Papa and I are ever grateful for the life we live and all that has come before. We are incredibly fortunate. A few photos that remind us of so many happy times...
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Still Watching the Bighorn Fire
As of this morning, the Bighorn Fire has spread to over 10,000 acres, and it has burned to the north of our neighborhood. We are breathing a sigh of relief! I took this photo last evening at sunset, from Tanque Verde Ranch.
Emerson and Colby had a Good Friday in the junior wrangler program at TVR. By 3, they were very tired. They watched a western movie with Papa. I drew/designed clothes with Emerson, and we had dinner at 6. We sat out on our patio after dinner, eating Godiva chocolates and enjoying our view of thousands of saguaros.
Friday, June 12, 2020
Another Day at Tanque Verde Ranch
Thursday was a good day! Emerson and Colby joined a kid’s wrangler program at 7 in the morning. Papa, Claire, and I worked out in the resort gym. Claire and I got in the hot tub. We had breakfast and lunch together. After lunch, Papa and I drove home to pack important documents, just in case the Bighorn Fire spread to our neighborhood. The neighborhood just to the north of ours, higher on the mountain, was evacuated yesterday. We were back in time to pick up Emerson and Colby at 3. Papa watched an old western tv show with the kids in the afternoon. I played Uno with Emerson and Claire. We relaxed until dinner time. We had a terrific day and enjoyed the amazing views of the Rincon Mountains, Santa Catalina Mountains, and overlooking Saguaro National Park.
Tanque Verde Ranch’s history is interesting. From their website, https://www.tanqueverderanch.com/150-years-history-story/.
“The 150 years of history all started in 1868, when Don Emilio Carrillo started ranching on the Tanque Verde land. Emilio and his contemporary, William Sanders, began raising cattle together. Emilio named the land Bueno Vista, the Cebadilla (Spanish for the barley that grew on the land.). He built the original corral and ranch house. Made from adobe mud, the card room, living room, and The Dog House Saloon were all built by Emilio. In 1904, a western gang hung Emilio because he refused to give them money. Four years later, in 1908, Emilio passed away from complications of the hanging. In those four years, Emilio and his oldest son Rafael became very close. When Emilio passed away, Rafael took over the ranch. In 1914, more land was bought adjacent to the ranch from Mexican farmers, and the land was named Tanque Verde Ranch. The ranch was named La Cebadilla Ranch.
A Texan, Jim Converse, bought the ranch in 1928, and started hosting guests. He sold Tanque Verde Guest Ranch to Lynn Gillham in 1955. Just two years later, Brownie Cote, an attorney from Minnesota, bought the ranch to offer year round employment to his seasonal Minnesota employees, who worked at his various summer camps. Brownie Cote’s son, Bob, took over management in 1969, and the Cote family continues to own Tanque Verde Ranch, as well as the Minnesota summer camp properties.
Tanque Verde Ranch was ranked in the “top 10 Resorts in the Southwest United States,” by Condé Nast Readers Choice Awards in 2019, and “Best Dude Ranch” by Travel and Leisure Magazine. We’re happy it is so close to us, so we can share the experience with our family!
“The 150 years of history all started in 1868, when Don Emilio Carrillo started ranching on the Tanque Verde land. Emilio and his contemporary, William Sanders, began raising cattle together. Emilio named the land Bueno Vista, the Cebadilla (Spanish for the barley that grew on the land.). He built the original corral and ranch house. Made from adobe mud, the card room, living room, and The Dog House Saloon were all built by Emilio. In 1904, a western gang hung Emilio because he refused to give them money. Four years later, in 1908, Emilio passed away from complications of the hanging. In those four years, Emilio and his oldest son Rafael became very close. When Emilio passed away, Rafael took over the ranch. In 1914, more land was bought adjacent to the ranch from Mexican farmers, and the land was named Tanque Verde Ranch. The ranch was named La Cebadilla Ranch.
A Texan, Jim Converse, bought the ranch in 1928, and started hosting guests. He sold Tanque Verde Guest Ranch to Lynn Gillham in 1955. Just two years later, Brownie Cote, an attorney from Minnesota, bought the ranch to offer year round employment to his seasonal Minnesota employees, who worked at his various summer camps. Brownie Cote’s son, Bob, took over management in 1969, and the Cote family continues to own Tanque Verde Ranch, as well as the Minnesota summer camp properties.
Tanque Verde Ranch was ranked in the “top 10 Resorts in the Southwest United States,” by Condé Nast Readers Choice Awards in 2019, and “Best Dude Ranch” by Travel and Leisure Magazine. We’re happy it is so close to us, so we can share the experience with our family!
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Tanque Verde Ranch
After spending a couple of days with the kids at Tanque Verde Ranch in early January, it is a favorite place to stay. Claire, Emerson and Colby are spending four days with us at the Ranch. Emerson and Colby will participate in the young wrangler’s program, riding horses each morning, having a cowboy breakfast in the hills, lunch with the group, and swimming in the afternoons. Papa, Claire and I will hike, read, and relax. After arriving yesterday, we went to the pool, then to the Cowboy Cookout in the Cottonwood Grove in the evening. We enjoyed every minute!
Bighorn Fire Expanded
The Bighorn Fire burned up Pima Canyon and crossed over into Finger Rock Canyon on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, there was visible fire up high in Finger Rock Canyon during my walk, from 6:30-8. Papa and I were watching the fire while getting ready for Claire’s arrival around noon, and near 11:30, the fire seemed to “explode,” as it got into big timber near the top of Finger Rock Canyon. I took this photo just as the fire was “exploding” with flames reaching much higher than before. Over the course of the next several hours, the fire spread east another mile.
Soon after Claire arrived, we drove out to Tanque Verde Ranch to spend a few days. I took this photo from the Ranch about 5-6 hours later than the one above.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Fire on the Mountain
The Bighorn Fire started from a lightning strike on June 5, and has continued burning, up and over Pusch Ridge and into Pima Canyon. On Saturday evening, I noticed fire at the top of Pusch Ridge and by Sunday morning, it had formed a crown and started down into Pima Canyon. Wind is pushing it downhill and east. Mostly, we can see smoke, lit by the sun at sunrise and sunset, and by the fire at night. The sun shining through the smoke this morning was beautiful!
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Murals of Tucson
Tucson has over 1000 murals, with the City of Tucson sponsoring an ongoing Mural Project. Most are whimsical. Many are painted by well known mural artists. Papa and I went downtown this morning at 7 and took a walk, just to look at murals. These are a few of our favorites.
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