Already August...

Circle Pines KOA

Williams, AZ

August 3, 2025  

Once again, we turned the page on the calendar and August begins.  But before we get settled into the last full month of summer, I wanted to share a few photos from July that didn't get posted.  I almost called this post Grandma Hobbies.  I read an article that these hobbies include crafting, cooking, and/or enjoying nature.  

The article stated there has been a resurgence in sewing, knitting, gardening, and birdwatching. These are just a few hobbies mentioned on a long list of granny era hobbies that keep our minds busy and soothes the soul. A survey referred to in the article revealed that a majority of young folks between 18 and 28 have acquired at least one grandma hobby.  Kudos for them! 

It seems a discovery has been made that that these activities might just be the best kept secret to better mental health.  Being a Gigi, and having friends that are grandmas, we can all agree to these benefits.  Felting, knitting, gardening, and long drives in the middle of nowhere looking for the "wonders of nature" are only a few of the activities I enjoy reading about in the blog-o-sphere.  Hobbies we all began before we were grandmas and continue to enjoy.  

Birdwatching is one of my favorite things to do!

July ended on a beautiful note...we had a monsoon storm that rolled in about 5:30.  I am not sure if the 104 degrees had anything to do with the intensity, but it was so wonderful.  It rained and rained.  Lucy and I went from window to window and front yard to backyard to watch and enjoy.  The rains were accompanied by frequent lightening strikes, winds and flash flooding.  

A storm cloud over our neighbor's home across the street...

The sunset from the front yard a couple of hours later...

And the last sunset in July from the backyard...

Friday dawned with vaca plans...a nice getaway to the mountains and Saturday  the wheels were rolling.  

A quick overnighter in Camp Verde and after a nice Sunday drive we settled in Circle Pines KOA in Williams, AZ for a week and the best part isn't even the cooler temps.  We are spending the week with Ronnie and Carol.

Next door neighbors !

The KOA isn't called Circle Pines for nothing.  I love the pines, especially long-leaf pines.  

Reminds me of Georgia...

Lucy discovered pine cones...

A very tired little puppy...

Stay tuned.  Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS!

Colorful Spring

Corona de Tucson

April  27, 2025

A garden of wildflowers at Tucson Botanical Gardens

April just seems to have come and gone without much going on.  We followed our vet's orders and made sure Lucy had two weeks for recovery from her surgery although it was much harder the second week than it was the first week.  We have started back walking the past few days.  I was surprised Lucy picked up right where we left off.  She tolerates the leash and walks without pulling unless she hears another dog(s) bark or sees someone she needs to greet.  We aren't quite sure how to teach her to ignore those two things and are banking on some maturity.  She turned eight months old on April 20th.  

Joe and I have each had a couple of appointments in Tucson.  We headed straight to Baja Cafe for liege waffles with berries and danish cheese on one of our outings and ate every morsel  Another day we enjoyed a nice lunch at Wildflower.  I always say I'm going to try a different meal there, but always end up ordering the lobster and artichoke salad with grilled asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes on greens served with a delicious truffle vinaigrette.  We also indulged ourselves with bars of sin for desert...cappuccino mouse covered in praline chocolate with vanilla gelato...quite tasty !

Our only other outing was a spring visit to Tucson Botanical Gardens. Joe and I both agreed that the gardens were more beautiful and colorful than we have ever seen them.   The iris were gorgeous...

The roses were vibrant...

The amaryllis were striking...

Lady's Glove were dramatic...

The poppies were vivid...

The Swallowtails were busy...

The Dove were protecting...

The bees were working...

 

And the guests were playing.

One of the exhibits is Beautiful Spirit : Art in Motion.  The dragonfly wings are about 6 feet wide and hinged at midpoint.  With a little pedal power, the wings will flap and the body moves up and down.  

Majestic...artist Joe Benedict

We also enjoyed the Fiesta De Los Animales exhibit.  It is a collection of folk art sculptures to celebrate the imagery and symbolism from indigenous Mexican cultures.  Each sculpture showcases a region and culture.  

Hummingbird...in the style of Purepecha ceramic.  Purepecha are an indigenous culture from western Mexico and their influence on folk art dates back hundreds of years. These ceramics have a limited color palette with detailed line work.

Parrot...in the style of Tonala burnished earthenware.  Tonala pottery dates back to pre-Hispanic times. Burnishing is a finishing technique that uses stone to polish the piece creating a smooth, shiny appearance without the use of glaze. The color is derived from iron and manganese oxides and local clays. 

And one more exhibit located in the Porter Hall is Curious Allies.  It is a collection of 48 paintings in a range of styles and media that shine a light on many environmental benefits derived from mutualistic relationships between fungi, lichens, parasitic, etc and the species with which they interact...ourselves included. 

The Fifth New York Botanical Garden Triennial with the American Society of Botanical Artists

Tucson Botanical Gardens has been rated #4 in the country for "Best Botanical Garden" in the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards for 2025.  This marks the third consecutive year the gardens have received this national recognition.  Joe and I sure enjoy our walks at the gardens. As many times as we have visited, we never tire of the beauty during all the seasons of the year.  

 

Back at the oasis, we are enjoying the rockers.   The birds come and go..the oranges have been a favorite.

And I happened to see the Cooper's hawk at the bird feeder, but by the time I grabbed the camera he was resting on the fence.

Until next time, 

HAPPY TRAILS!