Mike Jones

2,000 of those tiny seeds, when dried out, will easily fit into the cap of your canteen. Oh. You're not from the desert southwest, and you don't have a canteen. Okay. They'll fit into the plastic cap of your G-2 sport drink bottle.

Either way, what you're looking at there in my grand-daughter's gloved hand is the ripe fruit of the Giant Saguaro Cactus.

It's food to every desert-dwelling creature creative (or lucky) enough to get some.

White winged doves perch on the top of the cacti, gorging themselves on the seeds. In the process, some get dislodged, and fall to the desert floor, where everything from the smallest mouse to coyotes consider it a delicacy.

Ancestral Indians considered the fruit a delicacy too, and harvested it using long poles created from the dead ribs of fallen Giant Saguaros.

Now you know.

If you haven't been to Tucson yet, come visit soon.

If you have, we look forward to seeing you again!

___________________

I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.

SUNSTREET MORTGAGE
Call me if I can help you or someone you know with a purchase or refi mortgage;
(520) 349-9090

Tucson, Arizona. The Old Pueblo. The volcanic basin that contains the city itself is 30 miles square. That's a lot of territory. There aren't too many cities in North America that take up 900 square miles.

I took this monsoon photo this evening at 6:30 p.m., on my way home from work at Sunstreet Mortgage. Thousands of homes lie between the foreground of the photo above, and the mountains in the background.

Thousands of homes. You'd never know it. The rolling desert with its meandering arroyos seems to swallow them up, leaving the beauty of the landscape to capture your imagination. It's why the views of the desert and the mountains are spectacular from almost every vantage point.

Doesn't it seem tranquil? The desert in the foreground, the mountains in the background, and above it all a majestic thunderhead is gathering strength in preparation for this evening's lightning show.

My route home put me on the Interstate, I-10, and that very same thunderhead became the dramatic background for downtown Tucson. We don't have a vertical skyline like Dallas, San Francisco or Calgary in Alberta, Canada. The skyline doesn't compete with the surrounding mountains.

Driving southeast on I-10 at 55 mph in light traffic, I rolled down the window and took several "blind" shots to the east as I made my way past the city. This one turned out pretty well.

The two photos together illustrate the allure of this beautiful Old Pueblo of the desert southwest.

Come visit soon.

___________________

I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.

SUNSTREET MORTGAGE
Call me if I can help you or someone you know with a purchase or refi mortgage;
(520) 349-9090

I was just leaving for church this morning when I looked out into the back yard, and was surprised to see this coyote walk up out of the arroyo to get a drink from my drip irrigation system.

She wasn't looking my way, so I grabbed the camera, softly slid the sliding glass door open just enough to clear the lens, and whistled softly.

Her head came up and around toward the sound, and her ears followed. You can see the least little blur on the ears as they tracked toward me.

Unconcerned, she finished drinking, walked into the neighbors yard and back into the arroyo.

___________________

I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.

Call me if I can help you with a purchase or refi mortgage;
(520) 349-9090

Photo copyright Mike in Tucson

Sunset this evening found me at one of Tucson's most picturesque spots.

Gates Pass in the Tucson Mountains is a spectacular place, especially at sunset.

The city lies far below to the east, and to the west, the Avra Valley extends to the horizon.

Stone buildings and walls fit the landscape. Access is very easy by car, and the parking lot (off Gates Pass Road) is generous. I've taken some of my favorite photos from this vantage point.

It's beautiful. It's quiet, even when people gather at sunset. The atmosphere is almost one of reverence. It's a place I frequent when I want to enjoy the solitude of the desert and the magnificence of God's creation.

The monsoon season brings dramatic cloud structures. Come visit some night soon. Bring a camera!

___________________

I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.

Call me if I can help you with a purchase or refi mortgage;
(520) 349-9090

Photos copyright Mike in Tucson

You wouldn't think to find this cottage near Tucson.

It looks more like something you would find in the European Alps.

The city of Tucson has a program called "Tucson Will Surprise You!" It's true. There are hidden gems in and around this 1,000,000 plus population that you just wouldn't expect. But I digress...

I hiked in Madera Canyon yesterday afternoon, driving out from the trailhead at sunset. The cottage in the photo is halfway up the canyon toward the trailhead, and although it's usually open, this July 4th weekend must have been an owner's holiday.

There are more than twenty miles of trails up, over and around Mt. Wrightson (Old Baldy) and the surrounding peaks. South of Madera Canyon road, the setting sun painted Elephant Head in shades of blue, while the northerly part of the Santa Rita range featured the rising full moon.

It was a magical hike, one I'm sure you would enjoy. Call me for directions if you're planning a vacation in greater Tucson. The trailhead is at elevation 5,000, so it's a cool hike for summertime. If you go all the way to the top, you'll gain nearly another mile in elevation.

___________________

I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.

Call me if I can help you with a purchase or refi mortgage;
(520) 349-9090

Photos copyright Mike in Tucson