Drive About Feb 22-26, 2013

You've heard of an Australian walkabout? Jim and I headed out for a midwest states drive about. We had a fender bender on our way to Arizona and left our car in Bentonville for repairs.  We rented another and drove to Arizona.  Our car was ready on Feb 20 but Snow Storm Q was still rummaging through, so we waited until Saturday to head to Arkansas.

Snow Storm Q's snow on New Mexico Mountains 

Our first stop was at Tucumcari, New Mexico where we heard that the next Snow Storm, Rocky was headed for New Mexico and Oklahoma, exactly where we planned to drive.

Sun rise leaving Tucumcari

We decided to leave very early to get to Arkansas before the snow.

Snow Storm Rocky clouds chase us as we leave Arkansas

Our car was fine.  We decided to go south to miss the snow that was falling in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. We drove through a little rain as Storm Rocky slid over Arkansas.  Fortunately, the temperature stayed in the 40s.

Rolling hills in Texas

We drove south to miss the snow in Amarillo and Oklahoma City.  Imagine, blue skies finally!!

The other type of storm - blowing dust in New Mexico

Snow, dust, wind.   This is a picture of blowing dust on I-10.  Fortunately, it stayed high above us and visibility was good.  Tucson, to Tucumari to Bentonville, AR to Weatherford, Texas to Deming New Mexico.  We do love road trips!!

However, we'll stay put for awhile now.  We have to give our guardian angel time to rest.  She had a very tough time keeping the skies clear and the roads dry for us.

Second Snow Storm Feb 20, 2013

Clouds moving in over the mountains

We went out at 4:30 to mail a letter and literally watched the next storm front roll in over the mountains.  The first snow storm caused the cancellation of today's Accenture Golf Tournament due to 2 feet of snow on the golf course(about 10 miles away from us.)  So, all the golf  broadcasters and golfers were talking about the rarity of snow in area around Tucson.  However, the next snow storm was even heavier.

 Now, I'm worried about that little palm plant.  A little drink of water is great, but the weight of heavy snow seems too much.  It is 39 degrees so maybe there won't be ice damage.  Climate change, anyone?????

 This is a Velvet Mesquite tree.  It has tiny green leaves more like a fern attached to a branch.  Imagine snow flakes outlining each of these little leaves.

Snowstorm Q Feb 20, 2013

I finally had time to add this.

Today, Horacio and Olivia were one building apart tucked up under the eave, facing each other and chatting their Whoo hoowhooo hoo language.  They reminded me of an old married couple settled in their easy chairs.  When they hoot, they fluff up their feathers and appear to take a really deep breath and shout out a series of hoo, whoo whoo hoots.   Here's a pretend translation of their conversation.

Horacio: "What's for dinner?"
Olivia: "I hunted last night.  It's your turn."
Horacio:" Do you feel like lizard or mouse?"
Olivia: "Either one. Did you hear there is supposed to be snow tomorrow?"
Horacio: "I think it might."
Olivia: "But this is Arizona."
Horacio: "I feel a crimp in my left tail feather.  You know that always happens when the weather is about to take a really strange turn."
Olivia:  Oh, you and your tail feathers. If it asnows, let's go up to Dove Mountain and watch those Accenture Pro Golfers.  They always look so funny in knit hats and warm weather clothes.  I love it when we can watch those humans try to cope with the cold.  They have no feathers, you know. "
The next day, it snowed around 11am and it melted within 2 hours.  Since that happened last year, we didn't think too much about it.  However, at 5pm, it started snowing again and 2 inches fell outlining the cactus, the palms and all the desert plants and trees.  The strange part is, the snow did not melt until the next day.  In Arizona, buildings do not have gutters.  Walking outside of the condo was like walking through a water fall as the two inches of snow gradually melted.  Walking under the trees was like walking through rain - constant drip, drip.
And Horacio and Olivia, I think they flew to Mexico for a few days.


Would you believe it has been snowing now for 2 hours- much longer than last year's Feb 14th snow shower?  It's only 36 degrees and the snow was supposed to be above our valley elevation, but here is it.  The funniest thing is that the lawn sprinklers, which are set on a timer, have come on.  They are blowing snow around with the sprinkles.

A quiet courtyard

Winter snow moving in

Snow clouds over the mountains

It is really coming down

2 hours later  at 1:30 pm

Poor little palm plant, but it is a drink of water

This bush was just getting ready to bloom.

I asked Jim if he wanted to go out and make an Arizona snow ball.
We decided to make a cup of tea instead.

After the storm

Don't you wish our Wisconsin snow would melt this quickly. 

3pm and snow has melted off the trees and the gravel.  Just a little left on the courtyard grass 

We'll watch to see when the buds will bloom on this bush.

Spring Garden At Tohono Chul   Feb 16, 2013

This garden will be filled with beautiful, vibrant wildflowers in March.  It's a good thing to visit now when everything is still brown.  I notice more plants that bright flowers would over shadow later on.  These gardens and paths are so peaceful and relaxing.  We have become members for the second year.   What I can't capture for you are the lovely bird songs.  I didn't realize that Arizona has so many song birds and so many different ones from Wisconsin.

I'll track this garden weekly because it will bloom beautifully in March

One lonely, brave flower 

Feb 17, 2013 Walking around the resort

Nice sunny day today-perfect for a walk around the grounds.  There are lots of sidewalks that wind around by our complex and several other "sun city type" accommodations for snow bird folks.  The landscape continues to amaze me.  The desert is so brown until the brief wild flower blooming. I am surprised to see what thrives here.   There is rubble like small to large to boulder size rocks everywhere.  And then gravel is the predominant ground cover.  Only the golf courses are green and then that is just the greens.  The fairways are a constant shade of brown burnt grass.

Only a small amount of sandy topsoil covers rock slabs

First flowers

We missed the barrel cactus flowers.  Now the fruit is growing

Octillo early flowers

Who lives here?  We are cautioned not to stick anything in these holes

Rocky washes preparing for the monsoons later this summer 

Vistoso Golf course

Feb 13, 2013 Amerind Museum, Texas Canyon, AZ

The jumbled rock  mountains in the background are very impressive.
You can see the solidified melted rocks that were thrown up during an ancient volcano.
These formations can be seen on I-10 between Willcox and Tucson, AZ

"The Amerind Foundation was founded in 1937 by William Shirley Fulton (1880-1964) as a private, nonprofit archaeological research institution. Throughout the 1920s Fulton regularly traveled west from his New England home, heading into the southwestern mountains, canyons, and plateau country to explore for archaeological ruins and expand his Native American collections."

Our lecturer, Dr John Ware, Executive Director of the museum, explained that the dryness of the desert has preserved many artifacts from ancient inhabitants of this area.  There is an entire village that has been unearthed in Casa Grandes.  Many artifacts are on display in this museum.  Texas Canyon was named after the families from Texas who first settled there.   The Dragoon Mountains are also part of the Cochise Stronghold.  There is a very challenging hiking path through those big lumps of stones that we will NOT be trying!!!   Oh,  to have retired in my 20s when I could handle a 5 mile increasing elevation hike in the heat. 

Unit 155 Art Feb 13, 2013

they drove south one winter until they could stand outside with no coats on.....    and we never saw them again

Well, the sunshine is very nice and I know it will get warmer, but we still need coats and maybe my gloves for those morning walks.

They unit layout is the same as last year's but the wall art and decorations are more representative the southwest.  It is a very comfortable unit.

I'll be researching these figurines - obviously ceremonial costumes.



Off to see if we can fit into the lecture at Western National Parks.  You are supposed to call a week ahead, but we weren't here.  And then we'll go over to our favorite place Tohono Chul Garden for lunch.

Feb 11, 2013

Snow at 8000 feet elevation

No snow at our 6000 feet elevation

                   

Golf Course Lake 

       
Day 2.  Nice sunny day  but still chilly - 44 this morning.  Yesterday we picked up all the flyers and magazines that tell about activities in this area.  We may get in on the Western National Parks lecture tomorrow if there are 2 extra seats.  75 year Anniversary of Amerind Museum.  There is so much to learn about this area.
In the Pima Council of Aging newspaper, there is an extensive list of community calendar events.   My
favorite is the Southern AZ Council of Grandmothers.   Guess what they will be doing on Feb 16 from 1-3p? "show up with your own drum or instrument". address and contact name listed.   I am still getting used to "retirement."  But  drumming is something I can move lower on my bucket list.  Nice to know, though, should I ever need it, there is a group that can help me.  There are also meetings for the Embroiderers' Guild of                    
America, Tucson Chapter, Women's Army Corp Veterans Association,   National Active and Retired
Federal Employees, National Association of Retired and Veteran Railroad Employees, Illinois Lincolnites
Club, Michigan Club, Sisters in Crime (mystery writers),  and a group called Desert Crones( no mention of what their program will be)

Feb 10, 2013 Arrived at Vistoso Resort

We're here and all settled.  Lovely unit this time at the end of the courtyard.  If you remember last year's famous mascots, The Great Horned Owl couple, Horacio and Ophelia, they greeted us at the new unit.

I think this is Horacio.  He seemed the larger of the two.

I think this is Ophelia snoozing away the day in the tree outside the pation 

Imagine a lavender plant big enough to be a bush.  Smells wonderful!!

Feb 6, 2013 Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, Arkansas

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art was founded by the Walton ( Walmart) Family.  I heard about it on NPR and we stopped in Bentonville, Arkansas to tour it.  The modern sloped architecture is mostly cement colored buildings with horizontal wooden beams centered around a reflecting pool and wandering stream and forested ravine.    Here are just s few of the interesting views

Tour de Tree stainless steel sculpture at the entrance

We had lunch at the restaurant named  "Eleven" because the museum opened on 11/11//11

Abstract Sculpture

I love holly trees.  We cannot grow them in WI

Crystal Creek

There are bench seating here for viewing the sunrise/sunset colored light

This building has a circular opening at the top that catches sunrise and sunset  light

Here are a few of my humble attempts at camera photos of the wonderful pictures.  

There are many portrait type picture.  You can take camera pictures  without flash

Chicago World Fare

I participated in a guided tour called "Strong Women - Celebrating Women Artists"  The tour included "The Reader" by Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe's "Small Purple Hills", Louise Nevelson's "Night Zag Wall" and the Joan Mitchell's action painting "Untitled" white canvas brush strokes and colored drip lines.   There is so much to see.  A Norman Rockwell Exhibit will be there in March.