Desert Rains

 July 27 - August 18, 2025

Tombstone, Arizona

Have I done anything in the last three weeks? My first thought is no, nothing. Certainly nothing exciting, maybe nothing blog-worthy. Let's see.

A positive highlight that extends beyond the immediate, Bill's last hand surgery seems to have done the trick. He's very happy to be 99% pain-free. Happy to be off the pain killers. Happy to get back to long sleeps each night. So yay!

I'm moderately optimistic that my own three-month-long health issue has finally been diagnosed with the outcome of treatment pending. Nothing serious, just annoying. You know, like old age.

Staying in one place, it's especially appreciated that Mother Nature continues to bring us daily pretties and funnies. 

The eastern skies on fire at sunrise.

Adding a single curtain allows me to read and watch the birds during the two hours the sun rises from mountain top to above the roofline.

There's something so mesmerizing about a fluttering and waving breeze.

Tessa and I take short walks each morning when she's feeling most "perky". We go until she starts to lag behind then turn around for home. She enjoys exploring with her nose while I keep an eye out for snakes. The waking desert is most beautiful.

Pre-walk zoomies on a cooler morning.

We have several large beaver tail cactus on the property.

Desert Bird of Paradise, a favorite for bees and hummers.

The forecasted "heavy" monsoons have yet to materialize on our little hilltop, but we continue to have daily storms around us with occasional rains landing here. On the hottest days we have ribbons of blue rain creating fringe over the horizon, never touching the ground.

Male rain comes down in powerful torrents creating streams that race each other to low, dry spots where they stand together for a short time before being soaked in, swallowed or evaporated. One seeks shelter.

Female rain falls lightly, hesitant to disturb what it touches, slowly soaking in where it lands. When they last long enough, small puddles eventually form before being soaked in, swallowed or evaporated. One is invited to walk among the drops and drizzles. 

The former washes while the latter cleanses. I'm grateful for both. There is no shortage of water in the desert. Just a shortage of common sense on how to respect the resource.

Jeff captures this micro-dump in the distance. 

Blue rain-fringes to the south.

A light afternoon breeze carries female rain onto the porch. Later in the week a stronger male rain drenches the porch in seconds. 

Another awesome shot from Jeff's evening walk.

What do family members Cassidy, Ezra, Bill, Jeff, Big M and Little M have in common? August birthdays! From two to 69!! Four down, two to go as of this post. No pics for the "not kids"!

Miss Cassidy enjoys her special day.

Turning 10 is a big deal for Ezra who did something special each day for a week - starting with Universal Studios on his birthday. School started the next day.

BFF Janis and I read The Last Woman Standing, a novel loosely based on the life of Josephine Earp - my favorite "character" in the saga that defines Tombstone. It's fun to read about places that are remembered or still exist today. I collect a few pics to send to Janis. Just because.

After living (in sin!) with Sheriff Behan, Josephine moved to the San Jose boarding house. 

Josephine spent her days here with her good friend Mollie Fly. They were both at the back of the gallery during the famous shoot-out that happened next door.

Tombstone had two newspapers during the Earps' years. The Tombstone Prospector supported the Cowboys and Sheriff Behan while The Epitaph was a friend to the Earps. Note which one still stands - and prints a monthly historical edition.

The intersection of 5th and Allen streets includes the Oriental Saloon, originally owned by Wyatt. The Crystal Palace on the NW corner included the office of Marshall Virgil Earp on the second floor. Virgil was shot in this intersection, losing the use of his arm.

It's interesting living in a town on the historic register - one that celebrates it's story all year long. Our property is on the corner of Curly Bill and McLowery (no idea why they misspelled McLaury).

Walk-downs are a local tradition for honoring deceased locals and those recognized for having an impact on the community. During the Val Kilmer Tribute weekend, over 100 locals and visitors participated in the walkdown for "Doc". 

So no, not very exciting. But amazingly the kiddos are heading back to school already. Exciting for sure. Milestones are happening. Memories being made.

Elliott starts pre-K - how is this possible?

Day two haircuts for Elliott and Ezra.

Sisters Penelope and Magnolia send Reese off on her first day of kindergarten - wow!

Big M and Little M ready for another big year.

Life Enhanced - Books and Babies

 July 19 - 26, 2025

Tombstone, Arizona

My two weeks with Sherry in Santa Fe revived my enjoyment of reading non-fiction, and my recent discovery of the real location of my ancestors' tragic end have inspired the reading of several books about the Oatman (my maiden name) massacre. 

In 1851 the Oatman family set out on their own from the remaining families in the wagon train to make the final push to Fort Yuma. They were attacked and murdered by Yavapai Indians with Olive and Mary Ann taken captive. Olive's story is the stuff of legends.

I've learned so much about my family history as well as the history of the time. Amazingly, Olive and her family had not even joined the wagon train to California when the first Women's Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls. California became a state while they were on the Santa Fe Trail. Multi-story brick buildings were being built in Manhattan while she was living among the Mohaves as a captive, or adopted family.

Following her return Olive had to balance her White and Indian lives. It's interesting to note this dress she made includes hash marks that mimic the Mojave tatoo on her chin.

The family was moving to the promised land prophesized by a short-lived "spin-off" of the Mormon church un-affectionately referred to as Brewsterites. I've also learned a lot more about the Mormon church.

Olive and Mary Ann (who died of starvation after three years) lived with the Mojave Indians of the Colorado River. Likely near the current ghost town and tourist stop of Oatman, Arizona. I've learned a lot more about the Mojave Indians.

Irataba, a Mohave Chief and one who Olive called her friend, met with President Lincoln (the first chief to meet with a president) in 1864. Olive traveled from Michigan to see him.

Olive and her (believed by Olive to be dead) brother Lorenzo were reunited in Fort Yuma five years after the massacre. Her return was negotiated by a Quechan Indian named Francisco, although officers at the fort took credit. I've learned a lot more about military and government practices of the time.

The role and goal of Fort Yuma was often defined by its various commanders, at times different from that of the government, laws and treaties. These definitions had a direct impact on the fate of the Oatman family and the captivity of two daughters.

Olive and Lorenzo were the only surviving children of Roys and Mary Ann Oatman. Olive had no children, and Lorenzo's sons passed young and childless. So there are no direct descendants of this family. However, Roys had 17(!) siblings so there are undoubtedly a whole lot of "cousins" who can trace our way back to his family. 

I was always told the Oatmans were from Germany. Nope, Johannes Outman emigrated from Holland! Very cool :-))

It's been great fun to immerse myself in all the history, connecting it to locations I've been and others I want to visit. At the same time I'm not unaware of the fact that so much information is available only because of the tragedy that befell Olive and her family - a story that continues to intrigue historians and authors alike.

Day-to-day life doesn't look much different. Happily it does include more moisture, including a couple of all-night female rains (slow, steady and soaking). It greens the desert and cleanses the soul. A couple of temporary road closures while arroyos fill and empty quickly, acres of Ocotillos thicken with tiny green leaves doubling their size, and shadows move across the plains and hills under shifting cloud-cover. It's an active time of year here.

An intense rainbow with all the colors clear.

No pot of gold in Jeff's car - we looked.

Warning notifications that Moson Road is closed a few  miles south of us.

All the ocotillos on our property are full, especially the one in the backyard.

Spending every morning on the front porch, quietly observing the critters, I'm gifted with patterns and anomalies. Quail families have always been two parents, with two-10 babies of the same age, and one-three "uncles". There are never "extra" females, but almost always there are extra males that travel with them. Recently there is a very different family-construct coming to visit. I'm confused by babies of two different ages intermingled as one family. A few days later they're back, and the parents add to the anomaly. The two smaller babies have only a female parent, a single-mom. The four larger babies have two parents, mom and dad. And no uncles. These nine are a unit, come and go together, watch out for each other. I don't know if this is rare in the wild, or just rare in my yard. In any case it's delightful to see their little blended family. Maybe I'll get a photo before they move on, but I've been caught up in just watching them together.

Another change is the trapdoor spider expanding her web beyond the round trap. The early morning sun lights it up for a few minutes, or I'd have missed it. It's gone the next day.

The section farthest from the trap is easily seen in the light.

Harder to see here, the web trail is just below the green patch on the right and angles up to the left, into the visible trap. Easier in person :-)

Mr Big Lizard of the Big Feet Clan

The hummers come right up to my head every day but I usually can't get a quick photo. How do you do it Gay???

Taking a break from all that running on roads.

All of the crafts group is out of state for the summer. Vicky is back for a few days so we grab a couple hours to enjoy a tasty lunch at the Copper Brothel Brewery. It's wonderful to get caught up, she'll be back in September.

A fun place with consistently good food.

Vicky is one of those people you meet at 1:00 and are good friends with before 1:30. I've missed her!

Our six-year-old TV dies without warning so of course it's time for a bigger one. Who are we that we need a 65" TV in a small home? Bill is of course very happy, convinced we've needed one for years! Should be fun for football :-)

Jeff and I see Superman in the theater - excellent all around, and Krypto the Dog is like seeing Tessa on the big screen!

She just needs a red cape!

A few days later Bill and I go to see the new Jurassic World movie. They're always best in the theater with those amazing dinosaurs. How are they not real?? This one has a weak plot line and mediocre characters with the little family, location and dinos saving the show.

$7.00/seat is the least expensive entertainment value we have, although the snacks are still clearly made of pure gold :-) I wish there were more movies I want to see.

Our lovely Virginia trio - Reese, Magnolia and Penelope  

Big M learning to kayak - getting so big!

Cassidy Jane ready to beam up!

Pretties in the City and Haboob at Home

 July 11 - 18, 2025

Tombstone, Arizona

Sometimes "modern convenience" isn't as convenient as hoped - or at the very least isn't the first choice for special.

I'm not surprised by the comments on the previous post, sharing that paper calendars are still used. Ezra and Elliott's mom has one on the fridge, many of our traveling friends use them regularly, and I even see them in current TV series. Even with calendar programs available on our phones, tablets and computers, many still prefer hard copies. Clearly convenient is in the eye of the beholder!

This is true in other ways.

Recently the Jeep stopped recognizing Bluetooth connections. While there is an Aux jack on the dash, our new Android phones no longer have jacks. The "convenience" of Bluetooth technology means we can no longer access music, podcasts, etc. Sure, I can replace the unit or get it "fixed" (unlikely anymore), but what a pain and expense! Jeff points out "it was so nice when we could just pop in a CD!" Amen son.

Texts and emails are quick and easy, but they're not very special. Admittedly greeting cards are as expensive as everything else these days, but there is something much more fun and personal and special about receiving one in the mail. During our travels I enjoyed sending post cards to our (then six) grands - and they loved receiving something in the mail just for them. It's challenging to find post cards that appeal to kids, and now that we have 10 it's no longer a viable option. Plus we're not traveling. Fortunately Target and Hallmark carry packets of 6-10 (almost monthly) holiday cards at a reasonable price with some variety. I'm happy to send out these special envelopes with some stickers several times a year. Less convenient, but definitely much more special!

Access to the Internet is invaluable. I can remember a life without it, but find it hard to describe to Ezra! I'm happy to say that our homes still have books and table games on the shelf, writing is still taught in school. Contrary to popular belief and complaint, cursive is required in school curriculum in California and 24 other states. 

I don't see a day when we're once again dependent on outdated encyclopedias or paper maps for navigating information and travel routes, but I believe there is something in our DNA that ensures our holding on to, and passing down, practices that are appreciated for both their simplicity and their specialness. 

Back to typing on my laptop and downloading photos from my digital camera.....

Tucson (the city) is generally 10-12 degrees hotter than we are in Tombstone (home). An elevation change of over 2000 feet, and distance of 70 miles makes a real difference. Especially in the summer. Usually I can avoid the city on really hot days unless Bill has a doctor visit. Visits to fun and interesting places can by planned around the weather. Of course the one place I definitely want to visit during this warmer season is only open one weekend a month. If it's a hot weekend I either give up the adventure, or make the best of it. 

Last year I opted for the first option and missed out, so this year I'm off to the Gathering Vintage Market on a hot July Saturday. Rebecca and I love it at Christmas, and I have wanted to visit in other seasons. It's not a large place, but is very special. I don't always buy something, but I love looking at everything there.

It's hot. Arriving 30 minutes after opening, it's pretty crowded. The dog is old, but isn't going to stay home without me. Fortunately I continue to enjoy perfect "car-ma", and the first parking space next to the door is waiting for us. 2 feet of asphalt and we're in the shade, then in the door. Immediately it looks bigger, even with the number of people milling about. There are still lots of tall displays under the 12-15 foot ceiling, but the absence of multiple full Christmas trees opens the space. We spend over an hour making a couple full meanders throughout the lovely offerings. Like at Christmas, I love their artistic "gathering" of related items into beautiful vignettes. Several vendors are represented, but dispersed throughout with creative intent. No AC, but the large fans and iced lemon water manage to keep it comfortable before noon. I'm very glad I came.

The ceilings are barely visible at Christmas, filled with tall, decorated trees.

Flowers are definitely the theme of Summer here.

I need an old-world wood library to bring these home to!

It was only with great will-power that I came home sans a pair of avocado pillows.

Tessa enjoys her usual pets and oohs and ahhs at her overpowering cuteness, and endures my lengthy wanderings. Our lunch stop at Five Points Market is close-by where once again the best parking spot is open for us. There's a wait since it's too hot for anyone to opt for the patio, but soon I'm enjoying a plate of scrambled eggs with cheesy grits while Tessa snoozes under my stool. I really enjoy this upbeat, sustainably sourced, openly diverse eatery in one of the city's regentrified barrio neighborhoods. It's 107 when we return to the Jeep, and it's time to leave.

15 feet from the door, it's still hot :-)

Devastating floods continue to destroy homes, businesses and lives to the east. Some are rapidly overflowing rivers, some are flash floods through areas of recent fires, all are extreme and terrifying. Water is not always our friend, still we hope for rain here. Most of the water our desert depends on comes from the summer monsoons. During our traveling years Jeff enjoyed strong and steady rains here at the house for many weeks. Upon our return the area was always lush and green for months. The two summers we've been here the monsoons were weak, the following months with limited green. Last year included. This year really, really needs to produce some measurable water.

A Haboob is an intense dust storm that precedes a weather front or thunderstorm. One afternoon Jeff comes back from a walk and tells us we should look outside (curtains are drawn against the sun and heat). To the east is solid brown from earth to sky, blocking out the Dragoons with a visibly moving edge moving toward us. A Haboob is moving in. Very ominous, very cool. Literally, as the temps are dropping with the smell of rain. Over the next couple hours we get high winds, dirt blowing against the windows, and finally some rain. Dust and wind slacken and the rain slows enough to give us a decent soaking. 

Captured by a neighbor. It gets everyone's attention!

With the rain continuing overnight we get a short reprieve from the week's hot temps. There are a couple days of this-would-be-lovely-all-summer weather with climbing temps in the forecast. 

Clouds hugging the Whetstones to the west.

One morning on the porch I'm looking at this view when I hear drops on the roof.

Directly above is this single cloud wringing out the last of the moisture in the area.

Another trip to Tucson for Bill to meet with his vascular surgeon about the continuing hand pain. A second surgery is scheduled so they haven't given up on fixing it. We meet up with Kim and Jack for a good meal and better conversation at Bistro 44. It's still funny to me that after 50+ years we spend time with people we went to high school with!

 

Cutie Cassidy at Grandma's in the SoCal desert.

Handsome Henry shares his sweet treat.

M&M beat the heat.

Oliver visits Yosemite where Mom and Dad got married!