I love Watters!

A visit to Watters is no ordinary affair -- it is an event, to be savored. This afternoon, my neighbor asked if I wished to go to the nursery; I was happy to hop in her pickup. Ever the optimist, I had more pansies in mind. Specifically, the little purple and apricot combos sometimes called Jokers, which have never appeared at the cheaper stores, say, WalMart or Home Depot.

We were greeted by the harvest display, and a scattering of plants near the front of the nursery.

On the way to the hot house where the annuals are safely tucked away, there was this one concession to Halloween (above). A special shipment from OC? Orange County? The sow with piglets (below) was just one of many yard ornaments (which included two dragons).

Entering the hothouse, huge mounds of mums awaited us. Makes you wonder just what sort of magic touch or talent is required to persuade a chrysanthemum plant to totally cover itself with flowers. All at once. Unfortunately, these mum pots were pricey.

So I made do with a couple of macro shots of the blossoms. Catch the center of the flower below; it sure reminds you that these are, after all, just daisies on steroids.

At last, the pansy department, complete to a lone itinerant butterfly (below). This year, I plan to place the plants strategically so that they are not such easy dessert for the javelina. BTW, I was told that the Enchantment Resort up near Sedona has a pansy budget of several thousand dollars per year just so guests can enjoy the little porkers coming and going, munching out on the flowers in the meantime. Which, of course, must be replaced. Would you believe that pansies are on the list of plants that the collared peccary does not eat, as a rule? Yep. Would you believe that Watters has a magic potion to discourage the critters? At $30 per pop. Yikes!

Meanwhile, back in the indoor store, Watters annual Christmas tree extravaganza is under construction. A few trees are already inside, with some lights, but the work is just started. If you've never seen their holiday displays, be sure to do it this year. Well worth your time!

Never had realized what a whopper of a cottonwood tree was growing out back at Watters. A less welcome sight: across Iron Springs Road stakes have appeared at the top of the hillside suggesting that another new house is very likely one of these days. I guess the days are numbered for that empty rocky terrain visible from the area with the big beautiful garden pots and other artifacts.

Two other Iron Springs sights on the way home. #1, I spotted a cabin up among the scrub on the north side of the road. It looked to be an old-timer, too -- funny, I've never seen it before. #2 is the "mountain" of fill dirt left over from the big road widening project. We wondered what it's fate will be. It's been sitting there long enough to show signs of erosion from the summer rains.

Not a European import, these blackbirds!

What have we here -- it looks like one...

and twenty+ blackbirds waiting for that fabled pie. Except they are not blackbirds, they are great-tailed grackles, our loudest summer visitors from warmer (i.e., Phoenix) climes. This crowd hangs at the cienega at the corner of Whipple, Iron Springs and Willow Creek Roads.

Bro and I happened to be visiting a friend at the hospital immediately adjacent. He noted that there were more than autumn leaves on a nearby couple of trees -- and I lucked out!

Later, looking out the 4th floor window of the hospital, I spotted another collection of the grackles frosting the top of the blue van below.

According to the bird experts at Cornell, for the past century these noisy birds have been migrating north out of Mexico. An Arizona bird book from the mid-60s indicated that the grackles were found as far north as Tucson; today they range north of Prescott! Says the Cornell site, great-tailed Grackles roost together in large numbers outside of the breeding season. In Central America these large, noisy roosts frequently are found in the central plaza of small towns. Sounds like Prescott -- there is a flock that congregates at the Square in the middle of town, despite arts & crafts shows and thousands of tourons. Unlike Firefly Forest (who has a number of good close-ups), I find the grackles' many calls to be reminiscent of jungle movies rather than merely noisy! This past summer I was chased by several lady grackles up near the Whipple/Iron Springs intersection -- must have been egg and/or chick season. I'm very fond of these swaggering birds; my mom has never forgiven the lot of them for the one guy she saw chow down a tiny baby quail in Sun City one day!

Later: I should mention that this evening, bro & I had an absolutely terrific pot roast dinner over at the Gurley Street Grill. Normally, I've found that restaurant (and institutional) pot roast is simply tasteless, sliced roast beef with gravy. Not this. It was POT ROAST as Mom used to make. Yum!!!

Strolling Four, Formerly Five Points

Coffee-and. Breaking my fast after the annual trip to give blood at Bradshaw Mtn. Labs. First stop, the deli at New Frontiers; the key lime pie needed at least three times as much lime.

But, the atmosphere is pleasant; besides I could admire the horse figure up on Savoini's roof. It is one of a pair of roof horses.

Time to head down Iron Springs Road. They just can't let well enough alone! Yet another project tearing up the street and extending into the school yard. I made a point of not stopping by the book department at Hastings,

Instead opting for the desert in bloom at the little landscaped triangle right at the Four, formerly Five, Points intersection. Above, cholla; below, prickly pear...

... and the ubiquitous pink Mexican primrose. Ken Lain claims in his Courier gardening column that the primrose likes it dry and thrives on neglect. My primrose climbed up into the big, well watered strawberry pot, and abandoned the dry soil in the ground below.

The little desert triangle is directly across the street from the hospital swamp -- cienega, if you prefer; there are a number of springs in this area. On the opposite side of the street looking south is a very green, grassy area in front of the Miller Valley School. I hadn't realized what a fine old rock wall stood at the front of the school.

This corner, in case you weren't aware, belongs to a flock of grackles who come up from warmer climes every spring. They usually hang out near wet places. I was headed on my way past the school to the TrueValue hardware store when this lady grackle showed up and began nattering at me. Soon she was joined by another and then another. All told, some six birds shouted at me to shoo! scram! begone! None of the usual, wonderful jungle bird noises from these guys -- just a loud racket.

They followed me til I got within spitting distance of the True Value sign. What this fellow was doing up there, I've no idea. He was still at it when I caught a ride home with the fertilizer I bought for my tomatoes.

Road Trip #2: Over the Hills and into Prescott

Routes into and out of Prescott come in three flavors: real mountain roads suitable only to SUVs and Jeeps, paved mountain roads favored by sports car drivers and bikers, and tame highways, such as SR69 and SR89 (north only), for everybody else. Iron Springs Road from the west through the mountains into Prescott fits nicely into category 2. Today's trip starts as the road climbs up out of Skull Valley and heads into the hills.

On the right up the hillside are the remains of the old route. There's an easy access to the old road for hiking a couple of miles and a number of curves further at the point where the Contreras Road takes off.

A short, almost straight piece of highway...

...giving way to "curves and mountain grades." Note that thus far, we've been travelling through chaparral.

Just before entering the pines, the road passes the Iron Springs community, at this point a posh enclave in the forest. Houses here are built on leased land. At one time, the old Santa Fe route stopped at Iron Springs on its way into Prescott. My mom recalls the weekend warriors who sent their families up to their mountain cabins for the summer, while they sweated down in Phoenix Monday through Friday.

Passing over the 6000 elevation point, where the pines start, coming from the west. On the east and north facing mountain sides, the ponderosas belt starts some 800-1,000 feet lower.

One of the many unpleasant results of our drought -- dead pines, killed by the bark beetle infestation.

The sun comes out -- after an overcast beginning to the afternoon.

As the road heads down into the Prescott basin, Thumb Butte is prominent to the south.
This curve opened a view to the east northeast: Lonesome Valley, the Dells and even a glimpse of Watson Lake. The Black Hills are in the distance beyond Lonesome Valley.

Further down and there's Prescott ahead. It's been a beautiful, smooth mountain drive.

With an ignominious finale: the current project that is to widen Iron Springs inside the city limits.

Note: For a video trip over Mingus into Jerome, visit hikenbike.com. Rich is a long-time blogger who recently parked his Airstream over at Point of Rocks in the Dells.

Skull Valley -- a Quick View from the Road

Getting to Skull Valley is easy. Just turn left onto Iron Springs Road and keep driving. After a few mountains, the highway leaves PNF forest land, the road narrows and downhill on the left is a valley that's green and lush, compared to the sere roadside. The outskirts. Important fact about this ranching community -- it has possibly the best water availability in the whole county.

Ahead on your right looms a dark, rounded mountain. Volcanic, obviously; mountains built of other kinds of stone (granite, schist or even limestone) display their rocky origins in a muscular way. Do take note of the two dimpled blowout spots. Busy mountain at one time. Very busy.

Downtown Skull Valley ahead -- the gas station. The only place to gas up between Yarnell and Prescott, by the way. And not on SR89. This is the county road that semi drivers travel to avoid the many "curves and mountain grades" of the White Spar coming up from Wickenburg.

Downtown includes the cafe, currently closed and on the market. Will someone please buy the cafe; I miss it. When my husband and I first moved to Wilhoit, we almost always breakfasted here. Dick's chili was a great way to start a day of exploration; Helen handled the cowboys, ranchers and outlanders with a fine rural finesse. It was at the cafe that we learned when there would be roping or a gymkhana down at the Kirkland arena. Occasionally a miner from the Copper Basin would drop in with a vial of gold flakes. Oh, yes, bikers from the big, hot valley down south would show up, as well. Not only that, but railroad crews would radio ahead with their orders-to-go and then park their trains to pick up lunch.

After the disappointment of the closed cafe, heading back into town -- except that a train is coming. Giving me time for a good shot of general store -- #3 of downtown Skull Valley's three buildings. All kinds of special goodies sold here for ranch living and operation.

I am reminded that, in Prescott, I really miss the trains!

Admittedly, the modern train, consisting almost entirely of piggy-back trailers, is not nearly as interesting as the old-time mix of box cars, tankers, gondolas, and refrigerator cars, punctuated by the all-important caboose. (Anybody know where all those old cabooses went to retire? Maybe you can buy one on e-Bay...)

Once the train is gone, we can leave Skull Valley for the drive uphill back to Prescott. There's certainly a lot more to be said about Skull Valley, but not on this short visit. If you are curious, the Sharlot Hall Museum site has some background reading.