Tumacácori National Historical Park (Weekend Coffee Share #5)
Happy Saturday morning! Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share! Grab your drink of choice, pull up a chair, and let’s talk.
It looks like monsoon season is over here in Tucson. It’s supposed to be sunny and 103F today and triple-digits all week. But I promise I won’t spend this post complaining about the heat like I did last week. It’s hot in Arizona. We know. Instead, let’s pay a visit to a small but fascinating national park site less than an hour south of Tucson: Tumacácori National Historical Park, which includes the ruins of three missions from the Spanish colonial era. The site also does a good job of honoring and representing the O’odham people, who were in the area long before the Spanish showed up and took over.
We visited Tumacácori last Sunday and had a blast taking pictures. It’s quite a photogenic place! Before we get to the photos, though, I have a bit of news to share:
- I’m still waiting for the Storyteller Series episode featuring my story. Should be any day now (she said impatiently… while reloading the page every 5.3 minutes)
- I learned earlier this week that my second novel, Delta Dawn, is a finalist in the Arizona Authors Association annual literary contest! I’ll learn how I placed at the awards banquet on November 6 (if the banquet happens. Damn Microbe that Must not be Named.)
OK, back to Tumacácori. Let’s start with the garden in front of the Visitor Center, and its flamboyant stars, the monarch butterflies. Dontcha just love the photobombing spider in the last pic? I can just picture it cackling to itself, “I’ll get you, my pretties…”
The Visitor Center has a courtyard garden that’s just lovely:
The next stop on our little tour is the church. It’s not in the best of shape, and much of the original artwork has worn away or been vandalized, but it’s still an impressive structure. It dates from 1800-1820 (older structures are closed to the public).
So, how about y’all? What’s new in your world? What are you doing this weekend? Let’s chat!
12 Comments
csuhpat1
Hope it cools down for you and such beautiful photos. What a cool place.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! It really is a cool place. We’ve been having a blast exploring southern Arizona.
Scribble and Scran
Close ups on the butterflies are amazing
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I’m trying to get better at macro photography. It’s fun!
Antoinette Truglio Martin
Congrats on the book publication! And Tumacacori looks amazing! Thanks for the tour.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! It’s a long-ish short story (how’s that for an oxymoron?) being produced as an audio drama. Hopefully it’ll be out soon. Very soon. Hopefully.
Gary A Wilson
Hi Janet. YES – the photo-bombing spider alone was worth the price of admission. Did you notice it when you snapped that shot? Regardless – it is excellent and deserves printing and a frame.
Natalie
Beautiful place and photos Janet. The close up of the butterflies and spider is fabulous. Congrats on your writing achievements! Thank you for linking up with #weekendcoffeeshare.
Kirstin
Those photos are gorgeous Janet. WOW. Love all the butterflies. I’m not sure I could handle three digit temps regularly. We rarely get them and yuck…no fun.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! The butterflies are incredible here this year. As for temps, we’re back into the mid-90s now, and nights are getting cooler. Yay!
joylenebutler
I love the Spanish influence in the architecture. I wish I could apply it here in the north, but that’s not happening. Thanks for sharing, Janet. Your photos are awesome.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I love the Spanish architecture too, and the walled garden and the fountain and… yeah. It’s a lovely place.