We toured the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior, AZ on a beautiful sunny Dec. 31. We drove up Oracle Road through Florence and skipped the bumper to bumper I-10 traffic. The Arboretum was established in the early 1920s and has many interesting collections reflecting arid regions around the world - Australia, Africa, Mexico.
I was especially taken with their wonderful boojums and even brought home a small (probably 10 years old) specimen from their plant shop. Queen Creek flows through the property and we were shocked to find a beautiful suspension bridge built with the generous support of Jim & Mary Faul, two long-time Arizona ranchers who have supported 4-H and other good efforts in our fair state.
Along with the wonderful plants and landscaping, I especially enjoyed the evidence of human habitation. A rocky ledge near a creek was probably used by early Native peoples and later by cowboys. The rocks were blackened, and you could imagine walking down to the creek in the morning.
A small stone and plaster house with 3 tiny rooms sits on the property. It was built in 1915, the same year our beautiful house on Dominion Blvd. in Columbus was built. This tiny structure was home to a family of 5. The walls were blackened from a wood fire, and there was barely any light in the rooms. Every time I come across a pioneer dwelling, I am struck at how difficult life must have been.
The uber wealthy Boyce Thompson built a very different, magnificent home high above the arboretum property. He lost many of his millions in the stock market crash, had a stroke, and died quite young. Arizona's mining industry attracted all manner of east coast characters. For photos of the Arboretum, go to Laura's photos on Flickr. They are worth a visit and remind us of the stunning array of vegetation in our Sonoran Desert.
After the tour, we had a late lunch/early dinner in Superior, in a wonderful little restaurant, Los Hermanos. The cook couldn't quite believe we didn't want meat, which crept into the veggie soup and the enchilada sauce, but our waitress, Fran, quickly adjusted our check throwing in a great slice of apple pie in lieu of the soup. Everything was very tasty. The servings were generous. The apple pie was the real deal, with delicious pastry redolent with cinnamon and not too much sugar. Laura and I tucked cherry and a pineapple turnovers into our carryout bag, and we should have grabbed a dozen of the delicious homemade tortillas. Even the bill was a satisfying, small-town, we still know the value of a dollar deal.
We drove home the back way also, and Laura captured the glorious last sunset of 2007 somewhere near Florence Junction. As we approached Florence, which is a community of "correction facilities" and the upcoming Estrella War (which will bring my hometown buddy Cindy to town - I can't wait), we saw what appeared to be mist nestled in the mountains. As we passed through the community some 30 helmeted people were gathered together on their dirt bikes, ready to ride their way into the New Year. It was one of those surreal moments that reminded me of emerging from the Paris metro for the first time circa 1970 to see 6 motorcycles ridden by black, leather clad young men with drop-dead gorgeous women on the back, pull up to a cigar shop . They moved into the store as one, doing who knows what, emerged, and vanished in another minute.
New Year's Eve was anticlimactic except for a hot scrabble game. The local channels insist on "dropping the ball" at mid-night Mountain Standard time as if. I slept late Tues. a.m., missed yoga, grumped over the wind that blew hard all day, and made a big pot of hopping john with diced chilis, cumin and turmeric, and a roasted jalapeno for extra spice. Laura made cornbread which was delicious with the roasted chipotle raspberry sauce that was in the goody basket from Hannah and Matt. However ordinary the day, I am glad to welcome 2008. We hope that with all our good intentions, this year will be one which we remember with pleasure.
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