Wednesday, February 20, 2013

My eyes are tired ... and I've ran out of adjectives.

What beautiful country we are seeing!  [pictures at right]  This past week we've been on several outings and I think I've said "Wow!" more times than I can remember in my life.  This area is by far the most beautiful place we have ever stayed since our retirement.  But if you do not like the desert and mountains, you would not agree.  (I have an acquaintance who does not understand how we could choose the southwest over Florida ...)

Last Wednesday we took county roads over the mountains, through Tombstone, and through the next valley west to Sierra Vista.  Did a small amount of shopping, looking for a particular magazine and visiting a health food store.  Had lunch at the mall (!).  Then went to Fort Huachuca (pronounced wa-choo-ca).  It is a large working Army base but we went there specifically to visit the Ft. Huachuca Museum, located on the oldest part of the base, right at the foot of the mountains.  The museum is housed in three of the older buildings.  The main museum building was the old officers club and quarters.  The building we enjoyed the most was the Intelligence Museum Annex.  (Intelligence gathering technology is what is happening on the base today.)  Very interesting; we spent most of our time in that area.  In an old theater building, we enjoyed larger exhibits that explained early times at old Ft. Huachuca when the Buffalo Soldiers were housed there.  The main museum building contained all-encompassing displays telling the whole history of the post, and we enjoyed a pretty good film with lots of old photographs.

The next day, sort of unplanned, we took the Middlemarch Pass Road over the Dragoon Mountains, just west of us.  Wow!  (There I go again ... lol!)  That was the most beautiful drive we have taken.  Words can not express.  You know, I took some pictures from up there but photographs (at least with my little digital) cannot capture what you see with your own eyes.  How anyone can see such things as we saw that day, and not believe in God, I do not know.

Last Friday we went to Tucson to the Rock, Gem and Mineral Show.  It is a huge show that runs 14 days.  We visited only one site.  The show is spread out over several locations.  We walked and walked and saw some really beautiful things.  Everything from $1.00 strings of glass beads to multi-thousand dollar huge minerals shaped into pieces of art.  It really was overwhelming.  The area we visited was at the Kino Sports Complex.  Honestly I have never seen so many large tents in one location before.

Then Sunday was our anniversary.  Our 50th.  It was just a great day.  Started with church and we had a husband and wife gospel team.  They were really good musicians.  What I liked the most was that all of their music was original.  After we left church we went to Willcox to Coronado Vineyard for lunch.  We ate on the patio overlooking the vineyard.  It was just a wonderful meal!  After lunch we took a drive north toward Stafford but west through the mountains to Ft. Grant, then back south through Willcox and on "home".  Just a really good day.  We missed spending this special day with our children but got to talk to them  and know that when we get home, we'll have a special celebration.

More later ... our time is running out here.  But every day is good.

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