Corona de Tucson
January 31, 2026
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| The first sunset for 2026 |
January was a busy month. It wasn't a hectic kind of busy, but we managed to check a lot of things off the to do list. Cleaning out closets, shampooing all the rugs and the carpet in all three bedrooms and closets, reorganizing, cleaning ceiling fans and lights and base boards, and going thru the pantry and spices to discard the "out of date" things. After several trips to Goodwill, we are all done for awhile. As you can see, the month wasn't all work.
January's weather has been a mixed bag of rainy days, rainy and windy days, chilly days, and sunny and windy days with some very nice days thrown in-between. We like this time of year with all the changes in the weather and at the same time, we are thankful we live here.
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| Lucy did not understand this phenomenon... |
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| Walking to the park... |
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| Raindrops and pansies... |
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| Sunset walks are so pretty... |
We are beginning to see blossoms when we walk.
Lucy keeps us busy and entertained. I was reading about how you know if puppies love you. The usual thoughts...wagging their tails when they see you, eye contact, following you everywhere, and rubbing their face against you were all mentioned. But one way showed up that surprised me... taking your socks and shoes. Lucy loves our socks and shoes and takes them every chance she gets. I thought she just wanted our attention, but the article explained that socks and shoes are saturated in their owner's scent which provides a pup with comfort. Lucy knows better and often hides under the bed or under the kitchen table when she grabs a sock....a stern "drop it" works most of the time. She also brings us her toys which was also listed as a sign your puppy loves you. Play time works much better than stealing socks! It is fun watching Lucy learn new things. She got a new stiff kong frisbee for Christmas. What a funny sight she was running around the yard and into everything until she got it all figured out.
Joe and I laughed out loud as Lucy chased a new "light" ball. If it sits still, the light goes off. If she rolls it, the light comes on. She is fascinated by it!
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| Pictures were hard to take...she pushes the ball all over the kitchen and great room and the ball lights up. |
Lucy watching for her daddy from the kitchen window.
A month or so ago, we bought tickets to attend an outdoor concert and bar-b-que. You might remember we met Art and Valerie who are the owners of the Tumacacori Mesquite Sawmill. They also have a "hobby" which is cooking bar-b-que on the Holy Smoker that belongs to the Catholic Church in Tumacacori. We found out about the concert from them. What a fun time it was. The concert is sponsored by the Blue Truck Concert Series. It is hosted by Tish and Lynn and features intimate, ranch-based live music performances. The concerts take place at a private ranch in Tubac. The Holy Smoker is often there serving lunch for the event and all the proceeds go to the church. We had no idea what to expect, and are excited to say it was a great day! The bar-b-que sandwich with all the fixings was yummy served with a beverage, chips and a huge homemade cookie (also quite yummy!). The concert featured Lacy J Dalton, a country music singer and songwriter who first achieved stardom in the 80s. Back then, she was often compared to male contemporaries of the Outlaw Country Music movement. She has performed with some great artists...Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson...and was inducted into the Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 2017.
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| Valerie serving BBQ at the Holy Smoker. The smoker is huge with all sorts of grills, stove tops, warming ovens, with storage for huge pots and pans, wood and gas tanks welded to a humongous trailer and pulled by a truck. It stays under a covered garage at the sawmill. |
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| The Blue Truck provides a stage and wiring for sound equipment and stage lights. |
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Lacy J Dalton and her one man band. Lacy J is known for her gritty and powerful vocals, her lyrics and as an acoustic guitarist.
Lacy J enjoyed meeting folks and visiting with the crowd during a break. She was dressed in black which she thanked Johnny Cash for. Her stories and songs were funny and entertaining. Her voice is a nice mix of Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin. She is recognized as being a "trailblazer" in the 80s country scene. And even though she hasn't had a record in the charts for a couple of decades, she works hard and brings "hard-working energy" to her performance. Lacy J is described as a down to earth person by those that know her and is deeply passionate about animal welfare...specifically through her work with the Let 'Em Run Foundation for wild horses which she founded in 1999.
Speaking of horses, the outdoor concert was located at Rancho De Falla in Tubac. It is an amazingly beautiful place.
The ranch house wasn't open, but the facilities were open in the smaller guest house which is just right of the center. A courtyard with great views, a pool, and an outdoor kitchen join the two houses.
The barn located on the opposite side of the driveway with it's big porch and rockers that face the sunset was my favorite.
It was a gorgeous setting, a beautiful day, and we enjoyed our lunch and the concert.
Speaking of beautiful days, we had a fun day with Jamie and Andra this past Saturday. We met them at Hotel Congress (they had never been there) and enjoyed a yummy brunch/lunch on the patio. I have to say that the smoked salmon Benedict was the best ever. The hollandaise sauce was not like any I have ever tasted and the smoked salon was delicious. No pictures, but if you visit us we will be glad to take you there! There was an exhibit in the Hotel Lobby featuring Douglas Miles who is a San Carlos Apache-Akimel O'odham artist. His work is deeply rooted in Apache history. The Apache Suitcase Series by Miles is on loan from the Etheron Gallery (a Tucson destination for photography collectors in the Southwest).
The sun was so nice and warm, we took a walk in the city afterwards. I love walking the city blocks. There is so much to see...looking up, down, and all around...and it isn't hard to get in a couple of miles.
"Los Tres Amigos" is a mural painted by a local artist, Ignacio Garcia to celebrate 100 years of Tucson Rodeos and honors the rich history of La Fiesta de los Vaqueros.. Rodeos are a big deal here that last three days and even schools are closed on Friday.
This vibrant, colorful mural is on the Tucson City Courthouse building on E Alameda Street. Garcia has painted over 40 murals across Tucson and says this is the biggest mural he has ever done. The mural features three men, a nod to the city's rich cultural diversity. Garcia commented, "I try not to have distinct identity but a real mix of culture because it's always been that in Tucson."
Los Tres Amigos is a city block wide and four stories tall. It took three months to create. The detail in these gigantic paintings always amazes me. In addition to the three cowboys, it also features a red headed bronco rider who was actually a participant in the 1925 rodeo event 100 years ago.
We passed lots of murals on our walk, but I will only share one more. Tucson is home to the state's tallest mural. "Desert Colossus" is a saguaro cactus that climbs 153 feet, 11 stories tall (two stories above the top floor), on the north side of the Transamerica Building on Church street. I have admired this mural often as it is visible when driving on I 10 east when you pass by town. The artist, Joe Pagac, commented, "I love to bring some of the Sonoran Desert that surrounds the city into the heart of it." "I love painting nature that is larger than life so people can really appreciate it, and hopefully it inspires people to get out and hike a bit."
Pagac says he spent six months photographing saguaros he saw because he wanted to incorporate imperfections and scars from many different saguaros into this one. "The murals add to the city's colorful and vibrant atmosphere, making Tucson feel alive," said Pagac. The mural is so large that Pagac and his wife, Lena Vasickova, who helped him daily, were unable to see the full scope of their work when they were pressed up against the building After each days work, From early morning to late afternoon, they had to drive about a mile away to see the days progress.
Back at the oasis, we still get visits from the male Ladder-backed woodpecker and a couple of times I saw the female too.
The sweet little hummingbirds brave the wind and chilly temps.
Our amaryllis had eight blooms which is the most I have ever seen at one time.
Back on the east coast, family is snowed under. Felix and Edith are loving it!
So that's a wrap and 2026 is off to a great start. We head out next week for a winter vaca so stay tuned. I'll close with a few favorite pics...
Until next time...
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HAPPY TRAILS
and, SWEET DREAMS!
