youth Archives

Nature Journal: Agua Caliente Park in October

October 23, 2025October 13, 2025Posted in Animals, Birds, blogging, environment, Travel, wildlife, youthTagged Arizona, birds, Nature, travel, Tucson, wildlifeLeave a comment

Three high school students were peering into the water’s edge and calling out to each other, “There’s long neck. Look how large he is. This is the second day seeing him.” I frequent this park and could not imagine what they were observing. And to name an animal, “long neck”? So I went to where they were standing and asked what they were looking at in the water.

It was a turtle with a long neck! Yup, good name! I mentioned I had never seen one in all the years frequenting this park. Many red-eared sliders were in the water too. They were the usual, and most numerous, turtles for us to see. This long-necked turtle was new to me!

I immediately used the Inaturalist app with a photo of the turtle to determine what it was we were looking at in this water. We discover it is a spiny softshell turtle. These students, who were visiting from New Hampshire, saw the turtle the previous day too. Yes, this was a new turtle for me too! The students also now aware of the Inaturalist app.

I enjoyed talking with the students. They would only be in Tucson another day but had hopes of seeing a javelina. Unfortunately they missed the parade of javelinas through our yard last month. And they will not see javelinas at the Grand Canyon where they will visit next. But they are having an educational Arizona visit in towns and parks around the state.

As I walked the park’s paths this month, I saw my first phainopepla. Of course the Gila woodpeckers were busy and noisy as usual. The vermilion flycatchers with their bright red color is easy to see, just as a northern cardinal that also tried to hide itself in some shrubs. Off in a distance on an electrical power pole I saw what first looked like a black vulture. I did not have my camera that day, but after talking with another birder, I decided it was a juvenile turkey vulture. Few wading ducks, only a couple of ring-necked ducks. About 17 different bird species are usually seen. Now I can keep my eyes open for the spiny softshell turtle too!

The harvest moon and hunter’s moon, the rain and rainbows, and migrating wildlife this month has been fascinating to observe. Here’s my October nature journal for Agua Caliente Park:

“The Homing Project”: Another Housing Effort in the USA

December 8, 2024November 29, 2024Posted in housing, non-profit organization, youthTagged Arizona, TucsonLeave a comment

Here’s my second of three housing – related posts:

Maybe on some of the street corners in your town, you have seen panhandlers. Each of these individuals have their story and some may be homeless. Homelessness has risen in the USA since 2017 and made worse during the pandemic. There are not enough shelters to meet the need. Plus, shelters have some shortcomings: lack of safe and private space possibly being the biggest concern.

I have always liked the sign below. There are agencies that will help people in need. The collaborative effort on the part of many agencies is what will work.

In California, a project, “The Homing Project”, has been successful and as a result other communities across the USA are looking into it too. Recently, I met volunteers with “The Homing Project” and saw a mini home. The Tucson, Arizona non-profit organization has some land to start the project here; however, they are also looking for additional 1 – 1.5 acres of land, or more, to set up future communities. Each 64 square foot home will be for tenants younger than 25 and older than 50. A mini home has one or two beds, storage for belongings, locking doors and climate control. The prefabricated mini homes can be assembled in a day and dismantled as needs change. Along with the mini homes, there will be a communal kitchen, laundry room, private showers, community area and medical, dental and other support services. The mini homes would be enclosed in a gated area with security, but even so some neighborhoods are worried about the mini homes being in certain locations.

To learn more about this non-profit organization, which advocates “it takes a village to build a village”, click on the link below:

https://thehomingproject.org

64 square feet with bed, table and storage

“I Am Somebody” Addresses Housing Need for Youth

December 5, 2024November 29, 2024Posted in housing, non-profit organization, youthTagged Arizona, housing, Tucson, youth2 Comments

Whether you agree with Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs or not, our physiological needs are at the bottom level of the pyramid. This means, these are the most important things every person should have to even begin to help form their behavior. They are breathing, food, water, shelter, clothing and sleep. Think about it: breathing is mandatory, and food, and water. Clothing is a must and so is sleep … and the best place to get it is in a safe and secure shelter … most of us call home.

Today and the following two posts, I wish to share three Tucson, Arizona programs addressing the housing crisis for different populations of people. We know there is a housing crisis in the USA, but what are we doing about it? My energy and interest is in programs being collaborative in their efforts since one approach will not solve the housing situation for all. Housing is needed for youth aging out of foster care, and homeless individuals, and people wanting their first home. Each program is helping in a small way. Here’s the first of three Tucson, Arizona housing programs:

Housing for Youth: I Am Somebody

Recently I participated in building a raised garden bed for a program http://IAmYou360.org

known also as, “I Am Somebody”. Our volunteer work project was at a small community of homes in construction for youth aged 18 – 22 years of age. These are young people who had aged out of foster care and still need help. In Tucson, Desiree Cook, started this non-profit organization as a result of her own experience and saw the need for 20,000 youth in this state needing a hand up. So far 4,000 youth have been helped with this program which has many dimensions. Please click on the links provided in this post to learn more about what this organization offers youth. Here is my take-away of my volunteer time on-site.

We were building raised garden beds at a location where nine 450 square foot homes will be available for youths aged 18 – 22. The individuals will pay $1.00 per square foot per month with half of it set aside for future purchase of a home when they age out of this program. The homes are energy efficient. Each person is required to attend classes, provided by the organization. They are about economics/financial literacy and other skills, such as cooking, gardening, etc. The instruction is to meet this goal: empower the whole person. Each young person must complete a high school diploma or GED, if not already done so, and the young man I spoke with was working on an associate degree at the local college. With their home/shelter, the young people can focus on so much more with the support of this organization.

By the way, I also learned seeds are available at local public libraries. So if you wish to garden, stop in and get some seeds!

To know more about the “I Am You 360/I Am Somebody” program in Tucson, Arizona: click on the link below

http://IAmYou360.org