Home front and hiking

I finally did the "big" home improvement project I've been meaning to do ever since I moved here a year and a half ago. I hung a curtain across my closet opening to screen it from people who could see it when they came into the house. I used an old white cotton shower curtain and found these cool cactus shower hooks on Amazon!

I don't know why there wasn't a door on the opening, because it's visible from the entry hall and when you walk into the kitchen. It's bothered me since I moved in but I'm slow to jump into projects. I'm very pleased with the outcome and it hardly took any time or money at all.

In news from outside the house, this little bird was taking an enthusiastic bath in my courtyard fountain yesterday. And the monsoon rains have made my plants look like they're on steroids!

In hiking news, my friend and I explored a new to us state park yesterday: Oracle State Park, about 30 miles north of me. It was beautiful and peaceful. We only saw two other hikers even though the weather was sunny and in the 70s.

The vegetation was different than that in Tucson because it's a higher elevation and gets more rain. It's considered an oak-grasslands transition zone and only has one saguaro in the entire 4,000-acre park.

It's a wildlife refuge and has a picturesque old adobe wildlife blind (above).

It was originally a vast ranch owned by the Kannally family, who lived in a four-level Mediterranean Revival Style house that they build in 1929-1932 for $30,000. You can wander through the house on a self-guided tour. The flowers above are in the courtyard.

I was drawn to the turquoise shutters against the white-washed adobe and red tile roof. Inside was this cozy reading area next to a big fireplace.

The husband, Lee, turned to oil painting as therapy for the damage he suffered from gas poisoning during World War I. He painted on his knees with the paintings flat on the floor to minimize the tics resulting from nerve damage. The house is full of his vibrant, colorful paintings, which include a lot of crazy cowboys like the one above. The portrait is his wife, Lucile, who encouraged him to display his paintings at home.

In 1976, Lucile bequeathed remaining land and buildings to the Defenders of Wildlife. In 1985, the Defenders of Wildlife transferred the property to the Arizona Parklands Foundation for a state park, wildlife refuge and environmental education center. It's a real gem!

Afterward we had lunch at the Oracle Patio Cafe, which has a delectable baking case in the attached shop. I bought one of these almond bear claws for today's breakfast. For lunch, Barb and I shared a Thai chicken salad and veggie quiche, then she had a piece of chocolate torte and I had a really big slice of delicious tart cherry almond pie. Perfect way to end our excursion!

Have a colorful day