Circles in the Sky

As I left our house for my morning walk this morning, I looked up and saw clouds forming two big circles in the sky.  Just beautiful!

Blooming Agave

This octopus agave is blooming in our back yard.  We watched the flower stalk grow up and up, to about 15’.  My 12’ tape measure was too short.  The yellow flowers are beautiful!

Gila Monster

I saw this Gila Monster while on my walk this afternoon.  It’s bright orange and black markings were clearly visible on the asphalt street.  It was calm while I walked all around it, snapping photos.

Daily Walk

I have continued my daily walks - 3.5-4 miles/day.  The desert floor is in bloom with yellow brittle bush wildflowers.  High in the Catalina Mountains, there are large swaths of yellow flowers, most likely brittle bush.  I am grateful to get out in this beautiful weather for my daily walks.

Daffodils

They scream springtime, in their fragrance and wide open faces with petals forming a star.  We are enjoying this bouquet of daffodils on our breakfast table.  

Road to Ironwood Forest National Monument

On Sunday afternoon, Papa and I drove to the north end of Ironwood Forest National Monument.  The desert views were beautiful.

Wildflowers

Papa biked yesterday and saw beautiful wildflowers along The Loop that he wanted me to see.  We left mid morning for El Rio Preserve, a park located on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.  “In 1774, Juan Bautista de Anza, commander of the Royal Presidio of Tubac, successfully explored an overland route from Sonora, Mexico into Alta or Upper California.  The expedition showed it was possible to transport livestock, goods, and people overland from Sonora to new settlements in California.  The viceroy of New Spain authorized Anza to lead a 1775-76 expedition to settle the port of San Francisco, over 1000 miles.  At the journey’s end, 198 people, over half of them children under 12, stayed to build the Presidio of San Francisco.  In addition to founding San Francisco, de Anza expedition members helped start the settlements of San Jose and Los Angeles. Tohono O’odham, the Native American inhabitants of the region, acted as guides and interpreters vital to the Anza expedition.”  Next to El Rio Preserve is a field of  Tohono O'odham ruins, where artifacts have been found.

We enjoyed the beautiful pond, with egrets, ducks, and a blue heron.  The wildflowers were exquisite!

Social Distancing at Home

We’ve been spending our days at home this week.  We got groceries on Tuesday afternoon, after returning from Mexico, then went to the grocery early Thursday morning, for a few things that weren’t in stock on Tuesday.  We’re enjoying great meals at home.  I have walked in the neighborhood every day and lifted weights in our home gym.  Papa is biking today.  It is springtime in the desert, with highs in the 70’s and flowers starting to bloom.  We are happy to spend this time of social distancing at home!

Double Rainbow

We arrived back in Tucson yesterday afternoon.  We filled our fridge with groceries and I went for a walk with my friend, Ornella.  We had a long travel day from the Yucatan to Houston and a final flight to Tucson.  We turned in early.

We woke up to a cloudy morning today.  I walked early, worked out in our home gym in the afternoon as rain started falling, and I made a pot of chili for dinner.  Rain continued falling, and just as we were finishing dinner, the sky became much brighter.  Suddenly, a double rainbow appeared at the base of the mountains.  It was stunning!

Jungle to City

We woke up in the jungle of Hacienda San Jose this morning.  We had a wonderful breakfast and read world news, seeing that US airlines are cutting flights due to Coronavirus.  I called United to ask for advice and the ticket agent recommended we fly back to the US tomorrow.  We packed our things, checked out of Hacienda San Jose with a very heavy heart, and drove to Merida.  We spent the afternoon in Merida, taking a carriage ride around the historic district, eating ice cream at a century old ice cream parlor, and shopping at artisan shops along the way.  We had a nice afternoon.  We’re staying at Hacienda Hotel Merida, a beautiful old in town property.

Our trip to the Yucatán has been wonderful!  We’ve stayed in two incredible hacienda properties, where we felt as if we were the only guests, with generous service and meals.  We have enjoyed conversations with various local people of the Yucatán, enjoying learning more about their lives. They were always smiling and helpful.  We are already looking forward to our next trip to the Yucatán!

Izamal

We visited the colonial town of Izamal today, just 40 minutes from Hacienda San Jose.  Taylor joined us.  We ate lunch in Izamal, then explored the convent built on top of an ancient Mayan temple.  We took a horse drawn carriage ride through town, stopping at several Mayan pyramids.  Izamal is a yellow town, with most buildings painted the same deep egg yolk yellow color.

Izamal was conquered by the Spaniards, and monks in their eagerness to convert the Indians to Catholicism, gave the city its religious distinction with a Franciscan convent in the late 1700’s.  Pope John Paul visited Izamal in 1993, commemorated by a statue of the Pope in the convent courtyard.  Izamal is an important archaeological site of the Pre-Columbia’s Mayan civilization, founded between 750-200, and was continuously occupied until the Spanish Conquest.  Most of the pyramid structures were built between 200 BC - 800 AD.  We had a fascinating day and Taylor enjoyed a large cotton candy along the way.

Hacienda San Jose

We left Hacienda Temozon this morning and drove an hour and a half to Hacienda San Jose, our accommodations for the next three nights.  Hacienda San Jose dates to 1794, when it became a farming center, specializing in livestock, fruit tree orchards, a sugar can farm, and its own honey production.  It is in the jungle, with beautiful pathways, flowering trees, large pool with an expansive stone patio, historic chapel with a faded fresco wall, and Mayan palapa cottages.  Hacienda San Jose is a completely different experience than Hacienda Temozon, just as interesting and luxurious.