Hummingbirds at my kitchen window

I am right there in front of window but he can't see me because the morning sun is glaring off the window. It's a male Costa. Mom is around too but he chases her away until he is good and ready to let her have a drink.

Breakfast/Brunch at Hotel Congress has turned into an annual Christmas tradition. We met Pete and Alice and had a lovely meal with lovely people in a lovely setting.  We sat there 2 1/2 hours enjoying the time with very long time friends.

We spent the evening with "newer" dear friends Carol and Andy, and Susie with more food, and Christmas cheer.

Just a good time for a picture of an Arizona Cactus Wren.

Rainy week for Christmas. Snow up in the Catalina's--just rain at our house.

Will has been drawing

I took a picture of this iconic Saguaro Cactus at Organ Pipe NM and Will came home and sketched it. Pretty cool, huh! 

Hiking around and noticing the hundreds of cactus we realized the variety of shapes and sizes.  Sometimes down right wierd shapes-- the "classic" shape rarely happens in nature. That's why I took a picture of this one, the common Saguaro is not common!

Christmas week

Christmas week started this morning at St Andrews Presbyterian with lots of Christmas music and a typically inspiring message by Pastor Jim. This afternoon we went downtown to the Tucson Music Hall to see the Texas Tenors in concert with the Tucson Symphony for a dynamite Christmas performance.  Amazing talent, great showmen.

  Now I feel like it's really Christmas!

More from Aho

Murals all over town. 

The old mine pit.

More of the Monument

Ajo Arizona

We did a 3 day out-of-town excersion to Ajo. Found a cozy AirBNB and toured the area to see what we could find. Once again, we proved our code--if you look for it, there is always something worth discovering!

The view from our accomodations over the town at first light. Aho was an affluent Copper mining town until copper prices spiraled downward and the mine closed in 1986. Hard times followed for many years until in the last decade a community effort has been working to reinvent itself. There is a rich Native American history and being close to border, a Hispanic flare, a vibrant artist community, snow birds flock here in the winter. 3000 full time population which swells to much larger in the winter.

Central plaza that hosts a great farmers market and artisans market every Saturday morning. An Adobe Catholic church that is nearly 100 years old.

Now is that a great name for a Snowbird RV park?!

Surrounded by Sonoran desert. In fact, Organ Pipe National Monument is right next door.  We spent a day out there hiking some beautiful trails, and driving the scenic roads that our CRV could handle.

An Organ Pipe cactus, the Park's namesake.

We followed a gravel road to find a spring. Didn't look like much until we started down the path and came upon a true Oasis in the desert!!

Unfortunately, also along this road we came across the construction of the new border wall. The truck gives perspective of how huge this thing is.

Makes us very sad to see this waste of money that is not going to solve  problems and only deeply impact the fragile ecosystem. Nobody here wants it!!

Doug and Aeri making Pizza

Fellowship Christmas Gathering

Good food, Great Friends, Good laughs, White
Elephant Gift exchange was great fun.