August 4, 2024
Cotona de Tucson
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| Madera Canyon Road |
Our only adventure last week was a hike at Madera Canyon. We started our hike at the Amphitheater Parking lot and did the 3 mile hike thru the forest to Mt Wrightson Picnic Area and walked the road back to the jeep. It's not completely shady, but it's a nice summer hike at 5500 feet elevation.
We crossed a mountain spring and sat for a few minutes to enjoy the sound, colors, and smells.
Green was the predominant color...lots of calming shades of glorious green...
with spots of color here and there...reds, oranges, purples.
The manzanita bushes were gorgeous and thick...the berries and bark were quite showy.
We admired the locals...
and savored every morsel of a scrumptious Almond Danish we bought at the Gift Shop while we chuckled at the turkeys, hummingbirds and woodpeckers.
Madera Canyon Road is a favorite. This time of year, it is lined with a mimosa bush that is the prettiest shades of pink. And the Arizona Poppies are blooming too.
On the family front, Felix turned 8. How can that be? Not only that, he enters third grade this year.
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| A celebration on his birth day with his family... |
After a big outing to a Monster Truck event with friends and family, Felix had a party at home. He designed and decorated his very own monster truck cake to share.
And Edith is the cutest little cowgirl EVER !
We have monsoon season to thank for all the green and colors we see everywhere. I don't think we have gone a week without a storm since monsoon season started. This week was no exception and I found myself running from window to window to watch...the storms (so far) never grow old. One of the several storms we had this week produced the loudest thunder I think I have ever heard.
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| Wednesday's storm and our street was flooded...we were under an emergency alert for flash flooding... |
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| Last Saturdays's storm also produced high winds, thunder and lightening, and pounding rains... |
We have monsoon storms to thank for interesting skies...
...and clean fresh air.
On rainy afternoons, Sally and Joe dodge the drops as best they can.
And nap as often as they can!
I practiced with the macro lens this week...
That's a wrap on our week...we turned the calendar again and celebrate life everyday! It was a nice week. I will close with a few more photos...
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| A morning walk on the cart path... |
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| The welcoming committee at the Gift Shop at Madera Canyon... |
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| The Santa Rita Mountains... |
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| A juvenile male cardinal... |
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| Gorgeous views from the trail... |
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| Memories...I emptied the vase and realized it is the first piece we purchased during our full-time RV journey... |
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| Manzanita berries... |
Until next time...
HAPPY TRAILS !
Another welcome post! the hike was at 5500'!, what is the elevation at the Oasis? I'd get a massive headache with the elevation change :) I knew o the black bears in AZ but certainly did not expect one near Tucson. You captured a nice photo with the phone.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the monsoons while they last. Also nice photos with your macro lens.
Hi Jeff! And thank you! Where we live on the south west side of Tucson is about 3200’. Tucson is about 2400’. The elevation of Mt Wrightson (tallest peak in the Santa Rita’s) is about 9400’. It’s a really pretty place to hike and only 30 miles from home. I have read about bear sightings in lower Madera Canyon, but thought we would never see one. It’s funny because I told Joe on trail “we might see a bear”. I’m glad we were in the jeep and not on the trail! I’m loving all the storms…the desert is so dry.
DeleteLove that you are getting so much moisture! Your week was lovely and low key--well except for the bear sighting!! What is that plant with the red trumpet looking flowers?? I would love to have some manzanita trees in our yard but have been told they don't grown well at lower elevations--even our 4500' in Pearce.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Janna…the storms have been awesome! The red trumpet flower is in the Blanketflower family….Spin Top Copper Sun is a common name. I read that manzanita will grow from sea level to 4,900’ and like hot-dry summers and cool-wet winters. I’m sure Chivano (the nursery close to us on Houghton) would know. The bear was a huge surprise…🤪😃👏!
DeleteGood Morning Gay. I really enjoy opening up the laptop in the morning and reading your gentle, sweet and beautiful blog posts. You find something interesting and restful in everyday life and, for that, I'm thankful you keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteGood morning to you too Sue! And thank you very much for your thoughtful and kind words. I do enjoy taking photos, but more times than not these days I have no idea what to say about them. I often think to myself after posting, “this is the last one”, as there is never anything “new” to show or say. Thanks for the encouragement!
DeleteA bear! That's awesome! Bill and I had a bear cross in front of our car in the mountains a few weeks ago, and the very same thing happened! He stopped and looked at us before lumbering across the street. I was in shock and forgot to even take a picture until it was too late! I'll always remember it though. :)
ReplyDeleteI love your pine cones photo... so beautiful! Also, is a mimosa bush like our mimosa trees here? They grow so big and tall here.
Love you both!
Hi Jill…we love you too! That’s crazy we both saw a bear! It is such a surprise and exciting! Someone posted a photo of a bobcat at Madera Canyon this morning…that would be scary. The hike we did was the same hike we did when you, Bill and Henry visited in ‘22. I thought the sap on those baby pine cones was cool…thank you! I am pretty sure the mimosa bushes here are in the same family as the mimosa trees back east, but they don’t grow big like the trees.
DeleteWhat a great hike, what great photos! And a bear?!?! Sally is such a cutie and so photogenic!
ReplyDeleteHi Jim…this is a great time of year to go to Madera Canyon. Well, any time of the year is a great time to go there, but the elevation and shade are always a draw in the summer! The bear sure surprised us! And Sally says “ thank you!”.
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