Remember the old adage, stop and smell the roses? Well in this case, it is the cirrus cactus in Tucson.

On June 20th, I was lucky enough to run into my friend, Kay Phillips, as I was leaving for work. “Did you see the cirrus blossoms?” she asked. No, but when I looked straight ahead there they were, the most brilliant colors.

“Can you believe it? The cirrus cactus just bloomed last night” exclaimed Kay. Oh my gosh, I didn’t realize we had the cirrus cactus in our own backyard. I remembered watching the evening news the night before as they planned on filming the cirrus cacti at the Tohono Chul Park.

For 364 days out of the year, these ordinary, cylinder-shaped cacti are easily overlooked. Yet for one special day, the cirrus cactus transforms the desert landscape. How can the botanical experts precisely predict this magical event? You got me!

Here are a few photos I took of the cirrus blossoms located next to Hole #1 on the Oro Valley Country Club golf course.

I returned home an hour later and took these photos. It was about 9 am on June 20th.

Heading home that evening I noticed the blossoms had shrunk and by the next morning, the flowers were gone. What a valuable lesson revealed by nature, live life to its fullest!

Cheers!

Did the Wicked Witch of the West land in Tucson? Am I in Kansas? Oh my gosh, the first 2007 monsoon storm arrived with a vengeance in Oro Valley, more specifically at the Oro Valley Country Club on July 18th and I must say I have never seen anything like this before! I have experienced intense 7.0 earthquakes in Alaska but to drive home and see over 60 trees scattered all over the golf course was heart

wrenching.

It was approximately 5:15 pm when the menacing sky raced through the Oro Valley Country Club with 60 to 65 mph winds with torrential rains. I found out later we just experienced a rare tropical microburst which transformed the Oro Valley Country Club landscape in less than 30 minutes. Eucalyptus, Mesquite, Palo Verde and Aleppo Pine trees ranging in heights of 45’ to 60’ didn’t have a fighting chance to withstand the muscle of this unique storm.

As I drove by the country club, I remember saying over and over “What just happened?” A downed

tree forced me to go around the backside of the course when I encountered another obstacle, flooded

streets. I slowly navigated home hoping not to flood the engine.

This picturesque golf course built in 1959 and is nestled next to the Catalina Mountains; survived 47 monsoon seasons just suffered its first major loss.

Why am I so passionate about our trees? Well,

• They provide relief from our scorching heat
• An appreciative golf ball ricochet making it safely back onto the fairway
• Home to harris hawks, great horned owls, vermilion flycatchers, finches, an occasional bobcat and raccoons.

We were lucky at our house since we only lost a few tree limbs and our neighbor’s

45’ tree just missed falling on our fountain. Unfortunately, others had to call their home insurance agents. Hmm, this may be a good time to review our policy.

“We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway. . .
Anticipation, Anticipation”

As my seventh monsoon season approaches this is exactly what I am feeling, anticipation!   Yes, I admit this sounds a bit odd but if you haven’t experienced a torrential rainstorm with over 1,000 lightning strikes across the city in one evening, you may want to visit Tucson between mid-July and early September. 

As I look back to 2001, I remember I was heading home in my new car and the skies had this ominous appearance.  Umm . . . what was that?   The thunderous, crackling sounds were only the precursor as the skies released bucketfuls of rain.  Wow what is going on?  I have never experienced anything like this in my 25 years in Alaska.  Yes, there are rainstorms in Alaska which can last days on end.  The buzz of hungry mosquitoes is the only noise you hear not the clapping of thunder and lightning. 

Needless to say my emotions went from utter excitement to go barefoot and jump up and down in the instant puddles to shear panic.  Will I make it home without crashing my car?

I called my friend, Marchelle, and she couldn’t contain herself.  She could barely talk over her laughter as I am asking her “What should I do”.   “Just keep driving, it will be all over in a few minutes” giggled Marchelle.  She was right, by the time I made it home, safe and sound, the sun was overtaking the skies creating a very humid afternoon.  It can’t be humid?  We live in the desert; it is suppose to be a dry heat!

With six monsoon seasons under my belt, I realize how important this season is to the desert.  The Old Pueblo is experiencing a seven year drought despite record rainfalls from last year’s monsoon season. 

What is a monsoon?

Wikipedia describes a monsoon as a rainy season which lasts for several months and has lasting climatic effects. 

The Sonoran monsoon season officially begins when the dew point is 54 degrees or greater for three consecutive days.   In general terms, our season may begin around the fourth of July and continue through the first week of September.

The three steps which bring moisture to the Sonoran Desert are: 

1. The warm waters of the Pacific and the Gulf of California evaporate.
2. Southeast winds bring the moisture into Arizona.
3. Heat-driven thunderstorms strip the moisture out of the air and drop it on our arid state.

How do you know a storm is on its way? 

You will start to notice white, puffy clouds appearing. This will continue for a couple of hours until it fills half the sky. Then the wind arrives, in front of the rain. Downdrafts within the storm spread out when they hit the ground, blowing up to sixty mile per hour gust fronts.
 
A crackling flash is followed instantly by a loud roar; the refreshing rain arrives. There is barely time to enjoy the coolness and the clean-washed air; the rain lasts only part of an hour. Then the storm moves out across the desert, filling arroyos and wetting the hot creosote, which now releases its perfume.   A lot of people love this aroma, I am not one of them.  Maybe it takes more than six years to appreciate it!

Finally, the sun reappears as you watch the snippets of rain, called virga, evaporate before they reach the ground.
  

”And stay right here,
’cause these are the good old days.
Anticipation . . .”

Watch for Part II - How to prepare your Tucson home for the monsoon season.

Here is your opportunity to find that perfect diamond, precious gems, jewelry or raw minerals at the upcoming 53rd Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show held between January 26 to February 11, 2007.  Even though hotels may be booked, there still may be time to find a house to rent in Tucson, Oro Valley or Marana. Feel free to give me a call at 520-918-7462 with your housing needs.

This acclaimed show is held every year and is now the largest gem and mineral show in the United States.  It is anticipated that the 2007 Tucson Gem Show will probably be the biggest event ever with over 45 shows – up from 38 last year.  This year’s featured event is “Australia – Minerals from Down Under”.  Click on the link for event dates and ticket information, Tucson Gem and Mineral Society. 

The following excerpt can be found on the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau website . . . 

The Show That Started It All Back in 1955

“The legendary Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase has grown from a “club show” to a major show for collectors and enthusiasts from around the country and the world. Showcased here are the best gems, minerals, jewelry, lapidary and publication dealers from across the US. Also displayed are items from private collections and renowned museums worldwide, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

It all started in 1955 when a group of mineral collectors and rock hounds from the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society held a free exhibition at a local elementary school, open to the public. This show was an immediate hit, prompting organizers to make it an annual event. The following year, the show was moved to a Quonset hut at the Pima County Fair and Rodeo Grounds on South Sixth Avenue, where it stayed until 1972. The show eventually moved to the Tucson Convention Center Arena, where it is still hosted by Tucson Gem & Mineral Society volunteers.

As a result of the interest generated by the original show, satellite shows have proliferated all over the city. These shows cater to the interests of the growing number of people coming to town. Today, one of the fastest-growing segments of the Tucson shows is beads — first-time visitors to a bead show will be dazzled by the array available here. Together, the original show and the satellite shows make up the Showcase – one of the largest and most popular events in the gem and mineral world, attracting an estimated 100,000 people to Tucson in a two-week period. This crowd fills hotel rooms, rental cars and airline seats many months in advance.”

- - - -  Mark your calendars to attend one of the best gems shows in the world, you won’t be sorry. If you can’t make it this year, you can check the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society website or email me at pam@pamtreece.com and I will follow up with you.   See you there!

I attended a conference at the Manning House on October 13, 2006 that was hosted by the Realtor Land Institute. Several speakers discussed the Rio Nuevo plan for which is an extensive revitalization plan for the City of Tucson. The Rio Nuevo Project includes the UA Science Center, Civic and Cultural Plazas, Tucson Origins Heritage Park, a proposed new Arena, and various residential and commercials developments. Visit the Rio Nuevo website and the Rio Nuevo Overview.

The guest speakers were Greg Shelko, Director of Rio Nuevo, Albert Elias, Director of Urban Planning and Design and Rich Singer, Director of Tucson Convention Center.

Greg Shelko started the discussion with an update on the Rio Nuevo and pointed out the Rio Nuevo goals:

• To be the catalyst for Tucson’s downtown revitalization
• Protect and enhance the cultural and historical resources
• Construct attractions and infrastructure
• Leverage private investments

An update was provided on the proposed University of Arizona’s Rainbow Bridge. This bridge which would have spanned the I-10 by connecting City of Tucson’s downtown to the new Cultural Plaza would have also housed the UA Science Center. It was decided by U of A that funding would not be allocated for this project but be invested into a new University of Arizona Science Center to be located in the Cultural Plaza. For your convenience, here is the October 8, 2006 Rio Nuevo update article in the AZ Daily Star.

Albert Elias discussed the Cultural Plaza which is considered to be the portal to the birth place of Tucson. Key Partners with the Cultural Plaza are the University of Arizona Science Center, Historical Society and Arizona State Museum. The following links describe the Proposed UA Science Center and an article written by Oscar Abeyta, Tucson Citizen, on March 15, 2006 on the proposed AZ State Museum and AZ Historical Society Museum.

Mr. Elias mentioned that the final concept design will be completed by November 2006 for the Tucson Origin Heritage Park and expects construction to commence in 2007.

Richard Singer, Director of Tucson Convention Center, gave an enlightening overview on the Rio Nuevo’s Civic Plaza. A major component to the Civic Plaza is a proposed new arena which would a have a capacity of 12,500 seats and provide much needed meeting facilities. Currently only 7% of the existing Tucson Convention Center is available for meetings. Mr. Singer stated “To be a viable Convention Destination Center, Tucson will need at least 30% of the convention center space dedicated for meeting rooms and have it conveniently located to the hub of the conventions”.

The public will have an opportunity to discuss the proposed new arena on Thursday, October 27th at 6:30 pm. The meeting will take place at the Tucson Convention Center, Turquoise Room. See Public Notice Dated October 14, 2006, Press Release for Proposed New Arena and the Proposed New Arena Brochure. If the plan is approved this year, a new Downtown arena could open its doors to local concertgoers and sports fans in 2008.

As Tucson hits the one million mark in 2007, careful planning and preservation are so important in order to retain the charm and small town community atmosphere we enjoy.