Thursday, January 12, 2012

New Year's Getaway

Here's to the New Year! and a hearty thank you to our children for the beginning of 2012. In April 2011, our darling, wonderful, amazing, (what other adjectives can I throw in here?) children gave Rick and I an anniversary present for our 35th anniversary. We settled on Madera Canyon for our getaway and Jan 2-4 were the days we got away. It was a wonderful break. So here's what our gift encompassed. Madera Canyon is south of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains. It is a birder's paradise. This is the road up to the canyon, and you can tell that the temperature is colder than home just from the snow still on the hillsides.
This is Chupasrosa Bed and Breakfast up at the top of the road in the canyon. The owners live upstairs and there are 4 suites on the ground floor. Breakfast was left in our refrigerator and Dad had all the raisin bran he wanted. Luis was one of the owners and very friendly and helpful.
The livestock was very entertaining. Unfortunately, the birds were harder to spot.
Our room was right in the corner you can see.

There was a creek next to the house with a bridge across to a patio on the other side. The dark spot is a seep on the side of the mountain. There is a connection to a trail that goes up and down the mountain from here.
A rose vine is trained over the gate. I'd love to see it in the summertime.
I love this fountain. I'd like to find a distant cousin I could put in the ivy by our front door.
On our trip down, we stopped in Tucson to see the Fremont House. Silly us. Jan 2 was a holiday. Nothing's open.

San Augustin cathedral just a few blocks over from the Fremont House. We found out later that it was part of the chain of missions that were established up out of Mexico hundreds of years ago.
Tuesday, we went to Tumacacori and Tubac. This is the garden fountain in Tumacacori.
Tumacacori mission. Somewhat different from when we were here last, 35 years ago. Doesn't seem that long. This time we could go inside the mission.
Tubac is the old presidio used to house soldiers, both Mexican and US, over the years. Part of the museum includes the old school house that was still decorated for Christmas.
We enjoyed the time away from the usual routine. We saw lots of historical stuff, took lots of pictures for future paintings, and even picked up a signed Hal Empie print. Thank you again for our wonderful getaway. We love you all!