As residents of Patagonia, you all know that grasshoppers are voracious predators. At the Audobon Research Ranch near Elgin, researchers once counted 46 species of grasshoppers. I have recently come to find out that grasshoppers don’t seem to like Clematis. I know this because they have eaten the leaves off all the other plants at […]
Columns
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Keeping Up With the Library: The Origin of the Species
Ever since civilization began, man has gathered and collected valued works of writing to protect and cherish. For centuries these libraries were not for public use, but for scholars and religious orders. The concept of a Public Lending Library as a building where patrons can access an organized collection of writing is a more modern […]
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Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence is a national tragedy that costs taxpayers $132 billion per year and kills, on average, one thousand Arizonians every year. There is a common misconception that it is legal to drive with a breath or blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.08%. The reality is that driving under the influence is […]
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News From the Sonoita Fairgrounds
It’s hard to believe that November is upon us and that it is now time for the Santa Cruz County Fair & Rodeo Association to begin its annual membership renewal period. Many county residents are unaware that the fairground’s land and facilities are not owned by Santa Cruz County; they are owned and operated by […]
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Animal Tales
Hasn’t technology opened up so many areas of interest all around the world? Every day I receive amazing stories via e-mail from fellow animal lovers, so I decided to share some of these with you. A category that never ceases to amaze me is the observation of interspecies friendships. One of my favorites is the […]
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Monsoon Madness: A Profusion of Life
Strolling along a small arroyo in a light rain recently, I experienced my yearly monsoonal “fig beetle fakeout.” These comely insects flash iridescent green in their hard outer wing coverings, rendering them a welcome and attractive sight. It was the buzz of their inner flight wings, however, that got my attention. The sound was just […]
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Back to School
With July almost over and the monsoons here, it is not too early to start thinking about school. It’s just around the corner. Getting children safely to and from school is a concern for all of us. Some kids ride the bus, some drive, some ride bicycles and others walk to school. With that in […]
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Animal Tales
One of the highlights of my childhood was rushing home after my piano lesson on Saturday mornings to watch Fury on TV with my sisters. How I longed to be Joey jumping up on Fury’s bare back, riding into the mountains, sans bridle, free and wild! Growing up as a horse crazy little girl in […]
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Mining Update: Public Comment Re-Opened
The Forest Service has reopened the public comment period for the Regal Resources Sunnyside mining exploration project in Humboldt Canyon. This is the same project that had an earlier scoping period back in November 2011. According to the scoping notice from the Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista District Ranger Mark Ruggiero has “decided to offer […]