Once again I missed a week of I like posting, so there are two weeks to catch up on. Last week I was on a whirlwind road trip to southern Arizona to deliver my art quilts (and my mom's) for our show currently hanging at the Tubac Center for the Arts. The show turned out wonderful and I'll do a whole post about that this week.
For now I'm glad to be back home. It was a very long road trip, somewhere around 2,200 miles, and it rained most of the way coming back. But it was a lovely trip. I got to stay with my cousins and some friends from graduate school who I hadn't seen since before COVID. Everyone at the opening reception was really good about wearing masks, and I got to spend some time in the Sonoran Desert which is one of my very favorite ecosystems anywhere. My cousin Annie who I was staying with lives about five minutes from Saguaro National Park West, and one morning I got up early and went for a beautiful hike in the Tucson mountain area of the park. They've had way more rain than usual and everything is blooming, super green, not quite as hot and even more gorgeous than usual. So rare for August!
Hedgehog cactus!
The washes actually had running water in them (not just when raining)
I've never seen the ocotillo this beautiful. They were so green with leaves so big and juicy. They look like super soft green giant (!!) pipe cleaners. Spikes underneath though of course.
The art center was down in Tubac, this was just outside Tubac. This is in the middle of the desert, 20 miles north of the Mexican border. Just insanely green and beautiful. The day I walked around by the art center, it was 72 degrees and raining. Two weeks earlier I'd been on the Canadian border where it was 95 degrees and so dry the trees were losing their leaves. Just completely crazy.
My mom flew in for the opening, it was so fun to see her too. She's here with my cousin Virginia.
And my other cousin Annie!
It was really a great trip. I'm super behind now at work, and it's good to be home, but definitely a couple of weeks filled with blessings and things to like.
And of course now that I'm home, my beloved pups!!
I was so happy Blue curled up under my sewing machine while I was working the other day. :)
And a cool Woodhouse toad in the yard!
I hope everyone has had a good week! Click over to
Lee Anna's for more things to like!
:-) Beautiful landscapes, smiling faces and puppers! All very good stuff.
ReplyDeleteHi Shannon, completely blown away by what a difference rain makes to a desert. What a shame those plants don't get more of it but with the changes happening maybe now they will! Dogs are so happy. I'm enjoying having three again.
ReplyDeleteI spent the month of March in AZ a few years ago. Absolute heaven as far as the weather. I grew to love the cacti, too. I wish I loved closer so that I could see your show. How great that you can collaborate with your mother.
ReplyDeleteI have only been to Saguaro one time but oh how fabulous to be there when it is so green and splendid looking. The pups look very happy.
ReplyDeleteof course baby blue was with you... he loves being with you... and of course spooky is chewing up a toy. Bentley... lover... the pics are your usual outstanding compositions and you look adorable in that shot.
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