Tucson's Tiki ~

Yes, it's enormous! This Tiki Head is 35 feet tall and stands at the entrance to a fun bar on Tucson's 4th Avenue: The Hut. This Tiki has been a part of Tucson's landscape for decades before it became a bar landmark. The Tiki head was part of a wonderful miniature golf course called Magic Carpet. When the golf course closed many of the fun sculptures were purchased and can be seen around town. The Tiki head is probably the most famous - and definitely the most impressive! 

Yes, that IS the name: Bison Witches

Bison Witches is a popular, nontraditional bar on 4th Avenue. It's a bar, yes, but it serves way better than average bar food. In fact, the soups (served in bread bowls) are amazing! This little place has a very easy going vibe.  

Still Lookin' Good!

I say Bravo! to these car owners who are still driving their 1979 VW bug. I had a bug when I was in high school. I wonder if it is still on the road....? This convertible looks mint!

Photo courtesy Mark Wight. 

Oh just flaunt it!

 

This beauty is such a show off! Whenever I go to Govinda's restaurant I make a visit to the bird habitat area and this fellow is usually strutting around just to be admired by all.  (:

The best compliment ~

One of the nicest things you can say about someone, in my opinion..... that they have a Heart of Gold. 

A Little Post-Holiday Levity ~

Here is another wild residential light display in the Tucson community of Winterhaven, a Christmas village all unto itself. Home owners in the neighborhood agree to decorate their homes and to open the streets to tour buses, trolleys, and strollers during the holiday season.

May the Force be with you in 2016!
Photo courtesy Mark Sykes. 

5 Gifts (Lessons) We Receive From Our Pets ~

To See the World as Always New and Fresh 

To Take Time to Smell and Enjoy the Fresh Air 

To Hear Praise and Love from Others

To Taste and Savor with Gusto

To Enjoy the Experience of Touch

Merry Christmas to everyone! On this day of giving I want to take a minute to give thanks for all of the gifts (life lessons) that we receive from our pets - every day of the year.

Tucson Tradition with a Twist ~

Winterhaven is a community in Tucson that pulls out all the stops with holiday decorating. It is such a big draw that you can reserve a seat on a trolley that will take you all around the neighborhood so that you can be dazzled by the fantastic and fun light displays. Here is one light display with an unusual twist. This homeowner is a member of BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) and he tricked out his Harley with beautiful lights to pull the BACA sleigh for "Biker Claus." This group helps kids who are going through tough times. They are a strong force for good so when you see a biker wearing a "BACA" patch give them a thumbs up! Happy Holidays! 

Happy Harley Holidays!

When I saw this motorcyclist from a distance I thought that he had tricked out his bike for Christmas. But as I got closer I realized that the flags, the flaps, and the trim was just his regular "look."  

Magical Night of Music, Lights, and Animals!

 

 

Each year the Reid Park Zoo hosts "Zoo Lights" and they decorate the entire zoo with lights and fantastic animal sculptures! It is so beautiful and so fun! They have a little area where fake snow falls, they have carolers, and Santa is there, too, if you want to have your picture taken with him. It is an enchanting walk-around. You can even get a hot cocoa with rum to warm you up. Yum! Fun!

Charming Hidden Cafe ~

Time again for a "Where is this?" contest! This mural is a painted cafe behind a cafe. For you regular visitors to the site you know that the first correct guess of this "mystery" location wins a fabulous TDP t-shirt! Good luck!

Sunday posting: SOME CLUES: The cafe is not a chain/franchise. It is not downtown.

OK - all is revealed...... This is the back side of Coffee X Change on Tanque Verde near Kolb. If you use the drive through, you will enjoy this little painted cafe scene as you wait for your latte. Cute and fun! Unfortunately, NO WINNER for this "Where is this?" ):

"Gimme a T!" (Please!)

Poor CVS Pharmacy.... to save space on their electric sign message they excluded the all-important "T" in Asst. Does make a world of difference, wouldn't you say??
Photo courtesy of George Goldman.

A Daring Dawn Raid ~

The javelina herd has not visited my front yard in many weeks. In fact, the chewed wee pumpkin you see here has been decorating my porch since October. This morning the herd did a hoe-down in my yard and they were about to carry off their prize when my dogs alerted me that something was definitely going on outside.

I spotted six big javelina and two little ones. I had to swat at them with a towel to finally get them to move along. They are stubborn!! And I did enjoy the irony that they were chomping on the pumpkin right beside a small metal sculpture of guess what - a little javelina!

Joy and celebration!

Here I am - back at the Arizona Inn again! This time it was to have a drink with a friend and celebrate my birthday. My birthday is today, the 16th, but I tend to celebrate it before, on, and after the actual date. (:

I was totally overwhelmed when the waiter brought us this happy sweet surprise. Is it any wonder that I love this place?   

Freezing in Tucson but hot in Jamaica!

Yes we are having FREEZING temperatures in Tucson right now! All of the gardeners are covering their plants and surrounding them with lights for warmth. On this shiveringly cold day we went out to lunch in Jamaica.... well, D's Island Grill anyway! Spicy Jamaican food was just the thing to warm up with on a rainy cold day! And D's is yummy! It's in a dreary little strip mall so you wouldn't think it would be good but it's great! 

Another view at the Inn ~

The Arizona Inn's Christmas tree is always displayed in the corner of the library. During the holiday season they offer cocktail service in the library so you can sit on a couch with your cocktail and enjoy the fire. Happy holidays!  

Christmas Cactus - with fabric!

This is Nancy Landon, creator of this cactus quilt and owner of Cactus Quilt Shop in Tucson, AZ. If you are a quilter and would like to see the step-by-step instructions for this beautiful blooming cactus row, click here. Happy stitching! 

Our neighborhood mascot ~

We have a secret Santa person in our neighborhood who dresses this metal tortoise sculpture up every year for Christmas. This fun piece of public art is in the median on Harrison Road between 22nd and Golf Links Road. He does look pretty festive wearing a Santa hat, doesn't he? And this year is the first year I have seen him with a scarf. (:

Me, too!

Here's the current street sign at my vet's office. Do you believe? 

Great Gift Idea ~

I love the advice on this license plate! And it provides a one-stop shop idea to solve your gift giving dilemmas - books! Receiving a book is one of my favorite gifts - especially if the gift giver has read it and loved it and thought I would love it too. 

Hawk in the 'hood ~

I was on the phone with a friend when she said, "OH there's a hawk on my wall!" and she ran out to take this photo. It is a Harris Hawk and I was surprised that he was so close to humans and dogs (her dog was barking in the back yard at the bird and it wasn't fazed). To see more Harris Hawk photos you can scroll back and see the photos I posted on November 28 from the Desert Museum's Raptor Free Flight program. 

Canine Kindergarten ~

It's amazing but true that my little 15-pound Border Collie puppy, Abby, is now 30 pounds and enrolled in school! Abby's friend, Buddy, lives nearby and we lucked out with class size -- it's just the two of them. Here our wonderful instructor Olivia is holding them for their closeups. Sit, Stay, Play!

Yappee Hour!

If you are a Tucson pet owner, you might want to join this fun MeetUp group! It's called Yappee Hour and it is just what it sounds like - a gathering for people and their pets to meet, socialize, and have a drink. Yappee Hour events are held at the pet-friendly restaurants in town. This one was at the Magpie's on 4th Avenue. For more info click this link.  On the right you will see Jasper, the pet host of these events. He is a wonderful Mastiff/Lab mix and he is very sociable! Woof!  

The "Mini Me" of the Inn ~

Every Christmas the pastry chef at the Arizona Inn creates a "mini Inn" as a fun display in the lobby. Sometimes little jokes are inserted to delight careful viewers. One year there was a tiny giraffe nibbling on the house. I have NO IDEA why they made this year's icing such a dreadful orange! The inn is more of a pink color.

Ah....THE Tucson Christmas tree!

Every year I enjoy the gorgeous tree that is on display in the Arizona Inn's library sitting room. It is always magnificent! Sitting in the library and having a glass of wine while enjoying the tree and a fire in the fireplace -- what else do you need? Well, OK, if my pups were there it would have been perfect! (But those wrapped gifts would be shredded, I'm sure...)

Tucson's Fall Foliage ~

This beautiful photo of a Tucson home's landscaping is a perfect example of fall foliage. I love the combo of the bougainvillea and the cactus!
Photo courtesy Jim Chaffee.

Happiest Marshmallows in Tucson ~

Gingerbread man and his marshmallow buddies are pretty darn happy sitting in their Hot Cocoa Hot Tub! This fun yard art to celebrate the holidays made me laugh when I drove by, Even in Tucson it is hot cocoa weather right now! Brrrr!

The insider's view ~

The day I saw the Raptor Free Flight program at the Desert Museum my friends were on a higher observation deck and they were just a few feet away from one of the Museum's handlers. They were able to see the birds land on his glove and watch as he gave them a scrap of meat snack. The sculpture you see to the right is a metal hawk and occasionally the birds would perch there, too. Do you see the crowd of people on the lower left? I'm in there somewhere taking the photos you saw the previous days. 

The pig has landed ~

In my neighborhood the season officially starts when the flying angel pig appears on my neighbor's roof. I suspect that even before the Thanksgiving leftovers are tucked into the fridge this guy is on his roof getting the house decorated. Let the season begin! If you have decorations in your neighborhood (or on your own house!) that are spectacular, fun, or funny, please send them to me and I will post them. Just tell me what part of town you live in. (: