Three Budways

My fabulous client Kathy Budway's new CD is reviewed by another of my fabulous clients, Jim Lipson, on page 39 of the December issue of Zocalo. I have wonderful CDs by Kathy and each of her siblings, Maureen and David, but haven't heard all three together. I need to get this CD. These are three talented musicians.

Menlo Park Townhouse

Terrific end unit town home in desirable Menlo Park. Cul-de-sac location next to guest parking with locked gate to Safeway Plaza. Inviting courtyard leads along the side of the house to the back yard. 

Soaring great room ceiling gives a light, airy feel. Tiled fireplace. 

Kitchen has a pantry and is open to the dining area and great room, with direct access to two car garage. Laundry and lots of storage adjacent to kitchen. Two bedrooms and full bath downstairs.

Covered patio with view of Tumamoc Hill, popular with family walkers and fitness runners. Tile or wood floors through out. 

Master bedroom suite upstairs has spacious bathroom, two clothing closets, plus under-eave cubbyhole storage. Clerestory windows. Under 10 minutes to UofA and PCC. Closer to Tumamoc Hill, All Souls Procession, July 4 fireworks and the Thursday afternoon farmer's market at Mercado San Agustin. Your urban hideaway.

Sold January 24, 2018 for $142,250.

All Souls Procession Has New Route

The All Souls Procession is an amazing event, with thousands of people walking through the streets of Tucson remembering their dearly departed, be they grandparents, pets, the planet Pluto, migrants, jaguars, scientific inquiry or civil discourse. It's a folk art extravaganza where people wear home-made costumes and ride floats out of bicycles or carts. Some people wear giant paper mache heads carried high above the crowd on back pack frames. Others work together to create a multi-bodied creature. There are bands, bagpipes, stilt walkers and a wonderful feeling of community. 

The Procession will begin around 6:00 PM Sunday, November 5. It used to begin on Fourth Avenue, but this year the start of the route will be on Grande south of Speedway. But don't go there. It will be way too crowded. Find a place along the route, and after it has passed, follow it to the Convento for a concert by the Tucson Symphony and the burning of the prayers and hopes you put in the beautiful big urn. You can't miss this. 

Sellers' Market Now

Here are the sales statistics from the Multiple Listing Service of Southern Arizona.

Median sale price in Southern Arizona increased 7.77% in one month from August to September 2017, and increased 17% from September 2016 to 2017.

There were 3,587 active listings for sale in September, which is very low supply. There were 1,212 home sales, which is high for September, but September sales have been higher than average for the past three years. The ratio of active listings to sales is 3,587 divided by 1,212 = 2.96 to 1. Anything under a 6 to 1 ratio is considered a sellers' market. The average sale price of a single family house was $271,000.

The Mavericks in Cuba

My fabulous client Ed Friedland is the bass player in the Grammy award winning band The Mavericks. They went to Cuba this year to play with some of the masters of Cuban music and record a special for PBS. Check out Rolling Stone magazine's cool video.

Cracks in Your House

Are you worried about cracks in your walls, foundation or floor? Most houses have some cracks. Here's an article from the 2-10 Home Warranty site that discusses the warning signs of problematic cracks.

Spotted Fawn Season

The nights are getting cooler, and the spotted fawns are on the loose. Life is good. 

Walking Stick

Then there's this thing. Maybe a walking stick. Green body with turquoise legs and orange antennae. I think. At the opposite end from the possible antennae is some sort of yelow grasping mechanism. Or something. Found this on my sliding door. Had to go in the other door so I wouldn't squash it. 

Has Equifax Ruined Your Credit?

As you probably know, Equifax allowed the credit data of millions of consumers to be breached. If you want to know whether you were a victim, first you have to give up your right to sue them. 

Someone could be charging stuff in your name as we speak. Here is an interesting article with advice on how to monitor your credit.

Guess I'd better get my free credit report and see whether my identity has been stolen. 

Mothra

Last year I had one hornworm on my desert willow tree. It was apple green, about four inches long, with yellow and purple stripes and a curved horn on its end. I thought, "How cute!"

This year I saw a sphinx moth on the desert willow. I though, "How pretty! It hovers like a hummingbird, and it used to be a hornworm. Maybe she will lay some more hornworm eggs."

Then the hornworms ate all the leaves off my desert willow. 

I still thought the hornworms were cute, in a monstrous sort of way. But my poor tree!

I called the Tucson Botanical Garden and the Master Gardeners. They both assured me that the leaves would grow back and there was nothing to worry about. After all, they would pupate and turn into lovely sphinx moths, which are pollinators. I didn't have anything against pollinators, did I?

These monsters use those four pair of claws or hands or something to stuff leaves into their mouths. Out the other end, they excrete little brown poop grenades. The poop is about 1/4" long, and has incisions that look like a grenade. I can't imagine how they get the incisions on there.

So, the advice I got was to 1) do nothing and wait for the leaves to grow back, 2) spray a bacteria on the tree that would kill them, or 3) pull them off and fling them some place far from the tree. They are very selective, and won't just eat anything. 

I opted for #3. It wasn't easy. Those feet have suction cups on them, and the hornworm does not want to go anywhere or do anything but eat and turn into a sphinx moth.

I flung a few hornworms on the ground, and within minutes a roadrunner appeared, picked up a hornworm, slapped it silly, and gobbled it down in one bite. Then he repeated with the other hornworm. 

My partner in crime. 

Ciudad del Alimento

Don't have time for a trip to the lovely and lively country south of the border? Going to Food City is like shopping in Mexico. Norteño music greets you as you enter, and all the signs are in Spanish and English. You can get a piñata or a statue of La Virgen de Guadalupe or a memorial candle. The produce is cheap, but never organic. 

It's really pretty amazing. Many of the customers and cashiers are speaking Spanish. 

You'll find the usual assortment of dulces, principally made of corn syrup, sugar and food coloring. But it's fun to be dazzled by all the colors. 

They even have a health supplement section to counteract the effects of los dulces. 

I was amazed to see giant bags of chia seeds, a staple of my vegetarian diet. I make chocolate chia pudding, flavored the Mexican way with cinnamon and chili powder. It reminded me of how delighted I was to find chia seeds for sale in Pátzcuaro a few years ago. I thought I just got lucky, but the shelves at Food City suggest chia seeds are staple of Mexican cuisine. It's got me hankering to head south again. 

Free Water

If you have central air conditioning, and you're not harvesting the condensation, you're missing out on free water. Many air conditioners have a condensation line that dumps water out of a pipe right next to the house. Water near the house is a problem for a few reasons. It could cause land subsidence, which could damage your foundation. It can also attract termites and other wood destroying organisms like mildew. 

So grab that water! Buy a garden hose fitting like the one in the photo at a hardware store. Attach a garden hose, and put the other end on a thirsty plant. 

Being the geek that I am, I got to wondering how much water this system produces. A few days ago when the temperature was 95 and the humidity was only 26%, I collected the water from the condensation line in a measuring cup. I was impressed to find I collected 0.7 gallons per hour! 

Someone pointed out that this water doesn't have a lot of minerals in it, which is true, but it also doesn't have the nasty chlorine that comes out of the hose that's attached to the hose bib. It doesn't seem to hurt the plants. Here's my new Mexican Honeysuckle, about to get a nice drink. 

Staying Cool When It's 107

When you have to wear a fur coat all summer, you look for any opportunity to cool off. 

'S Wonderful! 'S Marvelous!

Lovely, light and spacious two bedroom, two bath townhome in the perfect foothills location close to St Phillips Plaza and the Rillito Riverwalk. End unit offers privacy. Two car carport with storage rooms.

Cheery eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Ceramic counters and backsplash. Beehive fireplace in living room, which is over 16' x 27' and includes the dining area.

Diagonally scored concrete floors. Smart neutral color scheme.

Lovely northeast-facing back patio is a relaxing spot for admiring the beautifully landscaped and well-maintained common area. More storage out here.

Here's your community pool.

Guest bedroom could be a fine office, with its custom shelving, outside entrance, bathroom and recessed ceiling lights.

Gorgeous remodeled master bathroom with travertine-look ceramic, walk-in shower and generous granite vanity top.

Huge master bedroom is over 12' by 22' with two windows to the back porch.  The interactive floorplan is here. This lovely home sold for $215,000 on August 15, 2017.

Fabulous Tucson Murals

Tucson is alive with public art. Check out these murals.

Government-Subsidized Housing for the Wealthy

The National Association of Realtors says that they will fight any threat to eliminate mortgage interest as an income tax deduction. They claim that it makes home ownership more affordable, and the housing industry and consumers will be harmed by the loss of the mortgage interest deduction (MID).

They needn't worry. The MID is wildly popular, and few politicians dare to suggest its demise.

The New York Times has an interesting article about the MID, its beneficiaries, and its cost to the U.S. economy.

1620 W Delaware Street

Barrio Hollywood is Tucson's intercultural gem of a neighborhood. Generations of families are now being joined by young professionals who appreciate the river terrace soil for its garden qualities.

Manzo Elementary School is in Barrio Hollywood. My fabulous client Moses Thompson is a counselor there. He has the children raising vegetables and hens, which has had a profound affect on the children's interest in school, as well as their appreciation of healthy eating. The farm at Manzo has changed Barrio Hollywood for the better.

Close to University of Arizona, Pima Community College, golf, community center, library, shopping and I-10. This solid masonry home has three bedrooms, two baths, a carport, and no weird additions. Two sheds in the back yard. One is a substantial masonry shed with a covered porch. Projects! Play! Dining al fresco!

A car-sized rolling gate provides access from the alley to the shady back yard. Air conditioning. Washer and dryer provided in the indoor laundry room.

Fireplace in the living room is decorative and can not be used.

Large eat-in kitchen.

Refrigerator, dishwasher and gas stove.

Tile floors throughout. The floor plan is here.

No smoking, no pets. Tenant must have good credit and landlord references. Offered at $925 per month. If rent is paid before the first of the month, you can pay $910. Deposit is $925.  I am the owner/agent/property manager. Equal Opportunity Housing.

This property is rented through June 30, 2022.

Three of the 15 Best High Schools in the U.S. are in Tucson!

So saith the perpetual list maker, U.S. News & World Report. Charter schools Basis Tucson North and Basis Oro Valley were ranked second and third respectively, while Tucson Unified School District’s University High School was number 15 on the U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best High Schools ranking list. 

Hippie Family Values

I can not wait for Bev Seckinger to finish her feature-length film, "Hippie Family Values" about the counterculture movement started in the 1970s in the Southwest. She needs $20,000 to finish production, so please go to her Indiegogo page to see a 10 minute preview, donate some money, and get some cool perks. 

The BBC Eats Tucson

Tucson was featured in the April issue of BBC Good Food. The writer's first impression of Tucson, upon seeing the mountains, the desert, the magnificent saguaro cactus with their "hands up!" was the same as mine: I'm in a Roadrunner cartoon! I have never gotten over the delight of that whimsical revelation. The roadrunners who dash and pause, dash and pause across my back yard are my spirit animals.

Tucson, and All That Jazz

I love this video, filmed in downtown Tucson. Look for the Snake Bridge, the old Chicago Store (RIP), the Ronstadt Center, Cafe Magritte (RIP), the stone ramada on A Mountain, the Fourth Avenue underpass, the Rialto, the old Fourth Avenue trolley (RIP), the old clock on a pedestal next to Veinte de Agosta Park (west side of Church Avenue, south of Congress--site of the Occupy Tucson encampment) and the bus stop in front of the Aloft looking toward the Palm Shadows Apartments. 

The Tuesday Night Bike Riders were surprised to roll into the live filming on the Snake Bridge, but the Sylvan Street sax player and film maker were cool with it.

Anyone know the location of the beautiful mural? 

Bees in the Trees

I noticed a swarm of bees in my mesquite tree yesterday. Their old hive became too crowded, so they crowned a new queen and escorted the old queen to my tree. They are guarding the old queen inside this swarm while they look for a new home. I am honored to host royalty in my yard. I hope they find a great location that isn't my attic. 

Milkweed is Caterpillar Food

We should all plant milkweed so the butterflies, especially the endangered Monarchs, have food for their larvae. I bought a pine leaf milkweed at Desert Survivors and was enchanted to see that it came with a Queen butterfly caterpillar. I watched it chomp on the leaves for five days, but now I can't find it. Maybe a bird got it, or maybe it has made a cocoon that I haven't located. 

UofA Bungalow and Guest House

Adorable 1937 Feldman bungalow, beautifully upgraded while maintaining the vintage character you seek. 

The main house has two bedrooms and one bath in 786 square feet. It shines with fresh paint, brand new Shaker cabinets, stainless appliances and granite counters. New oak-look tile floor in kitchen. Laundry room off the kitchen offers additional storage.

High ceilings, decorative fireplace and lots of natural light. 
Oak floors in living room and bedrooms. 

Of course, the footed tub was saved, complemented by a new vanity and sweet hexagonal floor tile. 

The 473 square foot guest house is one of the nicest you've ever seen.

Oak cabinets in sunny guest house kitchen.

Decorative fireplace in the guest house living room. Three-quarter bath and a bedroom large enough for a king-sized bed. Tenant pays $625 on month-to-month lease and can move with 30 days notice. 

 Mature desert landscaping in the private fenced yard. 

Two off-street parking spaces. The coolest location, right between UofA and 4th Avenue. The interactive floor plan is here. This property sold for $234,725 on May 31, 2017

Bullock's Oriole and Ocotillo

I put out some oranges in a suet cage to attract orioles, but the orioles are more interested in the ocotillo (oh-koh-TEE-yoh) blossoms and my home made oatmeal cookies. 

The ocotillo haven't had leaves for months, of course, but with the little bit of rain we had, plus maybe some encouragement from my garden hose, they started leafing out.

For those of you who are not lucky enough to have seen an ocotillo, here's the magnificent specimen behind my house.