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 !

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 !

Yeah for Spring !

Corona de Tucson

March 27, 2022 

Isn't it amazing how the seasons come and go?  Do you have a favorite season?  When it is spring, spring is my favorite and when it is fall, fall is my favorite.  It is also amazing to me that when I look at the calendar, I see this is the last blog post for March.  Where does the time go?  

We had a yummy lunch in Green Valley this week with Randy.  Tuesday's choice was El Rodeo Mexican and their mouth-watering chicken quesadillas and guacamole.  After lunch, we walked next door to Desert Bloom Garden Center.  They offer a very nice selection of native trees, cacti, and other plants as well as beautiful pots.  No major purchases made...except a  formula they developed to be mixed with water to fertilize succulents.  My collection of succulents is growing.    

On the way back to Randy's home, he stopped at Native Gardens of Green Valley.  It's another home and garden center and one we had not been to.  

This shop also features a Southwest Gallery with unique handcrafted items.  

The owners (who are local residents) provide information on artists from all over the world.  There are laws requiring authentication on products sold in the United States.   

I did leave with a "bread basket" crafted by the artist, pictured to the left, and a hand painted pot for flowers for our patio.     

We headed out early one morning with Jack.  He prefers to go to the spa to get his nails done.  He and Cynthia have a special relationship and he refuses to let us use the grinder on him.  It takes her all of five minutes, but Jack is happy and so are we.  I think he knows the way ! 

It's always a great morning when we go to the desert to walk.   

Cactus Forest Trail (Saguaro National Park East) was calling our names this week and we wanted to show Randy the old lime kilns we had discovered back in February.  So off we went early Thursday morning for some needed exercise and photographs.  There were a few blooms...

...but yellow stole the show.

Sally had her two week check-up.  All is good with her. 

 

Joe and I made a stop at Civano Nursery yesterday on our way to the grocery store.  It is my favorite local nursery. The majority of  plants they sell are are grown at their 70 acre Sahuarita farm.  In fact, Civano originals can be found in garden centers in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas.  

It's not just the plants that are fun...the selection of yard things is huge with lots of variety.  I tell Joe whenever we go there, "I want one of everything."  He thinks I am kidding...

We purchased a few things to brighten up the patio.

Dover sticks her nose in everything we bring home...she approves!

The rest of the week, we have enjoyed home and a few visitors.

A male Broad-billed Hummingbird...

The hummingbird feeder has been especially busy.  I am thinking we need to have two.

A male Lucifer Hummingbird

I haven't quite captured the glow on the outward flare of his gorget feathers.    

We have decided (at least for now) to not put out the big feeder full of black oiled sunflower seeds.  The dove just rake them out and scatter them all over the ground.  So far, the next best thing we found is a bar with seeds.  The Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers and Cardinals seem to like it.  Time will tell I guess.

 

When the pups are not sleeping in the sun, they enjoy puppy television.  

So, that wraps up yet another week at the oasis.   And spring is just beginning...yippee !

 And while some birds come and go...

...others just hang around all the time.

Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS !