This and That

Corona de Tuccon

November 14, 2022 

Late afternoon glow...November 9,  5:50 pm 

It's been one of those "this and that" kind of weeks.  We had an unexpected visitor Wednesday night.   I don't know who startled who the most.  It was unexpected because this time of year when the nights get colder, I don't even think much about the rattlers.  I'm sure he was looking for a warm spot to spend the night all curled up in the corner beside the patio door.  He was quite noisy, but Dover doesn't hear well and had her nose pretty close to him before I could grab her up and get us inside.     

He was real clear with his message that he didn't want to be bothered, but obviously didn't see Dover as a threat.   He could have easily struck her and didn't.  A good reminder for us to look first before stepping out the door to the patio. 

Thursday, we had two Bottlebrush trees delivered, planted and staked in the front yard.  I am so excited...it's the first thing we have actually bought and planted in our yard.  

It's not easy to decide what to plant in the yard.  Civano Nursery is awesome.  They advised us and offered several possibilities before we made our choice.  We didn't want anything to block the sky view or anything very dense that we couldn't see thru.    

The window on the left is our kitchen.  Our breakfast table is in front of the window and we enjoy the view.  Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to Bottlebrush trees which bloom spring thru fall.  I have already watched a hummingbird dashing in and out of one of the trees and was surprised to look out the window this morning and see a Gila Woodpecker perched there.  Fingers crossed we made a good choice.  

 And we are hoping next spring there will be lots of blooms.

Friday was a fun day.  We had plans with Randy to go to Gather (the vintage market in Tucson) and afterwards go to BKs for Sonoran dogs.

I love the new location for the market on S. Park Ave.  It's an old part of Tucson with lots of other stores housed in warehouses to meander thru as well.

This month, Gather is beautifully adorned with themed trees, wreaths and swags, vintage decorations, silver and gold glittery trimmings, shiny green and red ornaments, and a kazillion lights of all shapes, sizes and colors from top to bottom and side to side.   

This was the tallest, biggest tree under a canopy and in a rotating stand. 

A gorgeous tree with a crown on top...

Dried oranges and lemons...

It was hard to take it all in on the first walk thru so I walked thru two more times and I am sure I missed lots.  

And lunch was yummy !  Have I ever mentioned that BKs has the best guacamole with chunks of avocados ?  It is almost a meal by itself, but I could never go there and not get a dog. 
 

We made a run to Lowes this week and Saturday morning Joe built a shelf unit for the third and last bedroom closet.  

I painted it Saturday afternoon and by that night it was in place.  This is the guest room closet.  There is no dresser or chest of drawers in the guest room...just a queen bed, two side tables, a chair and Joe's grandmothers wash stand.  So now, company will have a place to put clothes if they choose to do so.

We have enjoyed morning coffee, sunrise and the fire a couple of mornings this week.  

November 10, 6:23 am

November 10, 6:35 am

One morning we were treated to the hoots of owls as they conversed in the field behind our home.  Sometimes they hooted together.  I did read that they perform duets together to reaffirm their bond...so sweet !  Another morning, the coyotes were quite noisy barking and howling. Last week was a full moon and coyotes are often depicted as nocturnal animals that howl at a full moon in literature and movies.  But, they don't really howl at the moon.  It is the moonlight that causes coyotes to communicate by howling...  the more light, the more howling.  Joe and I still get excited when we hear the owls and coyotes in the backyard.  

When we went to Lowes, we also went to Wild Birds for seed. 

 

That's about it for the week.  Joe had two more MOHs surgeries last Tuesday and taking it easy was what the doctor ordered.  I'm looking forward to a hike or two soon.  Until next time,

November 13, 6:55 am

    

HAPPY TRAILS !

St. Philips Plaza Market

Corona de Tucson

October 7, 2022 

The historic St. Philip's Plaza is a Tucson landmark...well known for the beauty of its Spanish-style cobblestone patios complete with fountains, rose gardens, and towering eucalyptus trees.  In addition to boutique shopping, galleries and restaurants, there is an open-air market every Saturday and Sunday year round.  The summer market is small and doesn't get much attention due to the hot temperatures.   The winter market (10:00-3:00 every Saturday and Sunday), however, has over 100 canopies filled with tables celebrating "everything Tucson"...potters, painters, photographers, silversmiths, metal art works, woodcrafters, rock, mineral and gemstones collectors, jewelry, plants, and clothing.  We are always looking for "westernie" things to use in our home and the market offers lots of choices. 

Last year, we met Scott Carlson, a local potter, at the market when we purchased a utensil caddy and spoon rest from him for the kitchen counter.  The launch for the winter market was this past Saturday and his was the first canopy we looked for.  

Scott had an all new collection with all my favorite colors and amazing textures.  We bought a couple of mugs to add to the collection and a vase we couldn't walk away from.  

Randy had never been to the plaza and Randy had never had a Sonoran Dog...oh boy, oh boy...you know what that means !  He picked us up and we all enjoyed the beautiful morning, laughs, and perusing the plaza.  Afterwards, we were off to BKs.  I'm pretty sure he liked the dog...

 Monday morning, Joe and I both had appointments at the dermatologists...Joe goes every 3 months and I am on a 6 month schedule.  Joe faired much better this visit with only 3 biopsies (and my fingers are crossed they are all negative) and to my surprise, I had 1.  We were done with our appointments around 9:15 and it was off to breakfast at Baja Cafe.  Once again, we were too late for their famous liege waffles.  So Joe settled for pancakes and I really splurged with a cinnamon roll French toast.

One of those pieces was boxed up and went home with us...

Both (pancakes and French toast) are served with two eggs cooked to order, your choice of bacon or sausage and hash browns.  We waddled to the jeep !

Back at the oasis, Tuesday was a windy/rainy/stormy day as Orlene made its way north from Mexico and brought much needed rain.  

I have had fun trying to photograph hummingbirds this week.  It seems the sun is never right to capture their shimmer...I only get a glimpse and then they are off.  It is definitely a challenge to get a decent hummingbird photo in focus...shimmer or no shimmer. 

Just look at those tiny little feet.  Did you know that hummingbirds come from an order of birds called "Apodiformes"?  The term comes from a Latin word meaning footless.  They do have legs and feet, it is just that their feet don't stand out as a visual feature of their anatomy.  Because they are such excellent fliers, they don't need to walk and hop like many other birds. They have four toes on their short, knee-less legs. Their toes are quite lengthy compared to their legs and are used for perching, scratching themselves, fighting and building nests. 

Hummingbirds are remarkable in many ways, and one of them is that they have exceptional eyesight.  They can even see colors undetectable by the human eye...

A good look-out perch is important to hummingbirds.  They also perch in safe and secure places at night.  At night they enter into a state called torpor...an inactive state in which their heart rate and breathing rate are reduced to conserve energy.  They may even find themselves upside down...their legs and feet are sufficient to allow them to stay upside down clinging without falling.

On many of our morning walks, we see a male Vermillion Flycatcher.  His brilliant orange-red color is easy to spot.  This week, this stocky, generally solitary little fellow appeared on our fence during coffee.  I was so excited as it was so unexpected.  Flycatchers feed on insects...often catching them in midair by quick flights called sallies.  

We offer a nice variety of seeds, nuts and suet...

...but the insects are scarce.  He was only there a couple of minutes or so before he flew to the bush on the other side of the fence.

 

On one of our walks this week, we rounded a curve on the cart path and there stood a huge mama javelina in the middle of the path.  We stood still...she stood still...and then she figured that perhaps we were not a threat.  She had three babies enjoying their breakfast on a large prickly pear plant a few feet away.  We could barely see the tops of their heads as she walked toward them.  I don't carry the big camera when we walk and was so surprised by the encounter (I always walk in front) that I couldn't get my phone out of my pocket to get a decent photo on the path.  She had moved on when I finally got a not so good picture.

The pups are all well.  Sally and Dover had rabies and yearly shots this week. 

 

   

And Jack held down the oasis while they were gone.

The days fly by...and another week is already in the memory bank.       

So, until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS !