Celebrating the Dance : Ajo Sonoran Shindig

(Click on the pictures to open them larger in a new window.)

March 24, 2018

Tom spent quite a bit of today giving the Stinger "B" a good scrubbing and then got about half way done waxing the "B" before he decided enough was enough for today. While he did that I took a ride to Walmart and Fry's to restock our pantry. After putting the groceries away I put out some crackers and cheese, Tom made me an adult beverage, and opened himself a beer then we proceeded to sit in these chairs and enjoyed a late afternoon Happy Hour. A nice couple from Indiana out walking their dog stopped and we chatted a bit about being glad we are in the warmth of the Southwest.

As Tom was grilling a couple of pork chops for tonight's dinner we continued to sit and enjoy the last of the days sunshine.

Could not really see the sunset but the afterglow was a nice pink.
The last of the suns rays reflecting on a squeaky clean Stinger "B".

March 17, 2018

(Back tracking to last Saturday)
We enjoyed a leisurely start to our day just sitting and enjoying our coffee.

The sun was already out when I opened our window shade.
The sun was peeking through the branches of the tree
outside our window.

Then just because, I took a second one using the effects setting,
Photo Illustration, on my camera.

Ajo Sonoran Shindig

A little later in the morning we headed over to what was listed as the Ajo Sonoran Shindig which took place at the Ajo Plaza. I googled trying to find the origins of this event but all I can find out is it is a Celebration of the Sonoran Desert and or Spring. From what I read it was the 18th one and it is held on the 3rd Saturday in March.

This definitely is a community event.
Food booths, information booths, booths with things for sale,
dancing, and music., with a little cheer-leading added in.
(They were cute as were the dancers)
It was a lively place from 10 to 3 in the afternoon.

In the midst of all the things going on
there was calm praying by this group.

We enjoyed a couple of hours walking around and checking out the various booths. We purchased some locally roasted coffee beans and had a nice chat with the woman who does the roasting. We enjoyed tasting a couple different coffees she had available and are looking forward to trying the ones we purchased later this week. (We/I misjudged how much coffee we use in a given week and we are just about out of the coffee we brought with us from a local roaster back home.) We also purchased a fry bread taco, for me, and fry bread with honey, for Tom, from one of the food booths. There was a long line so we figured it was a good choice and it was.

After we had checked out everything there was to see at the Shindig we spent some time taking pictures of the Murals in what is called Artist Alley on the south side of the plaza. This will be my next "catch up" post.

Ajo Memory Project

After taking pictures of the murals we decided to take a ride and I spotted this area just past the Plaza heading North. Curious we parked and I took a walk in to see what it was all about. It is actually a Memory Project that was dedicated in 2011. (I am hoping if you click on the pictures they will be large enough to read what is there, if you wish. This is a special project they undertook to bring healing to their community and to keep their diverse history alive.)

This is what you first see when you walk in.

Ajo has been named a Certified Wildlife Habitat Community
by the National Wildlife Federation. Ajo is the second community
in Arizona and the 65th in the nation to earn this certification.

The pictures below are what hang on the wall starting from the left when you walk in.

Ajo Scenic Loop

First of all we did not know this was a Scenic Loop until we picked up a brochure at the Chamber of Commerce the following Wednesday. If you go to Ajo make it one of your first stops. According to the brochure it is a 10.4 mile drive of which 7.5 is graded but bumpy road, which we can attest to.
We did not drive the entire loop today, about half way we decided to turn around and head back. To drive up to the mine view.

This is a nice ride with a mixture of cacti and Sonoran Desert
vegetation. The Teddy Bear Cholla can been seen above.

The Ocotillo had green leaves and red blossoms.

We saw a nice number of Organ Pipe Cactus along with the
majestic Saguaros.

This cross honors John Campbell Greenway, the first mine
superintendent and founder of Ajo.
It was erected in 1926 shortly after his death.

We saw this sign more then once today.
Wildlife Habitat
This property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for
wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover, and places to raise young.

Coming back down the hill into Ajo
provides some nice views or the area.

New Cornelia Mine

This is what we originally turned down the street to go and check out. I saw a sculpture on the side of a house so we turned down a street so I could take a picture. Then we saw a house up a hill that looked interesting and before we knew it we were on the above ride. The funny thing is we actually took this loop last year starting at Darby Wells Road off of Highway 85 but did not recognize it from this direction until we were several miles in.