for and while we are in a thankful frame of mind, we must again thank you for all of your support!  Thanks for following along and thanks especially for your wonderful comments.  In our next post, we will have an exciting announcement and an opportunity to show our gratitude with a GIVEAWAY!

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny