Sep 20, 2024 - Dec 20, 2024
The transition into fall took a bump in the road as temperatures soared into the 100s again at the end of September. You could still hear grey hawks crying and summer tanagers chirruping. But you also heard the songs of the green-tailed towhee and the rock wren as they returned to the valley, wondering if they had arrived too soon. It can all be so confusing, especially when fall migration starts in July for some. Nature just refuses to conform to our desire for structure.
Wishing the very best for all in the new year.
The winds of change are howling. Much of what "was" will either transform or disappear and be replaced by something different. Attempts to grasp onto what was will be futile, and openness to future possibilities may be the way forward. -- the Philosopher on my Shoulder
Fall, wildlife-wise, was another quiet one for me personally. But the return of the whirlybirds building the giant feeding tubes for the economic organism that is consuming our wild lands and open spaces, to its own ultimate demise, became harbingers of great change. The obvious is the change of status of the Middle San Pedro Valley from wildland corridor to utilities corridor. The other is the many leaving the valley who have been stewards of the land for decades due to local, national, or international changes, or just time. It's a bit overwhelming and requires a lot of quiet time as well as distractions to keep from freaking out.
It is a time of mourning for those who have passed on, as well as those who had to leave out of necessity. It is a time to hold dear those who will likely leave us soon.
As we move forward, openness to new life and new possibilities is what is needed. But that takes a lot of energy. Right now I feel like many of the desert critters that go dormant waiting for the next rain.
What does the future hold for this valley? With corporate pressures and changing climate, it is hard to be positive. But a new generation of folks are beginning to find this place and who knows what will grow out of it.
In Memory of Patricia Corbett (Sep 26, 2024)
I didn't know Pat real well, but her presence in all things related to Saguaro Juniper and life in Cascabel has always been felt. The widow of philosopher, rancher, writer, and human-rights activist Jim Corbett, she was known as the practical side of that partnership as they helped lead the Sanctuary Movement in Tucson, and eventually started Saguaro Juniper in Cascabel. Some called her "The Plumber". After Jim's passing in August 2001, Pat was the matriarch of El Potrero (Saguaro Juniper headquarters) and more. I didn't get to know Pat until the Spring of 2017 when she welcomed us to stay at El Potrero while Katie was volunteering at the ranch for about seven weeks. It was our second exposure to Cascabel, and likely when the hook was set.
Pat is who you went to about horse care, cow care, and even wildlife care. She rode her horse, Nimby, until only a few weeks before her passing, hooked up to her oxygen pack in her saddlebag. Prior to her health issues, she rode all over the back country during the winter to help keep track of the cows and the condition of the range land. She was the lead horse rider when putting cows on and taking cows off of winter pasture.
She loved cats and her cats loved her. She loved the neotropical birds that visited her yard during the spring and summer. She wasn't a big fan of Javelina eating her garden flowers, though. She has had a ring-tail cat and a red racer snake living in her house at different times. Even so, when Jim would go out on the land, living off oats and goat milk, she would return when the ham sandwiches ran out.
Of all of the titles she may have had, it was the title "She Who Shall Be Obeyed" that she got the most kick out of, and couldn't say without laughing. But it wasn't just a joke. Very few decisions were made without Pat's stamp of approval. Even now, "I wonder what Pat would think?" is always in the back of my mind when things come up.
In the end, she went out on her own terms. She fought the various ailments that began to attack her soon after we arrived and lived longer than many would have guessed. Whenever she felt well enough, she was back up on Nimby again. When the doctors informed her that they had run out of tools to keep her going, she seemed to decide that she was done and slipped away from us within days.
Even though much change is inevitable over the upcoming years, Pat's stamp will still be on it. She gave us her blessing and we will do our best to live by it as members of Saguaro Juniper move forward.
Rest In Peace.
P.S. I also want to pay tribute to those who gave such a great deal of their time caring for Pat over the past years. Such care had to be done on her terms, obviously, and that definitely added to the challenges. Even so, I do believe she truly appreciated the care she received. Your amazing dedication to the cause is appreciated by myself as well. Blessings to all of you.