good-times-rollin: It's May...

Corona de Tucson

May 14, 2026

backyard Petunias

Yes it is May and not only that, May is half over. I still can't figure out where the times goes. It is more of the same here and not much to say. We had our annual bloodwork done and a visit to see our General Practitioner. He says we are healthy. YIPPEE!

We did meet Jamie and Andra for an early dinner on Saturday before Mother's Day.

We tried a new to us Italian cafe in downtown Tucson. It was featured in an old issue of Arizona Highways. CERES Italian Cafe opened in 2019 as Tucson's first fresh pasta cafe. Owner and chef, Carolyn O'Conner, who is from New York where fresh pasta is a "way of life", missed the small cafes that sold fresh noodles to pick up and take home to cook. Today her sunny little cafe is nestled in an alley in one of my favorite places to visit in Tucson...the Historic Presidio District. It is open from 5:00 - 9:00 pm for take home or to enjoy under one of the picnic umbrellas that line the alley. Carolyn's love for fresh pasta began in Syracuse, but her skills in making pasta began in Tucson when a friend from Parma in Northern Italy shared his skill with her. "The egg noodles are special because...they are just a little more decadent", she said. "They are made with imported Italian flour called tipo 00, and the 00 just means that it is milled super fine. It creates this silky noodle that has chewiness, but is smooth and silky. Those are the most unique for people who have never had fresh pasta before." The name Ceres comes form the Roman goddess of wheat and agriculture.

By design, the menu is small and simple. If the rotating "Today's Special" isn't your choice, you begin your order by choosing from several different fresh pastas. I chose the thin egg noodle. Then comes the sauce. There are three choices...1.tomato basil with San Marzano tomatoes, Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses plus black pepper and butter, or...2. pesto with fresh basil and roasted pine nuts, or...3. Bolognese which starts with carrots, pancetta (cured pork), ground beef, onions, red wine and stock that is slow-cooked all day. I chose Bolognese. Pasta bundles and sauces are sold if you want to prepare them at home.

What it lacks in what I would call "fancy", it sure makes up for in yummy! And yep, I ate every morsel.

On weekends, Ceres offers espresso, made in house gelato and sorbetto soft serve, and rotating pastries and baked goods. Dessert is a must have! Andra and I chose a fresh banana sorbetto and chocolate gelato swirl with all the toppings...home made brownie bits, chocolate syrup and fresh coconut flakes. Truly delicious and just writing this makes my mouth water!

There is a new mural being painted in the alley. I can't wait to return!

Back at the oasis, I started a "photos" project. It is something Joe and I have wanted to do for awhile, but it kept getting pushed to the back burner. I only have a kazillion photos and that doesn't count the photos taken since we moved into our sticks and stucco five years ago. Sorting through photos of favorite places taken over a nine year period of time is a challenge, but finally I can say I have made a good start. Our third bedroom is our hobby room and the wall over the loveseat was empty.

Left to right : San Diego, CA; Crested Butte, CO; Sedona, AZ; Port Angeles, WA;
and Grand Teton NP, WY

I haven't finished, but we are pleased so far. It was not so easy measuring and hanging these photos and Joe did a great job. Five pairs with each displaying a landscape (horizontal frame) and close up (vertical frame) photo of a place we love. The Crested Butte pair is a field of green with a background of Halsey Basin in the Elk Mountains and the white wildflowers were at the summit of Mt. Crested Butte...both hikes I remember as if they were taken yesterday. Now it's nice to walk by the room and see something pretty and memorable.

Last week, the weather made a dramatic change from the highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 50s the first week of May to HOT! It's that time of year when we don't know if spring is gone for good, but next week looks promising that it might be hanging around a little longer.

Long shadows on the path at the neighborhood park

Nice shade and much cooler on the golf cart path

Back at the oasis, the Orioles have arrived.

We found Gamble's Quail eggs when we were cleaning up on the side of the house last week. There were 12 eggs and I'm sad to say they are still there.

I repotted my 10 year old jade plant.

The torch cacti bloomed again.

One of the local inhabitants came to visit...a Desert Spiny Lizard.

The male Spiny Lizard has the black wedge mark on the side of his neck and blue markings on his throat. He can reach up to 13 inches long.

They mostly feast on insects, but will eat fruit and other vegetation.

Spiny Lizards are closely related to Horned Lizards. They live in arid environments across the southwestern U.S. and are not poisonous to humans and pets.