Feb 26, 2014 Hobbies, mine shopping, Jim's jigsaw puzzles

 If you remember from last year, we had 2 great horned owls in our complex.  I named them Horacio and Olivia.  I could not pass up these little guys at a store in Tubac( a town with many small shops sort of like Long Grove in Illinois).  Hear no evil, see no evil, say, no evil.  They are, of course, Horacio, Olivia and Sam

 This puzzle was on the shelf here at the townhome, begging to be put together.  A snowy Christmas scene, just to remind us of home in Kenosha

All done, somewhere after 12 midnight.  2 more puzzles on the shelf

Tumacacori Arizona Feb 25, 2014

 South again, 10 miles from the Mexican border, we visited Tumacacori, a Jesuit Mission established in 1691.

This small door led into a walled mission village. 

 The church built in 1823

Looking back at the museum, gardens and gift shop.


It is amazing that something so beautiful could be built so long ago and can be saved and protected.  We are very new on this planet compared to these early inhabitants- the native Indians and the well meaning missionaries who came to work with them.







This is a representation of what the inside of the church looked like




Behind the church are more buildings and a cemetery. Burial services were held in to round building.

 The last true burial was in 1916 and the real grave is behind in the area where the trees are in a larger cemetery

A large wall encircles the mission grounds.


This building was called the Convento where the priests lives


Fireplace at one end

Two adjoining rooms, a second fireplace

This is a representation of a "Melhol Ki," O'odham Indian word for house.  It is a traditional structure of mesquite timbers, ocotillo sticks and mud.

During the restoration of the Convento, 2 peach pits rolled out of the wall.  They were used to start this orchard.  I have never seen a rock suspended from a branch to help shape the tree.  (middle of picture left side of tree.  

Part of an irrigation canal

This is the second tree I have seen that has a branch that grows along the ground. (Tohono Chul has the other one)

No matter who comes or goes through the ages, the constant mountains look down

Sierra Vista Hummingbird Stitchers Quilt Show

We drove south to Sierra Vista, AZ to see a quilt show a friend from Kenosha participates in.  The drive along Interstate 19 gave us views of the other side of the Santa Rita Mountains.

 There are cloudy days in Arizona.

 I should have taken more pictures.  These quilts of all sizes were spectacular.  This third prize winner was part of a "challenge" category.  Quilters must use recycled materials.  Since I love tea, this one was my favorite.  It is hard to see but the tags with strings are sewn into the fabric tea cups too.  There was another that wove newspaper into a basket and had paper flowers growing out of it.  Also, one very creative quilter placed a fabric washing machine in one corner and had all the stuff that falls out of pockets when washed, pins, crumbled receipts, candy wrappers, coins.  All very cute.
The large "serious" quilt were magnificent.  How someone envisions the colors and then the patterns and then gets it together perfectly and THEN.... has an intricate quilting pattern on top of it all to hold it to the backing is AMAZING!!  We left with visions of colors and impressions of true art work in our heads.
Trip back through the Border Patrol.

  These are no nonsense guys.  Jim made me put the camera away in case it would cause a big inspection when we got to the officers.
 

Desert Lawn Landscape Feb, 2014

Once you get used to the brown, beige shades of everything, you can look for the unusual.  Cacti are really very different.  There is a huge variety in the neighborhood.

This is a multi, multi headed Barrel cactus!!!!




Twins!!

This neighborhood was built to preserve the mature saguaro cacti.   They don't grow "arms" until they are over 100 years old.

I wonder who planted these Californian Fan?? Palms.  It is a lovely drive with these mature trees on either side.

Then there is the Rock Art decorated path.  Many of these vignettes have Southwest Indian themes which I don't understand.  

 The hiking path is to the left.   The Rock Art borders a "wash" which is dry now, but handles fast moving rain water in the monsoon season.  ( Yes, AZ does gets torrents of rain but the sandy soil does not soak it up. So flood control pathways have to be established.  Several units in this neighborhood were damaged in a severe overflow many years ago.  They have planned for rain runoff in many ways)
Here are just a few.  I skipped the frog with a crown and many rock displays that may have special meaning but none that I could understand.      

 This is the most elaborate Indian setting

Even El Burro must have a siesta in the shade of a prickly pear cactus( cactus slightly damaged from frost.)

There are several of these twig structures.  I'll have to ask what they mean.

 Thank Goodness there is a Great horned Owl here.  (Those of you who traveled with us the last 2 years, know that I love Great Horned Owls mostly because there was a stately pair who lived in Oro Valley, Vistoso where we stayed for the 2 previous years.  I named them Horacio and Olivia.  The guy iusn't real, but it is nice to see him represented in the Rock Art Walkway)

Must have a St Francis.

 

  

 

This neighborhood was built to preserve the mature saquaro cacti.   They don't grow "arms" until they are over 100 years old.

I wonder who planted these Californian Fan?? Palms.  It is a lovely drive with these mature trees on either side.

Farmer's Market, Green Valley, AZ

Every Wednesday, the local Farmer's Market set up from 10a-2p.  Fresh produce sounds like a wonderful idea.  However, there are only 3 booths that sell fresh produce.  The sugar snap beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beets will keep us coming back every week.  If I need any other craft items, leather items, jewelry, baskets, pottery, etc, it certainly can be found here.  This is really a huge a huge craft fair.