2023 journal page with a few of the actual seed pods scattered about
January 18, 2023
Not wild, but wildly rattling in the wind? Not snakes, but the showy seed pods from a row of Chinese Lantern trees, hanging on for dear life throughout our numerous winter wind events.
We frequently park near 8 of these non-native trees used as sidewalk landscaping, just before the Copper trailhead. After wondering for several years what these medium sized trees are, in September 2020, discovering the answer, I drew them out …… seed pods, leaves and all.
Searching for something wintery to add to my journal this year, these hardy seed pods called loudly. It was hard to resist!
Browsing my 2020 journals, I came across my first drawing. Always fun to see if and how my technique has changed. Can you detect the differences?
Before getting too far ahead of myself, I thought it would be a dandy idea to build a map of the circles we traveled in and around Tucson. This will not only aide those of you who are following along on our travels to see just where all these places are, but it helped me relive the week and will refresh my memory in years to come when browsing my journals.
Read on to view our trip highlights, and see just where all those parks, monuments, and mountains are found, and where to go to soak up the flora and fauna unique to the Sonoran Desert. Also, this map gives you a sneak peak of journal posts to come.
Who doesn’t love birds? Watching them, listening to them, photographing them, and in my case drawing them. And it’s especially exciting when a new visitor comes calling. When the bird is the first I’ve ever sighted, automatically becoming a new addition to my life list!
There I was, working away on one of my Sonoran Desert posts, when I glanced up from my sketchbook and noticed an unfamiliar bird standing tall under our big juniper tree. Not one of the hundreds of dark-eyed juncos that feast all winter below our feeders. Definitely larger than the comical juniper titmice and noisy mountain chickadees that pop in and out conducting their continual grab-a-seed-and-dash maneuvers. Hmmmmm ….. a bit larger than our resident canyon and spotted towhees, but slimmer than the Woodhouse’s scrub jay. An American robin? A western bluebird? Certainly similar, but not quite; certainly a member of the thrush family?
Turned out he was one of the thrush species …. not the robin or bluebird, but the beautifully sleek Townsend’s Solitaire. For a brief moment he seemed to be evaluating the quality of juniper berries lying beneath the tree. Not wanting to spook him, I watched in muted excitement, then dared to make a move for my camera. He stayed just long enough to bend over for a bird’s-eye look, promptly dismissing our berry crop, and off he flew. Somehow, while juggling my field guide, binoculars and camera, I managed to snap a photo to confirm my sighting with iNaturalist. Confirmed! How cool was that!
It was a great day!
I’ve watched every day since to see if this one or more Townsend’s Solitaires drop by. No luck yet, but now I know they’re around. Maybe I’ll catch them this Spring breeding, nesting, but more likely singing and calling from the treetops while defending their territory full of delicious juniper berries!
We woke early and excited, ready to explore. But wait! We woke to snow! What? Snow in Tucson?!!! Not unheard of, but a surprise-for-us coating of fluffy white covering everything. No matter ….. we changed out of our shorts, donned long pants and heavy coats and set off from la Casita south, towards Tucson and Saguaro NP West, the Tucson Mountain District.
Come along and see what we discovered this day in the Sonoran Desert!
Right now I’m watching it snow …… again. Logic tells me this moisture is so necessary for our drought-stressed juniper and piñon pine that provides year-round food and cover for a host of birds and mammals that call the East Mountains home. Our annual and perennial wildflowers, oaks and native shrubs depend on winter rains and snows to flourish in the growing season. So I say, “bring it on, Mother Nature!”
But by January and February I do tire of brown. My animal brain needs of a shot of “Spring Green” this time of year. Just a little bit to carry me through the winter; a tiny bit in anticipation of full-blown Spring is just the ticket!
This is why we take regular trips down our mountain to enjoy the Albuquerque foothills. It’s amazing the difference a 2,000 foot change in elevation can make in nearly everything.
Now don’t get me wrong. I love living at 7,300 feet, in the shadow of majestic Sandia Mountain, and in the winter we sometimes experience days of cloud cover and fog. So down the mountain we go, in search of sun, warmth, and Spring Green.
And to my delight, here’s what I found! “Nature’s first green is gold.” And indeed it is!
Wow! 50! Can’t believe we’ve been together for so many years. Can’t believe it seems like yesterday. Countless adventures, miles, laughs, memories. How the good times fly! 50 years on December 12th, and I wasn’t about to let the winter doldrums keep us hunkered down at home. Surely a road trip was in store to properly round out our year of desert discoveries! I booked us a week at a little one room home about 25 miles north of Tucson, AZ ….. in the land of the mighty saguaro cactus ….. where Roy and I, and of course Luna, could soak in some southwest winter sun and take our time exploring this new-to-us area of the Sonoran Desert.
Come along with us for 7 days of discoveries in the Sonoran Desert!
I usually don’t commit to a single word to spark my inspiration for an entire year … there are so many! But, as this is the beginning of a brand New Year, and so many New creative and adventurous opportunities lie ahead, I’ve decided to challenge myself with discovering all things “New!” Ta-da …. My word for 2023 is officially “New!”
I’m constantly inspired by my creative friends who dare to explore New ways to express themselves …… Elaine who writes beautiful and sometimes unusual poetry …… Susan, Jane and all of my Zentangle friends, who turn inked lines into magic ….. and last, but far from least, Karen, a wonderful artist, kayaker and outdoor enthusiast, who captures her discoveries and adventures in her nature journals (visit Karen’s blog and see for yourself! https://iamchasingbutterflies.wordpress.com).
And of course there’s my Konstant Kat, Flambé, who pushed and prodded me to create a New image of her curious and playful side. So I opened a New journal to celebrate 2023, and redressed Kat anew. A smiling Flambé must mean a good beginning to this New Year, right!
Now for the hard part …… I’ll strive to break out of my usual-usual, and explore New-to-Me things, along with trying some New approaches to my journaling and art. I’m certain Flambé will be keeping an eye on me, and I hope you do too. Stay tuned!
Thank you followers ….. for being there and also for encouraging me to carry on. I’d love to know what you like about my posts and what you’d like to see more of and/or New. What and who will inspire and challenge you to be your best during this year-long journey that lies ahead as we take another spin together around the Sun aboard planet Earth?
Wishing you an exciting 2023, full of happiness and health, and most of all laughter and fun!
We usually know where we’re headed in the morning, but how we get there is another story. As we left Indian Bread Rocks we talked about optional routes to reach our destination …. City of Rocks State Park. There were several choices, and since we’re not interstate highway fans (unless absolutely necessary) we opted for the road less traveled; through New Mexico’s “Bootheel” in the extreme southwestern part of the state. Going this way we might just catch a glimpse of that infamous Border Wall too.
Although this route was the long way to City of Rocks (200 miles versus 110 miles), it was definitely eye-opening. As we traveled lonely roads, dodging no less than 3 huge rattlesnakes sunning themselves on the pavement, the only vehicles we saw were border patrol. It was windy and hot as we approached the Mexican border, and we strained our eyes to see something resembling a Wall off in the distance. Between Hachita and Columbus, NM, we could make out what looked to be a RR bed in the valley bottom. Binoculars weren’t much use, as this very straight line wasn’t resolving into a Wall, until ….. all at once we saw the RR track climb straight up a pretty substantial hill. That answered the question …. that faux track was indeed the Border Wall, and we had already seen miles and miles of it.
Border Wall
A short distance out of Columbus, driving very close to the border, we found a side road that appeared to lead down to the Wall, so we went to investigate. Coming within about a quarter mile of the Border Wall we saw how very tall it was, and how it was built with metal slats too close for a person to squeeze through, but spaced and angled just so to see Mexico beyond.
Border Wall
We’re both glad to have seen this Wall for ourselves. Rest assured I’ve no intention of turning my blog posts into political commentary, but I have to say this obscene border wall is absolutely embarrassing and offensive.
Border Wall
On to Columbus, North to Deming and to City of Rocks State Park.
Our assigned campsite was a pull through and it was a snap to get The Felix all set up. Then it was off for a nice romp through the assortment of boulders that were created from volcanic tuff and eroded over years to form what appears like, from a distance, a city of high rises. There’s a marked trail through the rock formations that lead you to some of the best rocks and views. But it’s more than okay to wander wherever your legs take you … and sometimes it’s like a maze with many dead ends. The Park also has a nice botanical garden, many “outside the city” trails, and a super visitor center with helpful volunteer staff offering info like lists of plants, birds, insects, reptiles and mammals you might encounter in the park.
Discovering City of RocksRoy and Luna rock hopping
Before a big cold front blew in bringing rain and winds, I was able to do some sketching, we spotted lots of new-to-us plants (still in bloom) and a gorgeous rainbow grasshopper. Several birds (cactus wren, curve-billed thrasher and canyon towhee) paid us a call at The Felix. About to go searching for the covey of scaled quail making quite a racket somewhere in the rocks, we changed that plan ….. a good decision as we would’ve gotten drenched with rain!
Rainbow grasshopper calling City of Rocks homeThe approaching storm made for nice photosCat-claw Mimosa
This was our third trip to City of Rocks, and not likely to be our last. It’s a fun place to visit for a short time or an extended stay.
Before the storm
We were going to enjoy one more day in SW NM east of Las Cruces before returning home, but the weather forecast for the next many days called for high winds, rain and snow ….. so, not at all disappointed in all the ground we covered we came home a day early, driving all 283 miles in good time thanks to a tail-wind assist.
(Turns out the next day, had we stayed one day longer, would’ve greeted us with rain, freezing rain and snow by the time we got home. I could feel it in my bones!)
All in all it was a great Escapito #6, all 4 stops and the 922 miles in between, and a fun way to close out the 2022 camping season (or is it?!). Stay tuned!
Another short (96 miles) drive took us from Clifton, through Safford (to find ice cream ….. it’s getting warm!), and then south of the nearly deserted town of Bowie to visit a sprawling garden of giant granite boulders called Indian Bread Rocks. We seem to find the most amazing collections of boulders and rocks around, and this area didn’t disappoint. Unable to find out the origin of the name “Indian Bread Rocks,” this new-to-us recreation area sits in the foothills on the northeast fringes of Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Area …. both areas managed by Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Public lands “Rock!”
Scene just before entering Indian Bread Rocks Recreation Area …. Previews! Dos Cabezas Mountains in the background
To access Indian Bread Rocks (maybe the name came from the big loaf-shaped boulders?), you must first pass by a few miles of pistachio orchards looking ready to harvest. Wonder where the irrigation water for these big trees comes from way out in this desert? We then made a southwest turn onto a gravel road (Happy Camp Canyon Road) and in 3 miles we arrived at the designated Indian Bread Rocks picnic area, “sandwiched” between extremely large boulders. No camping here tho … so we continued on up the deteriorating two track road, pushing bawling cows out of our way. These free-range Brahman bulls, cows and calves turned into camp visitors after we set up about 3/4 mile beyond the picnic area.
Entering Indian Bread Rocks Recreation Area ….. a loaf with a face?
With the rocks calling louder than the bellowing livestock, we brought The Felix to rest and took off on foot, walking further up the dusty road to scope out the area for a longer hike after temps cooled down a bit (85 sunny degrees and loving it!).
Free range Brahaman cattle
The surrounding granite boulders really were very excellent, and seemed to be animated as well. Many looked like bakery goods; loaves of bread, pancakes, popovers and muffins. Some reminded me of dinosaurs like T-Rex and triceratops. There were precariously balanced hoodoo-like boulders, and many with dark hiding places that make perfect roosting places for bats (which we enjoyed at sunset).
Discovering Indian Bread Rocks
Indian Bread Rocks plants consist of Chihuahuan desert species with impossible-to-navigate and tire penetrating thorned mesquite, and 6 foot tall spiny prickly pear choking the valley floors. But up small riparian areas (mostly dry washes where water may flow during the monsoon season) we found large oak trees, ocotillo, intermittent water dependent mesquite and cat claw mimosa, sotol and many other shrubs, wildflowers, ferns and grasses. We didn’t hear many birds, but they were around, and we found an assortment of insects (grasshoppers, true bugs, beetles and wasps) flying, hopping and snacking on desert plants.
A mesquite branch sporting those tire penetrating thorns!
One of the most common insect was the Comanche paper wasp; seen flying everywhere, with exaggeratedly long yellow hind legs hanging down as they flew. I learned this species of wasp is common here, and colonies of 25-30 build paper nests between the rocks and in the dense vegetation. They didn’t seem aggressive but we were careful to keep The Felix well buttoned up while we explored, as we camped in a small opening surrounded by large velvet mesquite.
Comanche paper wasp warming up in the morning sunIndian Bread Rocks sceneryRoy and Luna … a bit of a rest from hikingIndian Bread Rocks scenery
I dare say Indian Bread Rocks was the highlight of our Escapito. It’s always fun to explore new areas. But revisiting familiar areas is also lots of fun. Our next stop, City of Rocks State Park, north of Deming, NM is one of our favorite places ……. for rocks! Can’t get enough.
Stay tuned for Part 4 of this Summer Sequel: Indian Bread Rocks, AZ to City of Rocks, NM
Even though we had a mere 97 miles to travel today, we knew the road would be long and winding, up and down, as we dropped over the Mogollon Rim at 8000 feet to the Northern Chihuahua desert at 4000 feet. And yes indeed, it was a slow go, but worth the drive as we passed through the Apache-Sitgraves National Forest. This dry forest, dominated by old growth ponderosa pine, had recently burned in many places turning visually impenetrable mountains into scenic, long distance views. As we neared the town of Morenci towards the end of our day, the country literally fell apart due to a gigantic open pit copper mine. We passed by the remains of leveled mountains reconstructed with overburden, impossibly deep terraced pits, and parades of the largest dump trucks ever, carrying freshly blasted raw materials to be processed into copper plates. Morenci is Freeport’s flagship copper mine (Freeport is part of a gigantic international mining conglomerate) and at 62,000 acres in size, there’s every indication of continued expansion. Wow.
Rugged country north of Clifton
It took about 45 minutes to wind through the countless open pits before we actually reached the town Morenci with Clifton just 10 minutes beyond. We had arrived; surrounded by desert, with the forest of trees behind us just a memory.
Roy and Luna showing the tire size from one of the dump trucks used at the mine
We stayed at a very nice RV park in North Clifton, being lucky to snare the last available site (all other sites were occupied by miners and their families). The park is advertised as being along the beautiful San Francisco River, which looked like rapidly flowing chocolate milk, but the canyon provided plenty of hiking opportunities …. and we spent the afternoon and following morning exploring, before journeying deeper into the desert.
San Francisco RiverDate palm growing beside the San Francisco RiverVelvet mesquite growing alongside the San Francisco River
Stay tuned for Part 3: Clifton, AZ to Indian Bread Rocks, Bowie, AZ
a curious nature 