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Photo of the Week
Last Saturday, Oct. 11: “Storm rolling in, and boy was it a good one. I thought I had time as I was out walking my dog. I heard it coming over the land like a wave and suddenly the ‘arms’ opened up on us.” —Jen Howard, Sonoita
News
Patagonia Fall Festival shines in the rain
Photo by Sally Reichardt
Umbrellas came in handy for both customers and vendors at the festival. Photo by Pat McNamara
A troupe performs tricks at the festival. Photo by Sondra Porter
Homemade hummingbird feeders for sale at the fair. Photo by Sondra Porter
Ana Maria Vasquez (right), a former Patagonia resident and popular Fall Festival vendor, introduces two guests from Mexico who came to help fundraise for borderlands grassroots cultural, humanitarian, and political causes. Photo by Linda Jade Fong
Items for sale from La Sagara de Patagonia. Photo by Robert Gay
Photo by Sally Reichardt
Volunteer firefighters from PVFR burn some burgers for festival-goers during their annual fundraiser. Photo by Robert Gay
Noelani, 7, and Kailani, 4, of Nogales, work at the art table in the Fair’s Kid Zone. Photo by Pat McNamara
Photo by Pat McNamara
A potter’s booth at the festival. Photo by Sondra Porter
A dance troupe performs at the gazebo during the festival. Photo by Sally Reichardt
Jam Pak perform at the festival. Photo by Pat McNamara
A local jaguar accompanies nonagenarian Judy Andrew on a walk around the festival grounds. Photo courtesy Robert Gay
Patagonia musician and instrument maker Zach Farley plays his homemade bone flute. Photo by Robert Gay
It was a warm and partly cloudy October day that greeted the many vendors and shoppers on the first day of the annual Patagonia Fall Festival last Saturday. An intermittent light rain did not deter the enthusiasm as the vendors displayed their talents in the arts and crafts.
Attractions at the festival included a pen of alpacas, who greeted visitors with their gentle charm and attracted shoppers as they passed by. These alpacas, it turned out, were the manufacturers of the raw materials that had been crafted into articles of clothing and other items available for sale in the adjoining tent.
This group of ‘raw materials manufacturers’ appeared at the festival. The black and white alpaca at right is named Oreo; the others declined to give their names. Photo by Pat McNamara
Various entertainers performed at the park’s gazebo, attracting audiences to the covered seating area. One of the musical groups was the Jam Pak Blues ‘n’ Grass Neighborhood Band, an ensemble of nearly three dozen children, aged 4-18. Under the guidance of longtime bandleader Annie Beach (she’s been doing this for 31 years!), the kids sang and played bluegrass music on various stringed instruments donated by supporters. Based in Chandler, Jam Pak perform all over the state, even venturing into southern California from time to time to spread their message of love, fellowship and music.
Of course food, a major source of attraction, was readily available at Patagonia Volunteer Fire & Resuce’s “Burger Burn” and the many food trucks parked along the perimeter of the event.
Despite the threatening weather forecast, this year’s Fall Festival was yet another success, bringing participants from all over to enjoy a wonderful event in the little town of Patagonia.
Lobos head to St. David for rematch
Senior Emma Lewton goes up for the kill during the Lobos’ victory over Lourdes Catholic on Sept. 16. Photo by Dave Lumia
A share of first place in the 1A South Conference will be on the line when the Patagonia Lobos take on St. David at 5 p.m. today (Wednesday, Oct. 15) in St. David.
The two teams met three weeks ago in the Lobos gym, with the Lobos suffering a heartbreaking loss after being unable to close out the match after winning two of the first three sets. Scores were 25-15, 22-25, 25-19, 17-25, 5-15.
Neither the St. David match nor Patagonia’s 3-1 victory over San Simon on Oct. 8 were classified as region matches, so the three teams are locked in a tight race for the 1A South regular-season title.
San Simon is 5-0 in region matches and 10-2 overall, Patagonia is 4-0 and 12-2, and St. David is 4-0 and 9-4. In the 1A state rankings, St. David is fourth, Patagonia sixth and San Simon 13th.
Patagonia has won five of six matches since losing to St. David, including a 3-0 victory at Valley Union on Tuesday night. The Lobos’ only other loss was to second-ranked North Phoenix Prep.
After tonight, the Lobos have three remaining regular-season matches: Monday, Oct. 20, at Lourdes Catholic; Tuesday, Oct. 22, vs. ASDB; and Friday, Oct. 24, vs. San Simon. The region playoff will follow, with the state tournament starting on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
If Patagonia finishes among the top eight schools in the 1A rankings, it will host a first-round playoff game.
This Saturday: Free pancake breakfast at Sonoita-Elgin fire station
Experts theorize that because of climate change, the North American monsoon is trending later: June and July have become drier than historic patterns, with August and September now receiving the brunt of rain. Anyone who has spent significant time in southern Arizona is likely familiar with the “feast or famine” nature of our monsoon precipitation. Wild swings from severely dry summer stretches to utterly deluged ones are relatively common. I’ve observed this paradigm this summer, though the degree of switching from dry to soaked obviously varies between Sky Islands locales—sometimes drastically so.
One sometimes jaw-dropping spectacle associated with the monsoon is the flooding of Sky Islands arroyos, washes, streams and rivers, when so much rain falls in such a short span of time that the soil is unable to absorb the surfeit of water. While the word “flood” may bring to mind images of houses floating away and other rain-induced human misery, local torrents are quite essential to the ecological health of the land in southern Arizona.
Witness this beautiful flowing arroyo at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary in the video above, spawned by recent rains. Having closely studied many running water conduits at our preserve, I can attest to the life-giving qualities of a good flood. First and foremost, a significant portion of the 42 acres at Raven’s Nest is covered in velvet mesquite and catclaw acacia woodland. Most of our countless trees reside in our bottomlands, which by no coincidence is where a complex system of arroyos infiltrates every sector. Of course some rains merely soak into the ground. Others, though, result in a light to robust flow of water in arroyos both large and small. On rare occasions, our main arroyo flows despite there being no rain at the preserve on that day—something I term an “imported flood.”
Regardless of how they get flowing, arroyos support a significant level of biodiversity. The dense trees and shrubs furnish critical habitat for a myriad of species—breeding birds, lustful toads, lurking reptiles, furtive mammals, and countless invertebrates among them. Sonoran Desert toads seek to ingest various insects and even small vertebrates. Gray hawks hunt for unwary reptiles or other hapless prey. Quicksilver coachwhip snakes seek to avoid such a fate. All these and more have graced our preserve—largely thanks to the arroyos, their periodic flooding, and the resultant rich habitats.
Floods also profoundly affect the very topography of the Sky Islands. Historically, overgrazing has resulted in deeply cut, unnaturally eroded arroyos that swiftly pirate water from an area, resulting in relatively little benefit to local ecologies. Highly channelized arroyos might seem like a natural feature of the American Southwest, including the Sky Islands, but they often exist due to abuse of the land via overgrazing livestock. Notice that our main arroyo in the video is not cut into the landscape. Years of carefully implemented conservation measures and watershed management have resulted in a “braided stream flow.” This is the exact opposite of arroyo cutting, as the water instead spreads out across the bottomland, temporarily flooding the woodlands and indeed helping them to thrive. Countless natural contours in the landscape slow the water down, allowing it to soak the soil and hence support an ecologically diverse habitat. Significantly, many seeds and even roots that take hold arrive with running water, adding a botanical dynamic to local arroyo habitats that would otherwise be largely lacking.
Finally, as you no doubt have noted in the video, the water is a reddish-brown color. This is owing to its high particulate matter content or liquified soil laden in the water. As has been famously said of the Colorado River, arroyo water is “too thick to drink and too thin to plow”! Thus, arroyo habitats also benefit from the deposition of nutrients when they flood. So next time you cross a dry arroyo, pause to admire its hydrological and hence ecological handiwork.
We’ve posted over 3,400 articles on the PRT website, with more to come as we digitize the print issues’ archives. Here’s an article that’s relevant to this time of year, first published in our October 2014 edition…
We didn’t really have any plans for Halloween last year. I guess you could blame it on a lack of enthusiasm. However, I did have that need for candy. For some reason, Zach is always a willing participant in my shenanigans, so when I suggested we go trick or treating disguised as children, he did not protest. My plan was simple—we needed masks to cover our identity, a few properly placed pillows to hide my age-induced aspects, and a couple of pillowcases to hold our loot.
We put on our costumes, and right away I noticed some flaws.
We need your help! The PVFR is looking for donations of weights or resistance machines to add to our station gym! If you’ve got any gym gear you’re not using, we’d love to put it to good use. Thanks for always supporting your local volunteers!
Paton Center needs volunteers to help with the weeds
Join Tucson Bird Alliance’s restoration team in enhancing and maintaining habitat around the Paton Center grounds [in Patagonia]. Events will focus largely on invasive species removal and weeding but could include any of the following activities: weeding and planting the meadow; trail maintenance and building; brush clearing and hauling; irrigation system maintenance; and native seed collection. There are multiple days to choose from: Oct. 22, Nov. 1, and Dec. 10
To list an event, please emailprtadast@gmail.com.Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
Mark your calendars for the Elgin School Fall Festival on Thursday, October 30! Open to the community, all are welcome! We will be “falling into reading” and having a great time with treats, games, and more! The Scholastic Book fair will be open and students are encouraged to dress up in their favorite costumes. Please note this is a family event, no childcare is available. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The PTC has a family meal deal available for pre-purchase at https://forms.gle/WdvDpSCkpMTtTizaA. Orders must be received by Thursday, Oct. 23 and payment must be made by Monday, Oct. 27.
Click flyer to register online
Upcoming Events
To list an event, please submit an image file in JPEG or PNG format. Email your submission to prtadast@gmail.com by Monday, 5pm. Remember to submit your event at least one week before the event date. Thank you!
Do you want to hear the piano sing? Then join us for this memorable performance of the romantic and poetic music of Spanish composer Enrique Granados. In his debut performance at the Opera House, pianist Edmundo Santacruz will perform several major works by Granados, including selections from the “Danzas Espanolas, Valses Poeticas and the exquisite Allegro de Concierto—the Maiden and the Nightingale.”
Prepaid admission is $30 – adult or $15 – student. You can pay online until noon on the day of the concert (using your preferred credit/debit card or PayPal) or by sending a check to SCFPA PO Box 875, Patagonia AZ 85624. Tickets purchased at the door on the day of the concert are $35/$20 (if seats are available)
Exterior of the SCFPA’s Benderly-Kendall Opera House in Patagonia.Contributed photo
Oct. 24, 11am: Are you curious about the stories that bring our performances to life? If so, you’re invited to attend an informative presentation about the unique history of the SCFPA and a behind-the-scenes tour covering the design, special features and splendor of the Benderly-Kendall Opera House. Reservations are not required.
The annual “Christmas in Elgin” event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10am-4pm and will have many arts and crafts. The event will be held at the Elgin Community Club, located at 475 Elgin Road in Elgin. Vendors may contact Rebecca Smith at 520-559-4835
Recurring Events
To list an event, please emailprtadast@gmail.com.Image files should be submitted in JPEG or PNG format.
Alcoholics Anonymous:
Sonoita Bible Church – Tuesdays at 7pm, 3174 N. Doors open at 6:30. Highway 83, Sonoita. Zoom option: 601-758-3907.
Patagonia Methodist Community Church – Thursdays at 6:30pm. 387 McKeown Ave., Patagonia. Contact Dave at 207-249-8302.
Crossroads Quilters: Are you a textile artist (weaving, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting)? The Crossroads Quilters invites all interested textile artists to our meetings. Bring a project to work on and enjoy a morning of information sharing and camaraderie. We meet the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 9am at the Sonoita Bible Church, 3174 N. Highway 83. For more information email: alisbunting@gmail.com
Overeaters Anonymous: The OA Sky Islands Recovery group meets every Wednesday 11am-12noon at the East Santa Cruz County (ESCC) Food Bank at 772 Harshaw Ave in the meeting room at the end of the driveway. For additional meeting info, go to oasouthernaz.org. Contact Adrienne H. for more info 520-404-3490.
The Patagonia Senior Center has received a grant from Delta Dental of Phoenix to help seniors with dental expenses. Vouchers are provided for up to $350 to participating dentists. If interested, please call the Senior Center at (520) 394-2494.
Job Opportunity: Full-time Environmental Field Educator We’re looking for an Environmental Field Educator to join our Education Program at Borderlands Restoration Network, serving the beautiful Mexico-USA borderlands between Sonora and Arizona. This role is vital to our mission of connecting communities to the land through shared learning.
If you have a passion for education and the environment, and experience in developing experiential learning for diverse audiences, we want to hear from you!
Santa Cruz County is hiring! We’re seeking dedicated individuals to support our community in various departments, including public safety, community development, administration, and technology.
Responsibilities: Receives supervision and direction from the Library Director or designee. Greets students and assesses each one for subject area and grade level; groups students in areas by grade level. Works one-on-one with students that have difficulty with subject at hand or with expressing themselves. Group students, no more than three to a group, if they are compatible and are working on similar projects. Alerts the Children Services Coordinator if they have a problem or need advice. While waiting for students, shelves books so they can show students where the materials are. Must have basic secondary knowledge of Math, English, and general Science courses. Skills in defining problems, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions.
Education, Certification and Requirements: Must be attending high school (junior or senior) and have good grades (A’s and B’s) OR have graduated high school and currently attending local college. Valid AZ Driver’s License.
Preferred Qualifications: Experience working with children. Knowledge of how to use computers. Familiarity of the way materials are stored in the library and willingness to learn the library system. English and Spanish language fluency.
Salary/Classification: Part-time position; FLSA non-exempt; $15.79 per hour
Close Date: Interested and qualified candidates are invited to apply by submitting acompleted City of Nogales Employment Application and resume to the Human Resources Department. This position is Open Until Filled.
For information on advertising in the PRT’s print edition, Weekly News Bulletin, website or a custom package, please contact Nisa Talavera at prtads@gmail.comor 740-206-9594.
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Competitive benefits
Explore current openings and apply today at: santacruzcountyaz.gov/Jobs
