Lazy Days in Arizona

January 12 -25, 2022

Tombstone, Arizona

It's not like we did any of the work on the rebuild here except for some painting and minor electric, but now that the inside is finished I feel like we've been taking a break! 

When I head out Tuesday morning to pick up good friend Rebecca for a day in Tubac, I think "This is the first anything I've done in weeks." Not that there's anything really needed doing, but I'm feeling like a slug! Even after nine (!) years of retirement I have a hard time cutting myself some slack on productivity. Time to get over that :-)))

We get one day of good drenching rain. And I hadn't even washed the Jeep! Bill and I drive up to Benson for brunch on a Saturday. Try the Farmhouse Restaurant with mixed results - tasty green chili but just meh sausage gravy. We'll give them another try.

On the way home we explore some backroads out of St David - I love the long vistas and winter desert scapes of this area!

We could use several days of this!

Some roads are more rustic than others.

Two things I wish our place had - an old barn and a big Cottonwood tree!

Muted layers.

Ghost trees under darkening skies.

I get a surprise call that an old friend from California will be in Tombstone that afternoon! She's staying with friends near Phoenix and they're taking a day trip to our little historic town. We enjoy a long lunch at the Longhorn, getting caught up and remembering good times shared when we lived on neighboring ranches. Of course I fail to get a pic, but it's sure fun to see Mary!

We continue to enjoy our local wildlife stopping by to visit. While a couple deer have jumped the fence to feast on our one green bush in the past, they seem to find enough outside these days.

The grands check in regularly, all growing way too fast.

Cousins Oliver and Penelope live in the same complex - so fun they'll be growing up together!

Ezra and Elliott - getting harder to tell who's the big brother!

Penelope already lighting up at the camera!

I'm very happy that Jeff introduces me to the lovely library in Sierra Vista. He works there a couple times a week, and it has everything! You can even check out bicycles and telescopes. A small coffee bar, used book store, classes and events make this a wonderful community center of activity. 

Love the smell of all these books.

Several local art pieces adorn the walls.

The highlight of the last few weeks is the Tubac shopping day! Rebecca and I share a love of art and beauty, and we find lots to enjoy in this quaint little border town. On the way we stop in Patagonia for a breakfast pastry and a quick peek at the Hummingbird garden. 

It's a lovely day of seeing every shop in town, and sharing them with fellow masked shoppers! I only see two people all day without masks, and all shops require them inside. 

Although I take my camera I don't take any photos - not a lack of things to capture, just focused on good company :-)

I get lots of trip planning done with several reservations made for state parks and holiday weekends. 

We'll take off April 4 and go north through New Mexico and Colorado into Nebraska where I'll finally get to visit Fort Robinson and all the Native American history there. Then east through Iowa and Wisconsin, down to Illinois to spend a few days in Chicago - we spent a day there a few years back and have wanted to go back and see more! Around the lake into Michigan to check out my family history in Kalamazoo, a couple weeks in the UP, a long-overdue visit with pals Jim and Diana, then Fourth of July seeing the Henry Ford Museum and surrounds. 

I still need to tighten up a route across upstate New York and up to Vermont. Then we want to stop in Puxsantawney, Canton, Cinncinnati, Indianapolis, and Kansas City. We'll catch up with friends in Missouri and Oklahoma then make our way back to Tombstone the end of November. 

Very excited to get back on the road, back to being "almost" full-timers again!