Junkyard Art in Patagonia

It was a bright day with wispy clouds floating along the blue sky adding some contrasting color as a backdrop to the wind indicator at Fort Huachuca pointing to the West Northwest.


Matt took us the back road through the fort on the way to Sonoita and it's wine country area.

Whispers Ranch in Elgin, Arizona is a B&B and an animal sanctuary.

Whispers Ranch is located in the scenic Canelo Hills of Southern Arizona and is the home to Whisper's Sanctuary, a place of peace and healing for horses and other animals just as their B&B is a sanctuary to humans.

Motivated by witnessing the misfortunes of abused animals, and the uncertain plight of horses sent to auction, we are dedicated to offering an alternative solution for unwanted animals, or those whose owners can no longer care for them.The statuary provides animals a place to live out their days in
peace, surrounded by beauty, companionship, and love.

All animals at the Ranch have a job, according to their talents and abilities. The purpose is to give each animal a sense of purpose and a feeling of belonging. Jobs for the animals may be simply acting as a companion to an older animal, facilitating therapy with people, or participating in farm safety and security, each individual makes a significant contribution to the functioning of the Sanctuary.

The drive was very nice with a genuine rural feel...


... through the Canelo hills with some vast views of the area. In Sonotia the place we had wanted to eat lunch was closed so we drove on to Patagonia and Mercedes Mexican restaurant for lunch.


Next to Mercedes was a small gallery of "Junkyard Art" (the link goes to the Gallery of Tracy Mang not the owner/artist pictured here) called Mañana...


... with two bowling balls near the entrance...


... and a gallery of metallic faces...


... including a dog with a real bone.


There were simple objects...


... and castaway parts from old machines...


... most of which formed the fascinating faces...


... and other artistic objects some with lots of room for interpretation...


... and others that were right out of "The Wizard of OZ."


There were bicycle handle bar faces....


... even little statues amid the excess parts of god knows what...


I liked this metal dinosaur...


...and thought this clay pot was beautiful...


... saw this face as very simple...


... and I looked at this one and almost saw M-i-c-k-e-y M-o-u-s-e.


It amazes me how the mind works and some people can find creative insight in discarded objects...


... with some complex creations ...


... and others very simple...


... with very little work ...

and lots of imagination.


It truly is a "Brave New World" ...


... when a watering can inverted becomes an elephant.

I did walk over to a great gallery in Pategonia called the Metamorphosis Art Gallery and found some great art in the gallery. Considering the close proximity to Tucson and Sierra Vista it's a good bet along with Eva's Camel Parts and the other galleries in Patagonia for a day trip to shop for art and have a great day in Sylvester Mowry's old stomping grounds.

Owner Lydia Lopez is a great host so if you can visit when you can or go to her website at http://www.metamorphosisaz.com/

3D photo by Matt Viel

Then there was the great Chimichanga Sharyn ordered.

"According to one source, the founder of the Tucson, Arizona, restaurant El Charro, Monica Flin, accidentally dropped a pastry into the deep fat fryer in 1922. She immediately began to utter a Spanish curse-word beginning "chi..." (chingada), but quickly stopped herself and instead exclaimed chimichanga, the Spanish equivalent of thingamajig. Fortuitously, the euphemism was a well understood Indianism for the standard Spanish "chango quemado", meaning "broiled monkey", which the dish resembles."

photo by Matt Viel

Matt also took one last shot in Patagonia of the Senior Center and we were off to the wine country of Elgin, Arizona.

Hummingbird Report - I finally saw one at Matt's new feeder - Let the good times roll.

Quote of the Day

"Like Joseph Mitchell, I would scour the streets of New York and find little pieces of what other people think of as junk - and collect it." ~ Stanley Tucci, actor

* Joseph Mitchell was an American writer best known for the work he published in The New Yorker. He is known for his carefully written portraits of eccentrics and people on the fringes of society, especially in and around New York City.