Skip to main content

Tanque Verde Guest Ranch

Way back in February my bestie Ana bought a Groupon for a one-night stay at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. When the night of our reservation finally rolled around, I was reluctant to go because so mentally zapped by the previous two weeks. But I packed my little bag, picked up my little friend, and made the little drive out to the Ranch.

We checked into our delightful little room around 5:30. Just before we left for the dining room I saw a couple who looked familiar to me pass by our window. Sure enough, it was my friend Charlie and her husband Al. They'd bought the same Groupon. It was nice to see her. Reminded me that we need to catch up, but this weekend wasn't the time. She was there to enjoy some private time with her husband, and I was there to enjoy a respite with my Ana.


Dinner in the dining room was a soup and salad bar affair with choice of entree. I ate pork medallions with sage rubbed apples and citrus black beans; Ana ate herbed seared halibut with mashed purple sweet potatoes. We shared 4 desserts from the buffet.

After dinner we meandered back to our room to change into our suits for a soak in the hot tub, which we had all to ourselves. Slept nine badly needed uninterrupted hours after that.


After a buffet style breakfast we explored the grounds. Here's Ana enjoying the birdsong at Lake Corchran.


My thumb enjoying the view.


We walked a nature trail north of the lake, where we sat for a bit on a bench, looking out at the saguaro-studded Santa Catalina foothills.


There's a quaint little museum on the grounds. Photos of the proprietors and guests circa 1950.

Perfect little 18 hour escape. Just what I needed.

Comments

Momma_Dee said…
Just what you needed, indeed! Looks delightful. Ana is a wonderful friend, so glad you have each other.
Ken Mirr said…
What a beautiful ranch! I love the lake view; the water looks so clear and clean enough to drink. I bet those veggies you ate are fresh right from their farm. I will make it my long term goal to own a ranch! =)

Darren Lanphere

Popular posts from this blog

wedding gift

On Saturday Dave's cousin Traci is getting married. At the last minute we decided to fly to Ames for the wedding and to see everyone who will be in attendance there. At the last minute, I decided to crochet a throw as a wedding gift. I just finished. The colors in this first picture are true; the other two pictures were taken with flash so the colors look brighter than they really are. I started last Monday night with 7 skeins of Lion Brand Chenille Thick and Quick in Periwinkle. It's 72 single crochet in the back loop only for as many rows as you want. Then single crochet around in a contrasting color. I chose Wine. I bought the yarn at Big Lots for half the retail price. It's long and skinny but very texturally appealing. Though all skeins were of the same dye lot, you can see that the top and bottom skein are definitely different, not so much in color as in texture. It's pure dumb luck that they ended up at the top and bottom. It's not perfect, but neither is mar

memory

in which I get knocked down

Sickness saps my energy, both physical and mental. It's surprising, really, how seldom I get sick, since I work in a petri dish. When I do get sick it lays me low and happenings that I might normally take in stride just completely knock me down. Last week I was diagnosed with an embarrassing viral infection, the symptoms of which on their own couldn't possibly have dragged me this deep down: sores in my mouth and throat that blistered and peeled and made every mouthful feel and taste like shredded pennies; an itchy rash around my mouth and nose and on my chest. Compounding that: knees that felt packed in hot wax, the backs of my eyeballs aflame. No fever, so no H1N1. Negative strep. Malaise. But I soldiered (martyred?) through most of the week at work, because I could, and some of the other teachers had to stay at home with their diverticulitis and kidney stones. On Thursday night my laptop died. On Friday night I felt I could deal with my weekend obligations. DH went out of t