Whenever our family goes on a day trip to historic Tubac, Arizona, we are surprised to find new shops and galleries. Our trip today was no different. It’s almost a new town each time and was especially sleepy today due to the winter season drawing to a close. The snow-birders that spend the winter here have all but left for the Midwest and east coast where they are from. We had the run of the town and the gems of the day were The Yard Woman and the Hal Empie Gallery. We happened upon the Yard Woman first. Full of herbal tinctures and remedies, the store smelled fresh and clean. The children were immediately drawn to the table of handmade soaps in the center of the store. They wasted no time at all sniffing each and every soap and then thrusting them under my nose, too saying, “Smell, Mom!!” I find it so ironic that they liked the soap so much. Baths and the children are always a challenge. I was totally opportunistic and snatched up a bar of the “Eye Opener” Goat’s Milk Soap by Windrift Hill. I also picked up a few ounces of Red Raspberry Leaf tea, which is for me (and a great tea for any lady, might I add). We were off to the next find. My husband was searching for handmade pottery and wooden bowls while I was keeping my eyes open for great original plein air paintings. The children spotted ice cream stands and gem shops. Anxious to spend their hard-earned allowances, the children yanked us across one dusty street after another. Tubac has plenty of refreshing stops and it seems all stores carry bottled water. One of the last stores we happened into was the Hal Empie Gallery. It is mostly prints from the late Arizona artist’s vast body of works, but there were a few originals there on consignment, too. I appreciate prints, but there really is something special about an original piece of work that gets my pulse pounding! It was a rare treat. We left for home after that. The first thing I did after I got in the door was to go and place the children’s new soap in their shower for tomorrow!
