ON Sunday afternoon we drove up "A" mountain called Sentinel Peak Park on the west side of Tucson, beyond the I-10 freeway. The students at the U. of Arizona marked the mountain top with a big red, white and blue A at the top, so we drove up there to see the sights from it. In fact Tucson is ringed completely by mountains, there are 5 mountain ranges surrounding it.
There were people up there looking at the sights with us, and it was interesting to look back over the flat city at the downtown core with its handsome skyscrapers. The rest of the city is pretty low profile, only a few towering buildings scattered here and there.
The domestic architecture here is very interesting. I find many of the American churches are very pretty to look at.
Visited Joanne's for a few more beads, today Monday will be my last visit to the beading ladies so I wanted to have something to do while I joined them this afternoon.
Paid our last visit to the cowboy restaurant Tucson McGraws and we both ate a huge plate of the most delicious ribs ever invented. Yum yum, and they do "loaded mashed potatoes", which are delicious too.
Hmmmm, it's nearly time to roll on out of Tucson. It's been a great month, indeed.
It poured with rain last night, it had felt as if it would for several days, so finally it did. Today there is water on the ground everywhere, seems quite unusual as it's been so very hot. But now has cooled down to almost chilly here, what a difference from the 90s down to the 60s again. Still warms up in the afternoons though.
Hope we don't have sandstorms in Pilot Knob as we did a couple of years ago. It was pretty hard to clean up the sand from absolutely everywhere after that. The sandstorm lasted nearly 8 hours or so, and we were told that it happens there about twice a year. Ick. We even had sand in our teeth and ears after that one.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Tucson Botanical Gardens
Today we went to the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and walked around in the warm sunshine looking at the pretty gardens, both the one designed by the original owners of the property who ran a landscape nursery, and who donated it to the city in 1968; and then at the Xeriscape type desert garden full of cactus and other succulent plants, much more appropriate to this climate. It was fascinating.
There is also a butterfly garden to attract native butterflies with the pretty desert flowers, and an enclosure where they raise buterflies from other parts of the world.
We had lunch there, afterwards explored a new bead shop, then came home, and had dinner here.
The temps have gone down to seasonal norms, in the low to mid 70s, and once again chilly at night. Jeans in the morning, and shorts by midday. Jeans again in the evenings.
Interesting climate indeed.
There is also a butterfly garden to attract native butterflies with the pretty desert flowers, and an enclosure where they raise buterflies from other parts of the world.
We had lunch there, afterwards explored a new bead shop, then came home, and had dinner here.
The temps have gone down to seasonal norms, in the low to mid 70s, and once again chilly at night. Jeans in the morning, and shorts by midday. Jeans again in the evenings.
Interesting climate indeed.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Walking tour of Old town Tucson today
We went downtown to the centre of town, and started by having coffee at La Placita, a group of old adobe buildings turned into charming offices/stores/restaurants/and a visitor centre. Very friendly lady there, so we got a map and did a walking tour all around down there for a few hours.
Lots of old adobe buildings, with offices, stores and some private residences in them. They have been preserved attractively, and the whole area around the Courthouse and the downtown core is quite pretty, though obviously a lot of them have been removed to make room for progress. Their contrast with the skyscrapers, many of glass, is very interesting. We had lunch behind the Tucson Art Gallery in a lovely restaurant, at the Cafe A La C'Art. Yummy food, and the owner hostess lady said that dessert she considered to be an hors d'oeuvre, so we had some before our meals arrived!!!!! All homemade things, served in a pretty adobe building, and on a nice patio.
We ended up touring what has been reconstructed of the Presidio, and going through a very artsy complex of high end art stores, jewelry, pottery, art, crafts and restaurants. We were near the City Hall also, and some other civic buildings.
Lary got gas yesterday at a Coxco gas station, a Tucson family owned chain, at $1.99per gallon for diesel. We haven't paid less than $2.00 a gallon since Jan. '05, and last year at this time we paid $3.59 per gallon. The employee in the station said that they usually have the cheapest prices in town, and enjoy keeping it that way.
Lots of old adobe buildings, with offices, stores and some private residences in them. They have been preserved attractively, and the whole area around the Courthouse and the downtown core is quite pretty, though obviously a lot of them have been removed to make room for progress. Their contrast with the skyscrapers, many of glass, is very interesting. We had lunch behind the Tucson Art Gallery in a lovely restaurant, at the Cafe A La C'Art. Yummy food, and the owner hostess lady said that dessert she considered to be an hors d'oeuvre, so we had some before our meals arrived!!!!! All homemade things, served in a pretty adobe building, and on a nice patio.
We ended up touring what has been reconstructed of the Presidio, and going through a very artsy complex of high end art stores, jewelry, pottery, art, crafts and restaurants. We were near the City Hall also, and some other civic buildings.
Lary got gas yesterday at a Coxco gas station, a Tucson family owned chain, at $1.99per gallon for diesel. We haven't paid less than $2.00 a gallon since Jan. '05, and last year at this time we paid $3.59 per gallon. The employee in the station said that they usually have the cheapest prices in town, and enjoy keeping it that way.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
More jewelry making yesterday
After we went shopping for a few things, Di went over to jewelry making and made some more earrrings to go with necklaces already made. Also made a nice copper colored bracelet with crystals in between the main beads, bronze tones with kind of champagne rosy brown bicone crystals in between. Really nice looking.
Had a good time, the other ladies there are working on crystal bracelets on fireline, a fishing line, that aren't my style, but I enjoy the easy companionship, and the company seems to be stimulating as I get quite a lot done each afternoon that I join them.
Delicious steaks for dinner.
Had a good time, the other ladies there are working on crystal bracelets on fireline, a fishing line, that aren't my style, but I enjoy the easy companionship, and the company seems to be stimulating as I get quite a lot done each afternoon that I join them.
Delicious steaks for dinner.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Antiquing today in Tucson
Today we went antiquing in Tucson, we went to 2 different malls, the second one the Copper Country Antique Mall was just incredible. Found some gorgeous jewelry there, we could have bought lots and lots, but didn't.
We had a nice visit with our neighbours here in the park, they live in Qualicum, they were the ones who suggested we come to stay here, and we stayed and chatted outside on their deck in the warm air for ages and ages.
Tomorrow there is coffee in the clubhouse, a fashion line of clothing is sponsoring it, and then after that the Ceramics room is having a show of their wares that they all made while they were staying here this winter.
We had a wooden cupboard nearly come off in Di's hand yesterday, so today Lary unscrewed it and took it over to the woodworking shop, they glued it back together, the glue had dried out in the heat. And there is a second one that needs almost the same type of repair tomorrow, perhaps even a bit more damage, so Lary will make another visit there. They have the glue and the clamps, and in this type of heat it all dries very quickly thank heavens.
Don't want to take a wrecked trailer back to the Okanagan to trade it in. We actually have the A/C on in the late afternoons, in the evening after sundown it cools off, but late afternoons it is still blisteringly hot. Truck read 90 degrees in the sunshine today on the way home. Weatherman says that the temps are way over seasonal, and that this weekend they will go down 20 degrees or so. Should be interesting.
We leave here next Wednesday, to go over to Pilot Knob on the CA/AZ border for a couple of days or so.
We had a nice visit with our neighbours here in the park, they live in Qualicum, they were the ones who suggested we come to stay here, and we stayed and chatted outside on their deck in the warm air for ages and ages.
Tomorrow there is coffee in the clubhouse, a fashion line of clothing is sponsoring it, and then after that the Ceramics room is having a show of their wares that they all made while they were staying here this winter.
We had a wooden cupboard nearly come off in Di's hand yesterday, so today Lary unscrewed it and took it over to the woodworking shop, they glued it back together, the glue had dried out in the heat. And there is a second one that needs almost the same type of repair tomorrow, perhaps even a bit more damage, so Lary will make another visit there. They have the glue and the clamps, and in this type of heat it all dries very quickly thank heavens.
Don't want to take a wrecked trailer back to the Okanagan to trade it in. We actually have the A/C on in the late afternoons, in the evening after sundown it cools off, but late afternoons it is still blisteringly hot. Truck read 90 degrees in the sunshine today on the way home. Weatherman says that the temps are way over seasonal, and that this weekend they will go down 20 degrees or so. Should be interesting.
We leave here next Wednesday, to go over to Pilot Knob on the CA/AZ border for a couple of days or so.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Monday at beading, Sunday at Grand Prix horsejumping
Sunday morning we didn't do much, just read and enjoyed the warmth. We went to the Pima County Fairgrounds in the afternoon, the Grand Prix horsejumping event for this weekend started at 2 PM, so that's what we went to watch.
There was about a 30 mph wind blowing, it was very sunny but impossible to keep your hat on with the wind. The class was huge, about 33 entries this week, the purse each week for the event is $25,000 so there are quite a few countries represented, Argentina, Mexico, Canada and all over the US. The horses are mainly Dutch and German European warmbreds, and there was one Thoroughbred. All of them are really tall horses as the jumps are incredible, 5'8" or so I believe. Magnificent animals, and the riding is top notch too, both women and men seem to compete equally.
For the first half of the event there were almost no clear rounds, but the second half produced 9 clear rounds, it was also timed, so faults for knocking down rails, plus faults for being too slow. And they just flew over the jumps.
It was very exciting, the first round was 16 jumps, but the jump off was only 8 jumps. Many of the riders had 2 or 3 horses entered, so that must have been exhausting in the heat.
But everybody did fabulously, nobody had a meltdown, though a couple of them withdrew when it was obvious they weren't in competition any longer.
I believe a woman won, and a man placed second. Very high level of competition, and I think it's on next week too. It's called HITS, Horse shows in the sun or something like that.
Lary made a delicious dinner of chicken Kung Pow or something like that.
Monday morning we didn't do much, Monday afternoon I went over to bead with the group, and made a nice necklace of rust colored sparkly round beads, combined with copper/black metal beads, and black in between. Then I made earrings of same copper colored beads, but had run out of black to space, so used silver spacers.
Feels great to be productive. Also we're keeping the US economy green by buying the beads.
Next year I would love to come for the whole of the Tucson Gem and Mineral show so I could see it all, and get some good supplies. At the time it's so large it's overwhelming, and we arrived during the last few days of the show. It's spread all over town, and a bit difficult to know what is where. And when you see so many beautiful things all together, you forget that you won't find them in the local stores, or at those kind of prices, either.
Dave and Wendy have headed up to Redding to pick up their new trailer, and hand in their current one for trade in.
There was about a 30 mph wind blowing, it was very sunny but impossible to keep your hat on with the wind. The class was huge, about 33 entries this week, the purse each week for the event is $25,000 so there are quite a few countries represented, Argentina, Mexico, Canada and all over the US. The horses are mainly Dutch and German European warmbreds, and there was one Thoroughbred. All of them are really tall horses as the jumps are incredible, 5'8" or so I believe. Magnificent animals, and the riding is top notch too, both women and men seem to compete equally.
For the first half of the event there were almost no clear rounds, but the second half produced 9 clear rounds, it was also timed, so faults for knocking down rails, plus faults for being too slow. And they just flew over the jumps.
It was very exciting, the first round was 16 jumps, but the jump off was only 8 jumps. Many of the riders had 2 or 3 horses entered, so that must have been exhausting in the heat.
But everybody did fabulously, nobody had a meltdown, though a couple of them withdrew when it was obvious they weren't in competition any longer.
I believe a woman won, and a man placed second. Very high level of competition, and I think it's on next week too. It's called HITS, Horse shows in the sun or something like that.
Lary made a delicious dinner of chicken Kung Pow or something like that.
Monday morning we didn't do much, Monday afternoon I went over to bead with the group, and made a nice necklace of rust colored sparkly round beads, combined with copper/black metal beads, and black in between. Then I made earrings of same copper colored beads, but had run out of black to space, so used silver spacers.
Feels great to be productive. Also we're keeping the US economy green by buying the beads.
Next year I would love to come for the whole of the Tucson Gem and Mineral show so I could see it all, and get some good supplies. At the time it's so large it's overwhelming, and we arrived during the last few days of the show. It's spread all over town, and a bit difficult to know what is where. And when you see so many beautiful things all together, you forget that you won't find them in the local stores, or at those kind of prices, either.
Dave and Wendy have headed up to Redding to pick up their new trailer, and hand in their current one for trade in.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sleepy Saturday in the sunshine
Both of us woke up late, Lary dashed off to coffee hour in the clubhouse where he sat with some people from Manitoba who told him about the wine place called Total Wine, it is gi-normous, advertising that they have 8,000 different wines, 2,000 spirits and 1,000 beers you can imagine that we had to go over and see it.
As Tucson is very large, it was a great excuse to try out the GPS, Lary doesn't obey the Goddess very well, but we found it, and bought a couple bottles of wine, some Italian Prosecco like champagne and some Abita Springs beer to round out the selection.
GPS works well, and we found a case for it also that will protect it too. Had lunch in an IHOP, the waitress was great but the atmosphere was dreadful, all through lunch we could hear shouting from the kitchen very near us. Ick. We complained to the manager and he apologized, but didn't do anything about it.
At the closeout for Circuit City we found a headphone microphone for a great price, we hope to use Skype via our computer to call long distance, but haven't got it installed as yet.
Then we went up Oracle Road, highway 77 high into the Santa Catalina Mtns, there is a lot of what appears to be very nice housing, and neat stores there, but the scenery here around us is prettier than up there really. Went as far as Oracle Junction, but then turned around, and came back to the store we visited on Friday,
The West, the charity store that has such gorgeous needlepoint/cross stitch supplies.
As you can imagine I couldn't resist and bought some gorgeous flosses there.
On the way home we went past a Dodge dealership, Lary took out a 1 ton Dodge pickup truck to try out, long box, quad cab same as ours, heavy duty and bigger Cummins engine, 6.7 litre, 6 speed automatic, and quieter than ours.
But the dealership said that if we registered it in Canada the warranty wouldn't apply, so of course we have to buy in Canada, which is really much better for everybody anyway.
Home and sat out reading on the patio til the sun disappeared, then made a yummy salad for dinner to eat with the fish Lary cooked, though we had had salad for lunch too.
Temps in the truck registered as high as 88 yesterday afternoon. It seemed to be a sizzler.
As Tucson is very large, it was a great excuse to try out the GPS, Lary doesn't obey the Goddess very well, but we found it, and bought a couple bottles of wine, some Italian Prosecco like champagne and some Abita Springs beer to round out the selection.
GPS works well, and we found a case for it also that will protect it too. Had lunch in an IHOP, the waitress was great but the atmosphere was dreadful, all through lunch we could hear shouting from the kitchen very near us. Ick. We complained to the manager and he apologized, but didn't do anything about it.
At the closeout for Circuit City we found a headphone microphone for a great price, we hope to use Skype via our computer to call long distance, but haven't got it installed as yet.
Then we went up Oracle Road, highway 77 high into the Santa Catalina Mtns, there is a lot of what appears to be very nice housing, and neat stores there, but the scenery here around us is prettier than up there really. Went as far as Oracle Junction, but then turned around, and came back to the store we visited on Friday,
The West, the charity store that has such gorgeous needlepoint/cross stitch supplies.
As you can imagine I couldn't resist and bought some gorgeous flosses there.
On the way home we went past a Dodge dealership, Lary took out a 1 ton Dodge pickup truck to try out, long box, quad cab same as ours, heavy duty and bigger Cummins engine, 6.7 litre, 6 speed automatic, and quieter than ours.
But the dealership said that if we registered it in Canada the warranty wouldn't apply, so of course we have to buy in Canada, which is really much better for everybody anyway.
Home and sat out reading on the patio til the sun disappeared, then made a yummy salad for dinner to eat with the fish Lary cooked, though we had had salad for lunch too.
Temps in the truck registered as high as 88 yesterday afternoon. It seemed to be a sizzler.
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