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Driving to Tucson for the day and introducing the kids to some country music with Hank Williams Sr., Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and even The Cactus Blossoms. Tyler declared it “not modern” and I fully agreed. 😊🎶

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Day 6 of the February Photoblogging Challenge: Sport.

Wasn’t a lot of “sport” options today but Tyler likes to wear Bayern gear nearly everyday. ⚽️

FC Bayern Munchen navy hoodie and red jersey draped over a chair in a home kitchen
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Boyce Thompson Arboretum

We visited the Boyce Thompson Arboretum today and had a great time walking the loop around the arboretum. On the way back we went up on the hillside and hiked on the upper trail. It was a gorgeous visit with an incredible variety of things to see.

Tall rocky cliffs rise above a desert canyon with saguaro cacti, scrubby shrubs, a small wooden shelter, and two hikers on a path below Tall saguaro cacti covering a rocky desert hillside under a clear blue sky Cluster of large Ferocactus diguetii barrel cacti with yellow spines, labeled Cactus Family Baja California, in a desert garden Tall eucalyptus trees with smooth white bark lining a desert path, rocky hills and saguaro cactus visible in the background Two kids sitting on a boulder in a desert canyon with tall rock formations, scrubby vegetation, and a small wooden shelter below. Gnarled mesquite trees with twisted low-hanging trunks and branches lining a dirt trail, sunlight filtering through the canopy
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Great Coffee at Pair Cupworks

I had a great start to the day with a visit to Pair Cupworks this morning. I had a top notch cappuccino followed by a cup of Costa Rica pour over. The brown sugar and plum flavors in the pour over were great.

I left with some Guatemalan coffee by Adrián Hernández from La Galera Farm in the village of La Pinada, Guatemala as well as Ethiopian coffee from the Mijane Family and the Halo Hartume Station.

I spent an hour chatting with the owner Kimhak En who runs the business with his wife Eugenia Tai. He was very nice and had a ton to share on great coffee shops around the country, different techniques and equipment, and their journey starting their own shop.

Latte with intricate tulip latte art in a white ceramic mug viewed from above on a dark wooden table
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Today I learned that these cactus are incredibly sharp. The needles will go right through light hiking shoes. Ouch. They are very pretty though, particularly when the sun lights them up. ☀️🌵🥾

Teddy bear cholla cacti with pale yellow spines cover a rocky Sonoran Desert hillside, with mountains and hazy valley in the background.Cholla cactus covered in dense pale spines glowing in sunlight, with desert landscape and blue sky in the background.

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We had a nice hike on Lost Dog Wash trail today. 3.3 miles. Took multiple wrong or missed turns though. 😬🥾

Man taking a selfie on a desert trail with a girl, a boy, and a woman walking behind him among dry shrubs and treesTwo people and a fluffy white dog posing on a rocky desert hilltop with saguaro cacti and mountain peaks in the backgroundGPS track of a 3.3-mile loop hike on Lost Dog Wash trail in a desert mountain preserve, shown on satellite imagery

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Day 5 of the February Photoblogging Challenge: Pets.

Lucky taking a break during our hike at Lost Dog Wash trail.

White fluffy dog sitting on rocky desert trail with tongue out, cacti and mountain peaks in background under clear blue sky.
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Day 4 of the February Photoblogging Challenge: Layers.

Pancakes layered on top of each other.

Stack of five fluffy golden-brown pancakes on a white plate, with a lemon visible in the background.
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Day 3 of the February Photoblogging Challenge: Comfort.

Nice comfortable spot to enjoy the day.

Backyard patio with wooden chairs around a fire pit, gravel landscaping, green lawn, and a covered deck with string lights.
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Gorgeous warm day for a quick walk at Desert Trail Park. 🌵

Family of four smiling together on a desert trail surrounded by tall saguaro cacti under a partly cloudy sky.