Southern Arizona Heritage and Visitor Center

Corona de Tucson

July 24, 2021

This week Joe had an early morning appointment at the eye doctor.  We don't venture into Tucson very often as most everything we need is close by in Sahuarita or Vail. 

One of the places we have been wanting to visit is the Pima County Historic Courthouse which just happens to be close to the Catalina Eye Care.   This piece of history which opened in 1929 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  Today, it houses exhibits, the U of A Mineral and Gem Museum, a coffee shop and offices.   

In 1978 when it received its historical status, it was designated "the most outstanding Spanish Colonial Revival building in Arizona".  

 

 

The "elegant blue-tiled dome" was recorded as its most prominent feature.  It is no surprise that the iconic mosaic dome has become one of the most recognizable structures in the region.   I couldn't help but be impressed with the entrance...so ornate, delicate, and strong to withstand the test of time and nature.  

In 1934, Public Enemy #1, otherwise known as John Dillinger, was captured in Tucson and held in this courthouse.  The sheriff sold tickets to the public to view the bank-robbing celebrity.  

Courtroom #1...where John Dillinger was arraigned .  The courtroom has been preserved to the 1930s Dillinger days.  

Johnny Depp pleaded guilty of speeding (93 mph in his Porsche) on I 10 in the same courtroom in 1991.  He played John Dillinger in the movie Public Enemies in 2009.

The exhibits..."storytelling portals"...are informative and colorful with details about the history, arts and culture, food, recreation, water, and nature.  The center also includes a theatre, topographical maps, and a gift shop.

 

We didn't visit the Gem and Mineral Museum housed there, but will return to do so.  And I want to go to the Tucson Museum of Art which is across the street.  Both buildings are in the EL Presidio Neighborhood National Historic District.  

On a not so fun note, we did get biopsy reports.  Its not good, but that was not a surprise !  My only biopsy (on my temple...yikes!) is positive for squamous cell carcinoma.  Poor Joe, 4 of his 6 biopsies (2 on his nose...double yikes!, 1 on the top of his hand and 1 on the side of his neck) are positive for basal cell carcinoma.  The doctors office will call next week to make appointments for another round of MOHs surgeries.  As bad as it sounds, it could be so much worse.  We are thankful to have a great surgeon ! 

We are still enjoying our morning walks.   We walk at a fast clip and don't take the pups along so last week when we finished, we started taking them for a half mile walk on the sidewalk.  Now they insist on going...all lined up at the door waiting for leashes !  Such creatures of habits we all are !

That is a huge hawk in the top of the tree...

 

  

We did purchase countertops for the kitchen this week.  We found exactly what we were looking for at Home Depot.  Now we wait !   Next step is for the contractor to come and measure and then its more waiting to have them made and installed.   Did I mention I don't like waiting? 

Other than that, our week might seem boring, but we prefer to call it living instead.  We aren't very motivated to start projects we want to do inside or out.  It is very rewarding (at this stage of the game) to have projects you "want to do" instead of "have to do".  Neither of us are lazy, but  after 9 years of go, go, go and then another year of work, work, work we don't want to do either right now.  We spend our days enjoying naps, reading, playing games, throwing ball with Jack, and sitting on the patio.  It has rained everyday this week except one.  As I write this post, we are under a flash flood watch until midnight Sunday.  There were signs of flooding when we went to the grocery store yesterday...road closures and even a car that had been swept off the road and landed a few yards away in a deep wash.  

The backyard continues to be enjoyable and entertaining.  Joe can't keep the bird feeders full.  

We call them (female House Finch) the regulars ! And have grown accustomed to their chatter.  We often chuckle at the occasional disagreement they seem to have as they crowd the feeder and hop along the ground.

We have awarded him (Gila Woodpecker) "The Most Polite" bird.  He never bothers any of the other birds and isn't greedy as he perches for a seed or a bite of suet...taking either with him to a bush nearby to enjoy.

 

Although common in the backyard, I find him (House Finch) quite colorful and enjoy his long twittering song.

   

The colorful male Black-headed Grossbeak has quite the voice !  He reminds me of the Robins we had in the Georgia yard.  Even though Robins do live in this neck of the woods, we haven't seen any.   

 Sometimes the visitors don't fly.  But they do run really fast ! 

And sometimes I spend way too much time doing silly things like trying to catch a droplet of water about to fall.  Unsuccessfully I might add !

Back in the mid 60s, Joe's mom and dad made a cross country trip from South Carolina to California to attend a bankers convention.  One of their stops along the way was Tucson where Joe's mom bought a roadrunner painted on a beautiful piece of linen.  

I thank Helen everyday for many things...one of them was sharing her love of birds with me.  I had never given birds a second thought until I met Helen and visited her home.  The feeders outside their kitchen window sure made a lasting impression.   

It hung in their SC home for many years and was one of the pieces Helen brought to our GA home when she moved in with us in 1995.  I think it's awesome that after all these years, the roadrunner has made its way back to the desert southwest.

So until next time, enjoy the day and...

I took both photos at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in December 2018.

HAPPY TRAILS !