Whoooah

Holy freakin' expletive. This is one over-whelming gem show conglomeration. I went to just one venue today and spent my entire budget (and then some) in under 2 hours...unbelievable the quantity of beads and findings here. I got a LOT of new chain, silver and some green amber from the Carribbean. Very rare, and so cool! Almost a bottle green. Gorgeous. I got the traditional orange/yellow amber too. And some lovely lapis with golden splashes all over it. And I'm learning a lot about how to approach the show next year (come earlier, spend more!...that's where the bank will have to come into play!)

Around sunset we went to the San Xavier del Bac mission on the Tohono O'odham Reservation. It's a Franciscan mission know as the "white dove of the desert". It is a stark and pristine white building with rounded cupolas on top, landscaped with numerous types of cacti and heat-loving trees. And dust. I was glad to be there in the "winter". Pretty neat. We walked up a little hill beside the mission and looked out over lush green fields (irrigated) and to mountains on all sides. I think one range was the Santa Canalinas? But I forgot the name already. That was a rocky mountain. Then another smaller pimple of a mountain, which had the saguaro's dotting it so that it looked like a little hedgehog. It's so neat and uncanny to see cactus-lined streets! They're as tall as the trees we're used to seeing on our Eastern streets, but such an odd shape, spiky and kinda top-heavy. People's yards are planted with prickly pair, barrel cactus and saguaro's instead of grass and rhododendruns.

Had another great meal tonight, this one was at Crossroads, the oldest Mexican restaurant in Tucson. I had mole chicken which was so perfectly tender and delicious. And a delicious margarita! And guacamole aplenty. I love that you can have avocado at every meal here! So tasty. I'm well ready tomorrow. Hitting another show tomorrow (but will need to keep my hands firmly in my pockets to resist spending more than I alotted myself!)