Davidson Canyon

Corona de Tucson

March 30, 2022

The photo below highlights a row of green tree tops.  Those are cottonwood trees growing in Davidson Canyon along Cienega Creek.  We are headed that way. 

Looking left (in the photo below) at the start of our hike, we could see a train trestle in the distance.   Once in the canyon, the trestle was our destination. 

Davidson Canyon is a beautiful canyon that flows from the Santa Rita Mountains under I-10 and connects to the Cienega Creek.  Cienega Creek is a perennial stream with riparian vegetation that creates crucial habitat for wildlife as well as amazing recreation for people.  I was surprised to learn...

Also, it is worth mentioning that the section of trail we were on today is part of the Arizona Scenic Trail.  Arizona Scenic Trail is designated a National Scenic Trail.  It begins at the border with Mexico and traverses 800 miles north to Utah.  The idea for the trail originated in 1985 and the trail was completed in 2011.  

The best part was spending the morning with our friend Randy.  The next best part is that the trailhead is only 13 miles from our home.  It could not have been a more gorgeous day...warm sunshine, light breeze, deep blue skies, lots of green and lots of shade.  And we were lucky enough to have had a rainy Tuesday (yesterday) and water flowing in the creek today.  

 

  We made several creek crossings...

and squeezed by boulders.

We stopped often...

admired the beauty...

and remembered to look up.

There are three train trestles that go over the canyon.  At one point they all three criss-cross.  This was our turning around spot.  

I couldn't capture the third trestle (it is on the left) in my photo.   

The concrete trestle named Cienega Bridge was built in 1921 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior.  It is referred to as a a three-hinged, open-spandrel concrete arch bridge and gives passage to the Southern Pacific Railroad.  

We stopped on the way home to see the bridge from the road. There is a small parking lot with the historic marker.  

It is spring (yippee!) and no spring post would be complete without wildflowers.  We saw a few today...

It was such a nice morning that I couldn't wait to share.   

Back at the oasis,  Joe and I passed our check-ups with the GP with flying colors.  Dover got her stitches out. And Tuesday was a glorious rainy day...I do love and appreciate rainy days in the desert.

Dr. Huang clips stitches from Dover's eyelid.  Dover is such a sweet girl! And Dr. Huang is awesome! 

No sunlight for the desert Rose on Tuesday.

The week is off to a nice start.  Hope your week is too.  

Until next time,

Clouds and the Santa Rita Mountains as we had home from the vet.

HAPPY TRAILS!

Yeah for Spring !

Corona de Tucson

March 27, 2022 

Isn't it amazing how the seasons come and go?  Do you have a favorite season?  When it is spring, spring is my favorite and when it is fall, fall is my favorite.  It is also amazing to me that when I look at the calendar, I see this is the last blog post for March.  Where does the time go?  

We had a yummy lunch in Green Valley this week with Randy.  Tuesday's choice was El Rodeo Mexican and their mouth-watering chicken quesadillas and guacamole.  After lunch, we walked next door to Desert Bloom Garden Center.  They offer a very nice selection of native trees, cacti, and other plants as well as beautiful pots.  No major purchases made...except a  formula they developed to be mixed with water to fertilize succulents.  My collection of succulents is growing.    

On the way back to Randy's home, he stopped at Native Gardens of Green Valley.  It's another home and garden center and one we had not been to.  

This shop also features a Southwest Gallery with unique handcrafted items.  

The owners (who are local residents) provide information on artists from all over the world.  There are laws requiring authentication on products sold in the United States.   

I did leave with a "bread basket" crafted by the artist, pictured to the left, and a hand painted pot for flowers for our patio.     

We headed out early one morning with Jack.  He prefers to go to the spa to get his nails done.  He and Cynthia have a special relationship and he refuses to let us use the grinder on him.  It takes her all of five minutes, but Jack is happy and so are we.  I think he knows the way ! 

It's always a great morning when we go to the desert to walk.   

Cactus Forest Trail (Saguaro National Park East) was calling our names this week and we wanted to show Randy the old lime kilns we had discovered back in February.  So off we went early Thursday morning for some needed exercise and photographs.  There were a few blooms...

...but yellow stole the show.

Sally had her two week check-up.  All is good with her. 

 

Joe and I made a stop at Civano Nursery yesterday on our way to the grocery store.  It is my favorite local nursery. The majority of  plants they sell are are grown at their 70 acre Sahuarita farm.  In fact, Civano originals can be found in garden centers in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas.  

It's not just the plants that are fun...the selection of yard things is huge with lots of variety.  I tell Joe whenever we go there, "I want one of everything."  He thinks I am kidding...

We purchased a few things to brighten up the patio.

Dover sticks her nose in everything we bring home...she approves!

The rest of the week, we have enjoyed home and a few visitors.

A male Broad-billed Hummingbird...

The hummingbird feeder has been especially busy.  I am thinking we need to have two.

A male Lucifer Hummingbird

I haven't quite captured the glow on the outward flare of his gorget feathers.    

We have decided (at least for now) to not put out the big feeder full of black oiled sunflower seeds.  The dove just rake them out and scatter them all over the ground.  So far, the next best thing we found is a bar with seeds.  The Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers and Cardinals seem to like it.  Time will tell I guess.

 

When the pups are not sleeping in the sun, they enjoy puppy television.  

So, that wraps up yet another week at the oasis.   And spring is just beginning...yippee !

 And while some birds come and go...

...others just hang around all the time.

Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS !

WHEW!

Corona de Tucson

March 20, 2022

Waiting...

WHEW is defined as a strong emotion such as relief or amazement.  Relief comes to mind this week.  We knew heading into the week it was going to be a doozy...not a fun week, but a week of busy appointments.  Started off with Joe going to the retina specialist.  He sees the retina specialist every year to check a wavy retina he had three years ago.  Pressures are under control, the retina is healthy and he is good to go for another year.  

Tuesday morning we were up and out early as Dover had a 7:15 appointment for surgery in Green Valley.  

We returned to pick her up and meet with Dr Huang (Animal Care Center of Green Valley) at 4:00.  The mass on her eye lid was removed.    We were shocked to see the X-rays which showed a couple of upper teeth with serious damage...so much so that removing them involved disturbing her sinus cavity.  

It's as if feeling pain and discomfort isn't enough, there is the bother of the cone.  She has had a rough few days...but today is day five and I believe she is feeling somewhat better.  We do take the cone off as much as possible and one of us sits with her...stitches on her eye come out next week.  

Speaking of stitches, Wednesday Joe had his stitches taken out.  Sometimes it seems like two weeks fly by and other times, it seems like two weeks can last a month.  Anyway, stitches are gone, the biopsy was negative and we don't start over until June !

The rest of the week was just piddling.  I dug up the tulip bulbs Carol gave me, let them dry and stored them in a brown paper bag.

Of the 24 bulbs I dug up, one was rotten.  I have never saved bulbs before...the gophers always ate them in Georgia the few times I planted them before giving up.  

Fingers crossed Carol !

Yesterday, we cut back an overgrown lantana.  The butterflies like the lantana and so do hummingbirds.  I just happened to see this tiny nest in the cuttings as I was raking.

It measured 2 & 1/4 inches across the top and 1 & 1/2 inches deep.  I have read that hummingbirds use spider webs to hold their nests together and secure it to the foundation.  There isn't a lot of lichen and moss (usually used for comfort and softness) here so these crafty and smart little birds used the next best thing...pieces of stuffing.  So clever, and just so amazing how nature adapts to their surroundings. 

That wasn't the only thing we found in the lantana...another golf ball to add to the collection we started last year on our morning walk.  

 

The weather this past week has been wonderful, well, except for a couple of windy days.  Temps have been mid 70s to low 80s...perfect for rocking on the patio.  

 

  

Before daylight one morning (I was out with the pups.) I heard and then spotted the Great Horned on the other side of the fairway.  We hear him/her often, but haven't seen either in awhile.  

Joe and I are both morning folks.  With the warmer temps, we can enjoy coffee and a sunrise.  Good morning from the oasis!

Whew...what a beautiful start to a new week.  Until next time, 

HAPPY TRAILS!