Happy Thanksgiving !

Corona de Tucson

November 24, 2024

The ending to a very nice day...

Someone had a celebration at the oasis and it wasn't me !  Joe celebrated his 78th birthday on November 2nd. We decided on a trip to the city...I just like the way that sounds...for brunch.  Cup Cafe at Hotel Congress was our choice.  There is a huge parking garage across the street which makes it an easy destination for a yummy meal.  Joe had blueberry pancakes, eggs over easy, crispy bacon, and wheat toast.  I had my favorite...eggs Benedict with a yummy hollandaise sauce, crispy bacon, mixed greens with toasted almonds topped with the yummiest vinaigrette.  

Afterwards, we walked to the library. I have always loved "the city" even though I have no desire to live in one.  My first memories of "the city" were yearly visits with my mom and my brother to Atlanta to ride the "pink pig" at Macy's during Christmas Holidays.  San Diego comes to mind as my favorite city to visit and I love the history right here in Tucson. Tucson's first library built in 1938 is now the Children's Museum of Tucson. In 1990, the new Joel Valdez Main Library was finalized and opened to the public.

Sonora (the title of the red sculpture) was created by David Black and dedicated to the library's plaza in 1991.  Sonora stands 25 ft high and 43 ft wide.  While it may look like a giant abstract insect, it is filled with symbolism. Although I have a hard time seeing the symbolism from the photo I took.  I read the ring in the center represents Native American baskets and kivas, the columns are made to signify Mexican palm trees, and the pyramids stand for the Tucson Mountains.  

My first stop at any library is always the Children's Room.  The 9,000 square foot room is divided into three sections...Early Literacy, Early Elementary and Tweens…where children can enjoy this colorful area filled with books, a digital touch table, a pretend play complete with a wooden kitchen and "food", a puppet theater, and a Lego wall. 

The library has lots of natural light, quiet places to sit and read, places to gather with friends and a cup of coffee, local artists exhibits, and more.  

View from the second floor...

Our walk to and from the library was several city blocks.

The old...

and the new.

Joe was happy to get his eyelid stitches out. He has a protective contact lens and gets antibiotic ointment in his eye twice a day.  Vision is on the blurry side and we hope that improves.

I took a zoom photo...one teeny, tiny blue bar was on the center outside upper lid and the other on the bottom lid. 

Last Friday, we perused the Tucson Museum of Art Artisans Market, Old Town Market, and walked more blocks in the Presidio Historic District. The Artisan Market is an outside event held twice a year (spring and fall). This year's market seemed much bigger with beautiful jewelry, paintings, metal works, pottery, etc.  

We stopped to look at this gorgeous sterling silver jewelry and met the artist and his wife from Mexico.  The stones used are mostly from Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.  He is quite talented and every piece I looked at had a history. 

Every time we go, I look at these stained glass pieces for the backyard.  Janna, I think your talented husband could make these for your backyard...they are so pretty with the light shining thru. 

The pot wasn't for sale...

Old Town Market shops were open as well.

Romero House TMA School Ceramics Studio...

And a few photos from our walk in the Presidio Historic District...

The Cheyney House built in 1905.  Mr Cheney was a mining chemist and one of the early postmasters of Tucson. 

The Hereford (Hair-fud) House built in 1902 after Frank Hereford who was 41 years old when he married in 1901. In his younger days, he was a Cochise County Sheriff.

The Franklin House built in 1898.  Selim Franklin was an attorney and built this home for his bride, Henrietta Herring, who designed their home. Selim specialized in mining and cattle cases and land grant issues. He was instrumental in proposing and accepting the federal land grant to build the university in Tucson.  Since Franklin held the only college degree on the board of regents, he was made the first professor of agriculture.   

The Steinfeld Mansion built is 1900 was originally built as The Owl's Club by 13 bachelors and is the first California Mission Style on Main Street.  These unmarried men each furnished a room and hired a cook and proceeded to enjoy life...their galas, masked balls, and celebrations were the talk of the town. In 1908, Albert Steinfeld and his wife bought the property.  Albert opened a department store in 1914 and it remained one of the largest department stores in Tucson until it closed in 1984. He was also involved in banking, mining, and real estate and was one of the most prominent men in Tucson for several decades.   

Back at the oasis, we had a wonderful rainy Sunday.  It was so nice and we sure do need the rain.  

We have added more color to the backyard...

      

a large pot of daisies...

large and small pots of yellow pansies...

and my favorite...lots and lots of violas. 

I didn't capture many feathered friends the past few weeks...

and not all the birds we see have feathers.

We relocated a Walking Stick Insect that had taken up residence in one of my pots.

The best news of the month is we have a new puppy.  Our home seemed a little on the empty side and Joe and I figured out very quickly we are puppy people.  We picked up Lucy from the airport on Wed. November 13.  

This is Lucy's adoption photo from Crockett Doodles based in Greenville, SC.  She is a Cockapoo and was born on Aug. 20. Her mom is a 20 pound Cockeer Spaniel and her dad is a 9 pound mini Poodle. There were three pups in her litter...all girls...and Lucy was the last one to be adopted.

 She flew all the way across the country (with a stop over in Dallas) with her very own Flight Nanny.  Lucy was 11 weeks old when we adopted her from Crockett Doodles.  Love is such a wonderful thing.  I am pretty sure Lucy already feels right at home and we love this little bundle of fur, energy, and joy. 

Lucy's first visit to meet Dr. Huang at Animal Care Center of Green Valley. She weighed in at 6.2 pounds, had her second vaccination, and lots of hugs and kisses from Dr. Huang and the staff.  She has a rabies shot and one more vaccination in December before we can take her out in public. 

Lucy has lots of love to share...

She likes to play...

likes to chew (and everything goes in her mouth)...

Joe and I have never had a puppy this young and never experienced teething...yikes!

really likes her naps...

loves to help...

and we love to cuddle !

Joe and I are looking forward to Thanksgiving with Jamie, Andra, and Ozzie.  We sure have lots to be thankful for.  And its with lots of love and good wishes we send a Happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends near and far. 

Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS!

Slow, But Steady

Corona de Tucson

April 28, 2022 

I took this photo on April 19 at 5:40 am, but didn't include it in the blog as I had too many pictures already.  

I took this photo on Saturday, four days later at 5:41am after several very windy days.  It's a great example of how the wind and dust particles affect the colors we see in the sky.   

You might recall that last week (4-20-22) I tripped over Sally and sprained my big toe.  It is better as the swelling is gone from the bottom of my foot, but the top is still quite swollen at the joint.  We read on google that a bad sprain can take 4 to 6 weeks to heal...YIKES!  I'll be as big as a blimp by then !  Walking is something we really enjoy...not just for the physical benefits, but for the mental benefits as well.  The best comfort comes when I tape the big toe to the little toe next to it and wear snug fitting socks and shoes with good support.  I really, REALLY hope that by next week I can put my full weight on that foot and hit the trail !

The week seems to have flown by.  We have been to the dentist twice...once for  doctor exams and back again for cleanings.  We have been to the oncologist twice...once for blood work and then to see the doctor.  All is good and Joe is 8 years cancer free.  Always a relief to hear those words !  

Sunday, we headed south to explore and ended up at Kartchner Caverns State Park...a new to us gem that is nearly in our backyard.

  

We learned a lot at the Discovery Center.  It is very well laid out with tons of information about the history, the caves, and the bats that hibernate there.  The caves were discovered in 1974, but did not become public knowledge until its purchase in 1988 when the property was approved for purchase as an Arizona State Park.  Bones and fossils were discovered in the cave that proved to be 86,000 years old.  The biggest cave visitor to date is a ground sloth that roamed the area all those thousands of years ago. 

The Kartchner Cave is composed of mostly limestone which is a sedimentary rock.  That in itself is amazing considering that the limestone developed a few million years ago when the land was still under a shallow sea.  

Dripping water has played a huge part inside the caves.  

To say I am chomping at the bits (as my grandma would say) to go down under is putting it mildly.  Heal, big toe, heal !

My favorite part of the Discovery Center was all about the bats.  I always included a unit about bats when I was teaching mammals in Kindergarten.  

Listen like a Bat is a child friendly display that explains how bats have enhanced hearing.  I was curious...

Bats are such horribly, cute little creatures that care for their young, can find their food in total darkness and consume half their body weight in insects everyday...that is up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour!  Their life span is 30 years + and they fly at speeds of 60 miles an hour.  Hold your heads high little bats and thank you !

Back at the oasis, it has been one of those piddling weeks with lots of patio time.  I was excited when Randy offered terra-cotta pots he didn't need any more.  

The front of the house faces west...not so good for plants in the hot afternoon sun.  We chose blue agave for their tolerance to heat.  We bought smaller plants to give them room to grow.  

We had a new visitor in the backyard this week.  A female Gilded Flicker perched on the concrete post.  She didn't stay long, but has returned several times for some orange.  I hope she convinces her handsome beau the oranges are really tasty at the Taylor's. 

For some reason, the male and female cardinals rarely visit the feeder at the same time.

The Lesser Goldfinch always visit and and eat together.

And the Curved-bill Thrasher never looks happy even with lots of choices.

Maybe this visit he was just bothered by the wind.

 

Joe and I spent a few hours putting a puzzle together.

Job well done...a futon for the extra bedroom.

Sally loves the patio as much I do.

Jack still loves to play ball and I still love my rocker.

And all three really love morning naps !

Well, that's a wrap for the week and for April.  The prickly pear are beginning to bloom and yesterday on the way home I spotted a saguaro with lots of buds and a single bloom.  Bring on May !

Until then, 

The palo verde trees have been so pretty !

The road home...

HAPPY TRAILS !