A Queer of Quail ~

A group of quail can be a queer, a covey, a flock, or a bevy. These quiet quail are sculpture at the beautiful Tohono Chul Park, a wonderful place to refresh yourself with art, greenery, and a tea room, too!
Photo courtesy of Ken Wilcox.

Caught in the moment ~

This beautiful mule deer is just one of the lifesize sculptures that will delight you on the grounds of Tucson's wonderful Tohono Chul Park.
Photo courtesy of Ken Wilcox. 

How many cats DO you have???

Ha! Do you have a crazy cat lady in your life? (Is it YOU?)  Felines rock! 
Photo courtesy of David Aber. 

Mafia Crime Boss Lives & Dies in Tucson ~

Time for some serious CRIME trivia on this Tuesday Trivia posting! Joseph Bonaanno (or Joey Bananas as the press dubbed him) lived for decades in a quiet and lovely Tucson neighborhood. Read more about the infamous Joey here. For info about his burial spot, click here. 

A River Runs Through It ~

 

YES! You can believe your eyes! That is water running in the Santa Cruz River. This is a view looking northeast and you can see downtown Tucson in the distance. Thanks to the recent massive storms we have had, Tucson (temporarily) has a river running through it! 

Photo courtesy of Ken Wilcox.  

Remembrance of a Birthday ~

Nothing would make me happier today than to be able to say "Happy Birthday" to my dear friend, Michelle. She was just 53 when she left us. Too young and much loved. This is the beautiful stained glass mural at Holy Hope Cemetery. Please tell someone today that you love them! 

To Pugs and the People Who Love Them!

I had to laugh when I saw this "Pug Bus" in traffic. I wonder how many pugs travel around in this bus? Fun! 

Food Friday!

I was having breakfast at First Watch and loved these blackboard messages. "I love you more than bacon!" is a pretty awesome pledge, wouldn't you say??  (: 

Throwback Thursday ~ Goodbye to this beauty bear

23 AUGUST 2011

A big, big girl ~

THEN:

When I saw this black bear I thought to myself, "Now that's a BIG bear!" and then I learned from the newspaper archives that, yes, she is considered by the experts to be a big bear - 350 pounds. To read about this popular Desert Museum resident, click here. If you would like to watch a few seconds of her eating lettuce, click here. 

NOW:

Sadly, this beautiful girl died in 2014. The Museum's cub, Strawberry, was acquired in 2014 and here is more news and photos about this cutie. 

http://www.desertmuseum.org/ 

Hovering Alien Spacecraft?

 

These luminous orbs would be kind of scary if you saw them hovering in your back yard! But they are not from space... they are the very cool light fixtures that hang in Pastiche's bar area. Fun!

Yes, we really have "Official Neckwear" in Arizona!

Tuesday is Trivia Day! The state legislators in 1973 declared the Bolo (or Bola) Tie to be the state's "Official Neckwear." It must have been a slow day in the capital! I have heard the terms "bolo" and "bola" used interchangeably. If anyone has info on which is considered correct, let me know! And I know that Clint doesn't live in Arizona but he sure does look good wearing a bola/bolo, doesn't he? (: 

So THAT'S what they are called!

 

It's common to see these colorful and elaborate paper cut outs hung from houses in Tucson. They always look so festive! Do you know what they are called? Click HERE to learn a little bit of Mexican history about them! 

Tucson's Local Talent ~

 

Two local treasures are featured here! First, the art of David Adix is so interesting with his use of mixed media and recycled materials. This piece, "Jeangene," is displayed at Pastiche, a locally owned restaurant in Tucson on Campbell near Ft Lowell. Want to see more pieces by David? Click HERE. 

Inside looking out ~

Want to take a guess where this is in Tucson? Rustic and beautifully vine covered - looks like somewhere in Europe, doesn't it?

Toxic Toad ~ Real Danger to Pets!

 

Lucky for me my puppy Abby only got close enough to sniff this intruder before I pulled her back. This is a poisonous Sonoran Desert Toad that had made his way into my front yard and was enjoying a cool, moist spot near a water pipe. If a dog picks this toad up in its mouth or licks it, the chances are very good that it will be fatal. These frogs emerge during monsoon season so be viligant if you have pets! Here's more info and help tips if your pet has been poisoned. And TIME is CRITICAL to get your pet to the vet!

Throwback Thursday ~ Still a Treasure!

16 AUGUST 2011

One of Tucson's Treasures ~

THEN AND NOW: Happily, as beautiful as ever! 

Definitely one of the most beautiful parks in the area, Sabino Canyon offers hiking trails (and you can bring your dog - on leash), spectacular waterfalls, and even a tram if you don't want to walk up to the top.
http://www.sabinocanyon.com/ 

A Surplus of Applicants?

14 APRIL 2018

Pretty Impressive Want Ad!

I've never seen a "want ad" quite as BIG and COLORFUL as this one. Looks like Toolspot on Golf Links Road needs to increase their staff and they want everyone driving by to know about it! 

NOW:
Notice anything different about the wall? The ad has disappeared! Job filled!

Tucson Trivia ~ 4,000 years ago

Corn kernels estimated to be 4,000 years old have been unearthed by archaeologists working in Pima County. This confirms that some of the earliest corn cultivation in North America happened in and around Tucson! 

If you are concerned about GMOs, click here to read an article about groups in Arizona that are trying to protect native and indigenous corn seed.  

Ahhh.... the Pot o' Gold!

We are so lucky in Tucson to have incredible vistas where we can see full, unobstructed rainbows from end to end! Fabulous! Our storms give us these golden gifts after the rain falls. Beautiful.
Photos courtesy of George Goldman. 

Go RAD!

This animal rescue group was staffing a booth outside of the Roadhouse Cinema to raise awareness of their work. I bought a RAD t-shirt and promised them I would post a notice about them on this site. Check out their website HERE for more information! 

Simple Messages are the Best!

How fun to celebrate your NEW CAR with a license plate that announces it to everyone on the road! 

'tis the season! Monsoon season, that is!

Photographers from all over the world travel to Tucson at this time of year to capture the astonishing light show that accompanies our monsoon season. This fabulous image showcases the jagged lightning against a rain-filled cloud cover. In the foreground is our iconic saguaro, the sentinel of the desert southwest.
Photo courtesy of George Goldman.

Historical Throwback Thursday - all is the same!

09 AUGUST 2010

More mansions on Main ~

THEN: 8 years ago this particular posting was part of a "Walking Tour of Downtown Tucson" that I was navigating for site visitors. 

NOW: The tour would be the same! 

Facing each other on Main at Franklin are two very different homes ~ both beautiful. The Steinfeld Mansion (California Mission Revival style) was built in 1898 and originally housed an exclusive bachelors' club (tomorrow you'll visit the club's later location). Later, the Steinfelds bought it. Even later it was a convent! It is reputedly one of the first homes in Tucson to have running water.
http://www.dotcomtucson.com/tucson_arizona_attractions/steinfeld_mansion.html
The Jules Kruttschnidt House (now a bed and breakfast) blends Mexican adobe construction with a veranda and breezeway. http://www.bbonline.com/az/elpresidio/history.html

Next stop: Keep walking north on Main and on your left you will spot the Owl's Club building - just a few steps from the Steinfeld Mansion.

Charm at every turn ~

Tucson's historic Hacienda del Sol Resort offers charm at every turn. They have modernized and expanded the resort over the years but have kept the essential southwest charm in every element. 

Look Familiar?

Yesterday I posted a photo of where I am but no one made a guess. Does THIS look familiar? It is one of Tucson's most charming places. Guesses - anyone??

Swiss Cheese?

Would you like to guess where I am? Yes, this piece of swiss cheese sculpture is part of the landscape!

I'm part of Kindness Rocks!

Tonight as I was entering a restaurant I spotted this Kindness Rock! I have been reading about this grassroots kindness project and I was so excited to find one! Tomorrow I will find a good spot and leave this little bug for someone else to find. Kindess begets kindness! Fun and wonderful! Don't know about these rocks? Click here! 

And WE MEAN IT! (:

Love this sign! This is posted in the Chili's Restaurant take away area. Fun!
Photo courtesy of David Aber. 

Tucson's Food Friday ~

This interesting restaurant has been serving cocktails and dinner on Tucson's FAR east side since 1956! It's way out on Old Spanish Trail and even now there is not a lot built up nearby. The area had to be nothing but desert 62 years ago so this must have been a true "destination" dining spot. I understand that long ago it was a fine dining place with white linen tablecloths, etc. Now it is a much more casual place with patio dining and live country western music. The interior features a floor to ceiling wall of glass so that you can observe the local wildlife like javelina and bobcat foraging around. Fun! 

Enrich your Tucson knowlege ~ walk!

02 AUGUST 2010

Put on your walking shoes ~ let's go!

THEN (2010):

This week I would love to take you on an actual walking tour! Many of you are familiar with Tucson's rich history, but for those of you who aren't... join me as we go back a few hundred years.

First stop is the Arizona Historical Society Museum. Tucked in the Wells Fargo building right across from the main library, this gem of a museum will set the stage for what we are going to see in our stroll.

Our first stop will be El Presidio, a partial reconstruction of the Spanish fort built in 1775. Let's head west across the library plaza and turn right on Church Street. You will see the fort's adobe walls on the corner of Church & Washington.

140 N. Stone Avenue (in Wells Fargo bldg)
(520)770-1473
Hours: Tues. - Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Free admission the first Friday of the month.

The AHS Downtown Museum exhibits depict early Tucson businesses and homes, including drugstores, police and fire departments, and the Romero barbershop.
http://www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org/

NOW: Historical tour remains the same! 

Check out the tail!

Look closely and you'll see that this happy cat's tail is the windshield wiper! Pretty clever and would be cool to watch it wagging during a rainstorm! FUN!