Sandy, Kim and I visited this amazing historical site in early June, 2021. Although we could see some lightning off in the distance, the temperatures were warm and the area near us was safe enough.
The site has 21000 petroglyphs in all, many viewable on the easy trail we took along the basalt crest. The petroglyphs were created by Jornada Mogollon people who created the rock etchings between about 900 and 1400 AD.
Kim and I enjoyed perfect early spring weather in the desert in April this year, spending a couple days with friends and my dad in Phoenix, then almost a week in Tucson. We hiked almost all the way to the Romero Pass, several miles beyond Romero Pools, and at one water stop, came across an ancient grinding stone which was used by the Hohokem People, probably for about a thousand years up until about 400 AD, likely part of a forward camp. Other hikes in Sabino Canyon area: up Bear Canyon to Seven Falls (beautiful!) and also in Bear Canyon area, Blackett’s Ridge, a perfect place to enjoy lunch with spectacular views across Tucson and also north to the Catalina Mountains. And finally, a hike that turned out much more interesting and pretty than I expected, the Telephone Line trail. Tram ride to the end of Sabino Canyon road, then hike back down the canyon. Lots of flowers, cacti, blooming agave and yucca, plus birds and other critters.
Day trips to the Pima Flight Museum, which was terrific (includes a well restored B-17 and also a couple B-52s among many other aircraft), plus a trip to the Biosphere 2 project north of Tucson.
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From the early morning portion of the trail to Blackett’s Ridge
Kim and I visited Paris for the first time last September. We took a LOT of photos, about 1000, and I eventually pared them down to this set. We explored the City of Light for two weeks, from September 21st through October 4th, and enjoyed really nice weather on most days, and even the day and a half when it rained a bit, it was still amazing. We stayed in the Latin Quarter at a nice hotel, and either walked or rode the Metro to many areas of the city including Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, The Arc De Triomphe, Opera De Bastille (to see a performance of Don Giovanni, by Mozart) plus many parks throughout the city. And one day, we caught the RER (train) out to the Palace of Versailles.
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Jardin Du Luxmumbourg
My kids gifted me with a new ice cream maker for my birthday. It needs neither ice nor rock salt, as it relies entirely on it’s high cooling capacity canister which you simply chill in a deep freeze prior to use. Pour in the ice cream mixture and press a button! And it has a handy cap in the top assembly which allows for easy addition of extras like crushed candy canes all while allowing the machine to continue to run and freeze the batch. So it’s really easy, although it makes “just” one quart. But that’s actually a big plus, as it means one can make delicious, fresh, homemade ice cream more often!
I’ve already used the machine about a dozen times, making butter pecan, peppermint candy cane crunch, chocolate chip, using melted Theo’s chocolate to create stracciatella chunks, peanut butter with peanut bits, and several others. Here’s the Gianduja Gelato with stracciatella chocolate chips (drizzling in melted top quality bittersweet chocolate). The base is infused with freshly toasted hazelnuts.
Giaduja Gelato with Theo’s chocolate Stracciatella
In early December, I had a chance to visit the National Mall in Washington D.C. I got up really early and took Metro to the nearest stop, and made a beeline for the Washington Monument, arriving just before the first rays of sunshine touched it’s apex. A few shots later, I dropped down to view the early morning sun just hitting the Lincoln Memorial. A stop at a French bakery to refuel and warm up, I then proceeded to tour several of the Smithsonian Museums and also the National Conservatory, finally winding up at the beautiful and elegant National Christmas Tree near the White House.
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Predawn view of the Washington Monument
A busy day on the waterfront in Seattle. View of Elliott Bay, with Glacier Peak visible through the skyline, from West Seattle a couple days ago when Kim and I were taking an urban hike from Lincoln Park to Alki and back.
At the tail end of our week in Santa Fe in early September, Kim and I drove to Albuquerque and hiked the epic trail from the lower goldola parking lot to the top of Sandia Peak. Our route hiking about a mile, mostly laterally, to join the main summit trail, and then after many scenic hours and a few thousand feet of climbing, deviating to the left to reach the actual peak. At the “snack shack” at the summit, we purchased a couple quarts of Gatorade to enjoy out on the deck which was perched thousands of feet above the city. Another couple miles generally downhill and through the woods along the limestone cliffs, we reached the upper tram terminal.
By the time we bought our tickets to take the tram down, we’d ascended close to 4500′ and traversed about 10.5 miles. Spectacular views all day, perfect weather, and end-of-season hiking legs made for a memorable hike. And a fun and easy 10-minute ride down to our car.
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Kim comtemplating the trail to Sandia Peak
While visiting Santa Fe a couple weeks ago, Kim and I drove to nearby St. John’s College, loaded up our gear (mostly water!), and hiked up the 3 3/4 mile trail to top of Atalyala Mountain (about 9140′ elevation). The early sections winding along sandy, dry creek bottoms provided habitat for wildflowers, and a bit higher, some cottontail rabbits and a mule deer provided wildlife entertainment. Rock overhangs at the summit afforded a great picnic location with spectacular views over Santa Fe and the high desert plateau. The brickwork/facade we came across on the descent was an oddity probably resulting from a flash flood some time ago.
Kim looking towards St. John’s College and Santa Fe. Click photo to view archive.
Madera Canyon is a desert canyon in the mountains about an hour south of Tucson and just 20 miles north of Mexico. Kim and I stayed a few days in Green Valley, twice making the drive up to the Madera Canyon area to hike. Our first hike of the season on Tuesday was just a few miles, up to a spring feeding a small grove of Arizona Sycamore trees.
This year Bonnie and I added a few sweet pumpkin plants to our garden patches in the backyard. Although the hot and humid summer triggered a battle between the giant leaves and mildew, we still managed to harvest about eight nice sized pumpkins, including a doublet we affectionately named “Butt Pumpkin.”