Dusty Car - January 27, 2012

No, this isn't about the latest country western singer.  It's about our Prius.  In anticipation of taking the train to Tucson next year, we've decided to try to do as much as we can without our car.  It has now sat in the carport for a week and a half, collecting dust.

Of course, we've always walked to the grocery store and the bakery, which are very close.  But on Tuesday we walked to the library, which is about two and a half miles away.  It took us 45 minutes and was not a bad walk.  Then yesterday I walked to the fabric store and yarn store, which are a bit closer.  And this morning we walked about a mile and a quarter to the farmers market.  Costco is more of a problem, because it's over three miles away and we'll have big things to carry.  But we figure we can always find someone to hitch a ride with. 

Our First Meal Outdoors - January 19, 2012

It has warmed up enough that today we had our first meal on our deck.  We had black bean and corn tamales and butternut squash.  Yummy!!

Yesterday we went to Sweetwater Wetlands on the northwest edge of Tucson.  It's a water treatment plant but has been developed as a wildlife sanctuary.  We saw lots of ducks and heard several soras, but we never could see one.  We also did not find the chestnut-sided warbler that has been reported there.  But we found a resident Harris' hawk.  It was a fun trip.  We'll go back later when spring migration is underway.

On the way through town we saw this car parked next to the road.

Truly Nolen is the local exterminator.  He has a whole fleet of yellow cars and trucks painted like bugs and mice.  He also has a large antique car collection that he has parked all over town.  It's always fun to find one.

Veggies - January 14, 2012

I couldn't stand it any longer, so I went to the nursery and bought some vegetable starts and seeds.  I planted spinach and salad greens, with lettuce to follow from seed.  I hope they're far enough off the ground that they don't become rabbit food.

I also planted a bowl of herbs and a pot of celery.

 

Yesterday we went to the Friday farmers market, which is less than a mile away.  There was lots of nice local  produce, including the most wonderful grape tomatoes, which are greenhouse grown this time of year. 

I was sad to see that my tamale guy was not there.  I'm hoping he'll be back some time.  In the meantime, I asked one of our neighbors, who is from Mexico and makes tamales and sells them, if she could make some with corn, black beans, and cheese.  She said she'd try, so we got some last night.  We haven't tried them yet, but they look really good.

We've Arrived - January 12, 2012

We actually arrived last Saturday, but it's taken a while to get our internet service set up.

We had a very enjoyable (but long!) trip down.  Right from Day One, which was Tuesday, the 3rd, the weather was clear and sunny.  Our first stop was in Redding, after crossing the Siskiyous with not a trace of snow.  Our second night was spent in Seaside.  From there we drove to San Luis Obispo, after a stop at Morro Bay for some birding. 

We were driving down on Highway 1, which is scenic but rather exhausting to drive. 

Near San Simeon we stopped to look at the colony of elephant seals.  They are gigantic, much larger than the sea lions usually seen along the coast, with a face only a mother could love.

We always try to hit San Luis Obispo on a Thursday so we can go to their fantastic street market that night.  The weather was gorgeous, with highs near 80.  We had dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant and then cruised the market.  There wasn't a lot of produce, but what there was looked great. 

We drove from San Luis Obispo to Blythe, stopping briefly in Santa Barbara to see the black skimmers (a species of shorebird, for those of you who are non-birders) on the beach.  It was a very long drive, but we really wanted to get to Tucson. 

We arrived in Tucson in the middle of the afternoon.  The weather has cooled a bit from the last couple of weeks, but it's still warm and sunny.  We got many hugs to welcome us back.  The cottage is in fine shape, with no damage or problems.  It took us a couple of hours to get settled, but now it feels like we never left.

Our life here is much more social than it is in Salem.  It's such a small community that everyone knows everyone else.  Our first party is tonight. 

Today is only in the upper 60s and overcast, but it will be warming up again soon.  And the clouds make for gorgeous sunsets!