Awesome Weather, Wildflowers, and Washed Ashore

Corona de Tucson

March 

Daffodils are the birth flowers for March.  They bloom in early spring symbolizing new beginnings, happiness and joy.  They are one of my favorite flowers.  

March is my birth month and this year to celebrate, Joe and I spent the morning at Tucson Botanical Gardens.  This is a wonderful time of year to meander and enjoy the beautiful colors.

There are two new exhibits at the Gardens.  

Antartica is an exhibit of large scale images of ice-shrouded mountains, graphic explorations of deep blue ice shaped by wind and water, and intimate studies of penguins and other birds who call this daunting environment home.  Antartica is described as the highest, driest, coldest, and windiest, continent on Earth and the world's largest desert. In 2021, photographers Catherine Harold and Vicky Stromee traveled to this formidable outpost to capture the beauty of the landscape, icebergs, and wildlife.   

The detail in these large scale images is so clear, the colors are so vibrant, and the action is incredible.  My photos of them do not reveal their beauty...so worth a visit if in this area. This exhibit is on display until June 30.  
    

Washed Ashore  is an exhibit of larger than life sea creatures constructed entirely from debris collected on beaches.  In ten years, Washed Ashore has processed over 35 tons of plastic pollution from the Pacific Northwest's ocean beaches to create over 85 works of art.  

Sebastian James the Puffin

The sculptures are beautiful, whimsical, and shocking all at the same time. Familiar items like buckets, shovels, water bottles, and flip flops are intentionally placed to convey the importance of keeping beaches clean.  This exhibit is also on display thru June 30.  

Priscilla the Rainbow Parrot Fish

There were all sizes and colors of jellyfish hanging throughput the gardens.  

Edna's Cafe is temporarily closed as the Gardens is making some changes to their on-site cafe.  In the meantime, Porter's Patio Cafe is serving breakfast  (8:30 - 11 am) and lunch (11am - 3pm daily).  

Charly's BBQ and Grill, a popular food truck at taprooms around Tucson, is preparing up a yummy menu of breakfast burritos and buttermilk pancakes or pulled pork sandwiches, Sonoran BBQ chili dog, ceasar salad, and smoked chicken wings.  We each had a pulled pork sandwich and fries. The fries passed the "very yummy" taste test and the pulled pork sandwich (served on a toasted bun with awesome Texas sauce and a hint of slaw) hit the spot.  It's been a really (really, really) long time since we had pulled pork.  Chef Carlos Guerrero has a long career in the business and was banquet chef at JW Marriott Tucson Star Pass Resort & Spa before he sprouted the idea of Sonoran-style barbecue  and began his own business.  

We also spent a morning at Catalina State Park this week.  

Romero Ruins is a quick loop just under a mile with historical land marks that guide visitors thru several centuries of human history.  One of several Hohokam villages in the Tuscan area is nestled in the shadows of the Catalina Mountains within the state park boundaries.  The Hohokam lived at this settlement continuously from AD 500 to 1450 with as many as 125 to 200 people living here at its peak around  AD 900.  Their settlement spaned the entire ridge upon which it sat...about 15 acres.  The trail winds thru where their homes once stood as well as a hill where ancient trash is buried, and an oval-shaped depression used as a ball court.

The trail gets its name from the remains of  a more recent structure built by rancher Francisco Romero sometime before 1850.  The ranch is described as a lonely 12 miles from Tucson which endured many Apache raids.   The Apache claimed this ridge as their hunting range. The Romeros occupied the ranch for a dozen or so years before moving to the Tucson area.  Mr. Romero built several buildings on his ranch, but only one has been partially restored (the original walls were seven or eight feet high) to emphasize the doorway, fireplace and size. 

 

Although the trail is short and easy, it not only offers a bit history, it also offers beautiful views... 

A row of beautiful saguaros along the ridge with the Catalina Mountains in the background...

spots of color...

Lupin growing along the trail...

and wildlife.

A baby lizard not more that two inches long...

The Romero Loop was a warm up as we also hiked the Canyon Loop Trail.  It is my favorite trail in the park.  It isn't a long trail either at 2.5 miles, but packs in a lot of beauty.  We always go counter clockwise and enjoy the ridge before taking the 90 steps into the canyon.  The ridge offers wide open vistas and we are so happy that signs of the Big Horn Fire in the summer of 2020 are fading away.  

 

As we descended into the canyon we heard the sound of flowing water...always a welcoming sound in the desert.  

The climb out of the canyon is much easier in this direction.

And what a gorgeous surprise we had as we rounded the corner...

Another beautiful Arizona day in the memory book...flowing water and poppies along with the warm sunshine and spending the morning outside with Joe was the perfect combination.     

We also met Jamie and Andra for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory this week...a birthday celebration and a slice of Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple was calling my name.  No pictures as we were busy conversing, laughing and enjoying our yummy lunch and dessert.  Jamie and Andra surprised me with the prettiest flower pot and cacti which is now at home on our patio.  

 

Back at the oasis,

The Cactus Wrens continue to fuss...

Mr C adds a spot of color...

 

Sally and I enjoy the morning glow...

and Sally has no trouble figuring out what to do on a rainy Friday.

Until next time...

A late afternoon walk in the neighborhood...

HAPPY TRAILS!

A Day Date and Canyon Loop Trail

Corona de Tucson

April 16, 2023

The evening glow...we haven't had a lot of clouds this week.

It's nice to have a day date.  It's a day when we head to town...no appointments, no errands...just for the fun of it !  We hadn't been to The Lost Barrio in a couple of months and it's one of my favorite places to meander and browse.  Gather:A Vintage Market was open for the April showing and the other stores along the street are fun, colorful, and offer a variety of old, new and unique things.   

Afterwards, CAFE a la C'ART was our lunch choice. 

  The patio is wonderful this time of year.

We have enjoyed brunch (which they serve all day) at the CAFE several times, but we both wanted to try something new.  I am happy to share that lunch is every bit as yummy as brunch.  

I had Salmon Nicoise  served with green beans, egg, radishes, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, a variety of mixed greens and the best herb vinaigrette ever.  Joe had a Cafe Burger cooked to order and piled high with smoked peppered bacon, avocado. pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli on a challah roll served with fries.  Both are a mouth full to say, and both our mouths were full...we ate every bite !

Saturday morning we were up early and headed north to Catalina State Park.  The adventure for the day was a hike with Jamie and Andra.  Neither one of them had been to CSP.  It's such a beautiful setting and one we really wanted to share with them.  Even the short drive from the entrance to the parking lot (which is really the end of the road) for the trails tugs at my heart strings !  

The hike for the morning was Canyon Loop Trail. 

It's a great trail that crosses several different washes, follows the canyon rim, hugs the creek, and meanders at the base of a hillside covered in saguaros. 

 

The wash had just enough water to get our feet we.  Lots of fun memories crossing this wash from years past...

Beautiful mountain vistas on the rim...

 

Looking down on the wash we just crossed...

Lavender fields of clover...

thistle...

and asters lined the rim trail.

As we rounded the curve to drop into the canyon, lavender gave way to orange...no fields of poppies, but plenty blooming to put a big smile on my face !

And hot pink penstemons were blooming along the steps (there are 90 of them) that make the descent to the creek much easier.   

 

I was so happy the creek had water...flowing water ! 

From the creek, we crossed the wash and followed the trail as it curved around the base of a hill.

Crossed the wash again...

and followed the path back to the parking lot.

We all enjoyed an early lunch at Tucson Tamale. 

Nice to beat the crowd !

One green chili chicken tamale and one black bean and cheese tamale with a side of Mexican slaw and chips (the best chips ever!) and salsa. Yummy! 

It was such a nice morning...the weather, the trail, the flowers, the tamales, but mostly the company !  Life is good !

Back at the oasis,  we spent Wednesday morning with Jack at the vets.  He had an EKG, a CT scan and his blood pressure checked.  Hoping to hear from Dr. Huang mid week with the results.  He was a good boy at the vets and did not have to be anesthetized.  He was one tired little fella and went right to sleep on the way home.

The mornings have been perfect for coffee with the sunrise.

The Bottlebrush tree in the backyard is about to burst open.

The owl finally showed him/herself.  

And the rabbits...lots of them... have been enjoying the area on the other side of the fence. 

 The orioles have arrived and are enjoying the oranges.

And crane flies, better known as mosquito hawks at our house, have been buzzing around Tucson for weeks and finally made the news.  There have been kazillions of them in the yard and the rainy weather is said to be the cause. And to make matters worse, it's mating season which explains why we find them on the wall or ceiling from time to time paired up. The good news, crane flies are not harmful and do not bite.  They spend most of their life underground eating microbes which helps plants.  Nonetheless, I'm happy when I see the birds dining on them for breakfast, lunch and diner !

That's a wrap on the week...a really nice week I will add.  Red was a favorite color this week.

A male Cardinal in the bush on the other side of our fence...

The Bottlebrush tree in the front yard...

Begonias I potted on Wednesday...

Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS!