Finger Rock Hike

Yesterday was a perfect day in Tucson, with clear skies, a high temperature of 72, and a light breeze blowing.  We wanted to stay outside all day!  Just before 4, we decided to go hike the Finger Rock Trail.  Its about 3 miles away, so we arrived in minutes and started our trek up the rather steep trail.  There weren't many other hikers, so it felt as if we had the trail to ourselves.  We hiked up an hour and down an hour.  Finger Rock Trail is steep and rough enough that coming down takes as much time as going up, and shadows were getting longer as we neared 6 pm.  A great way to end our day!

Innovation Competion

The McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Arizona hosted their annual Innovation Competition yesterday.  Papa and I went and we learned much more than we expected.  Nineteen groups of master's students, in groups of three or four, competed for $40,000 in prizes.  Each team prepared strategic operating plans and revenue/expenses for five years, along with a slide presentation along with an informal table presentation.  Some of the ideas were based on UA inventions, a couple patent pending.  We sat next to parents of one of the participants and talked to them about her experience.  The whole experience for us was fun and thought provoking!

Mariachi Showcase

Last night, we went to the 35th Annual International Mariachi Festival Showcase at Casino del Sol, featuring over 500 children mariachis.  The program lasted over four hours and we were enthralled from beginning to end!  Those performing were elementary, middle and high school groups from Las Vegas, California, and Arizona, and representing thousands of other children in their mariachi groups.  The best were selected to perform.  They were incredible, with so much talent and energy.  We had a great time!

Arizona Inn for Breakfast

We had breakfast this morning at the Arizona Inn, with Lee, Debbie, and Tom, from Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson.  We've made wonderful memories there over many years.  Our wedding reception was there on January 3, 1981.  They have the best lemonade in their Palm Court.  The grounds are beautiful, with poppies blooming right now.  Arizona Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places, is still privately owned, and is beautifully maintained.  You can read about its history here.  It is always a treat to go to the Arizona Inn.  

Medicine Man Gallery

We went to the Medicine Man Gallery yesterday, to feast our eyes on Western Art.  Medicine Man Gallery specializes in Maynard Dixon's work, along with many other Western artists and antique Native American art.  They have an enormous collection of Navajo rugs and blankets, pottery, baskets, and jewelry.  The gallery is colorful and the art is exquisite. 

Quail Family

A pair of quail live in our backyard.  Yesterday morning, Papa noticed several baby quail in the aloe inside our wall.  By this afternoon, they are running all around the yard with Mama Quail while Daddy Quail sits on top of the wall to guard them.  The babies are little balls of fluff.  We can't take our eyes off them!  They make us smile.

 

Symbol of the Desert

When I moved to Tucson in 1979, I was amazed by the saguaro cactus.  I had never seen anything like them!  Tall, majestic over the desert, their blooms are pure white in late spring, their red fruit feeds the birds, and their tall trunk becomes a hotel for nesting birds and other small animals.  I highly recommend the book, Cactus Hotel.

Papa and I returned from Kentucky on Thursday.  My Dad is doing as well as can be expected for an 81 year old not in the best of physical condition to start with.  Somehow this visit to where I grew up reminded me of the decision I made 42 years ago to leave Kentucky.  I went to college in Florida, graduating in 1979.  I moved to Tucson that spring to begin my first job, and I met Papa in Tucson.  We moved to Dallas in 1982, for 10 years, then to Sarasota for 11 years, we were on the ranch for 13 years... and here we are in Tucson again!  Life is full of twists and turns and I'm so grateful to live in Tucson again, with several saguaros in our yard.  It is the quintessential symbol of the desert.  And it's spring, and they are blooming!  I love my life!