Took a drive out to Empire Ranch last week with Cindy and Dhara and, of course, Spartacus. This was Spartacus’ first day trip by car, and he did really good. He is still like a baby taking everything in. Empire Ranch dates back to 1871 and was once the largest cattle ranch in Arizona. The old ranch house is completely open to the public and on this afternoon, we were the only ones there, taking a step back in time, walking thru the various rooms filled with both rustic and refined furniture giving one a sense of the family and ranch hands that once lived there. Interesting to note that the southwest adobe house set featured in the 1976 Streisand film A Star is Born was built on Empire Ranch, but that part of the ranch is hard to access and closed to visitors. The surrounding area is grassland as far as one can see, home to antelope and prairie dogs. The salt grass was golden and dancing in the wind. We saw raptors in the sky and there were herds of cattle grazing and taking shade under mesquite trees by the side of the road. Ended our day in Sonoita at a country market. We bought all kinds of snack foods and sat outside in the shade. We feasted on flax seed crackers, humus, sharp cheddar cheese, honey roasted peanuts, Nutter Butters, spicy pickles, Hawaiian potato chips and apple pie. Spartacus had a little bowl of peas and carrots and sweet potato. 😊
A peachy neat artsy town 18 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Patagonia, though tiny, offers plenty to do. Nestled between the Santa Rita Mountains to the north and the Patagonia Mountains to the south, the incredible views envelop the area. Whether you drive from Phoenix, Tombstone, or Tubac, you will experience some of the prettiest roads in the country.
Furthermore, with a population…