Our first stop was bird watching at Holy Trinity Monastery in St. David (5 miles south of Benson). And the first birds we spotted were these spectacular peacocks!
Sam was patient and got some good photos. We were told the monastery is no longer active and most of the monks went back to Rome, but this was the second time we had been there in as many years and it's a beautiful place.
Tucson Audobon Society hosted the event and the actual bird walk was an hour or so along the San Pedro River on a shady path under big mesquite and cottonwood trees. We didn't get any close-up photos of the native birds, but enjoyed the walk and met a few new people. This tree trunk is the biggest we've ever seen in Arizona!
Our next stop was Benson Pony Express Western Days, in a park we've never been to. We're learning things about our new hometown! There was a car show (although we've never seen horses at any Tucson car show, and we've been to a lot!).
The tractor pulls were really cool.
And Sam loved the antique engine displays. He tells me this is a "hit and miss" engine that only fires when its speed falls too low. It was made in the early 1900's to refill a cattle water tank when the wind wasn't turning the windmill. It had only enough fuel to fill the tank, and when the fuel ran out, it would quit. The cowboys could go on with their work and didn't have to even be there!
Sam was ready to buy me this little contraption from 1929. It's a working washing machine!
Sam also operated an old rope making machine and we got to take the rope home.
We didn't try the wagon ride, but saw a bit of the pony express ride to Dragoon Post Office, 21 miles away.
Later on at home, we did some organizing in the shed by the house, which we've wanted to get done for several months.
Sam installed a work light over the work bench.
All in all, a good weekend!
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