Sunday, July 29, 2012

Thoughts of Tucson

1. Santa Rita Mtns-kab Santa Rita Mountains as seen from Sycamore Canyon May 7, 2008

It is a funny thing that, just when I told my husband I was tired of him looking for new jobs and, that If we didn’t move soon I wanted to stay here for another year, that he should get a phone call and a job offer. The phone call came through while I was in Connecticut visiting my family and friends. Suddenly everything shifted, and I started thinking of what was before me, and what I would leave behind.

2. Mt. Fagan-kab Mt. Fagan in Corona de Tucson 8-7-2010

Two years ago when we left Sycamore Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains of Corona de Tucson, we thought perhaps we would return in a year and move back into our house if it didn’t sell. Well, the house didn't sell, but we are not moving back in. We are just one of the millions whose house was so far underwater that we could not sell it and we could not refinance because we no longer lived in it. In the two years since we have been here so many things have happened. The first year was spent planning my Mother’s 75th Birthday party. The next year was spent trying to save her life as she battled breast cancer, which she discovered only two months after her party! She is through with her surgery and treatments now and all seems well, but you can imagine that it is just a little bit hard to leave her, not knowing if I will be needed again, and knowing it will be a bit harder to get back here if I am needed.

3. calendar-kab My dining room calendar

As I was starting to look at my calendars to plan this move I suddenly noticed that two out of the four calendars I have in my house have photos related to Arizona. This one on my dining room wall not only has a saguaro cactus for July’s monthly picture, but the photo was actually taken at Saguaro National Park in Tucson!

4. July Calendar-kab My kitchen calendar

Then I noticed that the kitchen calendar has a photo of a broad-billed hummingbird, a species easily seen in the Tucson area. Below it in the right hand corner is a Gila woodpecker, a species also see in the Sonoran Desert. Not omens actually, but certainly an interesting coincidence!

5. Sabino Cyn-kab Sabino Canyon, March, 2008

I know that when I get back to Tucson I will be able to visit all my favorite birding places like Sabino Canyon and Saguaro National Park and I will love seeing all the exotic and normal desert species of birds once again, but make no mistake, I will miss my New England birds as well, especially some of the more common ones that greeted me every morning when I woke up. There will be no Black-capped Chickadees calling to me in Tucson, no Blue Jays flying through the trees with blue wings flashing. I will not have nuthatches hanging upside down on my backyard trees, and I will miss them all. Thankfully I plan on flying home at least once a year to visit my family where these familiar birds will hopefully greet me once again. Until then, I look forward to seeing my first Cactus Wren. It has been long enough.

6. Catus Wren-kab Cactus Wren, the Arizona State Bird

New Poems on Kathie’s Poet Tree

18 comments:

  1. Some things were meant to be, right?

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  2. i was going to say the same thing...
    sounds to me as if this is what was meant to be.
    Tuscon!
    i love your canyon & mountain shots! beautiful!! OH and the wren on the cactus...perfect!!

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  3. HI Katie...This is quite a switch from living in the New England states...!
    I wish all the best of enjoying this place again!!
    Grace

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    1. Grammie, it sure is different but wild and beautiful as well.

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  4. You can visit me and see nuthatches and stellar jays.

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  5. Wow, has it really been two years and now you're heading back? These photos remind me how much I would love to visit that area again. Who knows, maybe one of these days, probably when Gregg retires and we are driving around the country. I hope the move goes smoothly. Glad your mother is doing well after her health scare.

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    1. Denise, thank you! I hope you get to come to Tucson again!

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  6. There probably won't be a single easy thing about the move, but soon you'll feel right at home again. Good luck with everything, looking forward to birding with you sometime this year : )

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    1. Laurence, it is getting closer every day now! Thank you!

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  7. I will look forward to seeing all your lovely images of birds and scenery again Kathie.

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    1. Thanks Roy. I've been kind of amazed looking back at all my old photographs!

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  8. Transitions are hard but you'll be happy you're back again seeing everything with even a sharper eye than before. Black capped Chickadees....how about Black Capped Gnatcatchers?:) I left Tucson once and for many years I stayed away only to realize that nothing could top my experience here. And I missed the Sonoran desert, the sunsets, the rains....and the wild critters and gardening. But I understand what you're going through. Enjoy every moment:) Chris

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    1. Chris, I know that everything you say is true but I just need to process through all my emotions. Once I am there I know I will be awed and amazed once again.

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  9. Hi Kathie

    Lovely photos.

    Guy

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Welcome to my nest! I hope you will enjoy spending time here with me and the birds. Thank you for your comments. I will try to get back to you as soon as I get back from counting more birds.