70 hikes for 70 years

I turned 70 yesterday, and to mark this new decade I'm challenging myself to go on 70 hikes within the next year! I started yesterday with a hike on my favorite trail, Canyon Loop in Catalina State Park, where the giant ancient saguaros tower over me.

For the occasion I wore my "Hike More Worry Less" t-shirt.

I invited Barb to go on the inaugural hike, and here we are at the start yesterday morning. Barb and I met on a moonrise meetup.com hike the year I moved to Tucson and we've been hiking together ever since. Our other hiking buddy, Beth, is gone for the holidays.

 

Here I am, above, with Barb earlier this month on Canyon Loop in my "Life Is Better In the Desert" shirt.

Halfway through the loop is this bench where we always rest. We met a woman and her son there yesterday who were celebrating the mom's 85th birthday -- same day as mine. I aspire to be as spry as she is when I'm 85!

Here's another favorite spot on Canyon Loop -- the petroglyph rock by an inviting stream.

Every day I'm thankful to finally be living in the desert sun after moving all over the country! This is home.

And of course there will be food in this post. After our hike, we met up with some other friends for lunch and because it was my birthday we got a free plate of doughnut holes on a cream cheese base with Nutella and berries to share!

Have a colorful day

Show us your coffee!

A few days ago I was cozied up with my morning coffee in front of the Christmas tree (even though it was sunny and near 60 outside) and I suddenly wondered how my friends were having their morning brews. So I texted family and friends and asked them to be creative in taking a picture of them with their morning beverage, and 15 responded! It was a virtual coffee klatch.

Beth hoisted her mulled wine from Germany, where she was touring the Christmas markets.

In Michigan, my brother- and sister-in-law braved temps of four below zero for their photo.

My sister sipped her espresso at the San Diego Airport waiting to fly home from visiting our mom.

My other sister had her coffee in rainy Western Washington, which is floating away. Looks like she's working on a puzzle to pass the gloomy days.

Another friend in Western Washington had a cozy mug of tea on the same gloomy morning.

My daughter had her breakfast protein shake on the eastern side of Washington, where it was grey but not flooding.

Her husband did some light reading with his morning pour over.

 

My daughter-in-law used her Christmas mug while working from home in snowy Madison, Wisconsin.

Closer to home, Kathy took advantage of our beautiful morning to have her coffee outside in her Saguaro National Park mug.

And Barb had her coffee in front of her beautiful menorah -- with our Tucson sun streaming in the patio door.

There's no sun coming in Judy's windows in Flagstaff when she has her coffee, because she's up and creating art in her studio before the sun rises!

Meegan from book (eating) club shows our current book and her booted foot that's recovering from surgery.

Jasper, whose mom is also in book club, looks a little guilty. I told friends to be creative with their photos, but poor Jasper is probably dying to attack that mug.

My brother also got his pet into the action, with a can of coffee porter. (No, they don't really drink beer in the morning!)

Then Lynda joined from Indiana. Tea and a book for Lynda and a cozy lap for the cat.

And this person is known for repeatedly reheating his coffee in the microwave all day because he keeps forgetting  to take it out.

Now that I've shared coffee with friends even though I live alone, my next project is to bake more cookies to have with that coffee!

Have a colorful day

Sunny and warm here

When you live in Tucson, sun and warmth replace the snow and cold found in other parts of the country in December. This week, for example, I wrote out my Christmas cards on my sunny patio with the temps pushing 80. In shorts and a t-shirt! And I got a sunburn on my arm!

Nature here offers up winter gifts, like these lemons against an intense blue sky ...

... and oranges nestled in shiny green leaves and warmed by the sun.

Our palo verde trees are painted gold in the winter ...

... and pink bougainvillea and roses spill over stucco walls.

I don't know what kind of cactus this is, but it's full of red fruit bursting open to reveal its seeds.

We also differ from the north when it comes to our outdoor decorations. A lot of residents hang ornaments from their trees because we don't have to worry about howling snow storms knocking them down.

And these red ornaments will stay securely on the yucca leaves in my front yard. I also saw silver and gold ornaments on the tips of agave plants on today's walk.

Down the street, cheerful red bows stand out against our mountains and blue sky. I still can hardly believe I live in this winter paradise after spending most of my life up north! I mean -- that's a palm tree!

Have a colorful day

Lights and magic

Nancy and I went to Oro Valley's annual holiday market and tree lighting yesterday under a beautiful blue sky. After we shopped, we snagged an outdoor seat at a restaurant where we ate until they lit the tree. We had a perfect view, but by the time they lighted it two hours later we were so cold I could hardly hold my hand steady to sign my check. It gets cold fast in the desert when the sun goes down!

We each bought a hat -- everyone who lives here has a hat collection.

I've also been hiking as much as I can. There's water running at Catalina State Park after some recent rain, and it's nice to hear the burbling.

Finally, I've been working on handmade gifts. Beth and Barb had November birthdays, so I made them each a quote collage and took them out to eat. Those salads were amazing, and mine made three meals!

The quotes say: 

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." -- Roald Dahl

Have a magical day!

Christmas decor is up!

I got the Christmas decorations up today -- what a feeling of accomplishment! Even though I live alone and no one will be staying here over the holiday, I put them up for myself. I love the colors and all the candles and little white lights in the evening.

Since I moved to the sun, I decorate the outside with shiny Christmas ornaments on my yuccas.

I have a tall, skinny tree that tucks into the corner. It's loaded with ornaments that all have special meanings.

I just made these three to send to Juniper and her mom and dad. The pattern is "Emmitt & Ivy Ornaments" by Sweetwater.

I made the snowman out of stacked wool circles and the Hole In the Barn Door quilt block out of flattened chocolate wrappers

Friends made all of the wool mittens and the snowperson ornament.

I made the triangle Santa last year. Every year I made a different ornament.

Here are some more decorations in the living room ...

... and the kitchen  LOL ...

... and the guest bathroom.

After growing up in Pennsylvania and spending many years in other snowy states, it stills feels strange to be decorating for Christmas when I can see a palm tree from my living room! But there is a natural Christmas feel to the lady slipper plant by my front door, with its bright green branches and red flowers that the hummingbirds love.

Have a colorful day