Here’s some news from the Center during the week after the summer solstice, just as July starts with all our hopes pinned on a “good monsoon season”. “Stay cool” is often heard, and rueful remarks related to the prolonged drought’s effect on the native plants and the resultant extra wildlife visits to our fields and gardens.
The center is quieter. The cooler and WIFI draw some, as does the weekly Wednesday Coffees and the library, but this lull will last until the temps come down from their 105*+ daily highs and neighbors return from vacations or relax from the daily effort to keep hearth and grounds together. We look forward to getting out more after the rains begin; the opportunity to attend “wash parties” is a seasonal social tradition.
This past spring saw members generously donating towards the “doors and more” maintenance projects and attending a wide variety of social and educational events. We met with Cochise County planning department to provide input on the county’s Comprehensive Plan updates, learned how to make cheese from our dairy animals using local starters, listened to taps at a memorial service for a beloved neighbor, told “it could have been a disaster” stories, performed at an open mic event, watched a slide show from an eastern European vacation, and attended various organizational meetings.
Look for another newsletter this fall; our editor has been in touch with a woman whose family homesteaded here on the western flank of the valley and she is sharing stories of ranch life between the 1920s and the early 1950s. Plus some current local news of note and the rainfall recap, of course.
We are currently exploring sizing and pricing for two new rainwater tanks to capture runoff from the southern side of the Community Center building. We will keep you posted on progress with this project! Thanks to everyone who donates to help keep the lights on, the well pump working, coffee in the cupboard and TP on the roller, the river trail open, the driveway maintained, and attends gatherings and uses the building. It’s always good to see you around.
Your 2024-2025 Board members, Karina Apodaca, Lucy Blair, Barbara Clark, Edie Cundiff, Jeri Mullins, Alex Binford-Walsh, and Josh Weiner