Wild Bird Efforts

Oh, we've had a few of wild bird encounters lately!  But photos are few and far between!  I'll do my best to explain each wonderful moment to you since the photos are going to fall terribly short.  At any rate, I am joining in with Stewart's wonderful Wild Bird Wednesday!  Click on the link to see far better shots than these...but I hope you enjoy my efforts, at least. (Boy, I need to save up for a new camera!) :-)

First of all, we saw a Common Black Hawk flying by as we drove, and there is NO picture of him , but it was exciting.  If you want to see some photos of this incredible bird, and just about every other incredible bird in Arizona and other places too, plus some great Arizona scenery, please visit Chris at Las Aventuras!  You will NOT be disappointed!  His blog is awesome!

Secondly, we went to the Audubon Society bird sanctuary near our home a couple of Saturdays back. We'd been meaning to go, and it just worked out.  It was 10 am and a bit later than optimum time to see birds, plus I had an experience years ago of going to an Audubon Society sanctuary in CT and never seeing a single bird....so I wasn't sure we were going to be very successful!  But, ta-dah!  We did see some birds!

This bird sanctuary is located on the NW side of town, on Hardy Rd. off Thornydale.

Pictures and tentative identifications are below (correct any mistakes I have made, please.)--

OK, I am making some of these pictures pretty big so you won't strain your eyes too much!  This I think is one of an entire group of black swifts...but I'm throwing a guess out there!

Another view of the possible swift.  They were diving and swooping like I've seen nighthawks do back east, feeding on insects.

A saguaro in bloom.  

This is a hawk who stayed on its high perch the entire time we were there.  Once again venturing a guess, I think it might be a hawk though my grandson was sure we were looking at an owl, its head was so broad.

A little better view of the hawk/owl.

Our grandson enjoying finding things along the trail.  He spotted two jackrabbits too.

A gorgeous saguaro.

The possible black swifts swooping and diving beyond a saguaro.

We also saw a number of white winged doves, too, and since I see them quite a bit in my yard, I think that';s a nice segue into some back yard photos....

White winged dove, actually in the pine tree in my front yard.

And now for my baby Gambrel quail story!  See Mommy and Daddy quail on the block wall that runs along the sides of my back yard?

I went out to water my garden a few mornings ago and discovered that a family of tiny baby quail and Mommy quail were enjoying a stroll there.  Only my presence really upset them.  The babies hid while Mom kept up a constant chirping and clucking to tell them there was danger.  I sat on the back porch hoping they would think I was no longer a threat.  But she kept up her cacophony of sounds.  After about ten minutes it was suddenly quiet.  And then the male started calling to the babies from a tree just over the very "holey" wooden fence across the back.  It was their only way out of my yard, but the babies wouldn't budge.  He then joined Mom, trying to coax them out, but the babies stayed hidden.

I had to retreat to the house for about twenty minutes before the babies decided to gather together with Mom and Dad and make their escape.  My quick slide through my glass doors to get a photo yielded this very quick shot before they dashed off.  I tell you, I'm a NICE person!  No need for all this drama! :-)

InSPIREd (but no Spire)

It is Memorial Day weekend, and I wish to share a new InSPIREd post with everyone, but this one will be a little different. (Click on the link to see lots of great churches from all over!  Thanks to Sally and Beth for hosting this new meme...join us!)

Last Sunday we had a flag dedication ceremony at our church, Desert Springs Baptist.  We moved into our building a year ago after the church met in a school auditorium for about 14 years.  It had taken a long time to raise the funds to have the church built.  We are all very proud of our wonderful church building, and even though it doesn't have a steeple or spire, it is still very special and the members are all sweet Christian people.  Russell and I are so happy to be members there.

Two families had donated money for flagpoles to be erected at the new site once the church was built.  Two weeks ago the men met to erect the poles.  And last Sunday was our dedication ceremony.  One of the donors had died before the church was completed so he was there in spirit with his family.  It was a very moving ceremony.

The Pister family

The Ford family

The families were presented with plaques of appreciation by Pastor Ron Moxson after the flags were raised.

Russell was asked to help raise the American flag.  We prayed over each flag as it was raised.  We were all dedicating our hearts and devotion to our Christian faith, to our state, and to our wonderful country.  I think it was especially appropriate that it was done just before Memorial Day.  As all three flags flew in the crisp breeze, we sang God Bless America!

We are the only church in the area that displays three flags proudly in front of their building.  I guess we can consider the three flagpoles as our "steeples" or "spires" and our dedication to the principles they represent as our inspiration.

Five More Things About Me...

1.  My husband was stationed here at Davis Monthan Air Force Base when our daughter was 2 1/2 and we left here when she was 5 1/2.  We enjoyed our tour here immensely then but never dreamed we would come back to live here in our "golden years."  Life is full of surprises.

2.  When our daughter was 20 she had a sudden urge to "move to the desert."  I tried to talk her out of it.  We were in Virginia (my husband's home state) and planned to stay there.  She is a very pale skinned "Iberian Irish" descent with dark hair and blue eyes and was actually allergic to the sun, getting a rash if exposed more than 10 minutes.  But she insisted.  I finally applauded her decision to be adventurous with her life, and since Russell was in Florida doing some re-training at the time, chose to drive her across country and move her here.

3.  The cross-country trip is something I will always treasure.  We did make a stop for about a month in Alabama where her grandparents were planning an upcoming move to Virginia.  Then, in a car with no air conditioning, we drove across the lower part of our beautiful country in the month of June.  It was an incredible sharing time for mother and daughter.

4.  The day we arrived, it was scorchingly hot.  She had a few second thoughts, but was determined to see this through.  We placed her things in a small storage bin, and found inexpensive accommodation in a hostel downtown.  THAT was quite an experience for me!  Fortunately we didn't have to stay in the dorm section, but were offered a small room for the two of us.  We set about looking for work and an apartment she'd be able to afford.  I planned to stay through the summer, and was actually the first person to find a job, a summer position at a daycare for special needs kids.  Our daughter made friends at the hostel, and was once invited to see a show nearby but decided not to go.  That night a young man went to that show who would later become her husband.  But they didn't meet then.

5.  Later that summer when my husband drove out to pick me up and we headed to Texas to start a job there, we left our daughter in a tiny little apartment with bright orange walls.  She was dating a guy that ended up being a little scary, but thankfully we did not get a horrible report of our child being hurt by that man as we were starting our own new life in Texas.  She had started work at Elle, a Wine Country Restaurant, which is now located on Campbell but then it was in a neat-looking building on another thoroughfare, and she met there and eventually started dating the man she eventually married.  That's why we came here of course, because of their little family...our daughter, son-in-law and grandson.  That of course was several years and a few bumpy patches later for them AND us!  But, as an interesting aside, talk about people's paths crossing in unexpected ways....when we lived here when our daughter was small, I had a friend and our favorite place to go to lunch was Lunt Avenue Marble Club.  It no longer exists, but one day we were all driving around some time after we moved here recently, and I saw the building, which is now a different restaurant.  I told everyone how I used to love Lunt Ave. M.C. and it was right there, and my son-in-law said, "Yes, my Mom used to work there."  His Mom died young, when he and his brother were young teens, and it was of course very devastating.  She had been a single Mom who worked as a waitress to keep her sons fed.  She had long dark hair and was very pretty. I felt a chill go down my spine.  The time frame was right, and it might just have been that she had waited on me when I had gone there with my friend for lunch.  I never got to meet her, but yet, maybe we had spoken just a few words between us, never knowing we would share our children someday with one another, and both be grandmothers of an amazing grandson.

Join us for Random Five Fridays by clicking on the link....you'll be amazed at what you learn about your friends.  And thanks to Nancy for starting this great meme!

My Second InSPIREd!

This is Christ the King Episcopal Church on Ina Rd. in NW Tucson.  I have always admired this gorgeous church as I passed it almost daily, and finally decided to stop and get photos for InSPIREd Sunday.  Click on the link at the bottom of the post to join in  to Sally's new and wonderful meme and see churches from everywhere!  Below I have included some info about Christ the King from their website.

 We are located on 12.5 acres (544,500 Square feet) of beautiful native desert in Northwest Tucson. Visitors can enjoy walking the outdoor Stations of the Cross, sitting in the serenity of the East Patio or basking in the glorious streams of light that bathe our nave. 

 Spiritually and aesthetically the nave of the Church is dominated by a sculptured concept of the Rising Christ, called a “Christus Rex,” which hangs behind the altar. This great altar-piece is carved of wood and portrays Jesus ascending from the cross. It is the work of the famous ecclesiastical sculptor Edgar Keen. In his native England, some of the sculptor’s best known work was destroyed in the bombing of the original Coventry Cathedral. Today his carvings can be seen in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Riverside Church in New York City, at Pittsburgh Cathedral, Washington Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal, and in the Baker Library at Dartmouth College.

The Celtic tradition speaks of “thin places,” places where the veil between heaven and earth is thinner than others. Such “thin places” over the millenia have become pilgrim destinations and sites where sacred spaces are built. Christ the King Episcopal Church is, in its own way, a “thin place.” We invite you to come experience what that means.

To join in to Sally's InSPIRED Sunday click HERE.  Have a beautiful Sunday!

Ground Control to Major Tom

Watch this wonderful music video, recorded from the Space Station high above our world!  It gave me chills!  Really awesome!

InSPIRED! And Happy Mother's Day!

I have been wanting to join in to a new meme called InSPIRED SUNDAY happily hosted by Sally of the blog Sally Saw and co-hosted by Beth of ELizardbreathSpeaks.  Click on the link to see more beautiful churches and spires and places of worship!  Tucson has a great many wonderful churches and missions and I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks.

 And I would like to wish all the mothers out there a beautiful and very blessed Mother's Day tomorrow!  I am so thankful for my sweet mother and hope she has a wonderful day!  If you've never visited her blogs, check her out from my sidebar at Living Life on Main Street and It's a New Day a New Life.  I am also joining in with Today's Flowers.  Click on the link to see more wonderful floral displays from all over.

Several blocks from my house is Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church

These borders to the sign represent the mountains seen easily from the hill on which the church sits.

These are my sweet Mother's Day tulips from my Yvonne.  Look how gorgeous they look in my lavender themed bathroom!  I just love them!  The amethyst glass handwork lamp was made in Jamestown, Va. and given to me by a very sweet husband years ago.  The little box with the cross-stitched heart was a gift from my friend Kathy also many years ago (she came to visit a couple of months ago) and the beige ceramic container says Fleurs de Lavande de Provence, and used to be filled with lavender flower buds from Provence, France, a gift my sweet Mom brought back from France for me.  The cardboard heart box with lavender and green floral decorations just matches nicely and isn't a treasure.  But, I have some wonderful treasures, including my precious mother and my amazing daughter!

A Gate, A Fence and 5 Random Tidbits

I'm running a bit late (do you realize all you guys on the east coast are THREE hours later in your day than I am...we don't observe Daily Savings Time!)  So, I try to post my Friday stuff on Thursday afternoons or evenings, but I didn't feel well last night. MUCH better today, and have a few things to share!

It of course is time for Friday's Fences, which I haven't been participating in much lately.  I may be an occasional visitor from now on...it's an awesome meme, though, so go by and check them out!

I thought this was really pretty.

This fence is around the outside eating area of Flafel King (great gyros!) and it's just so pretty too!

And I am also joining in Random 5 Friday...check it out as well.

1.  The "kids" got moved in this past week into their new house.  By kids I mean our daughter, SIL and grandson.  They are now only 8 minutes from us instead of 25 minutes!  YAY!  The house is much nicer, and I am so happy for them (and for hubby and me!)

2.  When Russell and I were dating, Nixon came to Norfolk during his campaign for President.  Russell was told he could get a Press pass to cover it for his school paper and he asked if I could come as well.  So the two of us got to see the rally for Nixon, and we got horrible pictures which was so disappointing, but at least we were there for part of history.

A Nixon rally in 1968

3.  The cuties in their mini-skirts who traveled with the Nixon group thought it was funny to "press" the Press badges on the reporters' chests, and when they did so to Russell my green-eyed monster emerged.  I was NOT having it! :-) (Hey I was 16)

"Hey...BACK OFF!!!!"

[The dresses I think were red, white and blue, but you get the idea! :-)]

4.  Later Tricia Nixon was the Azalea Festival Queen in Norfolk.  Only Nato country leaders families were eligible, and as first-daughter, Tricia made a gorgeous Azalea Queen.  We went to the ball that was held in her honor.  I remember looking at her in her gorgeous white Cinderella-style gown and wondering what on earth she could wear for her wedding that would top THAT.  And yet years later when she did get married to Edward Cox, her wedding dress was amazing!  And, those of you who were adults then, do you remember the song that was played for the wedding couple when they came back down the aisle after they tied the knot?  This is worth knowing, so I'd love to hear if any of you remember, and I will tell the answer in my next post!

Tricia as Azalea Queen

Tricia's wedding

5.  I no longer consider myself a Republican, but this Random 5 is going in that direction, so I will just tell you that as a young married couple (we married when Russell was 19 and I was 17) we joined the Young Republicans.  My next tidbit concerns our work for the Young Republicans in Alabama where Russell was going to college.  It's my home state, of which I am enormously proud.  But back then a lot of Alabamians would vote Democrat just because their Grandaddy had, so he and I went door to door trying to help sweet  old guys in overalls and kind ladies in house dresses understand that politics had changed a lot and they should vote for the person not the party.  Years later the first Republican Governor of Alabama since Reconstruction was elected and I am proud to say Guy Hunt and his wife Helen were friends of our family and co-pastor with my Dad in their church.  I'm beginning to think I've been around a LONG time! :-)

The Tucson Crosses Get a Visit!

On Friday Candy of Lazy J Bar C Farm and I met for lunch at Union.  How nice it is to have what started out as a good blogger friend, and has become a friend-indeed, so close that we can see each other now and again!  We had the whole afternoon planned.  Lunch was divine!  It was Candy's first time there, and she got to meet my wonderful daughter and son-in-law, and they her, also for the first time. [ I keep forgetting to take pictures of the desserts! :-( ]  Then we headed to the Arizona History Museum.  Our main purpose was to see the crosses.  Remember THE POST I did where I got so excited about seeing a show about this find?
We must have sounded like we'd just dug them up ourselves, we were so excited to see them!

A docent at the Museum was kind enough to come over and speak to us about them.  Candy had not seen the show (I believe the link will still work off the post above) and the amazing thing is, the crosses were not being spoken of much in recent years until the episode of America Unearthed aired.  Many people who had lived here all or most of their lives had never heard of them.  Yet they have a date of 800 A.D. and by being buried in the hard caliche before they were found, indicate Jewish Christians from Southern France came here that early to America.  The crosses and swords, proved to be made from local lead, re-write American history!

Inscriptions on the crosses tell the story of the group who came here in several waves and lived for many years, eventually being wiped out by the local Indians.  It's such a mystery why they would come here to the desert, so far from the shores of later landings by Vikings, Spanish and English.  Indications are there that they may have been Knights Templar.  Another thought I came across, though, is that they may be artifacts used by a secret society, cached here by members of that group in the mid-nineteenth century.  That wouldn't explain the part of the story that is inscribed telling the long, detailed history of a group of people eventually killed by the Indians.  But, it is an interesting postulation.

The poor men who found them suffered under a lot of scrutiny and feelings by some that the crosses had to be a hoax.  Yet the artifacts have been tested and scrutinized, plus it would be next to impossible to bury anything in the rock hard caliche as far down as the crosses were found.  What is accepted common belief often will not stand evidence to the contrary in the minds of some scientists and the general public.

 Candy has an archaeology background, and we were both very excited to get to see them!

Afterwards we toured the rest of the museum, which I will share later, then we headed to our herbs and spices shop Penzeys.  It was a wonderful day!