San Rafael Valley Ranch

Hi All,

Today we went on a tour of the San Rafael Valley Ranch with volunteers from Sonoita Creek State Natural Area where we will be volunteering next month. This state owned property is currently closed to the public due, primarily, to its proximity to the border and associated drug and illegal alien activity.

The 1900 ranch house is an outstanding example of territorial architecture

The adjacent barn and shop

Wood stove in kitchen

Poster from one of many Hollywood movies filmed here

Very photogenic old farm implements

Drill press in workshop

Fox spotted sleeping in rafters

At its peak, this ranch had 17,000 head of cattle!

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

First Visitor

Hi All,

Sunday morning when Carl went out to turn the "Closed/Open" sign, he found our first visitor, a palid bat, sleeping behind the sign.

If you are freaked out by flying mammals, don't scroll down to the photos. 

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Saguaro National Park

Hi All,

A few days ago we visited the west section of Saguaro National Park. The diverse landscapes and different cactus formations were fascinating.

These two cactus seem to be hugging

The white sections are new growth

Here's a stone picnic shelter built by the YCC in the 30's

At Signal Hill we saw numerous petroglyphs.

How's thus for an expansive view across the valley?

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Fall Foliage in Southern AZ

Hi,

This pear tree in the Tumacacori garden is putting on quite a show. We didn't expect color like this down here.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Grassland Festival

Hi All,

Today we went with Ranger Vicki Wolfe to the Grassland Festival at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge .

At our booth we had activities for kids, gave our brochures and generally encouraged people to visit the park.

This Arizona falconer is holding a beautiful Harris Hawk

Mountain king snake, similar to venomous coral snake

Golden eagle, sadly with a broken wing

This ferruginous hawk is also in rehab

Aztec dancers from Nogales performed.

The fair was attended by about 300 people which is a good showing given the remote location of the refuge.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Nogales, Sonora

Hi All,

Today we went with two other couples to do some shopping in Mexico, just across the border from Nogales, AZ.

It was a lot like our visit to Nuevo Progresso from south Texas, we parked on the US side and walked across into Mexico.

Also like Nuevo Progresso, the shopping area consisted of gift shops, dentists, pharmacies and restaurants.

It's important to tell the US Customs officials that you went to Mexico for prescription medications, not "drugs". This prescription was $4 per pill instead of $23 in the US. 

This is a multistory building full of dentists!

This lovely shop displayed nice Mexican pottery, furniture and artwork.

One wall was plastered with broken pottery

This was the centerpiece in a room full of women's clothing. Do they buy more if excited ?

Crossing back into the US was time consuming though uneventful.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

More Degrazia Images

Hi,

Many of you really liked the work of Ted DeGrazia so here are a few more of his paintings.

Bullfight, another of his favorite themes

The motion he conveys with a pallet knife is amazing. DeGrazia started using a palette knife in Art school because he could not afford brushes!

How's this for motion. It is titled "Cock Fight"

Indian dance

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Ted DeGrazia Gallery

Hi All,

Back in Tucson for a day off. We visited the gallery of Ted DeGrazia, a prolific Arizona artist who lived from 1909 to 1982. 

The gallery is on the site of his home and studio north of Tucson. 

Portrait of DeGrazio

The Gallery entrance was built to look like the copper mine where he was born.

Father Kino (founder of the mission at Tumacacori) was one of his favorite subjects.

Horses were another favorite subject

As we're the Yaqui Indian celebrations

This somber painting is titled "Crying".

This wild horse painting was in the consignment gallery. Carl loved it but there is no place to hang it in the motorhome. Just as we'll since the price was $25,000.

Yaqui Indian Easter Celebration

Not just a painter, DeGrazia did this stained glass Indian piece.

As well as this mosaic!

Near the end of his life, DeGrazia was concerned about the inheritance tax his heirs would have to pay. He burned 100 of his paintings with an estimated value of $250,000.

Thankfully, thousands of his paintings survived and they are extraordinary.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Can a Phone get Jetlag?

Hi All,

Carl's iPhone 5 arrived today. The UPS tracking web site showed that it started in Zengzhou China on Monday and traveled to South Korea, Anchorage, AK, Louisville, KY, Phoenix, Nogales then Tumacacori, AZ.

Amazing!

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Whipple Observatory

Hi All,

Today we toured the Fred Whipple Observatory operated by the Harvard Center for Astrophysics. Located atop Mt Hopkins at 8550 feet, we toured a series of telescopes.

The telescopes were nice but the views were awesome.

These domes house 60" & 48"  telescopes.

Like this!

This instrument is a gamma ray telescope that was used in the 80's to discover the source of the Crab Nebula.

At the very top of Mt Hopkins is the 6.5 meter (21.5 ft) telescope used to search the edge of the known universe

From the top, we look down on the other telescopes we saw on the way up.

Once back at Tumacacori, we experienced a great sunset.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone