Sabino Canyon and Historic Presidio Neighborhood

Corona de Tucson

November 21, 2022 

Hiking in Sabino Canyon Recreation Area has long been a favorite for Joe and me.  Wednesday morning, we combined Sabino Lake, Creek Trail, Bluff Trail and Esperero Trail for a decent hike and some beautiful vistas at just under 4 miles.  

Sabino Canyon is located in the Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest on the north side of Tucson. There is always a view of the mountains!

  

These combined trails provide a small sampling of everything Sabino Canyon has to offer.  Desert vegetation, 

steep rock cliffs, 

This is my favorite part of the trail.  The prickly pear cactus has been growing there for as long as we have been hiking at Sabino (2014).

and a riparian corridor. 

Sabino Creek flows almost year round.

We were happy to see a little water at Sabino Lake.  The "lake" is really just a flat section of Sabino Creek backed up behind a small dam which was built in the 1930s to "make" a lake for the locals to swim in. 

We passed a few birds along the way...

Phainopepla

  

Verdin

a crested saguaro I must check on...

a few Saguaro blooms...

a small hedgehog cactus with red fruit...

and golden grasses.  It was a perfect morning !

Saturday morning we were off to Tucson for the Tucson Museum of Art (TMA) Fall Artisan Market.  There are more than 100 unique and local artists and artisans with crafts, original artwork, pottery, glass, textiles, and jewelry.  The market is located in the historic Presidio neighborhood in an outside area behind the museum.  

Also behind and in the same block as TMA is Old Town Artisans.  These colorful adobe buildings were built in the 1850s in the block that was once the stables area for the Presidio.      

Today, these buildings are used as galleries for local artists and shops with unique gifts.   

On the other side of the window in the above photo is a lively courtyard tucked inside the walls of Old Town Artisans.

It is better known as La Cocina Restaurant and Cantina featuring Arizona craft beers and an outdoor stage.  We enjoyed the guitarist as well as a yummy lunch...a smothered burrito with fresh roasted veggies and street tacos with slaw. Another perfect morning !

Back at the oasis,  I have new glasses on the way (YIPPEE!) and had my teeth cleaned.  Jack and Dover went to the vets.  

Jack sat with Dover in the backseat...but really watched to make sure we were headed in the right direction.  He needed his Bordetella Vaccine.

Dover had all her stitches taken out.

I discovered battery powered lights...now I want them everywhere !  

The White-crowned sparrow is my only bird photo from the yard this week.  

The nights have been chilly and the past two days have been windy at our house.  Not complaining...just saying !   

And that's a wrap for the week.  Happy Thanksgiving to all...we sure have lots to be thankful for.  

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 !