Close to Home in Tucson

Over the past week Papa has worked in our yard.  We had dinner with our friends, Ornella and Donato, celebrating both our returns to Tucson.  We went to Nogales, Sonora on Wednesday, to the dentist for a regular cleaning.  I had my hair trimmed on Thursday.  We had neighbors Sheila and Joe for dinner on Friday.  Every day, I go for walks in the desert, from our house.  I never tire of seeing the mountains covered with saguaros.  

“The saguaro is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and a small area of Southern California.  Saguaro typically grow at elevations ranging from sea level to 4500’.  In 1933, Saguaro National Park the east and west sides of Tucson, was designated to help protect the species and its habitat.  Saguaros lifespan often exceeds 150 years.  A saguaro can absorb and store considerable amounts of rainwater, visibly expanding in the process, while slowly using the stored water as needed.  Saguaros have been a source of food and shelter for humans for thousands of years.  Their red fleshed fruits are turned into syrup by native peoples.  The saguaro is a common image in Mexican and Arizonan culture, and in cowboy films.”  The mountains on all four sides of Tucson are covered with saguaros.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saguaro#Ecology

I took these photos on my hike this morning.

I took this one last evening on a short walk before sunset.  I am the shadow in the sand.

In Tucson

Papa and I returned to our Tucson home on Tuesday, after flying from Athens to Philadelphia on Monday, and from Philadelphia to Phoenix on Tuesday.  We spent a couple of hours with Claire’s family in Phoenix before driving the last two hours of our trip home.  We arrived in the dark, around 7 pm, and woke on Wednesday morning to sun and the big sky of Arizona!  Friends brought food for our supper and breakfast.  We are slowly getting back to “normal living,” with laundry done, a trip to the grocery store, walking with my friend Ornella at 7:30 every morning, and going for lunch today to a favorite Oaxacan restaurant. These are a few scenes from our back yard and my morning walk.

By the Aegean Sea

After the cruise, we are staying a few days in a house we rented with a beautiful view of the Aegean Sea.  We are relaxing, watching the sunrise, reading, going for long walks, and sleeping.  We have also visited the Ancient Theater of Thorikos, several Greek Orthodox Churches, and beaches.  We’re eating lunch out each day, at local Greek restaurants.  We are enjoying every moment!

This little beach was nearest our house.  

Serifos

We spent the last full day of our Cyclades cruise on Serifos.  With just 1200 residents on the island, it is a quiet and simple island.  We arrived in the port and saw Chora, the island’s capital perched on the hill, about 4.5 km above the port.  Papa and I hiked to the top, along the narrow lanes and white washed houses.  The lanes are a maze!  It was beautiful!  Sprinkles fell along the way, and just as we got back down to sea level, the sky opened.  Thank goodness for umbrellas!  We had a late lunch at a local taverna, and set off in very rough seas about 15h.  We had a multi course last night dinner on the ship, just as we were arriving back in Lavrio.