Gather

Corona de Tucson 

April 12, 2022

Gather is such a useful word.  We gather information, flowers, ingredients for a recipe...the list is endless.   But the best gathering is with friends and family.    

The first part of the week we had lunch in Green Valley at a favorite Mexican restaurant with Randy and Terri.  And, later in the week the four of us spent a morning perusing a unique and fun vintage marker.    

Gather A Vintage Market is on St Mary's Road in downtown Tucson near Fourth Avenue.  It is only open four days a month.  It is not a consignment shop as the owners buy just about anything vintage/antique and then sell it in one of their several shops.  It's like a little alley of things from days gone by and a walk down memory lane in the middle of downtown Tucson.  I didn't find the night stands I was looking for to use in the guest room, but there was plenty there to catch my eye and it's all very reasonably priced.

Each shop had a theme...baskets, knick-knacks, furniture and accessories, clothes and anything outdoors including doors, windows and shutters.  

Sunday, Randy and Terri hosted lunch at their home.  Stacie, Kevin and their two teenage sons along with Mike (Randy's son) and his wife Cynthia and us all gathered for a wonderful afternoon full of laughter, conversations, and yummy food.  My favorite was Stacie's fruit pizza for desert.  

The rest of the week, Joe and I found ourselves taking our daily walks and puttering around the house.  Thanks to the warmer temps,  we are walking earlier and earlier these days.  

Walking 3 miles at a fast clip for exercise is not always something we look forward to doing, but something we are always glad we complete.  And the earlier in the day it's done, the happier we are.  

  

Saturday, as I was photographing the Great Horned Owl,

Joe was busy transforming Pearl.  Pearl now sports her patriotic summer doors (and new shoes...size 37).  Actually in Tucson, they are more like spring and fall doors...not so good for summers here.  We don't go topless so this is the next best thing and makes for a fun outing...especially those desert drives.

Saguaro NP East is one of my favorite desert drives.

Back at the oasis, it has been windy,  the birds have been thirsty, the peanut butter bites quickly disappear from the feeder and we keep a watchful eye out for Jack.

 

Check out that beak...

and check out those legs.

It was another fun week !  Happy Easter.

And, 

HAPPY TRAILS!

The Great Horned Owl

Corona de Tucson

April 10, 2022

Yesterday afternoon Joe and I were working in the garage.  It was around 2:00 when I looked across the street and stopped dead in my tracks.  I quietly asked, "Does that look like an owl in the tree across the street?"  Joe quickly replied, "Go get your camera."  

An hour later, I was still taking pictures.  I have had some amazing photo shoots with birds over the past few years, but few compare to this magnificent predator that was only a few yards away.  He studied me and I studied him.  

He ignored me, but I never turned my back on him.  

He thought perhaps...maybe it's a dream and I thougtht perhaps maybe he was right.

A few interesting facts I learned from All About Birds.

When clenched, a Great Horned Owl's strong talons require a force of 28 pounds to open.  This deadly grip is used to sever the spine of large prey.

Great Horned Owl's are covered in extremely soft feathers that insulate them against cold winter weather and help them fly very quietly in pursuit of prey.

Great Horned Owl's have large eyes with pupils that open widely in the dark and retinas containing many rod cells for excellent night vision.  

Their eyes do not move in their sockets, but they can swivel their heads more than 180 degrees to look in any direction. 

The Great Horned does not have horns, but is named for the tufts of feathers that sit on top of its head called plumicorns.  Their ears are simple holes in their heads underneath their feathers.  They have very good hearing thanks in part to the facial disc feathers that direct sound waves to their ears.

The Great Horned Owl is one of the most common owls in North America and can be found in all states except Hawaii.  They do not migrate.

I was surprised to see the picture below when I was editing the 150 + photos I took...that's pretty cool to have a hummingbird and an owl in the same photo !

When we went to take the pups for an afternoon walk about 5:00, he was there again...patiently watching and waiting.   I can't go to the kitchen now without spending a few minutes at the window looking for him.