Time Flies!

Corona de Tucson

May 12, 2024 

It seems the older I get, the days, weeks, months and years seem to fly by.

I read that the phrase "time flies" originated from the Latin language "tempos fugit" in a poem (about farming and country life) written by Vergil...a Latin poet...and published in 29 BC.  The phrase refers to the action of birds.  They are visible one second and gone the next.  

Time doesn't really fly, but we often ponder "where did the time go".  One explanation is that as we age, we process less information.  The more days we live, the more routinely we know things.  We have more knowledge (and common sense) and already know the how's, what ifs, why's,  for many of the things we do whether it's a project or planning a trip or preparing dinner, or vehicle maintenance, etc..  One article I read said that  "For a five-year old, one year is 20 percent of their life packed with experiences as they discover the world around them.  However, the same amount of time is only 2 percent of a 50-year-old's life that likely has fewer new experiences."   I like to think that learning new things keeps us young and routine things keeps us busy and healthy.  And, in our home, at our age, we have earned the right to say "It's nap time!". 

Monday, we had a wonderful visit and early dinner with Sue and Dave at Catalina State Park.  Taos made us feel so welcomed.  He remembered us and took us right to his outside space for lots of loving, playing,  visiting and happy hour.  Taos is a great example of learning new things...and he is quick about it too !  

This snack tray has three layers that spin with snacks in them.  Taos has to rotate the layers to get to the snacks.  He is very engaged and serious about this job which is part of his routine during happy hour.   I love to see the wrinkles that appear on the top of his head when he is thinking...such a smart, sweet and very handsome puppy ! 

He has a lot to understand and take in for his future job as a service dog for a blind person.  It's little things like riding in the floor board because that is what taxis require, not being alarmed by really loud sounds, and how to decide what is safe for a blind person to do even though the blind person told him to do something else.  Sue and Dave are amazing with Taos...consistent, calm, patient, experienced, and most of all, kind and loving.   

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in Beluga...pulled pork, beans, slaw and a slice of yummy lemon cake Sue made.  There were no goodbyes said...until next time works !

The rest of our week was busy with appointments...both of us had good dermatologist reports, Joe got encouraging news about his eye with a procedure to follow on the  24th, and Sally had her monthly shot at the vet's office.  Just down the street from the eye doctor is Baja Cafe.  With an early morning appointment, brunch was on my agenda.  It was our lucky day !  They were still serving waffles.  I told our waiter that I had been trying for three years to have a waffle at Baja...wahoo !  Liege waffles are made daily at Baja Cafe and don't last long.  I had never had a liege waffle before...I love waffles...and I was way excited!  Leigh waffles are named after a town in Belgium. 

We had a side of crispy bacon...

They are made with a batter more like bread dough...thick and sticky.  The dough contains chunks of imported Belgium pearl sugar which caramelizes and forms a crispy crunchy golden coating.  It is a denser, sweeter, and chewier waffle.  We both chose Fresh Berry and Danish Cheese waffles.  YUM, YUM, YUM !  Baked Danish cheese is sandwiched between two waffles placed on house made creme anglaise (a fancy way to say custard) and topped with fresh berries tossed in agave syrup.  It is all topped with powdered sugar with a scoop of whipped cream.   

Meanwhile back at the oasis, we have really enjoyed the birds...immature birds are learning lots of new things.

The Gila Woodpeckers have been the busiest. Parents make lots of trips to the feeders and take morsels of butter bites, oranges, and seeds back to the tree.  The next step is to lure the little ones over to the food and lastly to have them get their own feast from the buffet.  It takes a couple of days and is so much fun to watch. 

Dad stays close just in case...

This little Curved-billed Thrasher gives the Gamble's Quail a curious look...

And the Cardinals have been back and forth..hoping to see their brood soon.

And my favorite little acrobats...the Cactus Wren.

I planted a new to me flower in one of my pots this year...it's a succulent in the ice plant family I think.   The Lesser Goldfinch love the seeds when I don't snap off the dead heads.

Sally entertains herself...

The bunnies play...

The Roadrunner ate a prickly pear cactus in our front yard...

It's not a clear photo...I was shocked to see it.  It is only the second time a Roadrunner has been in the yard.  He nibbled on a prickly pear the first time!

And that's a wrap on our week.   Until next time...

Catalina State Park

 HAPPY TRAILS !

Friends, Family, Fur Babies, Flowers and Feathers...A Delightful Week!

Corona de Tucson

May 4, 2024 

It is always a nice feeling to pull into the driveway after a great getaway.  We were up early Friday.  There were weeds to pull, birds to feed, trees to water, the patio to clean and cushions to put out, laundry to do and groceries to buy.  It was a busy day as we set about checking things off the to do list.  

Sally worked hard too. She hippy-hopped all around the yard...smelling this and that and keeping a close eye on us.  She was happy to be home too ! 

 Saturday, we were up and out early.  One of my favorite days of the year !

B&B Cactus Farm was our first destination. The farm specializes in cacti and succulents on a sprawling 2 acre site.  The grounds are beautiful and the staff is very friendly and helpful.  

There are several greenhouses and hundreds of varieties and sizes of cacti and succulents.  The pots and yard art are gorgeous and reasonably priced.  

This is our fourth summer in our home and every year so far we have added a  new cactus and a new pot to the backyard.  We purchased this year's pot at Son-Silver in Sedona and took it with us to the Cactus Farm. I wanted succulents and am happy with my choices.  It was a small fee to have them planted in the pot.

The photo doesn't show the fourth pot on the back side...

We added another torch cactus in the back corner by the fence.  It is a beautiful orange/red color and fingers crossed it does as well as the yellow one.  

Civano Nursery was our next stop.  I like to buy annuals there as they grow them in greenhouses located on their 70 acre farm in Sahuarita.  The begonias and other plants are "desert adapted" and grow until it snows in the winter.  It's nice to have a little color in the yard ! 

Tuesday was the first of two highlights of our delightful week.  We had company ! Not just any company...Taos came to visit and he brought good friends Sue and Dave with him.  

Joe and I are in love.  And sharing all Taos' many wonderful traits would easily become a book.  He is loving, handsome and very, very smart.  And to add to the list, he is the best behaved puppy EVER and so sweet to and considerate of Sally. And to top it all off, he has the bestest slobbery kisses I have had since we lost our handsome Wrecks in 2015.  

 We all had lunch...

and I didn't get one single photo of Sue and Dave. Shame on me, but there was lots of conversing.   It was a delightful visit and over way too fast, but Joe and I have enjoyed the sweet fragrance and colors of spring all week. And we are hoping to see the Bank clan again...soon !

Walking in Saguaro NP-East and taking the one-way loop road thru the desert is a favorite pastime.  The jeep just seemed to head that way this week...imagine that! We enjoyed looking for flowers, taking in the beautiful view, and the pleasant morning weather.  

  

And our state flower...beautiful bouquets just beginning to bloom. 

The second highlight of the week was meeting Jamie and Andra in Tucson.

 

The kiddos are looking to downsize from a king size bed to a queen size.  There is a shop in The Lost Barrio warehouse district that makes furniture so we met there mid-morning on Saturday.   The shops along the street in this colorful historic neighborhood offer old, contemporary, unique and hand crafted furniture and one-of-a-kind "treasures".  It's a good place to start.  

Afterwards we enjoyed a burger and beer at Barrio Brewing.  

  

Back at the oasis, there has been a good amount of patio time.  One evening after supper we served up a bowl of ice cream...

and sat on the patio to enjoy it.  All of a sudden we saw the swoop and a great-horned owl perched on the fence post.  He sat a few minutes before flying to the pine tree.  We love life in the desert !

The birds are slowly returning to the yard for water and food.

We always have lots of Lesser Goldfinch, but this week I saw an American Goldfinch.  As best I can tell, this is a breeding adult male.

 And some of the birds are really busy...

Our resident lizard (Jamie named him Lenny) sunned on the cement blocks for awhile one morning.

And sweet Sally...

who we haven't seen sitting in a really, really long time.  

And we flipped the calendar again ! 

Until next time... 

The loop road at Saguaro NP-East

I love it when the park is not busy!

B&B Cactus Farm

HAPPY TRAILS!