Tumacácori and Tubac

I started out with thinking about a "T" tongue twister:  Traveling to Tumacácori and Tubac tentatively  takes time.  Oops....an "a" word squeezed in there.  Oh well, it is the best I could do. 

Not only was it a beautiful day, it was a day where everyone could get into the National Parks free if charge.  Worked for all of us!

 This is what the mission looks like today, partially restored, and

what it looked like in 1868, after being abandoned for 20 years.  The original facade of the church and also the inside were painted with bright colors.  Now these have been replaced with muted shades of tan and adobe colors.

Not only was there free admission, there were locals providing demonstrations of paper flower making and tortilla making.  Of course, it would have been rude for us to pass these ladies by without making a donation and sampling some tortillas.  Doris added homemade beans and salsa to hers.

Beans , Salsa and tortillas hot off the outside stove.

Our little snack was followed by a walk around the grounds of the mission.  Below is the mortuary chapel.  The roof of this circular building was never finished.

 Behind the mortuary is the cemetery.  The 593 graves from the mission era have long ago been destroyed by weather, thieves and cattle.  The ones that remain are from the 20th century.  The only one that is identified is that of Juanita Alegria.  She was buried in 1916.

 Sandy patiently waited for Jeff, Erica and Jerry to catch up as we walked through the grounds.  Years ago, there was not much to see here besides the church.

Next stop: Tubac, small town, big prices....also known as a tourist trap.  The artwork is beautiful, the clothes in the store are unique (meaning $$$$) and the stores are quaint.  In other words, we window shopped.

Jerry, Jeff and Erica 

 Don checked out the map as Doris waited for him.  None of the maps showed any benches, but he soon found a spot where he could sit and let the rest of us wander.

The quaint shops and interesting sculptures can keep you occupied for hours.....unless you are of the same persuasion as Don.  He was ready to leave after about 15 minutes.  The only thing that would hold his interest would be a tool store (there were none).  Thank goodness Doris and Sandy went along with me....or did I go with them?.......Oh well, at least we had a good time!

 This roadrunner made out of a saxophone captured my eye as we went past it.  Now that is something I think would go great in our back yard.  He was a quiet guy, though, and not once did I hear his "beep, beep" as we went past.

 Last stop of the day: the Cow Palace.  It has been at this spot since 1920 when Mr. Kinsley started it.  I remember it from my childhood as Kinsley's ranch, a cool respite with a nice lake.  It was a stopping point on the old Nogales Highway for many years.  Now the lake and trees across the street are gone, but at least the restaurant lives on.

DeGrazia Day

Tucson's most famous artist, Ted DeGrazia, built his Gallery in the Sun in the early 1950's.  I think he never realized how popular his paintings would become at that time, and how they are still loved by so many people.  On his property, he also built The Mission in the Sun in honor of Father Kino.

On Tuesday, the six of us campers came to visit the place where Doris and Gary were married.

Doris and Don in the parking lot area.

 The Mission in the Sun is made out of traditional adobe, perfect for the spot it sits on at the base of the Catalina Mountains.

 Inside, the chapel,  Doris lit a candle in Gary's memory.  It was one of their favorite places to take visitors when they came to Tucson.

Doris took a moment to pose next to a huge Saguaro located by the chapel before all of us left.  The men went to eat liver and onions (ugh) and the ladies had a much better lunch at Beyond Bread.  Of course, Don, Jerry and Norm will disagree with me on that, but I write the blog!!!!

Catalina Camping 2015

Once again, we took our 5th wheel down to Catalina State Park for our annual get together.  This year, there were only 4 rigs, but we had plenty of visits from family and friends during our time there!

The first part of the week was cool and cloudy, which made for some great photos.  The views changed constantly, as heavy clouds obscured the top of the Catalina Mountains, only to recede and start the cycle over again.  

Cooler weather didn't bother Sandy and Doris, as the three of us walked around in the campground.  After all, we need more exercise than just playing cards and dominoes.  We did manage to get in some short hikes, Corn Hole games and bicycle rides as well.  Somehow, we also worked in a Happy Hour each afternoon, whether it was 5 o'clock or not.

On Thursday, it cleared up.  No more clouds or rain and the wind calmed down.  It was perfect day for a spaghetti dinner with different sets of friends.  

 Look how nice we line up for dinner! Just like we did when we were in school, although I think Jerry might be trying to steer Sandy in the right direction.  I wonder if other people are like us....no sooner do we complete a meal and the guys are asking what we are making for the next one!  Maybe our motto should be: eat, drink and be merry.  We can handle that.

 Doris cut into the delicious dessert that Elaine made.  Even though all of us were full, absolutely no one was going to pass up on this absolutely divine dessert!

After that, it was time for pictures of us FWHS gals.  We finally decided it would be in birth order: Nellie on the left, was the oldest, then me, Doris, Phyllis and finally....the "youngster" of the group, Sandy.  

 And the winning picture is:

Camping to us is not just sitting by a campfire, drinking cowboy coffee and grilling hot dogs and hamburgers.  Nope, our menu is varied and also unpredictable at times!  This year, Sandy and Jerry put together a shrimp boil.  All the ingredients were lined up on the table so they would be added into the pot in the proper order. 

 How many people does it take to make this?  Remember the old adage, "too many cooks spoil the broth"?  We did.  So Jerry stirred, added, and stirred some more.  The rest of us supervised watched!

We took the traditional route, serving it on brown paper, and no utensils or plates.  Cleanup was a breeze...you just roll up the paper and throw everything away.  No dishes for us ladies to wash.

On Sunday, Jerry's son, daughter and their families came out for the afternoon, as well as other friends from Faith Lutheran Church.  Jerry's impending birthday gave us another excuse to eat cake and Rice Krispie bars.  The 7 & 5 candles didn't match, but it was a better option that trying to put 75 candles on the cake.  By the time we would have gotten them all lit, the first ones would have burned down.....ah, the perils of being a senior citizen.

 And finally, a birthday kiss from Sandy.  He was one happy camper!