Moving into May...

Corona de Tucson

May 8, 2025

A pretty sunrise this week...

Moving into May is such a great time of year.  There is a natural shift from spring to summer when the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer.  The past few days we have pretty much been homebodies except for the usual errands.  I needed a few frames and Hobby Lobby seems to be the go to place for those.  But the real reason is it is across the street from our favorite hamburger joint. It isn't only the big juicy burgers that we enjoy. We both gobble up way more fries than we need and I do have a hankering for their sweet tea.  

It has been about six months since we walked the Lost Barrio warehouse district in Tucson.  Gather was open for the May exhibit of antique and vintage finds that only the folks at Gather know how to display.  It takes a couple of walks thru the old warehouse venue...looking left and right and up and down.  This months showing was so colorful, bright and cheery.  

Flowers and everything to do with flowers was the theme...inside and outside. Baskets all shapes and sizes, stands all shapes and sizes, pots all shapes and sizes, pictures of flowers, throw pillows with flowers, dishes with flowers, lamps with flowers and the list goes on and on.  

Lunch was at BK's for the yummiest guac ever...

and a dog and BK fries.

 

We have had a hodgepodge of weather thus far in May.  

A nice rainy day on Sunday was perfect for being lazy and it wasn't just rainy off and on, it was the coldest day in May since 2019.  Sweet !  Some afternoons, the winds pick up so morning walks with Lucy work best.  Im so proud of her...we are up to 2 miles and some days she is really good on the leash.  I read that 5 minutes per every month of age is a good guide with 6-9 months 30 to 45 minutes.  She will find a shady spot and lay down for a a minute or two.  It is interesting to note that I read puppy bones are still growing and will not be physically mature until around a year old for small pups (18 to 24 months for large dogs). Puppy bones have soft "growth plates" at the ends where new bone is produced as the puppies grow. The plates are not as sturdy as mature bones so they are easier to damage.  Even worse, an injured growth plate can stop the bone from growing early.  

Most of the time, we stay on the sidewalks...

  

and this week, Lucy had her first cart path walk.

Joe had to make a quick run to our neighborhood Ace Hardware one morning.  Lucy and I went too.  She has friends there and likes their treats !  I saw these cute little frogs and brought two of them home.  

Back at the oasis, we have spent a lot of morning an afternoon time on the patio in our rockers.  Rocking (and I would also add swinging) is calming.  But when I read that studies suggest that rocking can improve focus and concentration, I am all in ! And, it's a nice way to sit and enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, birds that visit, and playing with Lucy.  

Lucy likes the rockers too and doesn't miss any chance to grab one for herself.

We welcomed the Black-headed Grosbeaks this week.  They have been very busy at the feeders.  We aren't sure if they are migrating thru or breeding as we are in the area for both.  

Male Black-headed Grosbeak

Not sure, either an immature male or female...

Such a beauty...

A regular visitor these days...

oh those eyes... 

and still our favorite !

The prickly pear are blooming...

Front yard...a volunteer prickly pear...such a pretty color

Back yard on the other side of the fence...

and so is the torch cactus.  From this...

to this.

We love how Lucy keeps up with everything...

Joe took the trash out to the curb for pick-up and walked across the street to speak to our neighbor and friend.

baby bunnies...

and the beautiful sky !

Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS !

Joe checked the air pressure in Belle's tires...stay tuned !

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!