Category Archives: Photography

Tucson Day Trip 1: Mission Tumacácori To Mission San Xavier

Anza walking behind the Tumacacori Church

The I-19 corridor south of Tucson is hard to beat for a leisurely day enjoying art, culture, and history. There is so much to see and do between Tucson and the Mexican border that we recommend you start early. When we take guests on this, our Tucson Day Trip #1, we usually drive 50 minutes from Downtown Tucson to the furthest destination south, which is Mission Tumacácori, almost to the Mexican border. The rest of the day is a leisurely drive back toward Tucson with at least 5 worthwhile points of interest along the way. 1. Tumacácori National Historical Park is a picturesque reminder that Southern Arizona was, at one time, the far northern frontier of New Spain. This mission was founded by Father Kino in 1691. Take exit 29, then turn left under the Interstate. At the frontage road, turn left. You can’t miss it. Bring your camera. A … Continue reading

Bisbee, Arizona: By Charlene Mitchell and BisbeeEnclave.com

Bisbee: Sometimes Just Weird.

Bisbee Enclave is a beautiful and useful website about dining, lodging, upcoming events, and things to see and do in historic Old Bisbee.
Bisbee Enclave is published by local musician Becky Reyes and local photographer Charlene Mitchell. You can view more of Charlene’s extraordinary photography at EvokingImages.com.

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Gleeson Ghost Town & Rattlesnake Oddities

Rattlesnake Crafts Road SignREV

Our April 2012 road trip took us first to the ghost town of Gleeson (yes, that’s how they spelled it). After a look around at some of the ruins, we headed west toward Tombstone on a dirt road for just a few miles until we saw the sign for Rattlesnake Crafts, one of Southern Arizona’s stranger places. John & Sandy Weber make and sell wallets, belts, and other items out of rattlesnake skins. They also have a significant collection of gems and Old West artifacts.

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Old Tucson: A Slideshow

Freight Depot Featured Photo

Old Tucson has served as a movie studio for over 300 Westerns, TV productions and commercials. Today, it’s an Old West theme park that is both entertaining and educational. In April 2012, I attended the Western Music Festival & Art Show there and took these photographs. Old Tucson is closed to the public during the hot summer months, but is open October – May.

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Pusch Peak Hike

The trail head is almost to Oro Valley off Oracle. This is a strenuous hike, but the view from the summit is worthwhile. Plan on 2 – 3 hours up and an hour down. From the summit on a clear day you can see all the way to Kitt Peak to the SW and Picacho Peak to the north. Wildlife, including coatimundi, can be seen if you’re quiet and patient. The last official sighting of big horn sheep was in 2005. Pusch Ridge was named George Pusch (1847–1921), who came to Arizona from Germany in the 1870s, established the Steam Pump Ranch on near the base of the ridge in what is now the town of Oro Valley. Steam Pump Ranch was one of the largest cattle ranches in the Territory of Arizona. Mr. Pusch also served as a state legislator and one of the delegates to the original Arizona Constitutional Convention in 1910. … Continue reading

Monsoon Clouds Over Tucson, AZ: By Local Photographer, John Edwards.

Monsoon Clouds Over Tucson

Most of the year, Southern Arizona has low humidity. But during our wet summer months, the giant thunderheads of our Monsoon Season rise over the desert. Few have capture the grandeur of these weather events so beautifully as local photographer, John Edwards. I chose the accompanying music to give viewers the sense of power unleashed by these storms that can drop 2 inches of rain in less than 20 minutes. Following a monsoon burst, our dry rivers rise very quickly and cause streets to flood.

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