June 11th, 2010 by pattiebell
Green Valley guest Ken Van Horn got up close and personal with this Bobcat as he and Mary Ann were about to depart. After posing for this shot, the cat sauntered around to the patio off of our kitchen, where she took a 3 hour nap under the night blooming cereus (more on that subject next week) . When I went out to water my drooping herb pots she just sat there and watched me before stretching and strolling off.
The Bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. The Bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges and swampland environments. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy.
With a gray to brown coat, whiskered face, and black-tufted ears, the Bobcat resembles the other species of the mid-sized Lynx genus. It is smaller than the Canadian Lynx, with which it shares parts of its range, but is about twice as large as the domestic cat. It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby tail, from which it derives its name.
Though the Bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it will hunt anything from insects and small rodents to deer. Prey selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely solitary, although there is some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including claw marks and deposits of urine or feces. The Bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two months.
Although Bobcats have been hunted extensively by humans, both for sport and fur, their population has proven resilient. The elusive predator features in Native American mythology and the folklore of European settlers.
Tags: AZ, B & B, Bed & Breakfast, Cookies, Inn, Tucson, Tucson AZ, Tucson Inn, Wildlife
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May 28th, 2010 by pattiebell
- Yucca in the Moonlight
- Close-up of Yucca blossoms
Tags: B & B, B&B, Bed & Breakfast, Bed and Breakfast, Inn, Tucson, Tucson AZ, Tucson Inn, Wildflowers
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May 18th, 2010 by pattiebell
After tasting these great cookies in Taos, NM, where they are the official 
state cookie, I set out to find a recipe and prepare them for my guests here at the Ranch House. Traditionally they are made with lard, but I found a good approach using butter instead. This recipe is a redux of a few I considered, combining the best elements: plenty of anise seed, orange zest, layering the dough a bit, and dusting with cinnamon sugar.
Pulse in food processor until mixed: 2 C. flour, 3/4 C. sugar, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/8 t. salt, and 1 T. ground anise seed. Add 12 T. cold butter cut into bits and pulse until mixture resembles course meal. Add 1 large egg, 1 t. vanilla, 2 T. ice water, the zest of 1 orange and pulse until ball starts to form. Remove to floured surface and knead a few times. Roll dough out with rolling pin, folding over and lightly re-rolling a few times. Form into disc, wrap in film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Roll out on floured surface to 1/4 in. thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets, sprinkle tops of cookies with 1/2 t. cinnamon mixed with 2 T. sugar and place in freezer for 15 minutes. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until set, slightly colored on edges but not brown. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
I love that New Mexico has a State Cookie. That is a state with it’s priorities straight!
Tags: AZ, B&B, Bed & Breakfast, Bed and Breakfast, Cookies, Recipes, Tucson, Tucson Inn
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May 11th, 2010 by pattiebell
Datura Bloom
Datura are herbaceous, leafy annuals and short-lived perennials which can reach up to 2 meters in height. The leaves are alternate, with a lobed or toothed margin. The flowers are erect or spreading, trumpet-shaped, and colors vary from white to yellow, pink, and pale purple. The fruit is a spiny capsule, splitting open when ripe to release the numerous seeds. The seeds disperse freely over pastures, fields and even wasteland locations.
Datura belongs to the classic “witches’ weeds,” along with deadly nightshade. Most parts of the plants contain toxic hallucinogens, and Datura has a long history of use for causing delirious states and death. It was well known as an essential ingredient of love potions and witches’ brews.
Common names include Thorn Apple, Pricklyburr, Jimson Weed, Moonflower, Hell’s Bells, Devil’s Weed, Devil’s Cucumber, and Devil’s Trumpet. Nathaniel Hawthorne refers to one type in The Scarlet Letter as Apple-Peru.
They are a very common sight in Southern Arizona, and this one cropped up right beside El Rancho Merlita’s fire pit.
Tags: AZ, B & B, Bed and Breakfast, datura, Tucson, Wildflowers
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May 11th, 2010 by pattiebell
Visit form the Javelina
Javelina are peccaries – medium-sized animals, with a strong superficial resemblance to pigs. Their preferred food consists of roots, grass, seeds, and fruit. When they visit El Rancho Merlita they are particularly attracted to our quail seed block. They can wreak quite a bit of havoc in the hummingbird bed I planted earlier in the spring. This particular morning our guests had almost as much fun watching their innkeeper try to scare them out of said bed as they did seeing the javelina themselves. These 2 were part of a group of 4 who passed through during the breakfast hour.
Tags: AZ, B & B, Bed and Breakfast, Javelina, Tucson
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April 18th, 2010 by pattiebell
Day 8 – The final rock is placed and the labyrinth is watered one final time.
A beautiful sight!
Desert broom is cleared between the labyrinth and the entry area under the large mesquite.
Tags: B&B, Bed & Breakfast, Inn, Labyrinth, Tucson AZ
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April 13th, 2010 by pattiebell
Beginning at the center.
Day 6 – Stakes are set to locate the center and 16 radial points. String connects the center and a stake (used for scoring a line) at the radius for the center and the first path. Next, the radials are tied off to locate each change in direction.
Rock is collected from the site in various sizes with one dimension approximately 3 inches wide. The scored lines are deepened using each unique rock so that they set securely into the earth. Water compacts the soil at the end of the day.
More lines drawn, more rocks laid
After work is done for the day, water and compact.
Day 7 – Scoring, laying rock and watering continues.
Same process, another days work
Future home for a modern petroglyph
A pictograph on this rock will indicate the entrance to another alcove leading to the labyrinth. The landscape light will illuminate the sloped surface at night.
Tags: B&B, Bed & Breakfast, Inn, Labyrinth, Tucson, Tucson AZ
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April 8th, 2010 by pattiebell
Phew! That was a lot of work!
Designing maze puzzles for my sisters was a favorite childhood pastime. Now I have the chance to build a labyrinth and have chosen the respected Tohono O’odham Man in the Maze pattern.
The desert gardens south of the Ranch House are extensive. A fire pit, horseshoes, bocce ball, stargazing patio and a profusion of wildflowers are playfully encountered along the meandering paths. The desert landscape, like the Ranch House, seems to absorb activities without feeling crowded.
There is a very special place bordered by mesquites to the east and south, the path to the north, and creosote to the west. The area is a natural 32-foot arena. Two creosote, some weeds and a few wildflowers lived here. This area will be the future home of the El Rancho Merlita labyrinth.
Day 1 – My daughter, Valerie, and I dug up the creosote for transplanting. 2 hr.
Day 2 – My husband, John, and I dug up all the weeds. We staked the center and marked the circle with the radial points. 4 hr.
Day 3 & 4 – Decomposed granite was spread about 1” thick to create a clean smooth level surface and watered to begin compaction. 5 hr.
Day 5 – More watering.
**Next step: Lay out the path.
Tags: B&B, Bed & Breakfast, Inn, Labyrinth, Tucson, Tucson AZ
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February 20th, 2009 by pattiebell
El Rancho Merlita is to be a feature property on the Tucson Treasures show by KMSB Fox 11 AZ. Rancho Merlita is a tucson gem, and will soon be open to the public as a Bed & Breakfast. The Rancho Merlita Ranch House living room is pictured below (click photo to enlarge).
In order to serve our guests better we would like to create a Tucson Treasures blog. What treasures have we discovered in Tucson and highly recommend? Read our blog posts to find out…
Tags: B&B, Bed & Breakfast, KMSB Fox 11 AZ, Tucson, Tucson Treasures
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Green Valley guest Ken Van Horn got up close and personal with this Bobcat as he and Mary Ann were about to depart. After posing for this shot, the cat sauntered around to the patio off of our kitchen, where she took a 3 hour nap under the night blooming cereus (more on that subject next week) . When I went out to water my drooping herb pots she just sat there and watched me before stretching and strolling off.
