Jackie's Journal - an Online Odyssey
Jackie's Journal (written by Winston, edited by Jackie, read by many. . . )
and pics from the Chiricahua Historical Society Picnic..........scroll down for latest additions.
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Travelers Warned NOT to Rely on GPS!!!!!
Warning applies to Chiricahua area as well.
Arizona Fun Facts and Trivia....compiled by Isabelle Barnes-Berutto on the Long Time Residents of Prescott, AZ, facebook page:
An ordinance prohibits the wearing of suspenders in Nogales, Arizona.
The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building is equivalent to 4,800,000 pennies.
The Arizona trout is found only in the Arizona.
Wyatt Earp was neither the town marshal or the sheriff in Tombstone, Arizona at the time of the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. His brother Virgil was the town marshal, who had temporarily deputized Wyatt, Morgan and Doc Holliday prior to the gunfight.
In Arizona, it is against the law for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs.
Arizona leads the nation in copper production.
Petrified wood is the official state fossil. Most petrified wood comes from the Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona. Note: Petrified wood can be found in the Chiricahuas.
A class 2 misdemeanor occurs if one places a mark upon a flag which is "likely to provoke physical retaliation".
The bola tie is the official state neckwear.
Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time on a year round basis. The one exception is the Navajo Nation, located in the northeast corner of the state, which observes the daylight savings time change.
In Arizona, it is unlawful to refuse a person a glass of water.
The Castilian and Burgundian flags of Spain, the Mexican flag, the Confederate flag, and the flag of the United States have all flown over the land area that has become Arizona.
In Mesa it is illegal to smoke cigarettes within 15 feet of a public place unless you have a Class 12 liquor license.
In 1926, the Southern Pacific Railroad connected Arizona with the eastern states.
When being attacked by a criminal or burglar, you may only protect yourself with the same weapon that the other person possesses.
No one is permitted to ride their horse up the stairs of the county court house in Prescott, Arizona.
Arizona, among all the states, has the largest percentage of its land set aside and designated as Indian lands.
Oraibi is the oldest Indian settlement in the United States. The Hopis Indians founded it.
Any misdemeanor committed while wearing a red mask (bandana - like the stagecoach robbers in the old west movies) is considered a felony.
In Globe, Arizona Cards may not be played in the street with a Native American.
One must be 18 years old to buy spray paint in Tempe, Arizona.
Phoenix originated in 1866 as a hay camp to supply Camp McDowell.
Navajo Community College in Tsaile, was the first college on an Indian reservation.
There is a possible sentence of 25 years in prison for cutting down a cactus.
Arizona is roughly the size of Italy.
Arizona has more parks and national monuments than any other state, more mountains than Switzerland, and more golf courses than Scotland.
The famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral only lasted about thirty seconds.
The hottest recorded day in Phoenix was June 26, 1990, when the temperature hit 122 degrees.
If you bother the cottontails or bullfrogs, in Hayden, Arizona, you will be fined.
The sun shines in southern Arizona 85% of the time, which is considerably more sunshine than Florida or Hawaii.
In 1876 the Chiricahua Apache chief Geronimo began ten years of raids against white settlements when the U.S. government attempted to move his tribe from their traditional home in Arizona to a reservation in New Mexico.
The Navajo Reservation, the nation's largest reservation, lies primarily in Arizona and extends into Utah and New Mexico .
In Tombstone it is illegal for men and women over the age of 18 to have less than one missing tooth visible when smiling.
In Glendale, Arizona cars may not be driven in reverse.
Arizona Highways has an approximately 85% circulation rate outside of the state of Arizona.
Don't believe everything you hear. Legend has it that the barrel cactus is a good source of water in the desert. Well, you can try it, but you won't like it. The pulp can be crushed to create a liquid, but the juice would peel the hide off a Gila Monster.
It is illegal to hunt camels in the State of Arizona. (good to know - ranching neighbor Peter Grill has one, has had four, in the open range on his spread near Whitetail canyon)
Arizona once had a navy consisting of two boats on the Colorado River. They were used to prevent California from encroaching on Arizona territory.
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Another mining town, another story....from the Long Time Residents of Prescott, AZ, facebook page:
The Palace Bar first opened its doors in September 1877. Although Whiskey Row was known for its many saloons. The Palace was much more than a fancy "watering hole". Men came in to check for notices of work available; it served as an election central for several area political races and cattle spreads; and mineral claims were bought and sold over the bar. The Palace is still the oldest frontier saloon in Arizona and the most well-known and historic restaurant and saloon in the state.
In the late 1870's, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday were patrons of The Palace. Virgil and his wife Allie lived in Prescott where Virgil owned a saw mill at Thumb Butte and was Town Constable.
Wyatt and his other brother, Morgan, visited Virgil in Prescott before they left for Tombstone. Doc was on a winning streak on Whiskey Row (possibly at The Palace) where he won $10,000 in Poker. He joined the Earp's eight months later in Tombstone.
On July 14th, 1900, The Palace was destroyed by the Whiskey Row fire. The ornately carved 1880's Brunswick Bar, which is still in use, was carried to safety across the street to the plaza by patrons. Drinks were immediately served from the bar in the open air.
By 1901, The Palace Hotel and Bar, complete with Chinese restaurant and barber shop, was back in business.
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14 Jan 2012 - First Turkey Cooked at Home in many, ask Jackie how many, years
We cooked up a heritage turkey from Taluswind this weekend. Slow roasted at 325 for 15 mins per pound.
Breast was perfect. Thighs and drumsticks a little rare.....so we trimmed out the breasts and put the remainder
back in the oven for another hour.
Must say - a most wonderful turkey. Every single morsel. Talus Wind is on to something reallllly good here!
Lamb is also exceptional. Order ahead for next year's Thanksgiving or Christmas. You will NOT be disappointed.
2012 - For all you Howard Topoff fans:
2012 New Year's eve - Jackie fed the hungry hordes at both the Portal and Peloncillo 2011 Christmas Bird counts.
Winston helped a little. We also learned that Prescott, Arizona was holding a "Cowboy Boot Drop" in front of the
Palace Bar on Whisky row. Mike Williams asked: "What would you drop in Paradise?" Take a look at the pic
below and give us your best guess:
18 December -
Jackie Prepared an Andean themed dinner party.
Rebecca and Jackie brought bears. Fran wore INTI motif earrings.
Inspiration came from Rebecca's work with spectacled bears.
The menu:
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Jackie Poem
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5 November - SNOW
First snow blowing in at @ 07:30 AZT! Jackie reports winds at an 8 on the Beaufort scale.
Limestone Mountain reported winds of 50 mph at 12:16 am. And......an unidentified Hummingbird
was flying sideways into the feeders in the yard. We have had Magnificents come in through
December, so Jackie always keeps some nectar out for them. Power has been out since
3:00 am. Good thing we have propane - Jackie can still heat water for tea!
Brother Richard is out deer hunting in the elements somewhere North of Jhus canyon.
Jackie is expecting him to come in from the cold for a hot meal tonight....but Brother Richard
comes from Viking and Mountainman stock.. . . .last year he broke the ice on a cattle water
trough so he could take a bath......his response to queries about his sanity: "At least I was clean".
His mother and her mother and her mother's mother would have been proud. One Greatgrandmother
was reputed to have rounded up all the neighborhood kids and given them a bath mid-week.....
A natural gem in the Southwest
Cave Creek Canyon offers winter escape without the crowds
By Wally Elton Special to the Albany Times Union
Updated 05:36 p.m., Friday, October 28, 2011
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/A-natural-gem-in-the-Southwest-2241285.php#ixzz1cMaFqEoU
08 October 2011 First Freeze
29 degrees F. This am. Jackie is picking frozen green beans from her garden.
Nectar feeding bats are still coming in. Blue-throated hummingbird in yesterday.
House Wren calling. Jackie is getting ready for Octoberfest today in Portal.
Winston will be Inkeeper next week while Jackie is off to Tucson for EMS training.
Winston will be cooking tonight......what pairs well with fresh frozen green beans?
Winston is thinking about rib-eyes, lamb or chivo chops, or maybe elk tenderloins.
Jackie will tell him to check his checkbook balance first. Even chivo is pricey here.
04 October 2011 Coming To Theater Near YouThe Big Year - a movie about competitive bird watching. Trailer made Winston
smile. We have had some very competitive birders visit the yard. Some
have visited places in the movie. Maybe they will include birding in Paradise
in the sequel. . .
03 October 2011 Isolated Thunderstorms
With hail and lightning so close it caused the outlets to trip. 1.25 inches in less
than an hour. Turkey Creek and Cemetery Wash running. Jackie is soaking
wet from driving in the rain and checking the road conditions. Winston and
Jackie have been through Typhoons, Earthquakes (Loma Prieta was largest),
Fires, and now Floods. We sometimes wonder what the next adventure might
be.......
18 September 2011 Rustler Park after the Burn - Narca Blog
Spotted Owls fledged young this year.....will they be back?
18 September 2011 Community Art Fair
Collages of the event by Jackie. Nicely done!
Friday, 26 Aug 2011 Doin's
What Jackie did this week: Watched rattlesnake who had decided to camp out in the backyard, cleared road
from flood debris, changed Walker house 3x, went on EMT call, endured a night of roof top thunder, made
wedding cakes, frosted wedding cakes, went to Wilcox for supplies, entertained bird watchers, picked fresh
squash from her garden, shared with neighbors. And to wind down - watched entire first season of Glee on Netflix.
Hummingbirds coming in waves. 6 weeks of hundreds of birds. 25 lbs of sugar a week. Dr. Wethington has
data she can use to map Hummingbird movements between Sites. That will make a great graphic. Seems
Paradise is a central cross roads for Hummingbirds. .
Saturday we are off to Silvercreek church for Zola's wedding. Jackie did the cake, no singing this time.
Winston will help with set up. Meanwhile the Deming Duck races are on and Nephew Jason is wearing
the Duck Mascot costume this year. Older brother Josh relinquished the costume so he could concentrate
on finishing college. Josh is rooming with Winston in LC as he completes his studies. Josh is majoring
in animal science and his last three classes are breeding, beer making, and butchering. Sounds like
a normal Frat house Friday night vice college curriculum......maybe not in that order.
Jackie in the news:
Wed, 20 Jul 2011 Fire - now Floods
Bears and Bobcats are seeking forage.
Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:25:20 -0700 - GWH Yardbirds!
fledgling Juniper Titmouse in with parents
Bridled Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Acorn Woodpecker
Mexican Jay
Summer Tanager pair
Western Tanager passed through
Scott's Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
Band-tailed Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Canyon Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Canyon Wren
Cooper's Hawk
Common Raven
Turkey Vulture
Violet-green Swallow
Great-horned Owl
Elf Owl
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hbird
Rufous Hbird
Magnificent Hbird
Caliope HBird
Montezuma Quail were seen at the mailboxes on Sunday, July 10th.
Gambel's Quail were seen just north of the mailboxes on Monday, July 11th.
The yard is always open.
Jackie
Album of Fire, 18 July 2011
Poem by David Chorlton
Inspired by Winston Lewis’ Collection of Horseshoe 2 Fire Photographs
Album of Fire, 18 July 2011
I
A dark cloud fans
open from a ridge
pulsing fire
as if the mountain
could spread wings
to escape.
II
Some green still highlights
the foreground
where oaks remain
while beyond them the slopes
are burned dry
and shadows move across them
like a wounded creature’s tongue.
III
The pale, pointed fronds
crumpled on a yucca stem
point in all directions
to indicate
where the flames ran to
when they were finished here.
IV
After the burn
a soft light returns
to the familiar peak,
whose contours alone
remain unchanged.
V
So many trees
with ash for leaves.
VI
An inquisitional glow
springs out along the canyon
where the owls
have lost their way.
VII
From the high ridge on a clear day
smoke has the elegant rush
of a silk scarf
waved with abandon.
VIII
On the night of full moon
a tide of bright red
flows up toward the stars
from a brush of fresh watercolour
across a wet page.
IX
Even the long awaited rain
follows the creek bed
with a black rush
and nothing to slow it down.
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Post fire update 7.1.2011
by Helen Snyder on Friday, July 1, 2011 at 9:50am
Here goes another long one... just skip if you're suffering from update overload!
Thank you to Richard Webster for the excellent reporting and most welcome bird news from the high country above Portal. I can add a little more about some other popular birding areas around the Cave Creek Canyon and Whitetail areas, and second the comment that wildlife viewing should be different but very good in the coming weeks, months and years. Mammals seem everywhere – squirrels, fox, deer, chipmunks and bear are out and about, and bats are flying.
Two weeks ago Noel and I got to go see the Herb Martyr area as Paul Hirt had invited us to speak about ecotourism and conservation to his ASU class staying at the station, and he had permission for us to go owling there. We went up before dark and the students had a good look at a very healthy bear that tried first to climb a big Apache pine to safety, but the thick bark kept breaking off under its claws, causing bark to fly and the bear to slip repeatedly back down every time it gained a foot of height. The bear only got about 4 feet off the ground before deciding to save what was left of its dignity, plopped back to earth and lumbered off.
A Whiskered Owl at Herb Martyr and an Elf Owl at the research station gave us a good show, and it was reassuring to hear these familiar voices in the dark after so many weeks of wondering how owls as well as everything else could possibly survive this catastrophic fire.
I got permission to re-run some owl surveys last week and while Elf Owls numbers were down, these results were from unburned areas and my survey was done late, and with the freeze and no rain there might have been low numbers due to other causes. Two different Spotted Owls in South Fork turned up, both in areas that had burned. The owling for birders should be as good as ever in the future, especially in the lower canyon’s campground areas where no burning occurred.
Back to Herb Martyr: The basin above looked surprisingly good. With the exception of one scorched patch of maybe 150 acres of Ponderosa and manzanita, the burn was light and patchy with many stringers of green trees. The skyline around Pine Park looked thinner than before but Centella Point from below looked like it did before the fire. We could see nothing of Ash Springs behind the nearby trees though and I worried about its survival since first hearing it had burned one night in mid-May.
So on the trogon census I covered Ash springs. No trogons, but what a relief it was to find the riparian area in good shape. Hermit Thrushes, Hepatic Tanagers, House Wrens, Black-throated Grays, Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, Strickland’s Woodpeckers and Painted Redstarts called as Band-tailed Pigeons arrived by the dozens to land at the spring boxes to drink. The fire burned at ground level in all the riparian that I covered, killing Douglas firs and oaks that were under 5 feet tall – but a month post-burn, the oaks (mostly silverleaf and Az white) were already re-sprouting from the bases, and grass, canyon grape, bracken fern, New Mexico locust and beech-leaved buckthorn were sending up new growth. Many small snags had fallen and burned to white ash but next to these lines of ash, only the top inch or two of the leaf litter burned, leaving charred packed leaves and needles in place to help hold runoff.
The more sloped canyon sides above Ash springs burned hotter and again, the floods to come will bring further change to the riparian areas, I’m afraid. The Burned Area Emergency Response team is already at work with big yellow machines, sculpting the creekbeds around vulnerable bridges to prevent debris dams, campground damage and road washouts. Paradise had a small amount of rain yesterday and Jackie Lewis said a sludgy ash-flow appeared soon after. See Winston Lewis’ facebook page for pix.
After the wild firestorm in Whitetail 3 weeks ago, I went in as far as Rick Taylor’s to check one of my real estate listings and lock it back up. The effects of the firestorm there made some stretches of the road unrecognizable but other patches looked untouched. I could not go past the residences into the forest due to the forest closure. The single biggest burned area I saw was the entire ridge between Whitetail and the N fork of Pinery, which is now a soft gray moonscape of ash-covered rock and thin black sticks, the remnants of a former thick pinon-juniper cover. When the rains come, this will undoubtedly bring big changes to the canyon bottom.
The fire in Whitetail was almost capricious. A melted phone junction box and the skeleton of a torched juniper stood not far from a completely green ash tree. Many of the huge sycamores had both brown withering leaves on one side and bright green leaves on another as though random dragon-breaths of superheated air had shot through the canopy. Some trees had scorched tops only, with green limbs and grass below. The ancient eagle nest on Split Rock is still there: a single firebrand in that huge pile of dry limbs could have turned it into charcoal. A deer watched us from thick unburned cover and was reluctant to leave – maybe resting near a fawn? – and birdlife was noisy and visible.
The winds came up while we were in Whitetail and with so many fire-weakened trees it was an incentive to get my jobs done and go home, where we followed the news of the Monument fire all day, riveting and horrifying as it blasted through both populated areas and yet more of the montane canyons we love so much in this part of the world.
At one of the last 6 am fire briefings I attended, the Incident Commander spoke of some of the challenges they’d all faced on this fire: working in places where rare birds and 5 species of rattlesnakes live together; where illegal aliens and drug smugglers come bursting through fire lines; and where he’d had had to discuss evacuation with a group of residents who do not speak -- at all. This last was at the tiny community of Diamond Mountain near Bowie, where a group of several dozen Buddhists have taken a vow of silence during a 3-year retreat.
The Forest faces another challenge. Some of us have been following and commenting to the Coronado National Forest on the development of a revised Forest Plan over the past few years. The drafts we’ve seen made no mention anywhere of the impacts of illegal immigration on the Coronado, a startling omission we pointed out well before these fires of 2011. It’s going to be hard to continue to ignore this reality during the revision process, considering the complete transformation of one entire Sky Island and much of some others as a result of fires that started because of border security issues. Let’s hope the Forest Service deals with this all-too-obvious impact when planning for the future of the Coronado.
Forest closure info - some roads and trails are open.
Monday June 27th 2011
The Forest is closed, but we are open. While parts of the Chiricahuas are moonscaped,
Cave Creek, Silver Peak, and the area around Paradise were not burnt. The fires did
reach (or backfires were started) at the second cattleguard south of the GWH, and appear
to have burned along the Forest border west of Paradise, then running north down past
Galeyville area. Winston and Jackie did not make a trip to Whitetail Canyon or past the
forest closed sign. Winston's Facebook Fire album is at the following link:
Horseshoe 2 Fire information is at following links:
or just the fire photos:
Narca Moore-Craig blog - be sure to scroll down and read the archives for June:
Nice blog by Cara Marcelle Mancuso:
Monument Fire - Sheri Williamson Blog:
Monument Fire - Facebook page:
Monday, June 20, 2011 7:19 PM Miller Canyon Update From Tom Beatty, Beatty's Guest Ranch
Following is from Narca Moore-Craig's Blog, June 18, 2011
Winston note: Claiming "The Border is Secure" is the same as declaring "No New Taxes". . . .
" . . . Divisions A and B were well into their burn when suddenly four undocumented aliens burst through
the flames and ran out of the fire (apparently uninjured), and past the firefighters. . . . "
Read more at: http://narcamoorecraig.blogspot.com/
Following is from Narca Moore-Craig's Blog
Friday, June 10, 2011
Homecoming to the Horseshoe Two Fire
Yesterday evening as we dropped down Granite Gap into the San Simon Valley, plumes of smoke
still churned from the Chiricahua Mountains. Homecoming is bittersweet.
Smoke from Whitetail Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains
(Photos by Narca)
Horseshoe Two continues to surge north and west, driven by erratic––and sometimes unpredicted––winds.
Crews have come to expect the unexpected: wind blows when little wind was forecast. Fire burns into the
wind as well as with it. Steep terrain is crisscrossed by canyons which suck wind into the inferno, against
the direction of prevailing winds. Fire can sprout anywhere as it spots up to 2 miles away from the body
of the fire, creating very dangerous conditions for the firefighters.
In Whitetail Canyon, whirling fire jumped the line and destroyed some residences and outbuildings.
The sheriff is in the process of contacting our neighbors who suffered that loss. Among those whose homes are
safe are Rick and Lynne Taylor, Jim Brown, and Tom and Debbie Collazo. Wynne Brown lost her hay barn, but her
home and other structures are intact. (She very characteristically saw a positive angle: the barn wasn't big enough anyway!)
Breach of the fire line means that crews have to drop back to the next defensible place, shown by dotted lines on
today's fire map. The new goal in the north is to prevent Horseshoe Two from reaching Fort Bowie National Historical Site.
The fire is burning into Chiricahua National Monument, and work continues there with the goal of protecting both the monument's
resources and its structures. The fire's growth potential remains extreme, and the difficulty of the terrain is still extreme.
Fire map for the 10 June 2011 briefing
This fire is setting new local records right and left, not only in sheer size (now estimated at 128,652 acres), but also in
categories such as low fuel moisture. Fuel that would be expected to burn for 10 hours before drying out is instead drying
in a single hour. That is extreme. The overall burn index is 95%: this measurement is the ignition probability with wind factored in.
So a spark falling on fuel would ignite fire 95 times out of 100. That is extreme. Many of the indices used by firefighters are at
an all-time high for this locale, the Chiricahua Mountains.
While we are focused on our local inferno and damage here, the national media is focused on the Wallow Fire
burning in the White Mountains, where similarly extreme conditions apply. As of June 10, the Wallow has burned 408,887 acres,
mainly in pine forest, and is only 5% contained. Of more than 4,000 residences, 67 have been lost.
A third big Arizona fire, the Murphy Complex, is burning east of Arivaca and west of Tubac. It is moving through grass,
shrub and oak habitats, has consumed 68,033 acres, and is now 75% contained.
Given the extreme dryness and unusually windy conditions, it has not been possible simply to extinguish these raging fires.
The fire crews have instead had to use all their skill to moderate the fires wherever possible. When the fire jumps lines, control
is lost and a much more severe burn results. Where it has been possible to moderate the fires' intensity, a mosaic burn is being
achieved. The burn in South Fork was reportedly well-controlled and moderate. Elsewhere, crown fires are causing replacement
of entire stands of forest.
One of the major fears about climate change in the Southwest is that forest types such as spruce-fir which need moister
conditions will be driven completely off the tops of the mountains. We will lose those refugia and the animals and plants
ied to those communities, and thus suffer a loss of richness, a loss of biological wealth.
I have heard scientists' predictions about the changes in store for the Southwest, and about fire being a mechanism
for bringing about those changes. But somehow I didn't expect it to happen all at once, in a few short months.
Most of us aren't geared to accept drastic change at the speed of light.
Faced with change and crisis, most of us grieve what is lost. We rage. Acting from anger, we assign blame. In the midst
of our reactions, we need to be sure that any blame is correctly assigned. It is very difficult to know with 100% certainty
who set these fires. (In the case of the Wallow Fire, the cause is thought to be an escaped campfire.) However, authorities
do need to recognize the communities' frustration with the matter of designating a cause. On the one hand, the responsible
individual may never be known. On the other hand, an employee of the Coronado National Forest told a Portal resident this
spring that 12 of the last 18 fires in the Chiricahuas were set by illegal immigrants. By that accounting, Horseshoe Two is fire
number 19, and circumstantial evidence points to that same origin. Yet no official statement ever supports what we are told
unofficially. That dissonance breeds trouble.
I agree with Rick Taylor that one way to prevent many of these fires is to institute a good workers' program that allows people to
enter the country legally for a specified amount of time in order to work. With a legal program in place, participating workers
would avoid the hazards of illegal entry, and many fewer people would seek a way through these mountains. And a hypothetical
12 of the next 18 fires might be prevented.
Although most of the community is solidly supportive and appreciative of all that is being done to help, I have come home to find
talk of conspiracies between Border Patrol and firefighting agencies. Seeing conspiracy is usually delusional and paranoid.
But given the lack of real political discourse, and the use of anything to further a political agenda, the current mistrust of agencies
is not surprising. People caught in the middle react, sometimes without logic or solid judgment. We need to rein ourselves in,
stay as balanced and calm as possible. Long sieges are very wearing.
The fire crews are willing to face firestorms with the intention of salvaging what can be saved from incineration. They are operating
with complete transparency, as anyone who attends the briefings can judge. Blaming the fire-fighting tactics for causing additional
damage shows a lack of understanding of what is needed to moderate (and ultimately, contain) the fires during this season of extremes.
And to the fire team: if we need to learn more about the rationale behind the strategies in play, please educate us. Knowing more helps
to dispel ungrounded fear. (The well-grounded fears are bad enough!)
Wednesday June 9, 2011 - Homecoming!!!
David Sanders/Arizona Daily StarParadise, Arizona resident Jackie Lewis returns
to her home at 228 W. George Walker Lane in Paradise, AZ after having been
evacuated on June 2 because of the Horse Shoe 2 Fire. Lewis has lived in
Paradise for the past 12 years.
Tuesday June 8, 2011 - Evacuation Lifted, Firelines Holding - Report from Paradise
Jackie arrived in Paradise 0600 this morning. Smoke everywhere. Houses intact. Birds scarce, much seed
untouched. Fridge not too bad for a couple of days with no power. If smoke stays bad, she will retreat to AVA ranch.
Answering machine in Paradise is on - please call/leave messages: 520-558-2287.
From Inciweb: 08 June update for 07 June: Strong, erratic winds and low humidity dominated weather conditions
on the fire today, causing active fire behavior and short, intense runs. SW winds pushed the fire to the north and northeast.
The firelines protecting Chiricahua National Monument and the community of Whitetail were not breached. In contrast,
gusty winds caused an approximately 100 acre spot fire west of containment lines in the vicinity of West Turkey Creek.
Firefighters are expecting gusty, erratic winds to continue into the night and through tomorrow.
Tuesday June 7, 2011 - Evacuation Lifted, Firelines Holding - Report from Jackie Tomorrow
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Wrenching News From Narca Craig MooreComplete article at: http://narcamoorecraig.blogspot.com/
I don't think I can report dispassionately the latest developments in the Horseshoe Two Fire, raging in the
Chiricahua Mountains. When the fire jumped containment lines near Saulsbury Saddle, it roared through
Rustler Park, Onion Saddle, Barfoot Park, and the high ridges so familiar to everyone who has roamed the
high Chiricahuas. It is too soon to know just what has been lost.
In the other direction, it raced in high winds through the village of Paradise, toward Whitetail Canyon, and
Helen reported that last night Jhus Canyon was burning, next to Whitetail. So far people's homes and historic
structures like the George Walker House in Paradise have been spared, thanks to thorough preparatory work by fire crews.
4 June 3:00 am MODIS Shot:
(Yes, Winston was up this early - Allergies are kicking his tail.)
3 June 9:30pm Update From Inciweb:
The fire reached Paradise today forcing crews to initiate burnout operations to protect
the community late this afternoon. The burnout was successful with no loss of property.
Structure protection work was initiated in East Whitetail Canyon which is 6 to 7 miles
north of the fire front.
A dozer line is being constructed along the North Fork Rd from Pinery Canyon Rd north
along the eastern boundary of the Chiricahua National Monument.
In fully contained areas of the fire efforts have shifted to resource rehabilitation on the
roads and trails that were impacted in the construction of fireline and burnout operations.
This includes: chipping and scattering brush and slash, covering newly created firelines
with brush, constructing water bars to prevent erosion, and removing flagging and fire
suppression related equipment and material.
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment teams are in place and are
evaluating burned areas as they cool. BAER teams typically review post-fire conditions
and recommend and implement treatments to begin rehabilitation of watersheds affected
by fire. These efforts are intended to help speed up nature's natural recovery processes in
an attempt to stabilize soils before rains arrive with the summer monsoon season.
3 June Evening Update - Burnouts/backfires have been started around Paradise.
Fire teams probably had to wait for the wind to die down.....Jackie has no other news.
If you are frequenting the MODIS site and see red all around Paradise, do not
fret until you hear from Winston or Jackie that all is well . . . or not. Firefighters were
able to save the research station. They will save Paradise.
3 June Afternoon Update - Fire Moved Miles During the DAY!!!
From Helen Snyder:
The fire team leaders briefing us this morning praised Jackie Lewis for her calm efficiency
in the notification of residents in the evacuated areas. Crews worked to clear and prep Paradise
and sprinklers are set up with pumpkins nearby.
3 June Update - Fire Moved Miles in the Night.
Each MODIS square = 1 kilometer, little bigger than 1/2 mile:
2 June Update - 2nd Paradise Evacuation.
1 June Update - Dick Kamp Article in the Willcox Range News
31 May Update - Jackie at Fire meeting, Winston in LC
From Las Cruces:
27 May Update
Evacuation Lifted at 8:00 a.m. Today - Paradise, Cave Creek and the SW Research Center.
Fire personnel will remain in the area to monitor and patrol. Residents will be allowed to travel
back and forth from their homes, and people doing business will also be allowed within the
area; non essential travelers are asked to remain outside of the area.
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2225/ for details.
25 May Update
20 May Update - Jackie has been evacuated from Paradise at 16:00 AZT
View from Space: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=50676
19 May Update - Life Continues - New Yard Bird:
 Varied Bunting 05/18/2011
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 Varied Bunting 05/18/2011
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18 May Update - 100+ Fire Fighters in Paradis, Pumpkins in place:
17 May Update - Good Summary:
15 May Update
Paradise populace swelled to 40+ when fire crews came to make the town "Fire Wise" by
clearing brush, downing trees, chipping wood, pruning trees and more. We can now clearly
see neighboring houses. Crews will be back tomorrow. Jackie was in the thick of it all, hauling
benches away from the house, raking leaves and debris, setting out critical hoses working like
the country woman she is. We are very grateful.
15 May Update
Fire moving northeast. Jackie has been given notice to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.
Thank you to everyone in Portal and Rodeo who have offered transportation, lodging, move help, and prayers.
From Jackie:
15 May Update
The Horseshoe 2 Fire is now "terrain driven". Still burning. Click on the
following Links for time lapse photos of the fire.
09 May - Incident Link and Other news
Right now, Paradise is seemingly safe. Jackie, neighbors and guests are watching
the smoke, manning the phones and are packed and ready to head out if the winds turn.
Cousin Zola has moved in with Winston's Mom in Rodeo. SWRS received a MANDATORY
evacuation notice.
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09 May - Evacuation? Border Patrol In Town this Morning Issuing Evacuation Notices...
Horseshoe 2 Fire threatens southeast Arizona homes
Posted: May 09, 2011 4:24 AM MDTUpdated: May 09, 2011 5:45 AM MDT
By Courtney Carlmark, reporter - bio | email
KOLD News 13 will have late breaking live reports starting at 4:30 a.m.
PORTAL, AZ (KOLD) - A KOLD News 13 crew is on the way to a fire burning in southeast Arizona.
The Horseshoe 2 Fire is threatening hundreds of southeast Arizona homes.
The fire has already burned 2,000 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains near Portal, Arizona,
which is about two miles west of Rodeo, New Mexico.
The Cochise County Sheriff has issued evacuations for several hundred residents living east
of the Forest boundary from Sulphur Draw north along the Forest boundary to Robinson Ranch and west along Portal Road.
Evacuation centers have been set up at the Portal Rodeo Community Center and the Animas Community Center.
The Coronado National Forest Service says the fire is human caused and sparked around 11 a.m. Sunday.
Fire fighters have seen extreme fire behavior overnight.
They expect the fire to grow toward the northeast on Monday because of forecasted high winds.
Fire fighters will scout the area for potential fire lines Monday and provide protection for any homes or
structures in danger of burning.
Fire fighters will also protect the Cave Creek Canyon area, which is a renowned birding area.
08 May 2011Horseshoe 2 fire. Started in "illegal alley" near Sulphur Canyon.....
Narca has the latestand best description on her blog at:
We pray the fire is contained and does not roar down Cave Creek
Canyon. Brother Richard sez: "I hope your fire insurance is paid up."
As Narca notes, this spring is different than last year. A dry winter
after a wet year has allowed fuel to accumulate.
Winston notes that years of not letting cattle graze down
Cave Creek Canyon and the near instant extinguishment of any flame in the Canyon has also allowed fuel to
accumulate. Perhaps the fire breaks and burn from last year will keep this fire from Cave Creek.......
01 May 2011
A 3 Tanager day!
Hepatic, Western and Summer Tanagers in the yard. Scott's, Bullock's and an occasional
Hooded Oriole. The trees are dripping with color. We have observed at least six male
Scott's in the yard at a time, and at least three Bullock's. Too many Tanagers to count.
Hummingbirds are in in good numbers:
MAHU
BCHU
BTLH
RUHU
Previous weeks we had good Calliope and Rufous numbers as they headed North.
Spring is almost here. Low of 24F yesterday. Hail on Monday. But the Birds are Back:
Click here for Gallery!!! 4 inches of snow and Jackie and Mischief were in heaven.
Jackie made an Arizona Snowbird and threw snowballs
at Winston. Mischief plowed through the snow and made
snowballs that Jackie is sure Mischief would have thrown
at Winston if only she had opposable thumbs. The cutie
to the left is Jackie's Snowbird. Tundra retreated to
the fire and barely went outside at all. One Boxer-burnout
and she was done for the day. Jackie has not named
her snow bird, but is certainly open to suggestions.
Needless to say, we may have at least one more snow
before spring and a freeze in late May is not uncommon.
Oh, yes, shopping for plumbing parts in Las Cruces
continues to be blood sport...
 Thinking about it.
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 Attack!
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 Snowball for Winston!
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04 February 2011 - COLD
But as of right now, no record breakers and now Snow. Jackie is in Las Cruces for the week
getting the timing belt on her 4 Runner replaced. She has had to endure Winston at home for
part of the week because his work site was closed to bad weather, and then a frozen then busted
water main, which flooded part of the work spaces.
Our neighbors recorded -4F in Paradise. Las Cruces had a record low of -6F. A search
of the Historical Weather Records revealed a low of -6F on February 8th, 1933.
When Winston gets a break, he will update the Journal with 2010 year end events: SWRS New Year's Eve
party; the Chiricahua CBC wine and cheese social, count, and dinner; the Peloncillo CBC and dinner;
the 2010 yard list; and a note or two more on the joys of hauling the 4Runner down the mountain
on a flatbed towed behind his Silverado. The Silverado has 227,000 miles and still running like a champ.
It will soon be sold to Nephew Jonathan whose $1000 Jeep is requiring more of his allowance than he
would like to keep it running. Jonathan is a good mechanic and is taking electronics at a combined
High-school/Junior College progam. He has the time, inclination, and ability to get the brakes,
ignition switch, door locks, U-Joints, and anything else that might go wrong fixed. He might even find
a new/used replacement back seat - or make a built in tack/tool box.
December, 2010
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30 December - 1st Snowfall
The front blew snow into the GWH house from the South and it turned COLD. Tundra begged for Biker Jacket and Mischief sulked under the stairs. Jackie and Tundra and Mischief are all huddling together for warmth. Jackie will check the roads in the am and notify guests and the CBC teams if any roads are impassable. Looks to be a chilly CBC!!!
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Four Windows
Webs of cold hang between the junipers
where jays and juncos dust
snow from the branches as more snow
falls to replace it. If frost
had a heart it would fly
through the brittle spaces
where dormant grass spikes through
the gathering drift.
*
A chair toppled back by last night's wind
lies not far from the wood pile
where pine siskins perch between flights
to the column of seed that sustains them.
An old metal bed frame
next to the fence holds a chill
in its legs that runs deep
into the ground beneath.
And the soft net falls
with only the flash
in a flicker's red wing to relieve it.
*
Some gnarled stems of cactus resist
the process that takes
away shapes
and makes of the frost a whisper
passing the secret through forest
of what it is the lock on the shed door
protects with its tooth biting into the cold.
*
Little remains past the screen
but the dip in the road where it points
toward the peak that disappeared
some hours ago when the silence
came to erase them.
Copyright 2010, David Chorlton
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