This was a crazy winter yet productive. Some new “lodge” furniture, desert critters, staying active, great friends, a kidnapping, and dealing with neighbors dog pooh. I’ll focus on the positive–Remember, the worst winter day in Tucson is still better than the best summer day in Alaska. Seizing this opportunity, I get to work putting my house in order by rebuilding a few door locks, planting some garden plants (bougainvillea). This tarantula camped out on my doorstep–I built him a “doghouse” complete with a bowl of water and he stayed a week! This occupied my time along with a few furniture additions:
In the style of Thomas Molesworth and ‘By Western Hands,’ I create a duplicate “bowlegged end-table” and add my Yei beadwork I made last year. Lester Santos of Santos Furniture does the legwork (pardon the pun). Janet Bedford, who painted the interior of my Airstream for the NPS Centennial painted the sofa here. Covid claimed her life and I attended her service in Powell Wyoming. This was one talented woman–the lampshades are also from her estate–now living alongside her last furniture project.
Here’s a close-up of a dry-fit–the trim needs to be refined a bit. There are over 5000 beads per panel (there are 4 panels). You can see the beadwork being made here. Moving into an empty house takes time.
Here’s a project I’ve been working on for a decade and finally cobbled one together (I cut out two). It’s a “library” chair/ladder which converts by a simple flip. Still need a latch for safety. This pattern was sold to me by the National Park Service–for $5.00. This type of park gift-shop item is exactly what the park should be selling, not stuffed teddy bears. It’s a relic from the Grant-Kohr’s Ranch NPS unit. For more info on this unique NPS park, click here.
Every day I walk two miles at 4 mph. That’s a half hour near-aerobics. This is my route with Finger Rock, Castle Rock, Chimney Rock and a few other rocks above my house. This is the neighborhood where Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped this winter–still an ongoing mystery. I turned in all my web-cam cards to Pima Sheriff as part of a large neighborhood data collection campaign. Neighbors are wary.
Critters: This “pet” bobcat comes by every day and nabs a little breakfast. This particular morning, she nailed a Gambel’s Quail which you can see below….or what’s left:
Feathers, a couple of claws and perhaps beak is all that’s left–great recycling. I had a dog pooh incident where a neighbor dragged his dog over to my driveway and let it do it’s deed. Well, I got tired of stepping in this crap so bought two Tactacam game cameras and bingo–caught him. Denial is not a river in Egypt and I tailed him leaving the scene of the crime and filmed his lame excuses with my cell phone and immediately called the sheriff who responded immediately since our neighborhood is full of deputies right now. They arrested him on the spot after looking at my video. As I type, he’s had three court appearances downtown–about a 10 mile drive. I’ve no sympathy for such people……. So…..after all this kerfuffle, I repurposed my cameras on a game trail through my property:
The wild west. Also deer and Javelinas–read on.
On my daily walk.
Critters: These are Javelinas–and they’re dangerous. They’re also known as Banded Peccaries. I’ve bird feeders (now relocated) from which they scavenge beneath. Initially, I placed a $19 Costco glued seed block (a “quail block”) in my citrus orchard and……well, these guys got wind of this–so to speak–and after I turned the lights out one night, it sounded like Jurassic Park right outside my bedroom patio door…… They’re parallel evolution to the European pig–Continental Drift interrupted this branch of the evolutionary tree. Frankly, I think they’re related to Velociraptors or even T-Rex. They travel in family packs and while they seem oblivious to humans, they’re not. I keep my distance.
The new chiminea gets a thorough workout at 5pm cocktail hour. G&T’s using the Hemingway formula: 1.) fill tumbler half full of cubed ice; 2.) cover with Tanqueray gin; 3.) squeeze 1/2 lime juice; 4.) top up with Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic Water. 5.) Enjoy.
Gambel’s Quail check out my courtyard for nest potential–favorite food of the Bobcat. In one of my night photos (I’ve game cameras) there is a kitten. They thrive here. OK–let’s end on a happy note.
Jeffrey Biegel comes to town! He’s a concert pianist and performed with True Concord, a vocal ensemble accompanied by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. Jeffrey is an incredibly talented pianist and is currently working with modern artists to produce major works in the classical style–an oxymoron I guess–but check out this video of Peter Boyer’s “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue.” Jeffrey’s goal is to perform this in all 50 states for our 250th anniversary and has logged in 40 so far……good for you!! We toured the Soviet Union together with the Seattle Chamber Music Festival–Jeffrey performing the Taneyev Piano Quintet, and me, appreciative listener (and Russian interpreter for the group). Fasten your seatbelts–Here is the last movement of the Teyenev which Jeffrey learned in just three weeks! What a trip that was. Jeffrey came over after the concert and stretches the new strings on my piano and I put on some Alaska king salmon–doesn’t get better than this.
This is a winter evening! 70F. It’s been a great “summer” this winter. I’m getting my seasons all mixed up now. I harvested about 10 lemons, 6 oranges, no limes and two grapefruit this winter and improved the irrigation. My citrus “orchard” is just blossoming (along with my allergies) so it’s time to hobble the horses and pee on the fire.
Off to Seattle tomorrow–a long drive. I’ll be back this summer though to witness the incredible monsoon storms and plan a casita…… Stay tuned.