Found an awesome photo of last year’s (2010) pit fire.  It’s actually a curved trench.  It’s beautiful!  Wonder what new ideas they have for this year.

Place:  Cochise College Douglas Campus 4190 West Highway 80 • Douglas, AZ 85607

Date/Time:  November 10, 2011, Thursday, 5pm-9pm

Take a look at the video from last year’s pit fire for a glimpse of what to expect this year.

http://vimeo.com/stephencrout/cochisecollegepitfire2010

Read from our previous post on this special ceremics firing process.  http://wp.me/pBlmp-8X

Pit fire is a unique firing process which results in a beautiful and dramatic natural glaze.  Starting 10am Thursday morning, all the clay pieces made by the students from local high schools and colleges are placed into huge holes, 5-7 feet deep, in the ground.  Wood pallets will then be placed on top of the pieces.  Last year, 850 wood pallets were burned with temperature soaring up to 1500 degrees Farenheit.  Members of the community are welcome to add their clay pieces to the pits.  On Friday morning 10am, the pieces will be retrieved and cleaned for display.  There will be an exhibit in the gallery on campus at 6pm Saturday.

The Pit Fire Festival is celebrated with music from local musicians and bands, free food prepared and served by the College’s Culinary Arts Department, demonstrations, special appearance by Flam Chen http://flamchen.com, and last but not least, huge bonfires.  This free event is open to everyone, so bring your friends. 

Here’s a documentary produced by Stephen Crout & Tate Rich on the event with footage from the 2009 Pit Fire Festival: 

The Douglas Campus address is: 4190 West Highway 80 • Douglas, AZ 85607; phone number: 520-417-4046, ask for the Arts Department.

Douglas Campus Fall 2011 class schedule: http://issuu.com/cochisecollege/docs/cll_fall_2011_sked_layout_1

The first phase of this handsome Italianate style building’s life was as YMCA, built by the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company in 1903.  The building has distinctive metalwork around the facade designed by architect F.E. Perkins.  Later the building bacame the recreation center of the city of Bisbee where boys and girls came to play, swim, bowl and dance.  The building was sold to the City of Bisbee in 1977 after the mine closed; later resold to investors who turned it into a 17-unit apartment building.  Started in 2006, it was gradually turned into nightly rentals as long term tenants left.  Now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For years, guests who came to stay at the Gym Club Suites would tell me:  I learned how to swim at the Rec Center; we  used to have dances in the gymnasium; there used to be a bowling alley in the basement;  we used to play pool right here.  But, when I asked, “do you have any pictures?”  The answer was always no. 

In July this year I caved in to the request of Joe to show him where the swimming pool of the Rec Center used to be.  As promised, there really was nothing to see.  The pool was covered up with plywood and the entire area was partitioned.   But, a couple of windows that remained gave us a good idea where exactly the pool was.  Joe, who grew up in Bisbee told me that his brother who was the director of the Rec Center in the 1960′s had pictures.  He promised to send me some .  Here are a couple.

Suite 101

The double swinging doors on the upper left corner of the photo are the same ones still being used today as the main entrance to the Gym Club Suites.

Boys playing snooker at the Bisbee Rec Center (early 1960s)

The second picture of the same snooker pool table shows more of the windows in the background.  The area behind the column is now Suite 101 of the Gym  Club Suites.  It still has the pretty windows, high ceiling and crown molding.  Unfortunately, the moldings below the windows are no longer there.

This part of the building is now Suite 101.  You can view photos and description of Suites 101 by clicking on this linke:  www.gymclubsuites.com/apt101.html.  Below is a current photo of the same corner show above.

Suite 101 lower level with high ceiling, large windows, 32" flat screen TV.

************************************************************************

A blog about Bisbee and Bisbee events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, it is a registered historical landmark.  Renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building; now it is a popular vacation rental for long and short term stays.

For more info: www.gymclubsuites.com

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

Facebook Page:   www.facebook.com/GymClubSuites

The road up to the mountain top has recently been graded and the packed gravel road although steep at times is quite well maintained.  To go from Old Bisbee, take Hwy 80 W through the tunnel.  Turn right on Old Divide Road.  Once you’re on top of the tunnel, turn left onto Juniper Flats Road and continue up the mountain.  It is possible to go all the way up to the communication towers.

Al and Kelly Bossence of theBayfieldBunch.com who make their home in Arizona during the winter months the last few years explored the Mule Mountain this January.   Al wrote a wonderful blog with lots of beautiful pictures: http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2011/01/atop-tombstone-canyons-northern-edge.html.  Maybe it’ll inspire you to take a drive up there the next time you visit Bisbee.  (A couple of links on the article are no longer good.  There are the current links:  re. Todd Bogatay http://www.toddbogatay.com/; best retirement living – Bisbee http://www.frugal-retirement-living.com/retire-to-Bisbee.html.

Notes:  1.  You’ll need to get a permit from Bureau of Land Management to hold a wedding ceremony on BLM land.  2. If you’re interested in seeing more of Bisbee, go to Al’s photo Album https://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/BISBEEARIZONAAFEWFINEPHOTOMEMORIES.  Al takes BEAUTIFUL pictures.

************************************************************************

A blog about Bisbee and events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, a registered historical landmark;   renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building;  now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For more info: www.bisbeelandmark.com

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

Facebook Page:   www.facebook.com/GymClubSuites

REASON #13   The Bisbee Fiber Shop   - 26 Howell Ave., located at the basement of the Bisbee Y Building (formerly YWCA).  Website: http://www.bisbeefiberarts.com/index

 For the Fiber Enthusiasts

Members of the Bisbee Fiber Arts Guild sell their fiber art through the shop.  The studio in the basement of the local Y is devoted mainly to loom weaving.  The Guild also hosts a variety of classes that are open to the public.  There are weekly sessions on weaving, spinning, knitting and felting.  Visitors to Bisbee are welcome to connect with our local fiber enthusiasts.

Once a year, normally in May, there will be a Fiber Arts Festival at the Bisbee Farmers Market.   The Guild members also take an active role in the annual Cochise County Fair demonstrating weaving and spinning.  Contact info and class info can be found on their website above.

The Fiber Shop is open Fridays through Sundays beginning Thanksgiving weekend through April.  The inventory is always changing but usually includes rag rugs, hand knit and woven shawls and scarves, gloves and mittens, purses, fine quality fiber tools, unique hand spun and hand painted yarns for knitters, recycled silk yarn, alpaca and wool fiber, lovely hand crafted ornaments, special sweaters and much more.  They’re perfect for gift giving.

REASON #14   Divine Teas & Novelties   -51 Main Street, website:  http://www.bisbeefiberarts.com/index

Lilith

Lilith of Divine Teas & Novelties offers a full range of teas from around the world and local growers as well as spices, tea accessories, baked goods, premium chocolates, silk scarf,  jewelry and jewelry boxes.

Divine Teas sells tea and herbal teas.  They offer many varieties of tea: white, yellow, green, oolong [Chinese tea], and black.  Don’t know the difference?  Go to their new website and click on the link on Tea Information.

It is said to be the only store in Arizona that blends its own teas.   Some of their 35 different kinds of specially blended teas are Goddess Brew Tea, Peppermint Tea, Orage Spice Tea, Pomegranate Green, Arianrhod’s Tea.  You may catch Lilith blending teas when you walk into the shop.  Lilith’s blends come in teabag form or as loose tea leaves.  They make great gifts for your tea-loving friends.

Divine Teas & Novelties also offers its establishment for small group (5-10) meetings or a place for new and old friends to have a fragrant cup of tea together and chat.   On a cold day, one can pick up a cup of hot tea to go and continues on with one’s shopping.

REASON #15   Bisbee Stitches, The Teeny Tiny Toy Store    -15 Main Street, website:  http://bisbeestitches.com

Jill Richards wrote about the Teeny Tiny Toy Store in her blog : http://www.bisbeefiberarts.com/index

“Teeny Tiny Toy Store, which Hundley shares with fellow artist Hywel Logan, comes by its name honestly — it’s about the size of a walk-in-closet. Hundley and Logan use the space as both store and studio. The shop’s shelves are tidy, and Logan’s paintings hang wherever there’s a free spot on the walls. Hundley’s distinctive Stitches are perched at eye level next to brand-name toys — including an Alfred Hitchcock “The Birds” Barbie. The shop also sells action figures, wind-up robots and handmade President Obama dolls.”   — read full story

New stitches on 12-18-10

Visit their blog where they feature their latest stitches.  Better yet, visit the tiny toy store and pick up some lovable dolls for the favorite kids in your life.

************************************************************************

A blog about Bisbee events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, a registered historical landmark;   renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building;  now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For more info: www.bisbeelandmark.com

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

In the early 1900′s, Bisbee was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco because of the booming mining industry.  Miners built their homes in the surrounding hillsides, then spread out to the Warren district.  When mining came to an end in the 1970′s. the miners left behind their cabins, abondoned. 

Gradually, Bisbee began to populate again because of its mild climate.  Newcomers renovated these miners’ cabins to live or as vacation homes.  This trend continues today.  Every year, the Historic Home Tour presents some of these newly renovated homes.  Below is a story of one of the homes in this year’s tour published in the Arizona Daily Star http://ow.ly/3de7y:

BISBEE – “Remuddled” is how Nanette Slusser describes the state of her home when she bought it.

What was thought to once have been the headquarters of the lumberyard had been turned into two apartments. And it languished on the real-estate market for more than a year.

It was quite the challenge for her husband, Tom Slusser, who embarked on a two-year project to turn the remuddle into a proper remodel.  (read more)

So, come visit Bisbee this Friday-Saturday.  Bring the entire family to see where the miners lived decades ago.  Perhaps  you’ll be inspired also to transform a broken down miner’s cabin into a show piece for the future Historic Home Tour . 

Stay around for the lighting of Main Street Friday night with dancing, singing and Santa.  Join us on Main Street for the special Holiday Art Walk on Saturday til 7pm.  There will be music, snacks and drinks.  Spend a night in Bisbee and wake up to the gorgeous mountain view as experienced by the early settlers to Bisbee.  Maybe you’ll fall in love with Bisbee like so many of us here.

Events for this Thanksgiving weekend in Bisbee:

Historic Home Tour – Friday Nov 25, 26 10am-4pm, Saturday Nov 26, 10am-3pm.  Advanced tickets sale at the Visitor’s Center $12. Call 520-432-3554 for children and military discounts.

Silent Art Chair Auction – View chairs at St. John’s Episcopal Church same hours as the Home Tour.  Winners will be announced Saturday 4:30pm.

Festival of Lights – at Grassy Park in front of Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum Friday 6pm. See lighting of Bisbee Main Street to kick off this holiday season.

Holiday Art Walk on Main Street- 10am – 7pm Saturday.

There will not be a Gem and  Mineral Show as originally announced this year.  The next Queen Mine Gem & Mineral Show will  be in May of 2011. 

More reading:

http://ow.ly/3djNz  Bisbee Historic Home Tour and Chair Auction by U.S. Army Fort Huachuca

http://ow.ly/3djQq  Bisbee: Festival of Lights kicks of Holiday Season

A blog about Bisbee events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, a registered historical landmark;   renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building;  now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For more info: www.bisbeelandmark.com. 

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

Milling: 

The mobile milling machine called the hammermill was already set up when we arrived with people waiting with their 5 gallon buckets of mesquite seed pods.  The hammermill crushes and grinds the seeds into flour and sifts out the chaff into a separate holding bag.  Nothings will go to waste.  The chaff can be used to make mesquite jelly before being composted for fertilizer.  A 5 gallon bucket of pods will make 1 gallon of flour.

Waiting for their turn to have the mesquite pods milled.

Five gallon bucket of mesquite seed pods.

Seed pods have to pass the snap test before being fed into the machine.

Mesquite flour will fall into the plastic container; chaff will be captured inside the big bag on the left.

Mesquite flour is being poured back into the 5-gallon bucket to take home.

Pancake Breakfast:

Mesquite flour has a very strong flavor and is gluten-free.  To bake or to make pancakes, mesquite flour should be mixed with wheat flour.  The mesquite pancakes served that day was a mixture of 1/3 mesquite flour, 1/3 reqular white flour and 1/3 wheat flour.  The pancakes were served with sausage (naturally raised, grain free)  patties from the San Ysidro Farm, McNeal. DELICIOUS!!

Mesquite pancakes and sausage from San Ysidro Farm in McNeal.

For more information on Mesquite facts, harvesting pod and recipes, click on the link to the Desert Harvester site: http://www.desertharvesters.org/

*************************************************************

A blog about Bisbee events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, a registered historical landmark;   renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building;  now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For more info: www.bisbeelandmark.com. 

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

Note:  Originally written on September 13, 2010.

We just had a wonderful weekend in Bisbee.  The weather was perfect for the plein air artists as well as for those who spent their day touring the nine beautiful gardens in Bisbee.

The Bisbee Bloomers Garden Tour

This year there are nine gardens on the tour.  Three are in Old Bisbee behind the Courthouse, one near the Hwy 80 West Bend exit and five in the Warren area.  http://ow.ly/2EncL

The three gardens in Old Bisbee are more difficult to get to — a lot of walking up the hills but it was worth the effort.   Below are pictures from the Old Bisbee gardens.

First thing I saw when I entered the garden - a Bisbee art car.

Every inch of the car is decorated -- closeup of the top of the car.

I believe this one is the people's choice winner.

An outdoors living space at the corner of the garden

A most interesting plant-red & black berries w/blue flower

Another one of Bisbee's stairs on the way to the garden

This is garden #2.

Notice the dragonfly handle?

Look at the details painted on this wood stool next to the front door.

Is this Creeping Charlie (ground ivy) growing between the rocks?

The garden near the Hwy 80 West Bend exit has an amazing view of the highway and  houses along Tombstone Blvd on its north.   As you walk up towards the house, you’ll see a mountain lion about to jump down into the garden from the top of the rock wall.

Captured a mountain lion jumping into the garden.

Of course, the mountain lion is not real.

View from Garden #4's deck

Terry Wolf, singer, song write, graphics artist and photographer, singing for the garden tourists.

Javelinas run wild in the hills of Bisbee.

An outdoors sitting area; wall colors are very typical of Bisbee.

 Warren gardens on the Tour:

Garden #5 in Warren

A popular spot for the birds.

A secret summit in Bisbee.

Tropical hibiscus are getting very popular in Bisbee gardens.

I would love to go back to this garden again -- see the next five pictures.

This reminds me of my old fish ponds.

This is what an okra plant looks like - it's in the mallow family.

Cute miniature water lilies.

Beware!

A garden with room for lots of guests.

Colorful coleus - they all need to be indoors in the winter.

The Bisbee Plein Air Competition

http://ow.ly/2Eozj

Even though the competition started on Friday.  A lot of the painters did not start painting until Saturday.   Here are some of the photos of the day’s events.

Young artist ages 8-18 also compete for cash prizes.

Another young artist.

Terri started painting at 6 in the morning.

All the paintings were displayed at the Grassy Park to be judged.

Display of paintings from the 8-18 division.

Spectators can place bids on the paintings they want to purchase.

At the Grassy Park, there's music by Shade, featuring Duane Reilley on saxophone.

Winners!

All in all, it was a festive Saturday.  Many of the paintings were sold.

Other posts:

http://kaiathomas.blogspot.com/2010/10/2010-bisbee-plein-air-comopetition.html

September 12  Weekend Events in Bisbee:

Plein Air competition and Bisbee Garden Tour are annual events on the second weekend of September. 

Bisbee Farmers Market at Vista Park    8am-12noon

Bisbee After 5 Art Walk     5-8pm

*************************************************************

A blog about Bisbee events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, a registered historical landmark;   renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building;  now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For more info: www.bisbeelandmark.com. 

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

On October 7th and 8th, 2011, the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum will again sponsor the Bisbee Turquoise Hunt.  

History of Bisbee Turquoise 

In the 1950′s and 60′s, Phelps Dodge, in order to expose the high grade copper ore,  extracted  lower grade ore along with deposits of turquoise into dump trucks and hauled them aways.  Miners and company employees who recovered these precious stones from the dump, against company rule, were the only source of this famous Bisbee turquoise.  In 1972, Phelps Dodge leased the right to recover the turquoise from the dump to Bob Matthews who sold most of the tuquoise to Durango Silver, CO.  Durango Silver now owns the largest collection of Bisbee turquoise.

Bisbee Blues, a registered name for Bisbee turquoise

“High-quality Bisbee Turquoise is a hard, strikingly brilliant blue stone often with red-brown spiderwebbing, dendrites or hard chocolate brown colored matrix distinctive to the area near Bisbee.”  (from Durango Silver’s website) 

Click on the link to see a slide show of Bisbee turquoise http://ow.ly/2huoj from bisbeeturquoise.com.

2009 Turquoise Hunt

Some of the biggest turquoise recovered from last year’s Hunt were found by professional jewelers.  Unlike amateurs who were happy to find tiny pieces of turquoise by flipping over rocks and digging into dirt, they scanned the ground for big ones.  And, they found big ones.

This one was found by Olin, a jeweler from Phoenix.  This was his second time to the Bisbee Turquoise Hunt.  You’ll see why when you see the picture below.

A darker turquoise, potentially worth $1000 when cut.

This one was found by Bisbee’s own Rock Man, Bruce Mead. 

A larger rock measuring 4+ inches across, potentially worth $300.

Why don’t you join the professional jewelers and spend a couple of hours hunting for treasure?   Oct 7th, 2011, Friday, is open only for members ($20) of the Mining Museum.  Oct 8th, Saturday, is open to the public ($30) .  For more information, contact the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum 520-432-7071.

Turquoise Links:

Bisbee Minining & Historial Museum Newsletters http://www.bisbeemuseum.org/bmhm/newsletters/bmnewsletter02.pdf

http://www.bisbeemuseum.org/bmhm/newsletters/Newsletter-spring%202010.pdf

Finders Keepers, 81 Main Street, Bisbee    http://www.fkeepers.com/bisbeeturquoise.html

Natural turquoise vs stabilized turquoise http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa098.shtml

Durango Silver’s page on Bisbee Turquoise & Youtube video on Bisbee Turquoise http://www.bisbeeturquoise.com    http://ow.ly/2Orh6

October 7-8 Weekend Events in Bisbee

Besides the Turquoise Hunt, other events this weekend are:

Farmers Market:  8am – 1pm Saturday.  Enjoy music by Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl under the “Social Tree”.  http://www.bisbeefarmersmarket.org/#!market-news

Wine Tasting Fest:  4-7 pm Saturday.  Sample more than 50 Old and New World wines.  This event is guaranteed to be an afternoon of great food, music and fun.  www.bisbeerotaryclub.org or 520-432-3554.

Bisbee After 5:  5-8pm Saturday Oct 8th, 2011.  Enjoy special sales and promotions, enter to win a raffle worth $200+, enjoy live entertainment and artist receptions until 8pm.   http://bisbeeafterfive.blogspot.com/

************************************************************************

A blog about Bisbee events by Gym Club Suites:

About us:  Originally built in 1903 as the YMCA, a registered historical landmark;   renovated in the 1980′s into a 17-unit apartment building;  now it is fully furnished for travelers to Bisbee and Southeast Arizona a place to curl up for the night ~ a home away from home, instead of just a hotel room.

For more info: www.gymclubsuites.com. 

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/BisbeeAzLodging

Like us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/gymclubsuites

The wall is one mile long starting near the border crossing along International Avenue down to A Avenue.  When funding is available, Phase 2 of the project will  pick up from A Avenue, continuing eastward for a few more miles. 

If you get a chance, drive down to Dougles and see your tax dollars at work.  From Bisbee, take 80E to Douglas; make a left at G Avenue and go all the way down to International Ave.  Make a right at Internation and you will see the beginning of the wall.   You will also see a gigantic gate which allows the Border Patrol to cross over to the dirt road  where the old fence stands.  The gate is so strong that a car going 60 miles per hour cannot crash through. 

If you drive east on International all the way to A Ave where the wall ends, you’ll see what it was like before: the old fence and the ditch of dirt.  The new ditch is all concrete rising up to at least 10 feet high.  On top of the concrete barrier is a 10 foot double metal mesh fence. 

For those who cannot go see the border wall in person.  Here are some pictures taken at the site.

.

This is the begining of the new border wall (looking east).  The metal fence is 10 feet tall; the concrete below is another 10 feet deep.  The horizontal concrete bar is a road that connects International Ave to the dirt road that runs along the old fence.

.

(Left) This is another view of the beginning of the border wall, looking south from International Ave.   One can see the activities on the other side of the border clearly.  The concrete and the bars on its right are old.  I wonder what is their plan to secure this part of the border.  (Right, Lower) Looking to the right (west) is the border crossing.

.

The opening to the road that crosses over to the old fence is protected by this humongous 20-foot tall gate.

.

(Left) This is the end of the border wall at A and International Avenues.  Starting here the ditch is all dirt.  (Right) You can see where the Border Patrol is stationed.     

. 

(Left) At this point, the concrete below the fence is 18 feet deep –  it’s a total of 28 feet from the bottom to the top.  (Right)  This is the one mile long border wall looking west on International Ave.

.

All along this beautiful new border wall are residential dwellings.  With the newly paved road and the see-thru fence, it feels clean and very open, yet with a great sense of security.   Also, with two fences, the activities on the other side of the border are not as obvious. 

.

I hope the residents who endured three months of construction noise and dust are happy with the results.

******************************************************************’

Gym Club Suites is located in Old Bisbee, 30 miles from the US-Mexico border crossing in Douglas, AZ. 

For more info: www.bisbeelandmark.com. 

To view our suites:  http://ow.ly/1TcVv

For Bisbee Events:  http://ow.ly/1SNm7

******************************************************************