Down By The River Bed and Breakfast

Raptor On The Hunt 28 May 2012, 3:40 pm

Early in the morning during March and April and again late in the afternoon, we would see a great sight. In the morning while we were working on breakfast but before serving, we would see the raptor flying low over the fields behind the Down By The River B and B. Our southeastern AZ B and B is on the San Pedro River, one of the best migrating birding areas in the US. I later confirmed from a friend at The Tucson Audubon Society that the raptor was a female Northern Harrier. I wanted to be able to take some birding photography of the hawk in flight so that I could send the pictures into the Audubon for substantiation.

The hawk would only be 4 or 5 feet off the ground and moved with such agility that the guest and I were amazed at the quick twists and turns that she made in the pursuit of breakfast. Amazingly at times she would hover over a spot waiting for something to run and this ploy succeeded sometimes but not very often.  Other times she would be gliding along and then would just drop down on the ground. Many were misses and she was right back up on patrol. Other times she was down on the ground for a period of time. One afternoon while we were out working on the yard, we watched as she glided by then dropped down for a little while. After a period the Harrier started flying  but it took her a while to get altitude as she flew off towards the river. The hawk had something held in her talons that she had caught and though we were pretty far away we think it was a small rabbit.

When I am trying to do birding photography, like many other people, I find that the birds don’t cooperate. The frustrating thing for me was when I had my camera the Harrier was on the other side of the property. When she was close then I didn’t have my camera. One time I had the camera and the Hawk was close but my battery died just as my camera was firing up. By the time I got the new battery in the camera,  she had flown into a different part of the property. Such is the life of a photographer but at least with a digital camera you can take a lot of shots and discard ones that aren’t any good. In my case this is good since I couldn’t afford the film I would end up wasting.

Finally one day I had the camera but I was trying to get a picture of a Northern Cardinal that was in a mesquite tree near the house. All of a sudden, the birds went quiet and flew into the mesquite and brush. I knew something had sent them to cover and started watching. I just thought it was one of the American Kestrels that frequent the property.  Then I saw the Harrier gliding over by the garage and come across the back. As I watched she flew toward the river and then made a turn parallel to the river over the brush. The hawk made the circuit in the back and then moved back across the fields coming closer to the house. I found a spot at the wall so that I would have a steady hand and worked the focus on my zoom lens. I was hoping that the Harrier would get closer and that I would be able to get a shot or two before she moved away.

Finally she got into range and I was able to take some pictures of her as she made a pass, turned, and then glided by us as we watched. It turned out to be the closest that she came to us because she kept on going south and left the property. The Harrier is so graceful in flight and it would be so much fun to be able to glide like that.

If it hadn’t been for Angie telling me that there was a cardinal in the back yard I would probably have been on the computer and missed this whole show. I wasn’t expecting her during the late morning since she was always around earlier or later in the day.  I just love the cheap seats when you can get them. Now because of a lot of luck and having a little skill, I can share this with you.

Poached Cranberry Pear with Walnuts 3 May 2012, 3:13 pm

During the fall of the year, the cottonwood trees along the San Pedro River are starting to turn the golden hues that forecast the coming of winter. Down By The River in St. David is the Lodging Hub for Cochise County and so we have many opportunities to treat our guests to breakfasts that use ingredients that fit the season.

When we have our Southwest Egg Bake for the guests at the Southeastern Arizona B and B, we serve some type of fruit that reflects the season. During the months of October and November, cranberries are available and so are pears. The combination just goes very well with the spiciness of the Southwest Egg Bake. So try this out and find out how the tangy pears cranberry combination can spruce up your breakfast with both taste and color.

 Ingredients:

• 2 – Bosc pears
• ¼ c – sugar
• 2 – whole cloves
• 1/6 tsp – ground ginger
• ¼ tsp – cinnamon
• 1 c – cranberry juice
• 1/3 tsp – allspice
• ¼ c – Craisens
• 1/6 c – walnuts

Directions:

• Cut pears in half, peel and core
• Combine all ingredients together except pears
• Place in a skillet with the pears face up and bring to a boil
• Reduce heat to simmer,
• Turn pears occasionally with slotted spoon until tender
• Place on plate, garnish with sauce, Craisens and walnuts from the skillet.

Serves 4

Tombstone Archives 20 Apr 2012, 5:58 pm

On March 9, 2012, the City of Tombstone Archives had their Grand Opening in February and since Down By The River Bed and Breakfast is a member of the

Tombstone Chamber of Commerce, we were invited to the Open House. The Archives are open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM. The Archives is located in the Marlowe House on the corner of 6^th and Fremont Streets.  The Marlowe House is a very green colored building and is on the National Historical Registry. Catherine Marlowe offered the use of the house for the archives. The building was moved from the original location to the present location after the July 1882 fire that burned in Tombstone.

While we were there, we met two people with the Tombstone Vigilantes, Pat Kelly and Maria Untalan. Pat and Maria were gracious enough to pose with Angie in front of the Archives during the Grand Opening. The Tombstone Vigilantes  were formed in 1948 and do reenactments in Tombstone during special events throughout the year and on the 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th Sundays of the month.

Nancy Sosa, the archivist, was kind enough to give Angie and me a tour of the facility. Nancy enthusiastically told us about all the information that was found in the basement of the old City Hall. Nancy explained how the old file collection was rescued from the basement in 2008 when the basement was flooded. There is mold on some of the collection from the moisture and these items are being treated so that the original documents are saved and preserved. In 2010, the city voted to develop a system to maintain the documents. In the Archives collection are old deeds, maps, town layouts, books and other paperwork including the records of City Council meetings. The documents had been previously been stored in over 350 old boxes, garbage bags, along with trash, and in loose piles. Nancy along with many volunteers catalogued the collection so that items can be easily retrieved and stored. There is a lot of work still to be done with the collection and it is being financed through donations to the Archives from grants and various organizations and individuals.

The Archives also include old newspapers. The oldest paper in the collection is from 1940 but there are prints of papers back to 1879. The Archives offers a CD of copies of the papers for $10. That is a pretty good bargain for old west enthusiasts that want to research the happenings in Tombstone and the surrounding area. There are also pictures of the town hanging on the walls. I was particularly interested in a picture of the Tombstone Baseball team that hung over a chair containing a uniform with balls and a bat.

Now one last fascinating thing that I found out was concerning the Town Ordinances. During Council meetings ordinances were passed and recorded in the meeting minutes. After the meeting the ordinances were recorded in a separate book starting with number 1. All of the ordinances are in that book with the exception of number 9. Nancy says that it was removed at one time and she seems to think she knows who did it. I asked “What was ordinance number 9?” The answer can be found in the City Council minutes that are also at the Archive. Number 9 was the ordinance that outlawed guns within the City of Tombstone. This is the same ordinance that Virgil Earp was going to enforce when he went to the OK Corral with his brothers and Doc Holiday to get the Clantons, McLaurys and Claiborne to give up their guns. With all the controversy about that gun fight and what exactly happened, who was right or who was wrong; it is interesting that this one page is missing. Makes you wonder if someone wasn’t trying to fix the outcome one way or the other.

That being said, every day in Tombstone the gunfight is reenacted in front of a live audience at the site of the OK Corral. On the third Friday in October and running through that Sunday, the town holds the Helldorado Days event. October 19 to 21 will be the 83^rd anniversary of the first Helldorado days and it should be another fun time for people to watch the goings on and have a Jim Dandy of a time!

So come on down to a southeastern Arizona bnb and take it all in. Remember when you come to Tombstone make your stay complete with the best lodging experience in Cochise County – Down By The River B and B – the lodging hub of Cochise County.

Angie’s Caramel Souffle French Toast 17 Mar 2012, 3:54 pm

    At Down By The River we serve a variety of breakfasts. We

try to make sure that our repeat guests get to try something new when they return to our Southeast Arizona b and b.  To this end we have developed some different styles of French Toast.  The caramel souffle French Toast is but one. We are putting this into our blog at the request of a recent guest that wanted the recipe.

This is updated since Sharon found an error in the recipe instructions.  We have corrected it . Thanks Sharon.

Hope you all enjoy this as much as we do.

Angie’s Caramel French Toast as featured at Down By The River B and B, the lodging hub of Cochise County.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick           unsalted butter
• 1 cup              light brown sugar
• ½ cup            Maple syrup
• ¾ cup            crushed pecans
• 8 slices          thick chala bread (crusts removed) enough to cover pan
• 8                       Large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups    half and half
• 2 tsp               vanilla
• ½ tsp              salt
• 2 tsp                Triple Sec (optional)
• 1 tbsp              brown sugar for egg mixture

Instructions:
In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, arrange bread slices in a single layer . Cut the bread to fit the dish removing crusts.
Melt butter, brown sugar and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat or microwave. Stir until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until well combined and pour over the bread.

Pour over bread in baking dish and spread  to cover the bread.

Add crushed pecans over the top of the bread.

Cover and refrigerate at least 9 hours or overnight.
Prior to baking bring soufflé to room temperature.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 1  hour uncovered
or until puffy and golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Down By The River – The Lodging Hub of Cochise County 31 Jan 2012, 5:23 pm

Down By The River B and B is located in Saint David, AZ and offers you a wonderful place to stay within a short drive to many different types of activities. There are historical sites, ghost towns, a movie studio set, museums, national and state parks and monuments, outdoor activities, festivals, stargazing and the Southeastern Arizona wine country. The B and B is located within an hour of the Tucson International Airport and is close to Interstate 10 and the major highways that span the county. This is why we call Down By The River B and B “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County”. The B and B is also a short distance from activities in Santa Cruz County.

Cochise County land area is as big as the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined with a total area of 6,218.77 square miles. It is the 38^th largest county in the United States. While Cochise County is large and Arizona is the 6^th largest state in the union, there are 7 of the 15 counties in Arizona that are larger than Cochise County. To see it all, you want to stay at a location that gives you easy access to the area via simple day trips. Down By The River B and B fits that bill. In looking at the attached map, you can see that the B and B is located in an area that has a variety of things to do and places to go. For your convenience, click this to print the map.

Some of the highlights of the county include Parks and Monuments. Many of our guests are here to visit these locations. The Chiricahua National Monument has fantastic rock formations although it did have the Horseshoe 2 fire go through there in June of 2011. I have some past blogs about the Chiricahua N.M., both before and after the fire. Kartchner Caverns State Park contains live wet caves and offers two tours that are both unique. Tours of the Throne (or Rotunda) Room is open all year and the Big Room is only available between October 15 and April 15. Reservations are encouraged for these tours. There are more

parks and monuments in the county that offer fascinating items such as Native American pictographs over 1000 years old, the location where Coronado is thought to have entered into what is now Arizona and more modern history locales.

Birding is also a major activity in the county. The San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area is one of the 5 best migratory birding areas in the United States. The B and B is located on the San Pedro River at the north end of the riparian area boundary with easy access to other birding areas throughout the county. Birding can be done any time during the year since there are birds that live here all year round. In the winter, the area is inhabited by birds that are from the northern climes such as Sandhill Cranes and other water birds. Spring and fall is when migratory birds visit on their way to other areas, while summer has birds that make the area home while nesting.

There are many historical places to visit. Old ghost towns, sites of old forts including a Spanish Presidio that was build in the 1700s, the Butterfield Stage

road and way stations and towns like Tombstone and Bisbee. There are museums scattered throughout the county and this year there will be a big celebration for the 100^th Anniversary of Arizona Statehood. The events and festivals will be occurring in the area during the entire year, so check out the calendar on the B&B website for upcoming things to do and see.

There is also much that you can do and see if your interest lays in hiking the many trails that are in the county. Many of these hikes will take you into the back country to old mines, ghost towns and ruins. This is also a great way to observe nature here in Cochise County, as it is home to many animals and birds. Many people think of Arizona as a flat desert but here in Cochise County there are peaks almost 10,000 ft in elevation. The mountain trails will lead you through pine forests and, at certain times of the year, these trails are snow covered and inaccessible. If you do much outdoor hiking you will see just how rugged the county is with the many canyons and mountains that are located here. It is easy to imagine why it was so hard to capture the Apache People during the Indian Wars that took place in the county in the late 1800s.

Southeastern Arizona is also where most of the grapes are grown for the wineries in Arizona. There are many tasting rooms available and these are located in two areas. One is in the Sulphur Springs Valley with Willcox as the focal point and the other is in the Elgin/Sonoita area. Both locations have some

fine vintners featuring a variety of wines for you to choose from. When Down By The River BnB started in 2005, there were only 3 tasting rooms in these locations. Since that time it has grown to include about 15 wineries that feature their products. Some of our guests have come back to the B and B at the end of the day, sat out on the patio to enjoy the wine that they had purchased and watched the sunset.

At night when there is little or no moonlight, the stargazing can be phenomenal. There are a few ways to enjoy the night sky. One is to just sit and look at it. Most people that live in the city have never seen the Milky Way. During the fall and winter this view of the sky is spectacular. Some of the guests have brought their own telescopes and have set them up on the property to do viewing.  Down By The River also has a 13” Dobsonian telescope that is available for use by guests. This telescope is not computerized so the user will need to know locations of objects so that these can be found in the sky. Lastly there is an observatory that is in Benson. San Pedro Valley Observatory has many telescopes and rents them out for the evening. I did do a blog on SPVO so you might want to read about what I wrote on that facility.

So when you come to visit Cochise County and all it has to offer, choose Down By The River for a great place to stay while you go about exploring all that makes this a wonderful place to call home.

Gammons Gulch Movie Studio 22 Dec 2011, 9:54 am

There were many films shot in the Tucson and Benson areas back in the 1950s and 60s. A John Wayne movie was shot in St. David, not too far from where Down By The River B and B is located. Even today there are movies shot in

Mescal at Tucson Movie Studios. We want to let you know about a little jewel known as Gammons Gulch. This is a movie set that is located between Pomerene and Cascabel, northeast of Benson and surrounded by arroyos and beautiful mountain vistas. Down By The River B and B, the lodging hub of Cochise County, gives you access to this intriguing location with a short drive of about 24 miles along the picturesque San Pedro River.

At the beginning of December, we wandered out to Gammons Gulch with some family to visit the old movie studio set. They had never been to Arizona and so

we thought that it would be a treat for them to see what a movie studio looked like.  I had been there once before to see what Jay Gammons had to offer in order to tell our guests what they could expect. It had been about six years since we had been there and the additions that had taken place during that time were evident. There is a saloon erected on the site now, albeit it is a dry bar. This was added by a movie company that was filming a movie about 2 rival saloons in a town. They built the saloon in a few days and when they finished their work, they left it there. There is even an old mine that is back in a canyon across a wash.

Jay is a wonderful docent. He has stories about when his dad worked in the movies and also told us that he himself had worked in movies. One movie he noted was with John Wayne (we’ll let him tell you which one). He told us that the Duke was a real gentleman and to show you he means it, he has a picture of himself with the Duke as a young boy.

Jay decided to develop his studio to give a view of what happens behind the scenes to those interested in films and to share his passion. Typically, smaller productions use his studio and this is a niche that Jay has built in the movie market. Jay has also had his props used in movies, one of which is Tombstone. As you’re touring the studio with Jay, he points out the pictures of different props and tells you a related story about how it was used in a film.

The best part of the whole experience is Jay. The man is so enthusiastic and he knows so many stories that you sit there in wonder. Before you know it he has shown you everything and it is an hour later. The studio can be used for old westerns or it can be used for films that are cast in the early 1900s. The town site includes a telegraph office, saloon, gallows, black smith shop, old garage, a church (where they will hold weddings), old mine shafts and mining equipment to name a few things.

You’ll see that the time flies by as Jay takes you around and tells you his stories. He even sits in the saloon plays the piano and banjo for you. There are many antiques and all of them have a story. So if you want to go see a movie studio without a lot of restrictions, then Gammons Gulch is the place to go. Jay’s repertoire is worth its weight in gold. Take a look at his website and you will find directions and just what to expect. We let our guests know about Gammons Gulch and they have all come back to tell us that it was really a neat experience.

Arizona Centennial 21 Nov 2011, 6:19 am

Arizona is celebrating the centennial of admission as the 48th State in the Union on February 14, 1912. Arizona official centennial events run for many months and at many different locations in the state. Events can be found on the official website.

New events are being added to the calendar so check back to find out when events are happening and where. There is also a section of fun facts that give you trivia about the state. Some facts are “ All of New England and Pennsylvania would fit inside of Arizona.” and “Arizona is the 6^th largest State in the Union having 26 peaks that are over 10,000 feet in elevation.” No Arizona is not just flat with nothing but sand and cactus. In fact as you travel either north or east from Phoenix you actually gain elevation and find some of these peaks.

For a little background history, the New Mexico Territory was established in 1853 and at that time the territory consisted of New Mexico and Arizona. The territory also included the southern part of Nevada. When Nevada became a state during the Civil War this section west of the Colorado River became a part of Nevada. On March 16, 1861, the southern New Mexico Territory around Mesilla and Tucson declared themselves independent from the United States and joined the Confederacy. The Confederacy considered the territory a vital link to the Pacific and would have allowed the Confederates to trade with the rest of the world. This would have caused the Union logistical problems with blockading ports. Additionally around 1860, Southern California was close to becoming a separate territory apart from the State of California. That never happened even though the area was sympathic to the Confederate cause.

On April 15, 1862, the Battle of Picacho Pass was fought in between Tucson and Phoenix, near the present day  town of Picacho. The Civil War battle was the furthest west of any battle and is reenacted yearly. The Confederates were driven back to New Mexico by California Volunteers and later withdrew back to Texas. In 1863, the U.S. split up the New Mexico Territory and created the Arizona Territory, which was to become the state of Arizona.

Arizona became known for mining, cattle and railroads. These components became the centerpiece of Arizona Territory economy. In 1877, The Desert Land Act gave settlers 640 acres of land and led to a growth in population. During that time there was many conflicts with the Apaches that were finally ended with the capture of Geronimo. Things settle down and the population grew. Arizona became know for the 5  C’s – copper, cattle, citrus, cotton and climate.

In the early 20th century the Congress looked at combining Arizona and New Mexico and making it one state.  Most of the people in New Mexico agreed with the plan but it was not accepted by most Arizonans. Arizonans wanted to be a separate state and worked for almost 30 years to get Congress to allow them to form a state. It wasn’t until 1910 that Congress voted to give the Territory approval to write a constitution. In 1911, Arizona submitted the state constitution to Congress. It included the use of initiatives, referendums, recall, direct election of senators, woman suffrage, and other reforms. Although, most of these proposals were accepted by Congress, President Taft insisted on removing the recall provision before he would approve it. He didn’t like the recall because it could be used to remove  judges. The State removed it and then President Taft signed the statehood bill on February 14, 1912. After Arizona became a state, the Legislature put the recall back on the ballot and the voters promptly approved it making it a part of the State Constitution.

To help celebrate the Centennial, the Union Pacific toured the state with the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific in 1944. It made a 30 minute stop in Benson and was greeted by a large crowd. Click on the video link at the end of this blog to watch the train leave Benson on it’s way to Tucson where it was placed on exhibit for a couple of days.  No. 844 was almost scrapped in 1960 but was retained for special services. It made special runs to various events here in the US before

being retired in 2000. It returned to service in 2005 after a 5-year overhaul of its running gear, pumps, pipes, valves, springs, fire box and cab interior. The locomotive and tender weights 908,000 pounds when fully fueled. While talking with one of the UP conductors, he told us that this was a very expensive train to operate compared with the diesel electric trains now in use. The higher cost is that this steam locomotive used #5 oil to superheat the boiler to about 300 degrees. The locomotive is based in Wyoming.

Chiricahua National Monument After The Horseshoe Fire 30 Oct 2011, 4:42 pm

As you may have heard, Arizona was stricken by many fires. In particular, Southeastern Arizona had a lot of fires. There were many days at Down By The River B and B that the smoke was so bad it covered the area with smoke and made the sun an orange ball. Many people stayed indoors and some in the area with breathing problems left their homes, traveling to locations that weren’t affected by the fires.

In July, Angie and I were over by the Chiricahua National Monument and the park was closed at that time. During this last week in October, Angie, her friend Mary and I went to the Chiricahua National Monument to see what was burned, what was open and what structures were saved. We had hiked in that area about a year ago and I wrote on the blog what it was like. We started to head on up to Inspiration Point but decided that we didn’t have enough time to make that work. Now I wish we would have pushed a little harder and gotten to see it before the fire. Now we have to rely on other peoples pictures to see what it used to be.

The Horseshoe 2 fire started on May 8th and reached the park boundary in the Inspiration Point area on June 8th. It wasn’t contained until June 25th after

burning all the way down the canyon into the Visitor’s Center area. The fire burned almost 223,000 acres, 9 homes and 14 outbuildings. When the rains from the monsoon came, the flooding that occurred washed out areas that had burned since there was no vegetation to hold the ground in place. This made the terrain unstable and because of that the entire park had to be evaluated to make sure that it was safe for the public to use again.

The park campground is still closed but should reopen sometime after the rains

have stopped and the area can be assessed for safety. The problem is that Bonita Creek runs through the campground so the chance for flash flooding must be over so that the area is safe to camp in again. The road to the top is also closed because a majority of the guard rails have been destroyed in the fire. Until this is repaired and the roadway is assessed for safety, the road will remain closed. The rangers that we talked to seemed to think that everything would be reopened around the beginning of 2012.

There is some good news concerning the park. Although use of the park is limited on access and camping, there is no cost to enter. The other good news is that the visitor’s center, the buildings at Faraway Ranch were not damaged and the trails in the park that were closed are now reopened. The drawback is that the only trail head to access the area starts at the visitor’s center. When hiking though you have to watch where you are walking since there are areas that may be unstable. Stay on the trails as these trails have been looked over for potential problems and have been cleared for use. We did do a short hike up Rhyolite Canyon while we were there and saw the damage that the fire did to the area. It is amazing that there are still some trees

that haven’t been harmed while others were totally burned even down to the roots. There are grasses growing back and some cactus look like they didn’t suffer any burning. I took some pictures of the area including a place where a tree and the roots are burned up totally. This can be dangerous since there can be hollow areas under the top layer of soil where the roots use to be. Stepping on this can lead to a collapse

of the soil and injury to you, so stay on the trails. There is limited signs of bird

and animal life in the burned out areas but on our way out we did encounter a brown bear that was standing in the road. After a while the bear walked across the road in front of us and into the brush. We moved on up the road and stopped at the location that the bear was standing and took some pictures as he looked at us. He didn’t look like he was starving so that must mean that he is finding enough to eat.

How long will it take the area to return to the original beauty that we saw last year, who knows maybe a couple of generations or more to get some trees back to the larger sizes that provide shade along the trails. Many of the trees that burned were hundreds of years old. I am glad that I have pictures and after the trails open up from the top again I will do some comparison shots to see just what was happened. The visitor’s center has some pictures of the fire in progress and also there are some before and after shots so you can get an inkling of what you will see when you go hiking into the monument.

Sonoran Toads 13 Aug 2011, 8:04 am

Sonoran Desert Toad and Sonoran Green Toad

In mid July at Down By The River B and B, Angie came running in and told me that I had to see this. Now since she is from Wisconsin has been living here almost a year now, I wonder if she had found something I didn’t want to know about – like a rattlesnake. Having lived on the Arizona and California desert almost all my life, I am familiar with and have seen many plants and animals that survive in the dry climate. Well she found something a little different this time.

I went with her and she pointed at a pot with a tomato plant in it and said “What is that?”, I didn’t see anything at first but then I noticed movement in the mulch. There was a big eye and a head there and as she watered the head a little more a

6 inch Sonoran Toad jumped out of the pot. I hadn’t really seen many toads until I had more down to St. David. The Phoenix area is pretty much paved over so toads don’t exist there as before. During our first monsoon season in St. David, we had our first encounter with a cacophony of noise at night. We would sit out and watch the rain and lightening and we would see the toads hopping around and croaking. I learned about these amphibians and their unusual lives in the dryness of the desert. I have seen two types of toads here at the B and B.

The Sonoran Desert Toad also known as the Colorado River Toad (bufo alvarius) is one of the largest toads in North America. The toad grows to between 7 and 8 inches long and is larger than your fist, as seen in the picture. The toad is greenish gray to greenish brown in color.

The Sonoran Green Toad (bufo retiformis) is smaller, under 3” in size and is a

green to yellow green color with black stripping on the back and legs.

Both of these toads, common in the Sonoran Desert and found in south central and south eastern Arizona, can be found on the grounds of the b and b. These toads have bumps on the skin and the main poison glands are located behind the eyes and ears. The toxin is used as a defensive mechanism and is an extremely potent milky white color.  If the toxin is ingested it will cause sickness or fatalities in many cases. This usually occurs when the toad is picked up in the mouth of a predator. Dogs are particularly susceptible to the toxin and need immediate medical attention if they have bitten or licked a toad. There are predators that will eat these toads. During one weekend while we were banding hummingbirds, a guest came to us and said that there was a snake eating a toad. We went to look and saw a gopher snake about 30 inches long eating a large toad.  We figured that the toad was in a tree well and the snake came up behind it and grabbed the toad. It was a large toad and I was amazed to seethe small snake fit something that large down it’s mouth.  I don’t know if the snake survived but if it did I don’t think it ate anything else the rest of the summer.

These toads are slow moving and don’t come out of their burrows until the monsoons are active in the desert. During the year they hibernate, but after the monsoons start providing pools of water the toads become active. To see a storm video at Down By The River filmed by Rob Neep, a guest, click here. In this area that is from July to September. The toads feed upon large quantities of insects usually at night and they will sit around lit areas that attract the insects. Click for video. They are an opportunistic hunter; waiting for the insects to come to them.  The larger toads can eat smaller rodents such as mice and in some cases other toads. The toads can live at least 10 years but could live longer possibly up to 20 years.

The toads can be heard at night and there are different sounds such as croaking, chirping, whistling or wheezing. Click for video. At night after there has been a lot of rain from the storms you have a real concert that goes throughout the night. The croaking lasts for a while but dies off after the toads have mated and laid their eggs in the low areas that hold water. Females can lay thousands of eggs and the eggs hatch within 2 to 12 days. The tadpoles grow their legs in 3 to 10 weeks. After the monsoons quit, the toads go back underground to escape the dryer season and cold winters. I have read that some of the toads burrow up to 3 feet into the earth. There they will wait for the next monsoon season.

I always like to hear the chorus of the toads. That means that there is rain coming to the desert and the local plants will start to grow and desert flowers will bloom. Rain in the desert has a special smell that can’t be explained. But for desert dwellers in Cochise County it is a smell that tells you that the temperature will be less, the land and animals will be watered and the San Pedro River will run fast and deep. And you won’t wash your car until October.

Some Notes About Wineries – Willcox Area 18 Jul 2011, 12:33 pm

Sulphur Springs Valley Wineries

Down By The River B and B is a romantic getaway located on the San Pedro River in St. David, Arizona. We are located at one of the best birding areas in the nation and we are between the two wine tasting areas in SE Arizona, the Sonoita/Elgin area and the Sulphur Springs Valley (SSV). We enjoy telling our guests at Down By The River B and B about the wineries in the area and giving them

directions to the wineries and sharing with them what they have to offer. We have had many guests finish off their day of touring by stopping at a winery and purchasing some wine. Then they come back to the B and B and sit on the porch enjoying their wine while they are barbequing something to eat.

At this time I am going to talk specifically about the SSV vineyards. There are currently 8 wineries and 7 tasting rooms, with one more opening in the future. 5 of the tasting rooms are many located in the town of Willcox. I understand that a winery that was closed has been purchased and may reopen soon. The interesting fact is that some of the wineries in the central part of the State of Arizona around Cottonwood actually grow their grapes here in the Willcox area. Now you may want to look at the dates of October 15 – 16 as a date to set aside. On that weekend there will be another Wine Festival in Railroad Park in Willcox. If it is like the last one it will be fun and you will be able to taste wines from many of the vintners and get a souvenir glass. Angie and I have met two of the owners of wineries with tasting rooms in the area. We have tasted wine at all but 2 of the wineries that are located in the SSV and each one is distinctive. Since we personally know the owners of Coronado Vineyards and Lawrence Dunham I am going to focus on these two wineries and what they have to offer.

Coronado Vineyards

I first met Jacque at her Coronado Winery about 2 weeks after she opened the tasting room. Jacque was nice enough to do a wine tasting for guests and friends at our San Pedro River B and B for an evening. It was a fun event for all. When Angie and I go to Willcox we always drop in to see her and check

out the new releases and sometimes we eat at the restaurant they have on the premises. Be sure to check their website for restaurant business hours. Coronado has a wide selection of wines, both red and white, and the wine also ranges from semi sweet to dry. They also have a port and a sparkling wine that is really nice. Coronado has events throughout the year and the one coming up on August 27-28 is Coronado’s Grape Stomp. This is always a fun time with food and wine tasting and you can spend time doing your best Lucille Ball wine stomp imitation between sips.

We usually serve Coronado’s Dolce Veritas to our guests when we have our New Years Eve Party at the B and B.  In some cases we have to serve apple cider to guests that don’t like champagne; that’s assuming they’re able to stay up until midnight. The winery is just off of I-10 on the east side of Willcox.

Lawrence Dunham Vineyards

In May, Willcox held a wine tasting festival in downtown Railroad Park . I believe that there were about 10 or 12 wineries there featuring their vintages. A nice addition was a booth where you could sample a variety of flavored olive oils and vinegars. YUM! Some wineries were from the Cottonwood area and were there because their vineyards are located in the SSV. It was during that festival that Angie and I first met the owners of Lawrence Dunham Vineyards. Peggy and Curt are outgoing and love to talk about their selection of 6 red wines.

All their wines are aged in oak barrels and their series of Sky wines are aged in neutral oak barrels. When you sip this style of wine it reflects the true flavor of the grape without the oak influence. They had a Grand Opening at their vineyard over the weekend of July 4th and had some great food and wine tasting. This winery is south of Willcox and the other winery tasting rooms but if you are going to visit the Chiricahua National Monument, then you are almost there. Their vineyard was close to the Horseshoe II fire but, luckily, they were not affected. They do tastings by appointment only unless they have a special tasting going on, so you need to let them know that you want to taste their wines. Through the rest of 2001, they do have the following dates set up for tasting from 11 to 5 at the vineyard:  Sept 10 – 11, Oct 28 – 30 and Nov 12 – 13. We usually let our guests know that there is a loop route that they can take when visiting the Chiricahuas and returning back to our B and B. Take I-10 east then 186 south out of Willcox. After visiting the Chiricahuas, head south on Arizona 181 and on the left you will find Kuykendall Cutoff Road.  This road intersects at the curve where 181 turns to the west.  Eventually 181 ends at US 191. When you head north the road will take you back to I-10

There are other wineries that are in the area that we visit and you can also do a quick internet search for Arizona wineries. One of the places I would start with is an online Magazine called Arizona Vine and Wine Magazine that is edited by Josh and Rhonni Moffitt. This magazine highlights the vintners in the State and divides it into sections. The magazine comes out once a quarter, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. They do a featured article on one of the vintners and tell their story and if you wish, the magazine can also be found at various locations. This is a great magazine for the Arizona wine lover. Watch for more blogs in the future as I will be talking about the other wineries in Southeastern Arizona. Below is a copy of the map of the wineries in the Willcox area and can be found in the Arizona Wine and Vine Magazine.