Niagara Falls - Nature Trumps Tackiness

I sat on the porch of the B&B sipping tea and studying the map.  Three days left to tour Canada and the rainy, misty weather had thrown a monkey wrench in my plans.  A plan that had seemed so brilliant …a masterful route visiting the best of the quaint villages along the St Lawrence Seaway on our way to a few days in Ottawa.  I just drew an imaginary line through my plan for the day; taking the ferry across to a nature preserve island.  We had already worn our foul weather gear the past two days and now the fog had rolled in with a light mist.  How to maximize our limited time in these weather conditions?

A promise is a promise.  I had promised Glen that this trip would be relaxing.  We would NOT go tearing all around the country at warp speed trying to see and do too much.  But considering the weather this new plan might now hold better sway. 

Laying out the map with a smile and refilling Glen’s tea I said,  “Did you know we are only four and a half hours from Niagara Falls?  And it is supposed to be way better on the Canadian side?  Like, doubly better according to the guide book. ”   

That is how we found ourselves barreling at warp speed on a very long daytrip ( is four and a half hours each way still in the day-trip category? )  to see Niagara Falls. 

The Canadian side had WAY more cascade.  And kitsch!

Things weren’t looking too swell as we entered the town of Niagara; a mini-Las Vegas w towering hotels and casino towers right along the Falls.  Tacky carnival looking stalls and food emporiums were further up the hill with larger than life ice cream cones and foot long hot dogs promising to smartly separate fools from their money.  This wasn’t looking so bueno as we say in Arizona.  But as we approached Horseshoe Falls on shaky legs, too cramped from the long drive, everything kitsch faded in the mist.  The roar of the cascade grew deafening.  With Niagara Falls, nature trumps tackiness, gallon after cascading gallon, day after day.  Niagara Falls is one of those tourist activities that can’t possibly live up to its reputation but somehow just manages it.

And as we stood there mesmerized by the roar I began to get it. To feel the bone-rattling power of all that cascading water up close is to understand the awesome natural wonder that is Niagara Falls. Thoroughly drenched, chilled and road cranky, Glen and I felt small and mortal, once again in Natures (with a big N) thrall.  This is perhaps the real point of visiting the Falls, to put nature and mankind in proper perspective.

Glen's ponders our 9 hour drive for a 30 minutes Niagara Falls experience. 

Warming Up to Cold Weather

I think we need to get a REALLY big snow shovel!

Nothing feels more like Christmas than a a nicely timed snowfall and a live Christmas tree.  As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for because the snow came in abundance.  And continues to come to the surprise of the La Nina "experts".  At first it was light, fluffy snow that started falling in mid-December. Then it became "let's have a talk" serious kind of snow.  Snow comes at will now, making the White Mountains of Arizona one of the whitest winter wonderlands in the west this year.  Not complaining.  I've really warmed up to winter in our cozy cabin with log firestove cranking out warmth and atmosphere. 
As for the live Christmas tree, Sky Island Woman would like to introduce you to a new member of the family; Pepe. 
As for his name,  Pepe has three brothers named Manny, Mo and Jack.  The first three were presents from our generous neighbor, "green thumb Francis" and those three Blue Spruce seem to be thriving at their new ground floor digs here at the cabin.  We thought that it would be kind of "green" to have a live Christmas tree as well as help repopulate a once common evergreen on some of our land.  So after much searching for the PERFECT TREE, Pepe was adopted and welcomed into our life here in the high country. 

Pepe getting acquainted during the holidays.


Thankfully we did all our hole-digging for Pepe prior to the big freeze (s).   He would have had to live on the porch till Spring if we had lost the bubble on Nature's Way. 
On the left you see Pepe on the cabin porch.  We know he is warm natured so didn't want him to get hot and bothered in the cabin.  Pepe is a fresh air fiend and we were happy to see his fairy lights and Christmas ornaments through the windows. 



Pepe In His Permanent Home


Another wonderful bonus of a White Christmas was some of the best skiing ever this early in the three mountains that make up the Sunrise Ski Complex in Arizona.  The skiing started in mid-December and is still robust after our weekly snow allotments.   PLENTY of powder and deep snow base (yipee!).  Because the cabin itself is smack dab on the Mogollon Rim we seem to have even more snow than the surrounding areas and were able to give rigorous field testing to our new snow shoes (from Santa).  

For those new to the activity, snow shoeing is great in every way.  There are no downsides to this cool winter sport.  Fresh air, exercise and it gets you quietly out into the entirely different world of winter wildlife.  Snowshoeing through the woods is like walking in a storybook that tells you what all the creatures of the forest have been doing when you weren't looking. Each animal has a special track. You can read where a squirrel bounded over to a tree and climbed up, where a rabbit ran fast in a straight line, where a  deer made a huge leap over a deep ravine.
Because the drifts were so high (2 ft and more in places)  I was pleased to see that deer and elk had made trails through the woods.  They make good routes, finding the gentle, less-extreme slopes. Glen and I followed in their tracks and tried to help establish a better path out here in the woods for us 'wild things". 

Here are some glimpses of everyday winter life at the cabin.



Snow Shoeing Is More Fun Than Shoveling!



Glen and Friend Lee Help Pepe Adjust To His New Home

Friend Ines Makes the Best of a Ski Patrol Assist After A Snow Boarder Got Too Friendly

Glen Tries To Lighten the Load on the Side Porch

Better But Slippery On Top!

Bayou Birding

Sky Island Woman Visits Her Mom In the Deep South

My Mom Birding With Me In The Bayou In Back Of Her House

“Let’s drag it.  It’s a canoe after all and made to take some rough conditions.”  My Mom and I were slowly waking up after staying up late to visit and catch up on each others' lives.  We were on her porch drinking tea and watching the birds feeding and singing in the crisp fall morning air.  Her house sits on a bayou that flows into the Gulf of Mexico.  It’s a pretty nice scene watching the birds coming and going from the lush cyprus trees lining the banks.  My Mom says, “Lets get closer to the birds” and points to a canoe next to the boathouse.  The two of us finally manuever the “heavier than it looks” canoe into the water.  For me, canoeing is a new twist on birding and a great way to forge strong memories with my Mom.      

Pileated Woodpecker In A Cypruss Tree

Stealth Is A Good Thing While Birding

              

As we glide along the water we silently approach a Great Blue Heron making like a statue.  Then it comes to me;  Birding is a walking-, hiking-, biking or even canoe-based sport that gets you out into nature where the birds are.  And sometimes "getting there" can be a great workout as well as fun and rewarding.
                        
A great thing about birding is that you don't have to travel to far-off oe exotic birding places such as Ecuador or Brazil.  Birding is an accessible sport you can do with limited equipment anywhere.  On a bayou, on a hiking trail or even your back yard.  Knowing all the bird names, their habitats, and other facts are not a requirement for birding fun (or I would be in trouble), but getting outdoors is.   Walk, run, or ride your bike to a nearby open space – preferably near a water source even if a backyard fountain or golf course pond.  Be sure to take your binoculars ( a MUST), enjoy the fresh air--and keep your eyes and ears open for activity. When you locate a bird perching overhead or bathing in a bird bath, stop and watch it.  Voila, you are now enjoying the fastest growing sport in America! 

Sky Island Woman Proving She Can Adapt to the Bayou 

As with any hobby, the more time spent on it, the more involved you become. My passion for being outdoors and hiking is what led me to birding.  Now my birding takes me to new hiking trails. and as of now I can add canoeing as a birding platform.  It's a thrill to spot and actually be able to identify a bird. Especially the less common varieties.  Plus I enjoy seeing new places, getting outside, and slowing down enough to REALLY SEE what is going on around me.  . 

So if you are ever out on the trails or on your bike or even canoeing, grab your binoculars, field guide and carry a little notebook to write down your spottings.  Better yet, ask a loved one to join you.  Even if you can’t identify the birds yet,  you’ll make some beautiful memories. 

Knee Deep In Oaxacan Chili



Mounds of Oaxacan Fried "Virgin" Grasshoppers 

What better way to get into the soul of a place then through native food, like the fried grasshoppers pictured here? If you like Mexican food, Oaxaca, the city of 7 moles(mo-lays), is your town. The markets are wonderful, especially for those brave enough to try new things. 

Did I mention the chilis?

Nora Valencia - Fabulous Oaxacan Chef 

Chilis chilis and more chilis.  Chilis for breakfast lunch and dinner.  Maybe its even possible for dessert.   Chilis fresh and dry in endless sizes, aromas and shapes — smoky, red, black, yellow, big, tiny and all levels of both mild, and very kaboom level hot!  Sacks and sacks of chilis that smell delicious in a way you can really experience in a Oaxacan market stall.   

Here I am at our B&B stepping out for my morning yoga fix.  Let me tell you it is challenging to have a "moving meditation" amid the intoxicating aromas wafting from the "hood".  Scents of fresh coffee beans and cacao mixed with cinnamon, sugar and almonds spilling out of the kitchen as the ladies spent an hour preparing mouthwatering traditional Oaxacan food for breakfast such as the stuffed pepper you see here.  This ain't cornflakes!!

Stuffed Smoky Pasilla Chili

Oaxaca's native foods such as chocolate, squash blossoms, chilies, and even fried grasshoppers, date to pre-Hispanic times. Oaxacans mixed these foods with ingredients brought by Spaniards-such as raisins, cinnamon, and almonds to create their own cuisine. Our friends Joyce and Eloy had arranged a day-long cooking class with a well known local chef, Nora Valencia. Mexican markets took on a new meaning with a Oaxacan culinary expert as our guide.  Nora, showed us how to distinguish a deep red, smoky scented pasilla chili from a handful of look alikes. We sniffed and tasted our way through the mercado, but the smiling and friendly women at the market stalls must have been used to cooking school students because they gave us samples and made time for our little group.

Los Caballero Chefs Don, Glen and Eloy

 Our cooking class had the feel of cooking dinner with friends-except that creating a four course meal involving over 31 ingredients which included stuffing and cooking four different types of chilis is hard work. Nora gently directed us and worked alongside. The stuffed chili dish was one of the most complicated dishes I had ever seen, much less made. I will try it at home but we may need a reunion to pull it off! All the chopping and grinding and blending and hours of effort produced a four course feast we enjoyed about 3pm. The complex flavors require a lot of work and I hope I have the fortitude to try it on my own.

Our Food Network Press Photo - Oaxacan Six  - Glen is Behind the Lens

Our feast was missing at least one Oaxacan snack: chapulines (grasshoppers). The saying goes, those who eat chapuline will return to Oaxaca, but I'll be back anyway.

Our B&B in Oaxaca - STAY THERE!! http://estanciadevalencia.com/

Our cooking class - Nora is fabulous!!! http://www.almademitierra.net/index.html

Dia de los Muertos in Oaxaca



Her name is La Catrina - mistress of Dia de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico

 You should be here!!!! In Oaxaca for the Day of the Dead celebration.  Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday that some mistake as half Halloween and half Mardi Gras, has deep spiritual roots going back at least 3,000 years, to the Aztecs and beyond. The frankness about death in a festival that combines feasting and dancing with graveyard vigils jolted me before I understood the point -- remembering and celebrating loved ones.  It actually provides solace and a way to celebrate the memories and lives of loved ones.  I recommend it for anyone who has ever lost someone, which is to say everyone.

Bread fo the Dead for Family Altars

  

It's been going on for days....all the families building altars to their beloved dead relatives in front of their homes or in their courtyards.  Some create intricate sand paintings on the sidewalks and streets that take days to design and assemble.  Everyone makes traditional foods such as sweet bread, tamales wrapped in banana leaves and the special favorites of the deceased go onto the altar along with their photos.  Tonight is a very special night.  The families carry favorite foods out to the cemeteries, light candles on the graves and celebrate the lives of the their departed. More to come after that lively and late night event!!

Marigolds and Cockscomb For  Personal Altars and Decorations

The markets and roadsides are filled with people selling marigolds and cockscomb. These are the most important flowers for people's altars, called  ofrendas. The orange flowers are everywhere and probably the basis for the orange theme of Halloween. 

The REAL celebrations begin tonite!! More photos and details after the cemetery visits and feasting events on 1 & 2 November. 

Sky Island Woman Paddles With Dolphins In Mexico

 

 

Dolphin Bay Residents

 I come to my feet….gingerly, carefully, my toes digging into the pretend surfboard wobbling beneath me in deep water.  I’m up.  I take a big breath and  resign myself to the fact that if the waves kick up I may end up much closer to the dolphins than I originally intended.  I have just launched and paddled out on my haunches from a white sand beach in the Sea of Cortez, off Mexico's mainland coast five hours south of Arizona.  I've never been paddle boarding before, but did grow up in the midwest watching Gidget and Annette Funicello having a great time on surfboards.  Do I get constructive credit for that?  It sure looked easy when Gidget did it! I can't honestly say that surfing or paddle boarding was ever high on my personal "list",  but as a middle aged woman, I've come to believe in seizing the opportunity for adventure whenever and wherever I can.  Use it or lose it is my Mom's mantra and she is almost always right! 

Paddle boarding is a cool and obtainable sport.  It allows mere mortals such as myself to experience pseudo-surfing.  You get a nice long paddle for balance and the board itself is engineered to be a stable platform for you to stand up and paddle yourself out to sea with the real marine life.  A kind of lone and meditative sport where you can sing your heart out while scanning the water for fish or like today, try to catch up with a school of feeding dolphins.    But even if these slippery, smiling dolphins are too fast for me today I can try try try again.  Because we are staying at Bahia Delphin (Dolphin Bay) and true to their habits they patrol the waters near shore every morning and evening waiting to scoop up the little sardinos as they spill out of the nearby estuary with the twice daily tides.     

My husband Glen and I are four outdoor aficionados doing as much as we can to “use it” and not lose it.  Is paddle boarding my new sport?  Will I buy one and tote it to the lakes up at our cabin and buy Hang Ten shorts and generally become a really cool surfer person?  I think not.  But it does play to my strengths; yoga is handy for balance, hiking dandy for leg strength, and tennis…. Well, tennis helps feed the competitive rat that gnaws away my personal fears and allows me to go a bit outside my comfort zone from time to time.  Like chasing dolphins on a paddleboard in the Sea of Cortez!!

   


Sunset On the Beach

 

Five hours - seems like a world away

What the #$*! Is a Sky Island?

  ''different islands to a considerable extent are inhabited by a different set of beings.''

                                                                          Darwin        (and Sky Island Woman)

map courtesy of Sky Island Alliance

First I say I am a Sky Island Woman and then I forget to explain the Sky Island part!

I am going to go way out on a limb here.  That’s right folks, read on and you will see how a liberal arts major explains a complex and scientific topic.  I know that my nature smart friends are cringing right now – but let me try. 

First off, see the map above of the Rockies pretty much extending down to the Sierra Madres in Mexico.  Lots of really high bumps there right?  Well, when you get down to the Southern Arizona part it is pretty flat.  Well those bumps in the middle of all the flat are called Sky Islands. 

The folks who actually know what they are talking about say that some 15,000 years ago, real forests stretched from the Rockies down into the Mexican Sierra Madres. Treasures of a different sort such as wolves, black bears, grizzlies and jaguars as well as squirrels, birds, reptiles and insects moved along a lush, wooded corridor. Or so we imagine it. The same for tree and plant species – they spread the entire length courtesy of the wind and animal poop.  But when that cooler era ended, temperatures rose, rainfall dropped, and the place pretty much started to look like a desert.  In some places, high mountain desert.  Wildlife that needed water, (and who doesn’t!)  and cooler temperatures, like squirrels and frogs, soon found themselves marooned at higher elevations, like our local Ramsey Canyon.  Those thousands of years of isolation of the cooler and wetter high ground is what we now call “Sky Islands”.   

Here comes the part where I arm wrestle with the Galapagos Islands.  The “Sky Islands” here in Southern Arizona are just as special, if not more so in some ways (I’m going out on a limb here!), than the Galapagos.  Because while all the islands in the Galapagos at least share the same climate, here in Southern Arizona,  we are more unique.  In “our” sky island chain, every thousand feet up that you climb takes you into a climate that's more like one some 500 miles north -- a few degrees cooler and with a few inches more rain. So as I hike through the Huachuca Mountains,  I am at alligator juniper at 4,000 ft, oak at 5,000 and Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine forest at 6,000. In some of the higher islands, like the Huachucas, Pinalenos and Chiricahuas, the forests above 7,000 feet resemble those of the Pacific Northwest with aspen and some Douglas firs.  In some sky islands you could stand on the top of a mountain amid a stand of aspens and with a strong enough telescope see out to the saguaro cactus type desert below.  Try THAT in the Galapagos.

Sky Islands are near-paradise for nature lovers like Sky Island Woman.  Birders go nuts, and it is a retirement mecca for nature smart people. Over 275 species of birds, some of them REALLY beautiful and rare like the Elegant Trogon which looks like it escaped from an Aztec headdress.  I could cite other remarkable statistics but your eyes might glaze over.  Scientists say that these Sky Islands are right behind Costa Rica in biodiversity.  And not all those mammals are the little desert shrew variety.  Which are vital to the cause but frankly, don’t bring me much wildlife viewing pleasure.  In our mountains you can still hike or bird and have a chance to see mountain lions, black bears (small but quick), ring-tails, bobcats, coatimundis, mule deer and a cute little white-tailed deer called the Coues' deer. And the very rare spotting, by a lucky few, of the occasional jaguar and ocelot venturing in from Mexico.

Plus there are 60 species found nowhere else on the earth.  “Rare to the max” I like to say which doesn’t sound as scary as "Endangered".  Even isolated from similar species on other sky islands.  Just like in the Galapagos!  But closer and no passport required.  

So if you want to live in temperate weather surrounded by an incredible variety of wildlife, insects and nature, you can’t do much better than the Sky Islands of Arizona.   Where the rare is commonplace.   And where Sky Iskland Woman lives!