A new set of trails

I went on a new (to me) set of trails this week with Barb and her visiting friend, Kathy (above). We took off from El Camino del Cerro Trailhead in the Tucson Mountains west of the city and didn't see a single other hiker in almost six miles. And it was gorgeous!

We had a sweeping view across the city to the distant Santa Catalina Mountains. The desert was lush, almost like a garden. There were so many saguaros, prickly pears, barrel cactuses and desert trees and shrubs that it looked like a botanical garden!

We spotted a rare crested saguaro, which grows a twisted crest on its tip. Each saguaros has its own personality.

While saguaros get most of the attention here because of their massive size, the prickly pear cactuses also make a strong showing because they are so prolific. Desert animals love to munch of the fleshy pads.

 

It was a longer than anticipated hike, so afterward we decided to head directly to Teresa's Mosaic Cafe for cold drinks and Mexican food. We each got chicken enchiladas and then split an order of creamy, sweet flan. A delicious end to a delightful outing!

Have a colorful day

"Birth and death are only doors ..."

"Gateways On the Journey" by Sherrie Spangler

Thich Nhat Hanh, the exiled Vietnamese monk who taught the Western world about the Buddhist philosophy of mindfulness, died last Saturday at age 95. Fortunately, he left many books and other writings, so he will live on forever through his words. Many years ago, while struggling with some heavy emotional issues, I discovered his books and embraced them. They brought me and countless others around the world much peace.

And on to a J.R.R. Tolkien quote. For now, I'm mainly hiking with the time I have, soaking in the sun and desert wonders.

Catalina State Park north of Tucson

The giant saguaros, which only grow in the Sonoran Desert, never cease to amaze me.

I'm doing a bit of sewing, working on more spirit dolls. Here's the latest one:

Have a colorful day

Sightless among miracles

Our teachers are everywhere.

Our teachers are right in front of us,

and take so many forms.

All we need to do is open our eyes,

to be open and aware of the possibilities.

Otherwise, we walk sightless

among miracles.

-- Dani Shapiro

Here are some everyday miracles and teachers all within a few miles of my home.

 

Have a miraculous day

Spirit dolls and water in the desert

I just mailed three spirit dolls to a friend who commissioned them for her winter desert home. The orange one is larger to give a little variety when she hangs them together.

Meanwhile in the desert, New Year's rain and snow melt have the water running high in my favorite hiking spots. This first photo is from Catalina State Park, where the normally dry wash had water high enough that hikers were taking off their shoes and socks to cross and kids were playing in it like they were at the beach.

The next ones are at Sabino Canyon.

Water rushes over the dam at Sabino.

Can you believe this is the desert?

Here are some more desert-like photos from Sabino Canyon -- a giant saguaro cactus and a horse clip clopping along.

And just to give you an idea of how popular Sabino Canyon is, here's a shot of hikers on the tram road that goes a few miles up into the canyon. My friend and I took off on the hiking trails to escape the crowds.

Have a colorful day

First quilt and hike of 2022

But first, happy 90th Birthday to my mom!!!

She's chugging along, living with my dad and negotiating their three-level home with aplomb. She exercises, does puzzles, and delights in watching the birds outside. And her hair STILL isn't gray!

After neglecting my sewing for way too long, I made some quilted, embellished fabric this week to use in my spirit dolls. I started by painting the fabric, then I stamped it with bubblewrap and various other items. When it was dry I scattered bits of fancy fabric and yarn over top and quilted it with gold thread to batting and backing.

I use it for the clothes on my spirit dolls. Here are the two that I started yesterday.

My first hike was on New Year's Day in the foothills of Pusch Ridge in the Catalina Mountains. There was snow on the mountains!

It was an invigorating hike, with a lot of climbing up and down in the chilly but sunny weather. Today I'm heading out for another hike -- got to get this year started on the right foot!

Have a colorful day