Checking out the Neighborhood

11/17/09

We decided to just drive around and check out our new backyard today.We drove through Saguaro National Park. As we drove through, we saw the Old Tucson Studio. We stopped to get more information on it as time and cost. Joe also had heard that you could buy a coupon book there that saves you money for a lot of surrounding tourist attractions in this area.
Next we stopped at the Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum. while Joe went inside to get information, I took this shot of the great view. We had not planned to stop at either of the last two stops. We just happened upon them while our drive to and through the park.
We finally actually get to the Saguaro National Park and Joe went in to pay with our National annual card. While he was gone, I decided to get out and takes some pictures. Mallery say's, Can I come".
I just can get over how blue the sky is here. Tons of saguaro out there!
Close up. Saguaro's that are the size of your thumb are several years old. When a saguaro is about 75 years old it might sprout an arm branch. The oldest saguaro's called the "ancient giants" may weigh more than 7 tons and be 4 story's tall. Usually they don't leave past 200 year old.This one has the most branches I've seen so far. It has to be pretty old.
This is a dead Saguaro. They have all these rods or sticks inside. After they die you can see that.

Another decaying saguaro with rods spraying out.


Joe comes out from paying and tells me we can drive through an area of the park that is not paved , but a good road. We take the road, and it is definitely not good. We had to drive 5 - 10 miles an hour, and that was rough on the car. We didn't feel that you saw any more than what you saw on the main roads. Not worth the drive to us.
After our drive through the park we decided to take the Gates Pass through the Tucson Mountains to Tucson
Heading down with Tucson in the valley.
Saguaro's everywhere!
After going almost all the way down, we then turned around and headed back through the pass as that is the fastest way home. This picture is on the down side and looking west.


11/18/09

At home with a pretty sky at dusk.
This shot is farther to the right with a bigger pink cloud.
Joe is holding up a stock of brussel sprouts we picked up at Trader Joe's in Mesa a few day back. We had never seen brussel sprouts on a stock before, and let me tell you they were awesome. A lot of brussel sprouts can be a bit bitter. Not these, best that I have ever had. I would eat them all the time if I could find them this fresh. It was my 1st trip ever to Trader Joe's. I liked it, but I think I still like Whole Foods best.