January 2024!

 We begin this year in Green Valley AZ.  

the morning sun coming up over the mountains

We spent the morning at a few of our favorite parks and with our yard birds later in the afternoon we ended up with 73 birds for Jan 1, 2024!  Last year we were in Costa Rica and bagged 139.

the fist week of the new year we went to some of our favorite places to hike and bird.   The mornings are cold, but generally sunny and warms up quickly.  We went to Patagonia to hike and Nogales for lunch.  The place I picked was very crowded with no tables open, we tried another spot, the food was good, the service ok. 

Jan 6: we began the day looking for the Bendire's Thrasher and we found him!  A couple of nice hikes in the Saguaro National Park, But being Saturday it was crowded!  who would have thought?  We would have stayed longer but too many people and vehicles.  So we went home to enjoy our Mountain View and to have our 1st fire of the year!  we started it a bit early, thus was able to get a wonderful photo

We sure are getting a blast of winter.  We went to Florida Canyon on Sunday, left there by 11:00 am, by 4:00 pm it was covered in snow!

Jan 9: ok enough is enough!  this morning it was 23 here in Green Valley and 28 in Birchwood!  of course GV will get up to 55 where BW will only make it to 30.  Its all good..  

Jan 10: our walk today got detoured as we ran into Cows on the path, we got them to move ahead of us but they got stopped by the gate we wanted to go through.  So we had to back track and take another path.  

Skunk!

Sonoran Hot Dogs at El Guero Canelo in Tucson.   Interesting and very good.  The chicken and carne asada tacos were good too!

Jan 14: a fun lunch with the "Friendly Hills" guys.  It was Steve's b-day.  

Jan 16: we took Steve and Lori hiking in the Madera Canyon, beautiful day for a hike!

Jan 18:  Another fun day with Steve and Lori.  Hiking Florida Canyon

dinner at our place was fun! Steve brought some very aromatic piñon wood for the fire.

A wonderful breakfast at the Arizona Restaurant then for a hike on the De Anza trail in Tumcumcori

What a fun week we had visiting and hiking with these too.  We also made a new friend, Jeff E.

Rainy days are made for taking a Sauna!  Sunday the rain came early and continued pretty much all day.  Eric swam laps in the rain, I worked out at the fitness center then we met in the Sauna.  We are able to walk the hood between rain drops most days.

Sunday jan 28:  off to Tucson to find a few year birds and a fun lunch at Barrio Brewery!

the beer was cold and delicious 

the Ruben was wonderful

the chicken Panini was great

we had a great view of the mountains, although no picture!

 

and best of all: outside seating!  the place was packed with people at 11:30, they just kept coming in, lots of seating in and out.  What took us so long to find this place!!

Jan 29: what a difference a year makes!  not too much snow at home.  Turkey and deer tracks on the driveway 

Jan 31: Roxanne B came into town!  We picked her up at Tucson airport at 6:30 PM.  She is here for a few days before the other Bridgeview girls come in on Saturday for a few days at a VRBO in Tucson.  Unfortunately Roxy had Covid and could not attend our 70th b-party in South Carolina.  It's good to see her again.