Wrapping Up October...

Corona de Tucson

October 31, 2024

 

Somehow, I just can't continue on until I have finished out October.  When we returned home from our little vaca, it was a busy time.  Joe had surgery...an amniotic membrane transplant and tarsorrhaphy surgery to be exact...on his right eye.  In fact, his right eyelids are still sewn together and we have fingers crossed the stitches come out next Tuesday.  I will spare you the details and the photos.  

On a brighter note, Edith celebrated her fourth birthday...

 and she and Felix went camping for her big weekend.

They roasted marshmallows, cooked hotdogs on a stick, enjoyed hayrides, and went trick-a-treating at the campground.  

Joe and Jena rented a camper and they all had a great time at a near by South Carolina State Park.

And a great big shout out to our oldest daughter Jill.  She had her first novel published.  Jill has always loved to write and was a great teacher and we are so proud of her.   The Secrets Of Shadywoods  is a novel for middle school students partially inspired by true events.  Life has always been an adventure for Jill !

Jamie, Andra and Ozzie came for a week-end visit.  On Saturday, we enjoyed a ride to Mt Lemmon.  It was a gorgeous fall morning and we took the windows out of Pearl to add to the excitement and a better view.  We stopped at most of the viewing sites and even did a decent walk/boulder climb at Windy Point Vista. The aspen, maple, and oak trees were colorful...

 

Waiting for our lunch table at the Iron Door.   

After lunch we stopped at Summerhaven.  There are 450 privately owned acres on Mt. Lemmon.  Summerhaven is the largest subdivision and was subdivided in the 1920s.  Commercial development is limited to the lots along Catalina Parkway.  The Sawmill Restaurant, the General Store and Gift Shop, Mt. Lemmon Lodge which also has a Beyond Bread restaurant, and a Cookie Cabin which serves pizza, chili and giant cookies.  There are also cabins of all sizes to rent on land leased by the US Forestry Service....I'm thinking a summer getaway!  

Cabins for rent...

On Sunday, the four of us went to Civano Nursery.  I had some pots in need of replanting after the hot/dry weather we had when we were in Bisbee and Willcox. There is a lot more to Civano than beautiful pots and healthy plants! 

Griffin and Rodrick...

Back at the oasis...our feathered friends slowly returned.  

The Gamble's  Quail

White-crowned Sparrow

Cooper's Hawk

We spent time gardening...

We just mostly enjoyed being home...

I'll close with a few more photos...

Catalina Parkway

Civano Nursery Butterfly Garden

The birthday girl...

Until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS !

Sally

Corona de Tucson

October 29, 2024

 

Rescued July 9, 2009 - October 29, 2024 

Sally was rescued from a kill shelter with a two week claim time.  (I'm happy to report that the kill shelter where she was is an adoption shelter.)  There are no words to describe the feeling you have when a puppy puts their paws around your neck and holds on for dear life. She made sure she was coming home with us. Our plan that day was to get Sally to the vets and do whatever we needed to do to make sure she was healthy and then find a nice forever home for her as we already had Dover and Wrecks. Our vet said at her initial check-up that she was between 2 - 2.5 years old and that she had the worst case of parasites and worms he had ever seen. Also, she had not been spayed. And the rest is history...we did nurse Sally back to health and we did find Sally a nice forever home with us and the next 15 years absolutely flew by.  

Sally slowly started feeling better and once she was her healthy self, she enjoyed all that our home had to offer...love, companions, food, grass, flowers, toys, treats, walks and so on.  But Sally was also very cautious about finding her place in the line-up that had already been established.  Dover was the alpha and Wrecks was the gunner and we are sure that Sally so appreciated her family that she was not about to upset the apple cart.  

Sally was full of surprises...bringing a toy for us to throw, or suddenly jumping up and doing zoomies around the house.  But, it was no surprise that everytime I walked in the kitchen, even if she was sound asleep, she would always be right behind me.  Raw carrots today mom? Or yogurt you need cleaned off the spoon? Or a snippet of chicken that you might accidentally (so she thought) drop on the floor?  The memories are forever !  

On October 29th, Sally was taking a morning nap in her bed next to the sofa and Joe and I were doing the usual morning searches on our iPads.  We heard a yelp and in the less than 2 seconds it took for us to reach her, she was gone. 

And now, a chapter closes...the Tan Clan is gone.  First Wrecks in 2015, then Dover and Jack both this time last year, and now our sweet little Sallybear.  I am hoping this blog will help ease the heartbreak for Joe and me and we can just remember with a smile the wonderful time we spent with all these pups...each one with their own personality, their individual needs, but all four with so much love to give.  Our home isn't the same without our pups.

I hope to sit back down at the computer soon for a catch up...our family has been busy.  Joe had surgery on his eye,  we had an October birthday, the leaves are changing colors, and an author/illustrator daughter whose  middle-school novel was published. 

I will close with a blast from the past...

December 2013

 Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS !

And relish every second !