Working at the Rodeo.................

A few dudes at the rodeo.................

Realizing all the work that it takes to put on this 10 day event, my many years of fun attending the show was truly appreciated yesterday. Last night I came home, kicked off the cowboy boots and landed on the couch watching the golf channel (Accenture Match Play Golf Tournament) on TV that is happening just 1/2 mile up the street from us. (Tiger got bumped out of the tournament yesterday, so some of the buzz will settle down for the rest of the weekend.) My job at the rodeo involves a lot of standing, as I'm the gate keeper for the Rodeo boys, the media, and anyone else that wants access. Of course, if you're a cute little kid with a cowboy hat on, you get in with a smile.................... Today is my second day at the rodeo so I'm certain my MO for tonight will be the same!

A mutton buster getting ready for his ride..........

Dude Ranching............

Tanque Verde Ranch

There is a special place on the east side of Tucson nestled just at the foot of Saguaro National Park East, The Tanque Verde Ranch. An all inclusive dude ranch that lets the locals in on Tuesday and Saturday nights to enjoy their cowboy cookout under the western stars and cottonwood trees. Ribs, chicken and all the trimming. The honey buttered bread is to die for......

Accenture Match Play Tournament...........

Sergio Garcia taking a potassium break.......

The Accenture Match Play Tournament started it's practice day today. It's the best time to see the players in a more relaxed pace as they get familiar with the course. It's also a good time to get some candid pictures and it's much easier to get autographs. (Actually, cameras are not allowed once the tournament begins.) The World's top 64 players will pair off starting Wednesday. It's Tiger Woods' first tournament since his surgery and recovery and all eyes will be watching to see how he performs. Last year Tiger won the tournament so he is back defending his title. Tiger is the top seeded player and Sergio is number two. While there wasn't a Tiger sighting today, I did see about 50 of the other players and got a few autographs.

Me & Pete Hanson........he's from Sweden

Cinco Hombres...................

We're here to tame the wild, wild west...........

Ada & Don have been having a great time with Anita and her parents. After taking them to the Arizona Hat Company and getting them fitted for their Stetsons, they were ready to conquer southern Arizona as true natives. Must see places included the Desert Museum, Tohono Chull Park, Sabino Canyon, barbeque at the Tanque Verde Ranch, dancing at the Cactus Moon Saloon, High Noon shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone, the Arizona State Museum Indian Art Festival, Kartchner Caverns, and a sunset horseback ride along Pusch Ridge. All the fun captured in the slideshow to the right. I think we are sending them home exhausted, but a good kind of tired. They can sleep on the plane................

The British are coming....Hurrah Hurrah.........

Anita and her parents have landed at Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix from England and we await their arrival in Tucson. Certainly, a long non-stop flight, they will arrive very tired after the two hour drive to Tucson. Tomorrow will certainly be a rest and relax day and then they will be off to see the sights. Anita, after many visits to Arizona, will be there expert tour guide (we will pick up the slack) and I'm sure they will see as much as Anita can possibly cram into 10 days. From rodeo's to Indian Art Festivals, and Tiger Woods golfing in a tournament in our back yard, they won't know where to start. Tombstone anyone!

Happy Valentines Day

OH MY........... I almost forgot. Us old folks celebrated last night as we wanted to get ahead of the crowds. And it worked. The restaurant was fairly empty and the service was great too. We went to an Italian restaurant, "Bellisimo", and it was......... We even had dessert!
Enjoy your Valentine today.

Ada & Jen walk for a cure……….

Ada and Jennifer Wessell are putting their organizational skills to work by walking and raising funds to champion an annual event that has been held in our community for almost two decades; the North Shore Medical Center’s Cancer Walk, which is being held on June 21st, 2009.
Together, they have created a walking team, and fundraising website, in honor of Jennifer’s sister Mary, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. While as individuals they have always contributed to this event, this year they wanted to do more and something in support of Mary. We hope you will visit their fundraising website and make a contribution to our team: “There’s Something About Mary”. And better still, they invite you to become a team member and walk the walk along side Jen and Ada, and of course, Mary and so many others walking for a cure.

Unfortunately, we have all been touched by this disease; some closer than others, but with events like this raising millions for improved treatment and care, the future for all the Mary’s will certainly be brighter and hopefully cancer free.

To make a donation, please visit our fundraising website: www.firstgiving.com/theressomethingaboutmary

Thank you...........

Salem Trolley Welcomes back Dave and his new partner Jim………

Along with us (Amelia Payson House), the Salem Trolley this year celebrates 25 year of superior service and I’m glad to report that my friend David Butler, and his partner Jim Hurrell, now re-own the Salem Trolley. And……. all the better for us, as we have partnered with them to offer our guests a truly special promotion when booking their April reservation by March 25th; a complimentary Trolley Tour. How great is that!
You might remember Dave and his wife Brenda from the Las Vegas blogs. (I knew Dave could not stay retired for long.)
Dave & Jim have been fixtures in downtown Salem for decades. David also owns the Trolley Depot store, Salemdipity at Pickering Wharf and the Wicked Goods store. Jim is the owner of the Witch Dungeon, Witch History Museum and the Pirate Museum. Certainly they will be a tourism force in Salem and I expect a lot of special things happening for visitor with combination tickets and more………. Don and I wish them great success!

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE……………

Sunrise on the golf course.......

When you live in a golf community and you don’t golf, chances are you are not getting the full value of your homeowners association dues. To make up for that fact, our Board of Directors recently saw the wisdom of allowing residents to walk the golf course once a week, on Thursdays, as long as you get up early and get your walk in by 11am. Of course, you’re sharing the path with a number of speeding golf carts, so you have to be ready to step aside. As you can see, beautiful scenery is everywhere. Rethinking, maybe golf should be in my future……..

Out of the tax closet………..

It’s seems like the numbers have had control of my life for weeks, even though it’s only been a few days. Caught up in the daunting task known as the Tax Return, blurry eyes and junk food aside, hallelujah it’s finally done! Every year I pledge to stay on top of it all, but once June hits, all bets are off. Motto: why do on time, what you can put off till February………Regardless, the finished product still has it’s rewards. A true sense of accomplishment.

Now, it’s time to go have some fun.!!!

Fremont Street experience..............

The neon lights are bright on Dave & Brenda.......
Beyond the boulevard, north of the Las Vegas strip, old downtown Vegas has it’s own action going on each night on Fremont Street. Here you will see more neon in one block than you could ever imagine. While it’s still an open-air street, it has become a screened in pedestrian walkway and curiosity that comes to life each night with overhead laser light shows musically choreographed. It’s an attraction in itself, cameras flashing in every direction. Minus Binion's and the Golden Nugget, Donald believes Essex Street, downtown Salem, could benefit from this type of action. Unfortunately, only in his dreams…………….

The End......... (to our Las Vegas trip)

Red Rock Canyon

Brenda and David found the only tree for miles.......

About 20 miles west of Vegas is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. A 13-mile scenic drive of beautiful desert mountain vistas and overlooks, wild horses, burros, reptiles (Gila Monster), and access to hundreds of miles of backcountry hiking trails. Bighorn Sheep is Nevada’s state animal and they are suppose to be in this park, and while we were lucky to see one yesterday, they say sightings are rare. (Thanks to hawkeye Dave for spotting a mature male, horns and all. Just like this one)

After our scenic drive, it’s time for lunch, so we’re off to Bonnie Springs……………….

The Wild West is still as wild as ever in Old Nevada, and a replica of an 1880's mining town built on the 115-acre Bonnie Springs Ranch still wows visitors looking for the old west experience; John Wayne country for sure.
Boarded sidewalks that creak pleasantly under your feet, saloons, tumbleweeds, stagecoaches, and even a Boot Hill Cemetery, Bonnie Springs Old Nevada is a great place for the entire family and there are lots of attractions for the kids, including a petting zoo, cowboys and cowgirls, and on weekends and holidays, a miniature train ride, and a "posse" show where the kids can even help track down the 'bad guy". This little old mining town offers plenty of rousing, rough-and-tumble action, simulated gunfights in the streets, an 1830's melodrama complete with mustached villains in an authentically recreated Saloon, and even a public hanging, with an obliging Stuntman swaying in the wind. In addition to gunfights and cowboys, there's a wax museum with figures from the frontier history, and they serve great homemade meals in the restaurant too. I had the ribs. Last time we were here I had the buffalo burger, unfortunately, no longer on the menu. On the way in, the burros were on the side of the road. Of course, we have to get their picture, so stopping the car and opening the van slider door, we take as many pictures as we can before these guys climb into the car. I'm sure they are just looking for food but I'm not sure they know the difference between me and an apple. Close the door quick!

Hoover Dam

If you go to Vegas and you don’t take a side trip to Hoover Dam, you are really missing one of the most spectacular engineering accomplishments ever attempted in the USA. We have driven over this dam more times than we can count since 1995 when we first drove from Arizona to Nevada, and it never fails to make us weak in the knees. Pictures can never do it justice. You have to be here to truly feel the thrill of driving the snake curved roads that lead up and over the mountains into the dam area from the East. Cars crawl at 5 mph as everyone is taking pictures from their cars or from the many pull off’s provided for those just passing through. It’s a Kodak moment everywhere you look and visitors are in awe of its scale and always looking for the “leak”. When you take the inside tour, they are quick to tell you the dripping is from condensation and nothing more. (Leak, a word never uttered but certainly in everyone’s mind, especially when you are 70 stories below in the dam.) We, of course, knew Brenda and David would be excited to see and explore this for sure, so we planned to bring them back here for one of our day trips from Las Vegas. Where else can you have one foot in Arizona (MTN Time) and one foot in Nevada (Pacific Time) and be standing in the middle of a dam?

A day on the glitzy Las Vegas strip..............

Brenda & Dave at the Venetian.

(Vegas knows how to take you for a ride.)

We're back from Vegas and yes, we still have our shirts. I think we all had a great time, and we certainly had wonderful weather all week. 65 degrees and sunny every day, no wind, just perfect walking around temperatures, even at night. The slide show to right is just a smidgen of the photos taken of just one day on the strip. We played at all these places, taking winnings from some casinos and leaving them in others. Donald and Dave played the tables once. Roulette I think. They really only swapped each other’s money. After 20 minutes, we had one winning smile and one grimacing frown. Brenda and Ada just played the slots, although Ada got brave at Treasure Island and put $20 in the dollar machine. She bet the maximum, $5, and won $126 on the first spin. She cashed out immediately. This didn’t happen too often, just enough to keep her on the positive side and smiling……. She hates to lose!

More to come, if you can stand it!

Off to Vegas………….

We’re off to Las Vegas to meet some friends, Brenda and David, who are flying in from Florida. It’s about an 8hr drive and a one-hour time change for us, and we will be traveling some of the most desolate roads you can imagine. So much of the topography in the farthest northwest corner of Arizona looks like you are on the moon. Fortunately, lunch on the way will be in civilized Wickenburg, one of Arizona’s best cowboy towns and a favorite place of Ada’s. After that, the road trip will be pretty lonely and isolated and we will be glad for sure that we had the car serviced before we left. They say, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, but my lips will not be sealed. I will tell you all about it when we return, or maybe before if wireless access is available. We expect to take our friends, their first visit, to many adventures off the strip like Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon and Death Valley. Gambling will probably happen, especially if Ada gets near the sports betting area. She has all this pent up Fantasy Football knowledge and can’t wait to put her $5 on the Giants.

Just hanging around………..

What dumb builder put that thermostat in the middle of my decorating space.......

The last few days we have done little outside of the house, but every year at New Year’s, Ada’s resolution is to get any project brought into the house the previous year, done! And that usually means hanging some posters or finishing odd jobs. Putting a dangling carrot like planning to have company, helps to give her that extra push. This year, we have three posters to hang and a laundry room to paint. The frames were bought right away as Aarons has their 1-cent sale every January. (Buy one frame at regular price; get the second frame for a penny.) Usually buying the frame is easy, attaching the hardware is the part Ada doesn’t like, so engineer Donald graciously does all that. The big deal is where they should go. Ada feels she is the decorator so she gets to pick, based on wall availability and color. Of course, Donald with the hammer and nail is 6ft tall and Ada is 5’2”, so eye level is the only obstacle we really face. Up, no down a little, this tug of war continues until Donald gives up and Ada gets her way. Perfect!
Painting the laundry room is another story. Ada has picked out two colors she likes. Donald has an opinion, but says. “What ever makes you happy makes me happy.” He has painted every square inch in the house, so he is off the hook for this last job. And besides, Ada remembers Anita is coming from England in a few weeks and she has a great eye for color and loves projects. Consider this, “in the can”! New Years resolution complete………

A little hill work

Mountain Man heading back.......Our first hike of the New Year.

After enjoying restful (lazy) days since New Year’s Day at home, it was time to get some exercise beyond our backyard. With LLBean canteens strapped to our jeans, we were off to the end of Magee Road, about a mile from Trader Joe's, where the hot top meets a dirt road and the Pima Canyon Trail. Not your flat walk. From the start you are climbing up and it’s not long before we have spectacular views of all the mountain ranges that surround Tucson, and the Saguaro cactus are everywhere you look along the rocky terrain. This is a popular trail as we meet and greet passer's by coming back from a longer journey than we will take. There’s no mistaking the grateful look of someone who has made it back to civilization once again. Recognizing that we are a little out of shape today, we will take it easy and time our hike to an hour and then start back. After all, it’s late in the day for starting a hike, 3pm, and we would not want to be up here in the dark, especially at feeding time. (For the wildlife, not us.) It was sunny and in the 70’s today, making it a refreshing first jaunt in 2009.

Happy New Year from the Southwest

On the Today Show this morning they were asking people on the street what three words summed up 2008. I had to agree with one person and his three words. “Glad it’s over” and another’s “2008 is history”. While in most respects it was mostly positive for us; meeting new folks, welcoming back returning friends, continuing to do what we love, and having one of the most successful seasons in our 24 years with the B&B. Taking all this into account, we can certainly put 2008 in the plus column. Add our time in Arizona into the mix, and it doesn’t get much better for our split personalities/lives. In other respects, and for so many others, unfortunately it's been a train wreck.

An election in November brought us great hope for a chance for our country to start anew in 2009 with a change in the White House. Failing banks, futures threatened by the collapse of Wall Street, and American car companies needing a bailout, who would want that job? But we’re glad Obama did and hopefully new ideas and some fresh talent will pave the way to making things right again. January 20th can’t come quick enough and we can only hope the economy turns around in warp speed before more businesses fail and jobs are lost.

And while we are talking politics, Ada couldn't be happier to have read in the paper recently the official announcement that her friend Kim will be running for a second term as Mayor of Salem. As one of her varsity cheerleaders, Ada can’t wait to contribute her time and talents to make that happen. Where’s her sign?

While thankful for all that we have been blessed with in the past year, abundant sadness unfolded with the passing of a family member and three long held friendships. We will certainly miss them all, and we pray that their families enjoy continued comfort in their memories.

Blessed with health and happiness, Don and Ada wish the same, and so much more, for all our family & friends, and for all those that we are yet to meet. With great enthusiasm we look forward to 2009, surprises and all. We just hope the road into the future is repaved with progress and the potholes get filled………
(Donald says that’s too corny, but it’s ok this time of year.)

And the winner is.......

CONGRATULATIONS
Frank n Beans
SalemCity’s Fantasy Football Winner!

It’s been an exciting 17 weeks playing ESPN’s Fantasy Football with all my friends at Salem City Hall and staying connected from afar. As a first time player, and somewhat green about all the 32 teams of the NFL, I’ve certainly had a crash course in Football 101. While never expecting to come close to winning, I did want to be a contender and finish each week with respectful numbers. After all, Ada May always plays to win. But as the season moved along, I found myself not only holding my own, but in the lead for a short while, and this became pretty exciting. With my eyes on the prize, actually winning would certainly be a longshot, and I always expected I would be put in my rightful place on the roster. Sunday, fighting the good fight, was that day. And so it was….2nd place. Not too shabby, I say. Donald thinks it’s great that I gave everyone a fun run for their money. I think I did, and Frank truly deserves to win. In the home stretch he really was on his game. Will I do it again next year? Probably, but right now I think I’ve watched enough TV and it’s time to get a life. The playoffs? I’ll watch with some interest, but now that our Patriots are out of the mix, probably not to closely. As they say, maybe next year........... Baseball anyone ???????

Hanging up my cleats on Monday………..

Ok, it’s week 17 of the NFL season and crunch time. After dropping out of first place by 2 points last week on my SalemCity Fantasy Football Team, it looks like Mr. Frank n Beans is in a great position to take the win from the Arizona Girl. But, not so fast, it’s not over just yet. It will be a tense line up of 16 games tomorrow, and while I can’t watch them all, there are fresh batteries in the remote for surfing back and forth. (Donald doesn’t have a prayer of getting control of it. He might as well read his paper.)
Everyone has their strategy, but I must stay cool and make wise choices. Wish me luck. I’ll need it for sure! After all, I’m representing the Mayors office staff and Frank is playing for all those Planners. Besides, the win is for the Mayor’s favorite food group, pizza. Regardless of the outcome, tears or cheers, good sportsmanship will prevail. Check back on Monday, I’m sure the suspense is killing you……….
***************
Sunday morning and I'm still changing my picks. I'm certain emotion and doubt are affecting my choices. Good thing I'm not in Vegas. Loyalty is favoring my selection. I'm finding myself routing for teams to lose that I would otherwise pick, just to help the Patriots gain a playoff berth. And then there are my favorite QB's; Tony, Brett, Eli, Payton, & Matt. Add into the mix my love for Tennessee as a state and it's a real conflict. I should just go for a hike today and let all the cards land where they may, but no, I'll be on that couch watching, squirming it out, however long it takes to play 16 games....... Go Patriots!

A Happy Man at Christmas

Tie a ribbon around this guy……
In his chair, reading his paper, that’s all he wants for Christmas. Fortunately, it’s Thursday’s paper and not Sunday’s, so the paper will be less intrusive to the day and all Ada’s plans which includes eating lots of food, making phone calls to the family scattered across the country, and opening a few presents under the cactus. While Donald reads, Ada will certainly watch some football, work on her blog, and probably take a hike to walk off some of the calories. Then, we’ll both top off the day with a movie or two that we’ve rented; falling asleep on the couch for sure. Life is this laidback in the Southwest and we couldn’t be more grateful for the truly charmed lives we lead.

Wherever your tradition takes you, Donald and I wish all our family and friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May good health and prosperity follow you throughout 2009, and many years to come……… Hugs all around.
Ada May & Donald

The end of the line...........leaving Scottsdale

Scottsdale is currently known for magnificent PGA Golf Courses, highend shopping, spas and cuisine, but it’s history dates back to the old wild west, and still standing is a 1sq mile area that pays homage to the old ways and true cowboy atmosphere. A stroll through Old Town takes you back to the original Scottsdale, the heart of the “West’s Most Western Town” that began more than 100 years ago. (I can just hear them back home thinking, 100 years ago, that’s nothing.) On Stetson Drive you will find western wear, books, art galleries, home décor, Southwest jewelry, and plenty of souvenirs to bring home to those that have missed all of this. Stopping to have Chili for lunch; my baby blues can’t take the heat. Blurry eyed we get out of Dodge (Scottsdale), but not before we go to the..

IKEA Store

This is our last stop before heading home to Tucson. Famous for their Swedish meatballs and lingonberry preserves, IKEA hasn’t missed a retail trick. Their secret, feed them first, cheep, and send them shopping for all that furniture and housewares. If you have ever been in one, you’ll know what I mean. Good, inexpensive stuff, well engineered. Donald knows. He’s put together a number of things including a bed for Lena, a desk for me, and one for himself. They even include the tools. This visit, we only bought the meatballs and the preserves, but it’s always fun to walk the gauntlet of “rooms to go”, picking up that $1 deal that you just can’t live without.............

And as they say in the movies..........THE END!

Heard Museum, a true gem in downtown Phoenix

Heard Museum

The Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art was founded by Dwight & Maie Heard in 1929 to house their personal collection of Native American artifacts. Today, and over the years, it has become synonymous with the preservation of Southwest native heritage. Extended over the years to include the extensive Hopi "Kachina or Katsina" Doll collection donated by Sen. Barry Goldwater, and so many other collections by notable Arizonians, the museum is a who's who of prize masterpieces and a true journey through the majestic Southwest and the vibrant arts and cultures of the American Indians. Arizona's own Sandra Day O'Connor Gallery (former Supreme Court Justice and past president of the museum's Board of Trustees) introduces the museums founders and how the collections grew. A great place to start your tour.

If you can bear it. Another day in Scottsdale/Phoenix.

Day 2
The rain has set in so the next couple of days we are moving around the area to a few haunts that Donald has up his sleeve, and a restaurant my tastebudds were craving after I saw a segment on the Arizona Highways TV program last night. (Arizona Highways is like Chronicle back East.) But first, we are off to a train store in Fountain Hills, just east of Scottsdale. Donald has a business card of a train fellow he met at a train show here in Tucson. I’m sure by the way the card is tattered, he’s had it in his wallet for a few years. In any case, we’re off trying to find the address. How big can Fountains Hills be? After doing the man thing, we finally decided to ask for assistance and pulled into a strip mall where there was a Real Estate office. Can’t go wrong here. They must have street maps. (No visitor’s center found.) Bingo. And he’s just around the corner. In we go and while I wait patiently knowing my restaurant is next, we (Donald) spend about an hour looking through parts and accessories. It’s a man’s Filenes’s basement. Bins of track, trains and miniature scenery; all for the rummaging. After a lot of train talk and a small purchase, we’re off to Gilbert, Az. and LUNCH…………..

Joe's Real BBQ, Gilbert, AZ.
Joe’s Real BBQ in Gilbert is about an hour's drive just south of Fountain Hills. It’s basically the next town over, but you don’t move fast around these parts and we always tend to take the long way to get anywhere. (Still trying to keep off those freeways.) But none-the-less, without an address or map, it was meant to be and we see it on the corner. Big sign: "Joe’s". It’s mid-day, mid-week, so no parking problems and no waiting. I’m starved. In a 1929 building, old for these parts, Joe came to town from Texas (where else). A coffee merchant turned barbequer, he opened up this place 10 years ago. Big banner,”1998 -Celebrating 10 years-2008. Taking a booth, dropping the rain gear and camera, up to the counter we go. So many choices, but I order the BBQ Sampler. I’m getting it all: ribs, chicken, pork and beef with two sides; beans, and Mac n’ cheese. Donald gets the brisket sandwich with beans and slaw. If I thought it would have measured up to my friend Patty’s cornbread, I would have ordered that too. True loyalty.
The place is warm and easy and the decorations keep you entertained. A John Deer tractor center stage and a mural of Gilbert in the 40’s embraces all walls. And, in keeping to his true calling, coffee is only .25 cents. Toothpicks anyone………………

(A friend of mine from Salem, Kate, has family from Gilbert, so I gave her a call so I could say: “Guess where we are?” To bad, voice mail, so I left a message. She probably thinks I’m crazy or maybe she’s buried in all that snow they are getting back East.)

In the “Valley of the Sun” Scottsdale/Phoenix

Day 1
Home based in Scottsdale for the past week, Don and I enjoyed some great day trips around the Phoenix area. Usually, going to Phoenix is a fast trip to Sky Harbor airport to collect a visitor and sometimes included a side trip to the IKEA store. We were always intimidated by the spaghetti freeways that surround the area and always opted to get back to our safe Tucson before the sun went down, so when we were looking to use a timeshare vacation week before we would loose it, we decided to give Phoenix & Scottsdale a look see, especially after hearing so many things about the area from the locals, the Arizona Highways magazine and my friend Lena. And, a whole week in the area would allow us to face our driving demons and apprehensions of maneuvering their massive freeways.

Canyon Lake

While rain is scarce out here, it can follow anyone’s vacation plans, including ours. The forecast was “rain for five of our seven days”, so while our first day there was a gloriously sunny one, we decided to head for the Apache Trail (Rte 88) and Roosevelt Lake. About 1 hr east of Scottsdale you pick up the Apache Trail in Apache Junction. (how appropriate.) This trail takes you north into the Tonto National Forest and the Superstition Mountains where 40 miles of steep and winding, mostly washboard (unpaved), roads pass magnificent scenery. At the end of the trail, you come upon The Theodore Roosevelt Lake, which was formed by the construction of a masonry dam on the Salt River in 1911, making it the oldest artificial reservoir in Arizona. Maintaining numerous houseboat communities, it is certainly a water activity Mecca. We always wondered when we saw someone in the desert hauling a trailer with a boat where they were going. This must be the place………….. The pictures just don’t do it justice.

Roosevelt Lake

Tortilla Flats (a true gold rush watering hole along the Apache Trial)

Ballad of Tortilla Flat
Sung to the tune of "The Beverly Hillbillies
****************
Come and listen to my story, it won’t take long.
About a little town, with mountains all around.
On the Apache Trail, is where you should be at,
Cause we’re servin’ up vittles, at Tortilla Flat

Burgers, that is.
Half pound.
Chili too.

Well, a long time ago, the stage went threw.
All travelers stayed here, and had a great view.
Not far from Canyon Lake, and the “Dolly" too.
So plan on a trip, you’ll be glad you do.

That’s the truth.
Would we kid you?

Now, Tortilla Flat is open, all through the year.
Saddle up to the bar, and have a beer.
Put a dollar on our wall, it’ll always be there.
Be sure to try our ice cream, it’s Prickly Pear.

No thorns.
Lip smackin’ good.
Yes sireel

So, come along a set a spell, at Tortilla Flat.
The sidewalk is made of wood, you can’t beat that.
The hangin’ tree is down a way, but don’t you fret.
We haven’t hung a customer, at least not yet.

Ya all come out , now,
Ya hear?

Back from the dark ages...........

It's been over a week since I've posted, mostly due to not having access to wireless and/or an Internet connection. I know Scottsdale is not in the boondocks, but the resort we stayed in wanted a high daily fee I wouldn't pay, mostly on principal. In this computer age, they are behind the times and are frustrating their guests. Unfortunately, we would not return or recommend a place that is fee oriented, rather than service oriented, and of course I made my disappointment clear before we checked out. It seems the higher the scale of property, the more nickel/dime they become. Even at our small B&B we provide access for our guests that want to stay connected. And, it's cheerfully free. Go figure..................

It's all about the sunsets

Arizona Sky

Every night about 6:30pm the cameras are loaded and ready to capture a sky like this right out the front door. It's truly amazing to watch this develop, the sky becoming a firey swirling cloud. Donald caught this one. A winner for sure..........

The Velvet Elvis in Patagonia, Arizona

Donald, Judy, Steve & Lena (Ada behind the camera, calling the shot)

About 40 miles southeast of Tucson you enter the "Mountain Empire" of Sonoita and Patagonia, Arizona. Right out of "Little House on the Prairie" (which is where they filmed that opening footage) these two communities blend western civilization and Mexican art quite nicely. It is surrounded by a few mountain ranges, rolling hills, Black Angus steer ranches, Cowboys for sure, and a gal, Cecillia, who inported pizza recipes from Brooklyn and opened up a pizza and calzone parlor in the middle of of it all in honor of both "Elvis" and "Our Lady of Guadalupe". We all had pizza, of course. Limonada Rosa (hibiscus and lime) was the drink of the day. We've been here before and while the scenery is the draw; grasslands, vineyards, Brahma bulls and horses, it is also a haven for birdwatchers, especially at the Nature Conservatory and Patagonia State Park. Peace and quite prevails. Artist migrate and never leave.

Boot Scootin Boogie...........

Friday nights at the Cactus Moon Saloon is the place to be for Country music and dancing for the true Western folks. Long established as the best nightclub in Tucson, it's really a mixture of young and young at hearts, all sharing their love of dance (or exercise), Margarita's, beer, and live entertainment. Last night we took Judy, who is visiting from Massachusetts, there for a true "honky tonk" experience. Donald, with a filly on each arm, had the night of his life. His dancing card surely filled.............

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Morning. The pies are in the oven and Donald is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV and his favorite balloon character, Buzz Light Year, just came down the parade route. It's a lazy morning and I'm trying to save my appetite for the big meal.

Lena & Judy

Yummmmmm, I can smell Lena’s turkey cooking from my house…….
Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday for many reasons and this year especially as we are so glad to be out west and enjoying the day with Lena and Steve, Rhonda, Dan, Nancy, Gloria and Sully, and Judy, who traveled from Salem to celebrate the holiday week in Tucson. While we all have so much be thankful for, nothing matches having Lena back in her kitchen cooking up a storm and directing the rest of us. Although it has been a long recovery after her stoke last November, what a difference a year makes. She, as usual, has beaten the odds with defiant will and a lot of hard work, and we all couldn't’t be more thankful to have her back, almost new, and with a flare. Now that’s a Happy Thanksgiving!

Three Caballeros