We left you hanging, wondering breathlessly I'm sure, did Heinz catch a fish? Did he bring me dinner? Well, yes to both questions. Unfortunately, the fish were too small to keep and the dinner was a Jack in the Box spicy chicken sandwich. But he did say that he had a great time and has realized that fly fishing is a lot like gambling...one more throw and maybe it'll net the big one.
Over the past couple of days we've stayed busy as usual. We went out to the Sonora Desert Museum. It's a combination zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden devoted to animals and plants native to the Sonoran Desert region. There's over 2 miles of paths over 21 acres of desert. According to their brochure "look closely--you may see native animals scurrying across pathways." According to their signs along the path "look closely--beware of rattlesnakes". Now that's one that got my attention!
Totem Pole Cactus
"Young" saguaro, only about 70 years old
Purple throated hummingbird
Heinz in front of an organ pipe cactus
That visit took most of the day (considering that our day "started" around 10 that morning...ya gotta love retirement). The rest of the day we spent lazing around the trailer chatting with the neighbors.
On Wednesday we went out to the Mission San Xavier del Bac to give me a chance to take some photos. The mission dates from the early 1700's when a Jesuit priest, Father Kino arrived to start a mission for the Tono O'odham Indians in the region. In the mid-1700's Spain kicked out the Jesuits and let the Franciscans take over control of the mission. The current church dates from the late 1700's and was designed by a Spanish architect and built by a workforce of O'odham Indians. It is the oldest European style building in the US. The Franciscans were evicted in 1837 by the Mexicans and the church was abandoned. In 1854 the US bought southern Arizona from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase. Soon after, the Bishop of the Santa Fe Diocese heard rumors of a miraculous white church in the desert outside of Tucson known by the locals as "the white dove of the desert" and that it had been left there as "a gift from the angels". He came to investigate and found this church which had been preserved by the local Indians, including the statues and vestments that they had hidden from the Mexican Army. In 1866 regular services were again held in the church and have been ever since. The Franciscans were granted stewardship of the church again in 1913.
Mission San Xavier del Bac, the right side is missing the dome due to the Franciscans being evicted before the church was finished. The outer walls are 3 feet thick, the tower walls are 6 feet thick, fired brick covered with painted stucco.
Front altar, all frescos were painted by the Indians, the statues were made in Mexico City of wood and dressed in gesso robes.
Christ standing over St. Xavier del Bac
Statue of St. Joseph
Statue of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows
Rosette fresco on the ceiling of the apse.
After touring the church, we wandered out to the parking area where the local Tono O'odham Indians have stands selling frybread. This was our first experience with this local treat. Glad we tried it, but don't think this will find a place in my cookbook.
Stretching the dough
Into the grease
Ready for the plate and toppings, I had honey, Heinz got cinnamon.
For dinner that night we enjoyed another local treat at another fine restaurant...Sonoran style hotdogs at
El Guero Canelo's
A Sonoran Hotdog...
a hotdog wrapped in bacon and sausage with beans, onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, and jalapeno sauce with a roasted pepper on the side.
"Inside" the restaurant, a covered patio with picnic benches and a salsa bar.
Suzi, this one's for you and Sammy:)
We also spent some time at the Tucson Festival of Books over the weekend. 400 authors, 300 booths, magicians, circus performers, musicians, speakers (we went to hear Scott Simon from NPR), 80,000 book lovers. I was in heaven!
Today we are contemplating going back up to Rose Canyon Lake so Heinz can try his hand at fishing again. We had planned to be on the road by now, but Heinz ordered some prescription sunglasses and they won't be ready until today, so have decided to hang out until Sunday morning then drift north. Might just have to check out the Farmers Markets tomorrow, there's only 7 in town on Saturdays.
I did get ambitious this morning and made us some Banana Nut Waffles for breakfast. Several people have asked for the recipes to keep coming so here's my mom's waffle recipe tweaked for bananas and nuts...Serves 4
2 cups flour
2 cups buttermilk (or soured milk if no buttermilk, add 2 tbsp lemon juice to 2 cups milk and let sit for 3-4 minutes)
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, melted, added after above ingredients have been mixed well (if not the hot butter will cook the egg)
1 banana, preferably overripe, mashed well
1/2 to 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients well. It will be a fairly thick batter. Pour into waffle iron and cook per waffle iron instructions.
There is plenty of butter in the recipe and we find that additional butter is not usually needed.
Friends of the day pictures...
Cactus wren
Seen running around the Desert Museum grounds
Mourning dove
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