Its a girl!!

That's our grandbaby!!

News just in. . .Its a girl!!!  about 12 oz and 20 weeks!  So amazing.

3 wonderful days in Alamos

We celebrated Will's birthday with a trip to Alamos in Sonora, Mexico.  We decided since it was going to be a short trip we would try something different and take a bus instead of driving the 8 hours ourselves.  There are actually two bus companies that stop in Tucson and take you into Mexico.  After a few phone calls for information we decided that Tufesa seemed to have their act together more than TBC and sounded like a better choice.  We bought tickets (senior rates even) for the night bus which left at 7:30pm and arrived in Navajoa at 6am the next day.  From there it was a short walk to catch a local bus for the last 40 miles to Alamos.  Worked amazingly well, we both conked out as soon as we were across the border and slept the trip away.

Ah, Alamos!!  It is an amazing old colonial city at the base of the Sierra Madre in a dry, deciduous forest.  A very special place that we return to again and again.  Its always beautiful, always relaxing, always the best of Mexico.  The traditional city square around the 18th century church and the market are as picture-postcard-perfect as you can get.

A local vaquero herds his cattle and sheep into the city park to graze

The mountains in the distance.

And the birding was phenomenal!!  We went out with a local guide--Armando--one morning and hooked up with Alamos birding club for another morning outing.  16 life birds--birds we had not seen before.

Great Kiskadee

A Varied Bunting--looks dark in picture but in the sunlight he is bright blue and cinnamon.

Jennifer, our hostess at "El Pedgrigal".  First time we have stayed here and would highly recommend this nature lodge on the edge of town.  Oh yes, and did I mention the food?  We ate very well here and in various restaurants and venders in town.

From alamos

wonderful trip to alamos. Birding has been fantastic. mexico is in bloom. lots of brand new birds. back home tomorrow.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

 We did our annual hike to Aravaipa Canyon today with friends.  Its pretty much an all day endeavor as it is a fair drive from Tucson to get there to begin the trek.  Day was overcast and "coolish", about perfect for the workout.  Definitely a special spot in Arizona.

Tucson Festival of Books

Fun day at the Tucson Festival of Books.  Listened to a conversation with Luis Alberto Urrea.  This was his  third Tucson book festival and my third time to see him.  Very engaging speaker, fun to listen to besides the fact that his books are at the top of my list of favorites. (Hummingbirds Daughter, Devil's Highway, Into the Beautiful North, etc.) He read an excerpt from his newest which is a sequel to Hummingbird's Daughter.  This one is based loosely on his Mexican historic family and adds a wonderful dimension to the books to hear him talk about the back stories.

This is Hasan Davis who spent 45 minutes giving a moving account in first person of the story of York, the black slave of Captain Clark (of Lewis and Clark) who accompanied his master on the Voyage of Discovery.  There was all kinds of neat stuff going on like this.  Vendors of all kinds, book sellers, workshops, children's activities, lectures, poetry readings, author and book signings, music. . .in fact, I'm going back tomorrow for more!

Seven Falls and evidence of spring

We did a girls hike to Seven Falls this week.  Good time.  Little bit of water flowing, enough to make it so we could count up to seven different falls.  Not enough water to get our feet wet on the stream crossings.

Found this beauty.  My butterfly book says it might be a "Sara Orangetip."  At least the location, habitat and discription match.  There were several flitting about.  Sure sign of spring.

Now this is in my backyard!  New growth on my citrus trees.  They looked pretty bleak after the big freeze but they are coming back.

And my trychocerus cactus is going to bloom. . it has two nice, big buds, maybe more. Give it about a month.

The whole gangs here!

We thought we were going to get rained out at the Tucson Rodeo for the second year in a row, but weatherman was wrong again.  Once we cleared the snow off and all was melted away by 9am, it cleared and was a great day for the Fiesta de los Vaqueros.  Kettle Korn and calf roping, barrel racing and bull riding. . .gotta love it!

Jay and Verna rolled in from Washington state late Sunday afternoon so the whole clan is here!

We piled in the car and "did Tucson."  One day we spent at the always reliable Desert Museum, took in the afternoon bird show; then next day we visited the San Xavier Mission, a little shopping in Tubac and a tour of the mission at Tumacacori.  We also squeezed in some food, family gabbing and a few riotous games of Farkle.  Jay and Verna had to leave early Wednesday morning but we got to keep Les and Helene another couple of days.

Intently listening to the tour guide at Tumacocori Mission

Afternoon in the desert.

We never get tired of this hawk free-flight show at the Desert Museum! This Harris Hawk is quite the contortionist

That's concentration, Verna!