Freelance
PLANTING YOUR FUTURE

It is an amazingly short time before Christmas will be upon us and with it all the questions and pondering about “what should we do about a tree?”

My answer has been the same each year for decades – buy a living tree and plant it in your yard after the holidays. After 26 years on the same little patch of ground, I now have a very thriving grove of evergreen trees.

In many years I have been traditional and chosen either eldarica or aleppo pines; there have to be a half-dozen of each. Otherwise, I have been a bit more adventurous and used less ordinary pines, such as Italian stone pine, Japanese black pine, chir pine and even a ponderosa pine brought back from Flagstaff. Then I started going for evergreen, but not pine; soon a lovely group of cypresses and junipers meandered down other edges of the property.

Of all of those beautiful trees that now grace my property, I am most taken by the alligator juniper. Juniperus deppeana pachyphlaea, locally know as alligator juniper for the scored bark that it achieves in later years, is a wonderful native tree that can be found on the way up into the Santa Catalina Mountains after about 3,500 feet elevation.

We once found a monster that we were sure should be in the annals of the great trees, but decided it would be much too difficult to direct people to it. This particular specimen must have been more than 100 years old and, by reckoning, appeared to be 65- to 70-feet tall. But what was most astounding was its girth; three of us could not join hands around the massive trunk that was solitary until about 10 feet up where it branched off into three sections, each of which could have made an entire tree.

I doubt that I will live to see my alligator juniper reach such massive proportions, but it is doing a splendid job of getting there.

One of the most spectacular attributes of this particular tree is the sparkling icy blue-gray foliage. I argued with myself that it was not a traditional green to be used for Christmas, but it turned out to be one of my best decorated specimens ever.

For each of us, the Christmas tree and the memories it invokes pushes us toward keeping the tradition. As a child, we had a cut tree every year. As an adult, the protector in me would not allow me to be a part of the yearly slaughter.

Now each of us also must struggle with the space issue as the yards get smaller and landscapes come packaged to not include room for expansion. There are many times you hear of someone buying a house where an innocuous 6-foot potted little Christmas tree was transplanted and grew to be 40 feet tall (and still going). Problem is it was planted just a foot or two from the wall of the house. If you are going to plant your tree after Christmas, know your tree – and how big it will become!

Here are brief guidelines of the optimum potential:

• Aleppo pine: 40- to 80-feet tall with a billowy canopy as much as 40 feet wide.

• Eldarica pine: 30- to 70-feet tall, very pyramidal and as much as 25 feet across the “base” of the pyramid.

• Italian stone pine: Very slow-growing and very long lived. In a human lifetime it usually gets to 30- to 40-feet tall. (There are 200-foot tall giants in Italy.)

• Arizona cypress: 30- to 60-feet tall, with a rounded pyramid shape; can get as much as 25 to 30 feet across.

• Blue pyramid cypress: 30- to 50-feet tall, slender pyramid, not much more than 20 feet across.

• Spartan (or spearmint) juniper: Shaped in a tight pyramid, 15- to 20-feet tall and no more than 12 to 15 feet wide.

• Blue point juniper: 12- to 15-feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide.

• Alligator Juniper: 40- to 50-feet tall and as much as 25 feet across in the first 30 years of growth.

Certainly, you have many other choices. Be creative. A whole world of wonderful plants can be a spectacular Christmas tree.

Cathy Bishop, co-owner of Mesquite Valley Growers Nursery, has more than 30 years of gardening experience. E-mail her at weekendplus@tucsoncitizen.com.

CATHY BISHOP

Freelance
TREASURES & TRENDS

Question: I am not a serious collector but have a shoebox full of vintage postcards. Most of the ones that I have feature scenes of the various tourist destinations in the Southwest, such as the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert and Old Tucson Studio. I find them, especially the older ones, fascinating and would like to know more about this field of collecting. – Herb, Tucson

Answer: Although some sources disagree, the first postcard was probably mailed in Austria during the autumn of 1869. The United States passed postal regulations allowing the card three years later. Most of the postcards collected today were published between 1890 and 1915. They were called penny postcards because, until a postal increase in 1917, they required a 1-cent stamp to mail.

One of the better groups for collectors is the Tucson Post Card Exchange Club, 820 Via Lucitas, Tucson, AZ 85718. Joan Gentry is the president of the club and edits its excellent newsletter, The Postscript. Her contact information is joangentry@msn.com and www.tucsonpostcardclub.com. Meetings are usually held at 2:30 p.m. the first Sunday of the month at the Pima County Medical Society Building, 5199 E. Farness St. Dues are $15 per year and donations are always accepted and tax deductible. This is an active club that I highly recommend. If you are even remotely interested in older postcards, attend a meeting and get acquainted with others who share your hobby.

In addition to his work for the Tucson Citizen, Larry Cox writes book reviews and a weekly collectibles column that are syndicated by King Features and distributed throughout the United States and Canada. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com.

I have a Mickey Mouse hand puppet that was manufactured by Steiff sometime during the early 1930s. Although I played with it as a youngster, it is still in fairly decent shape. I have been offered $75 for it and wonder if you think that is a fair price. – Steve, Green Valley

I found your hand puppet illustrated and with references in the Official Price Guide to Disney Collectibles by Ted Hake (House of Collectibles, $29.95). Hake is the founder of Hake’s Americana and Collectibles, the first auction house to specialize in 20th-century popular culture. He is an international expert in this field. According to Hake, your puppet is 10 inches tall, made of velvet with sateen-covered hands, oilcloth eyes and string whiskers. When it was issued in 1933, it came with ear button and cloth tag. With the button, it is valued at between $400 and $1,600, depending on condition. Without the tag and button, it is valued between $100 and $800.

I have nine Little Golden Books and wonder what they are worth. I have attached a list and wonder if you can help me. – Sue, Tucson

I suggest you buy or borrow a copy of Warman’s Little Golden Books Identification and Price Guide by Steve Santi (Krause, $24.99). It lists each and every Little Golden Book published along with issue dates and information on how to determine current values.

LARRY COX

Freelance
ROSIE ON THE HOUSE

Granite and tile are usual choices for kitchen countertops. And lately, so is concrete.

The simple gray slab – with a bit of embellishment – is becoming nearly as popular in the kitchen as it always has been outdoors.

The online Concrete Network says more consumers search the Internet for information about concrete countertops than for any other kind of concrete product, including patios, driveways, pool decks and new homes.

Concrete countertops are becoming fast favorites among homeowners with a look that’s sleek, contemporary, unique or industrial.

Homeowners like them because each one can be molded into a unique shape or design to reflect their personality or even their cooking style. Plus, they’re considered an eco-friendly product that’s so durable it could outlast the house.

These countertops are a far cry from a simple sidewalk slab. Concrete countertops can be smooth or textured, almost any color and embedded with embellishments from seashells to sparkling bits of glass.

So if you’re thinking that putting an ordinary outdoor slab on your kitchen countertop will save you some money on remodeling, you might be surprised to learn that these smooth new surfaces are considered high end. Standard 1.5-inch thick concrete countertops can cost from $65 to $135 per square foot, not including installation – and installation can be heavy and messy, so you’ll probably need to pay for labor.

The primo price pays for the artistry and customization required to hand-cast a countertop.

Each one is different – and can be adorned with stains, textures, custom edges and curved shapes, which can add to the cost. Most concrete countertops are cast in a shop and formed to fit your specific space, although some installers prefer to create them at the customer’s home. And they need to be sealed to stave off stains and scuffs – and to give the concrete surface a glossy, satin or matte finish.

Concrete is heat- and scratch-resistant, and new treatments reduce hairline cracks – but they still can occur.

If your existing countertops have an unusual shape and your budget can take the custom-made cost, concrete might be for you.

Rosie Romero has been in the Arizona homebuilding and remodeling industry for 35 years. He has a radio program from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KNST-AM (790). For more do-it-yourself tips or to contact Romero, go to rosieonthehouse.com or call 888-767-5348 during the show.

ROSIE ROMERO

Freelance

This vintage rocker, featuring both a cane back and seat, is $65 and available at Firehouse Antique Mall, 6522 E. Speedway Blvd.

LARRY COX

contactlarrycox@ aol.com

Citizen Staff Writer
NEW PET PRODUCT

Your dog may not care what her food bowl looks like, but if you do, WETNoZ’s Metro Duo has the looks – and the prices to go with it.

This dual bowl feeder is made of stainless steel, with a removable double bowl and a raised high-grade plastic stand.

The bowl comes in three heights (4 inches, 6 inches and 8 inches) and two “organic” colors (bark and leaf).

Depending on size, Metro Duo is priced from $79.95 to $129.95 and available at www.wetnoz.com.

Weekend Plus

Freelance
TREASURES & TRENDS

Question: Even though I’ve read your column for several years, I don’t think you’ve ever written about vintage jukeboxes. I have an old Rock-O-La that needs some minor work and hope you can recommend a local person who can help me.

- Steve, Tucson

Answer: According to 20th Century Words, edited by John Ayto, the word “juke,” as used in juke joint, was an old African-American term describing a roadhouse or brothel, especially a cheap roadside establishment that served food and drinks and provided music for dancing. In 1927, the Automatic Music Instrument Co., manufactured a mechanical machine that played a record. So was born the jukebox, which was an instant hit. For the cost of a nickel, a patron could enjoy the latest music of the day.

Jukeboxes were a major draw for taverns and bars throughout the country. Some of the better machines include those branded by Seeburg, Wurlitzer, Rock-O-La and AMI. One of the most famous models of all time is the 1946 Wurlitzer 1015, the “bubbler.”

One of the jukebox experts in Tucson is Jukin’ Jim, a dealer and collector who buys, sells and repairs older jukeboxes. He has restored machines at Firehouse Antique Mall, 6522 E. 22nd St., and Dave’s Antiques, 449 W. 29th St. His contact information is jim@jukinjim.com and 730-1129. Check out his Web site, www.jukinjim.com – it’s nifty.

This has nothing to do with collectibles but I am nevertheless curious about something. I read your book reviews in the Thursday Calendar section of the Tucson Citizen and am amazed at how many titles you feature. This leads me to wonder what becomes of them? Are you a collector? – Roxanne, Tucson

Not really. The books I receive from publishers end up being donated to my neighborhood library, the Pima County Library’s Kirk-Bear Canyon branch, 8959 E. Tanque Verde Road.

In addition to his work for the Tucson Citizen, Larry Cox writes book reviews and a weekly collectibles column that are syndicated by King Features and distributed throughout the United States and Canada. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com.

I have several pieces of Depression glass in the Daisy pattern. How can I date them? – Ramona, Tucson

The Daisy pattern was introduced during the 1930s by the Indiana Glass Co., based in Dunkirk, Ind. Pieces were made in fired-on red (late 1930s), crystal (1933-40), amber (1940s), and dark green milk glass (both 1960s-80s). Current prices I’ve seen include an amber tumbler for $16, a crystal cake plate ($12), a dark green creamer ($5) and an amber vegetable bowl ($20).

LARRY COX

Freelance
PLANTING YOUR FUTURE

I am very happy that last week’s column stirred up so much dialogue.

For all of you who called the nursery to make sure you know what needs to be protected this winter: kudos! And for those who seemed a bit downhearted because you didn’t realize we have winter in Tucson: Take heart!

What has so many people fooled into thinking Tucson has no winter? It looks so darned good throughout what will be the coldest days and nights. And what happens is so very simple: Residents use plants that love the cool, and yes, even the cold of our winter.

Here are a few shrubs that look fantastic in the winter:

• Nandina domestica compacta and all the dozens of cultivars (often called Heavenly Bamboo, but not even remotely related to bamboo). Nandina’s claim to fame is that it turns scarlet or burgundy or russet and indulges in brilliant color all winter, then turns back to green in the summer without dropping so much as a leaf.

• Photinia fraseri (Fraser’s Photinia) and Photinia serrulata (Chinese Photinia) also love the cold weather. In the cooling days of autumn, both of these shrubs are busy putting on new growth that is burnished glowing red, which the cold weather intensifies. Yet both Photinia and Nandina love cold weather and either can take cold down into the single digits without distress.

Here’s a tip: Desert plants love heat, so if your landscape is all heat-loving trees and shrubs it may look a little blah in the winter. Long before nurseries started growing desert natives, the early residents of Tucson planted junipers when they wanted something that was drought tolerant and used small amounts of water. Whether you include juniper, pine or cypress in your landscape, they all look marvelous in the winter. In fact, needled evergreens are among the few plants that actually are putting on new growth during the winter months.

So if you have some bright- or deep green evergreens for backdrop, some winter-loving shrubs to fill in the “body” of the landscape, what more could you ask for?

Well, how about some goodies for our feathered friends? There are many types of shrubs that are loaded with red berries during the winter. They not only make the birds happy, but get the “festive look” started in your landscape.

• Pyracantha and cotoneaster are a couple of good plant families to start with, and they offer a number of choices.

Now you have a lush background of evergreen and colored plants that laugh at the cold, but you need something more. And that is what we would call winter annual color.

So many times people proudly tell me they have faithfully covered their pansies every time it got cold. Good news: No need to do that! Pansies and violas are among the hardiest annuals. They have been tested by variety, subjected to temperatures below zero degrees. (Fear not – we will not get anywhere near there.)

So here is the rundown of winter annuals you do NOT need to cover: alyssum, calendula, delphinium, dianthus, dusty miller, ornamental cabbage and kale, paludosum, pansies, petunias, poppies (Iceland, California or any other), primula, ranunculus, snapdragons, stock and violas. (There probably are a few more I forgot.)

One footnote: Sometimes when temperatures are below the middle 20s, you will have a few flowers frozen off these plants. They will make new ones very quickly. You will do more damage with your covers than the weather will.

Allow the plants to adjust, and enjoy our winter.

Cathy Bishop, co-owner of Mesquite Valley Growers Nursery, has more than 30 years of gardening experience. E-mail her at weekendplus@tucsoncitizen.com.

CATHY BISHOP

Freelance
HOLIDAY GUIDE

LARRY COX

contactlarrycox@aol.com

In anticipation of the holiday shopping season, I visited antique stores and malls in Tucson to see what was available for less than $100.

Here are some of the treasures I found.

22nd Street Antique Mall

5302 E. 22nd St., 514-5262

• Bread box: Bread boxes can bring focus to a vintage kitchen. This unusual round box (below, right) is red enamelware, priced at $48.

• Punch bowl and matching cups: Ruby red glass that covering the rim of this vintage punch bowl reflects the holiday season. It comes with 12 matching cups and costs $95.

Annabell’s Attic

6178 E. Speedway Blvd., 571-8400

• Basket: On a budget? This $5 basket (above, right) could be just the buy.

• Jug: Old crockery has become quite collectible and a vintage jug here is a bargain at $29.

• Compote: A Victorian-era three-piece dessert dish is priced at $95.

Copper Country Antique Mall

5055 E. Speedway Blvd., 326-0167

• Retro telephone: Rotary phones are getting more and more difficult to find. This Western Electric phone (below, left) from the 1970s is a thrifty $24.95.

• Vintage Arizona license plate: The only thing missing is the Hudson Hornet. A 1948 Arizona license plate here is $40.

• Mess kit: A Spanish-American War mess kit priced at $85 here is a scarce piece of military history.

Tom’s Fine Furniture and Collectables

5454 E. Pima St., 795-5210

• Vintage butter mold: A wooden butter mold with floral design is a reasonable $22.

• Tea leaf platter: The tea leaf pattern was introduced by Anthony Shaw in about 1855. A handsome platter made by Alfred Meakin & Sons is from the 1890s, measures 15-by-11 inches, and is $49.

• Victorian fruit set: During the Victorian era, serving fruit to friends was a stylish pastime. This bone-handled set (left) was crafted in about 1890 and is $69.

• Art Deco book ends: These glass bookends from the 1930s (top photo) would add a nice touch to almost any room. The set is priced at $89.

Freelance
ROSIE ON THE HOUSE

A great selling point for a natural stone or concrete wall or patio is that it lasts and lasts and needs very little maintenance.

But “very little” doesn’t mean “none.”

If you never give your stucco, brick or stone walls or patio a second thought, they could wind up stained and faded in as few as a couple of years. They also could wind up covered in “efflorescence” – that chalky white powder that appears when soluble salts leach to the surface after a soaking rain or if water from your sprinklers repeatedly hits them.

Here are three ways to keep your investment looking like a showpiece:

• Seal it. Too few installers offer a penetrating seal when they lay a patio floor or build a masonry wall. Yet this step can protect the surface from damage and stains, and can even extend its life.

You can hire a pro to seal your stone, concrete or brick patio or wall for as little as $2 a square foot, or you can do it yourself for less than 40 cents a square foot. Scrub the surface clean to remove all signs of efflorescence or grease stains, and thoroughly dry it before you apply a seal.

• Keep it clean. A sealed patio will repel spills from the barbecue grill so you usually can wipe them up with a wet sponge. A sealed wall will prevent water from seeping through the porous brick, stucco or block and causing efflorescence.

Unsealed surfaces will absorb grease, which can leave an ugly mark on the stone. Clean it up with a lacquer thinner. To remove efflorescence, use a stiff brush and some white vinegar; for touch jobs, add a little diluted trisodium phosphate (TSP; find it at any home store) in the secondary pickup tube of a power washer.

• Keep it dry. Water is no friend to a porous patio or masonry wall. Move sprinklers far away from the house. Repair plumbing leaks. Seal cracks so water can’t find its way behind the walls or underneath the patio.

One of the joys of living in Arizona is spending time outdoors. Keep your home’s exterior looking as good as the indoors with a little bit of attention and maintenance so you can be proud of how it looks whenever you invite company over.

Rosie Romero has been in the Arizona homebuilding and remodeling industry for 35 years. He has a radio program from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KNST-AM 790. For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. For more do-it-yourself tips or to contact Romero, go to rosieonthehouse.com or call 888-767-5348 during the show.

Romero

ROSIE ROMERO

rosie.r@rosieonthehouse.com

Sealing, cleaning can keep patios, stone walls looking great

Citizen Staff Writer
EL TOUR DE TUCSON

OTTO ROSS

ottoross@tucsoncitizen.com

Dean Wilson, 38, has been riding a road bike for less than six months.

Saturday, he will attempt to ride 109 miles – the complete El Tour de Tucson course.

In September, already into training for El Tour, Wilson was quickly learning the basics of training and maintaining a healthful diet. Two months later, he has expanded his training and is beginning to learn the finer details of competitive cycling.

“I’ve been riding longer distances, experimenting with different foods and how easy they are to eat while biking and improving my training time on the bike to where I’m feeling more comfortable doing long distances,” he says.

Wilson’s current training includes one “short” ride of 30 to 60 miles per week, and one “long” ride of 60 to 90 miles on weekends, plus spin classes twice weekly.

He says the long weekend rides, generally in large groups of cyclists also preparing for El Tour, have greatly improved his confidence for riding in tight packs.

“When you’re in a group, very seldom are you more than a half a bike behind someone – you’re generally within a foot,” Wilson says. “There’s a lot of people that get really nervous, the only way to overcome that is to ride in groups and ride close to people.”

Another aspect Wilson is adapting to is eating while riding, a necessity for keeping up adequate energy levels on long distances.

Learning to eat such things as dried fruits, pretzels and Fig Newtons while riding is no easy task, he says. “It’s something that you have to practice while you’re riding to be able to reach into your pocket, grab something out, unwrap and eat it . . . while your heart is doing 160 beats per minute.”

As far as his regular diet, Wilson says he’s gotten used to eating many small amounts, including bananas, yogurt, cereal bars, vegetables, vegetable juice and sandwiches, throughout the day. “My diet has really stabilized,” he says. “I’m feeling a lot more comfortable

While Wilson is confident about his training and ability, he is beginning to realize that his ambitious goal of completing the ride in less than 5 1/2 hours will not be easy.

“I would love to say that it’s going to be a cakewalk, but it won’t be,” he says. “It’s going to be a challenge to meet that time.”

BE AN EL TOURIST

Even if you are not among the 9,000-plus riding in any of the El Tour de Tucson races, you can watch.

If you’re an early bird and ambitious, head to the intersection of Granada Avenue and Cushing Street downtown to watch the 7 a.m. start of the 109-mile ride. (The starting point moved from its usual Granada-Congress Street site because of the road construction projects in the area.) Riders will head southwest and under Interstate 10.

Want to sleep in? The top riders in the big race come in around four hours after the start. The finish line is the same as every year – on Granada Avenue, south of Congress Street, beside the Tucson Convention Center.

Or you can pick a spot along the route. A map can be downloaded from Perimeter Bicycling Association’s Web site, www.perimeterbicycling.com.

TCC also is where the El Tour Downtown Fiesta will be set up from 10 a.m. on, with music, food, arts and crafts.

Weekend Plus

Freelance
PLANTING YOUR FUTURE

Now is the time to consider when and how to cover tender plants to protect them from freezing temperatures and frost.

Tender plants are tropicals, such as hibiscus, bougainvillea, citrus, jasmine and passionflower. If you aren’t sure, please ask; we will be happy to tell you if you need to cover a plant.

Here are a few points to consider.

First, don’t cover plants that don’t need it; many times we do more damage than good.

Also, by ending your fertilizing schedule on Labor Day, you will assure that trees and shrubs don’t have soft new growth.

Make sure that plants are well-hydrated going into a bad freeze. For winter, all woody plants should be weaned to a once-a-week watering schedule. If your plants are going to be watered on Saturday and it is projected to freeze on Thursday, move the schedule up a couple days.

When protecting a plant, you are creating a dead air space around it where you trap the heat emanating from the earth. The plant itself does not create heat. Rather, you are collecting the earth’s heat and keeping frost from settling on the plants leaves.

To accomplish the best frost protection:

• Covers should not touch plants.

• Use bamboo stakes or a cage to hold up the cover.

• A cardboard box is an excellent stand-alone cover.

• Group small potted plants together.

• If plants are movable, place them near a south-facing wall that will radiate heat and under an overhang or porch if one is available.

• Covers can stay on the plants for a week or so at a time, as long as they are the type that allows light to pass through.

• If you are using old blankets, take them off when the sun is out.

• If temperatures are dropping into the low 20s or teens, provide an additional heat source. Christmas lights won’t do the job. Use a utility light with a 60-watt or higher bulb. The reflector type of fixture is especially helpful when trying to heat an entire tree such as a 15-foot tall lemon tree full of fruit.

• Use covers that are long enough to snug down at the ground with rocks or bricks. With a cardboard box, place rocks on the flaps.

If plants freeze, despite your efforts or if you got home too late to cover them, you can help them in another way. Run water until the extra cold water has gone (the water will feel slightly warm in comparison), then, using a Fogg-It nozzle, gently mist the foliage until the ice melts in the plants cells. This will hasten their recovery.

If you are out of town and plants get frozen, leave them alone until spring. Most will send out new growth from lower stems or roots. When the new growth comes out, you will know exactly where to trim off the old frozen tips.

Cathy Bishop, co-owner of Mesquite Valley Growers Nursery, has more than 30 years of gardening experience. E-mail her at weekendplus@tucsoncitizen.com.

CATHY BISHOP

Freelance
ROSIE ON THE HOUSE

In a dry, hot climate like ours, the materials our homes are made from can mean the difference between indoor temperatures that are comfortable and temperatures that feel too warm.

That’s why a growing number of homeowners are choosing to build or buy houses made from concrete.

Your home might look like it’s made from stucco or brick, but in most cases, those are just facades that cover a structure made from wood or another framing material, or from concrete blocks.

The reason concrete is so popular in Arizona is that it naturally conducts heat – and keeps it out of our living spaces. Add that to its solid consistency, which has few places for air to leak through, and you could feel more comfortable and pay lower cooling bills than you would if you lived in home made from another material.

Concrete walls slow down the passage of outdoor heat so less of it seeps through the walls and into your home. They also help prevent your air-conditioned air from escaping through the walls. That means the walls of a concrete home will stay cooler in the summertime than walls made from something else.

In the winter, the home also might stay cooler – unless you add insulation to the walls. If you do, your home will be comfortable no matter the season.

Your builder can insulate your masonry home by placing insulation between the “furring strips” that level the wall so drywall can be attached. Some place insulation on the outside of the wall, then cover it with an attractive cladding like stucco, brick veneer or siding.

Another method that’s growing in popularity is the Integra Wall System, which is manufactured right here in Arizona by Superlite Block.

The Integra Wall System uses a unique kind of concrete block that actually is designed to be insulated rather than simply reinforced and grouted.

The blocks have hollowed-out centers that your installer can fill with several inches of insulation. If your home is in the northern part of the state where winter nights get pretty chilly, the insulation would add extra protection against the cold. In really cold climates, where homes need optimal thermal performance, installers use a superinsulation made from polyurethane and designed for use with this system.

In Tucson, your home might get by with less insulation because you have a greater need to keep the home extra-cool during the summer than extra-warm during the winter.

If you’re building or buying a concrete home, ask your builder about insulation. Insulated concrete can make your home more energy-efficient and less costly to run.

Rosie Romero has been in the Arizona homebuilding and remodeling industry for 35 years. He has a radio program from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KNST-AM (790). For more do-it-yourself tips or to contact Romero, go to rosieonthehouse.com or call 888-ROSIE-4-U (888-767-4348) during the show. The Rosie on the House column run every Friday.

ROSIE ROMERO

Freelance
TREASURES & TRENDS

Question: I recently was given a Blue Willow tea pot, a sugar and creamer, and several cups and saucers. Even though I don’t plan to add to this collection, I am curious about the pattern and wonder what its history is. – Emma Lou, Green Valley

Answer: Despite opinions to the contrary, the Willow pattern was not originally designed by the Chinese even though the willow and orange trees and tea house all relate to Oriental culture. During the mid-1700s, the transfer method of decoration for porcelain was perfected that allowed the same design to be used repeatedly. Using this new technique, craftsmen were able to design patterns that were more intricate and colorful.

In 1780, Thomas Minton was the first to engrave what would become the Willow pattern for Thomas Turner of Caughley, Shropshire, Great Britain. Although they were the first to introduce the pattern, it was the Spode Co., that improved the design in 1810 and popularized it throughout the world. For more than a century and a half, the Willow pattern has been the stock-pattern of nearly every British pottery manufacturer.

Most of the Willow pieces found in Tucson are issues from the Johnson Brothers factories set up in Hanley, Staffordshire, Great Britain, in 1883. Some of the better pieces are marked Royal Worcester, Adams, Wedgwood, Davenport, Clews, Leeds, Swansea, and Spode.

To determine the value of your Willow pieces, I recommend Blue Willow: An Identification and Value Guide by Mary Frank Gaston (Collector Books, $14.95). I found dozens of copies available at www.abe.com for less than $10 each.

I know you must be swamped by questions about political memorabilia but I hope you’ll help me. I have a handkerchief that is stamped “Goldwater ’64″ and wonder if it is worth keeping. – June, Tucson

I found your handkerchief referenced in Warman’s Political Collectibles by Dr. Enoch L. Nappen (Krause, $24.99). According to the author, your item is in the $10 to $15 range. Other handkerchiefs that were issued to promote earlier campaigns include Eisenhower ($15-$25), Al Smith ($35-$50), Woodrow Wilson, $35-$50, and William McKinley, $50-$75.

In addition to his work for the Tucson Citizen, Larry Cox writes book reviews and a weekly collectibles column that are syndicated by King Features and distributed throughout the United States and Canada. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com.

I have several dozen baseball cards that I would like to research as to values. Can you recommend a good book that will help me? – Sean, Tucson

I especially like the 2008 Baseball Card Price Guide by Joe Clemens, published by Krause and now in its 22nd edition. This guide lists more than 375,000 cards and is easy to access. It is $21.99 and could be found at most larger book stores.

LARRY COX

Citizen Staff Writer

See and do

If there is a good time to visit Ajo in western Arizona, this may be it.

This weekend, the small former copper boom town hosts several events, including the Ajo Western Street Fair and Desert Dust and Classic Rust Car Show. Both events, featuring food, arts, crafts, music and show cars, are slated 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday in the Old Downtown Plaza. Early arrivals can catch a pet parade at 9 a.m.

Bordered by Plaza Street and Yermo and Taladro roads, the plaza is where state Route 85 enters the town of 4,400. The Spanish Colonial Revival-style town square, built in 1917, has a park surrounded by businesses, government buildings and two churches.

Or go Sunday for the self-guided Ajo Unique Home Tour. Tour 10 homes from 1 to 4 p.m. and partake of refreshments at the last home.

Other historic structures include the Spanish-style Curley School, built in 1919, and the Greenway Mansion built by renowned mining engineer and executive John Greenway for wife Isabella, later Arizona’s first congresswoman.

To learn more, call the Ajo Chamber of Commerce (520-387-7742). It is open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Cost

Admissions to the street fair and car show are free. The home tour costs $10.

Where to eat

Don Juans, 100 W. Estrella Ave. (520-387-3100), and Barranca Del Cobre, 200 W. Esperanza Ave. (520-387-5111) are Mexican restaurants near the plaza. We found nearly a dozen other restaurants on Internet searches – a few with poor reviews. Ajo also has chains, Pizza Hut, 627 N. Second Ave., and Dairy Queen, 1304 N. Second Ave.

By the way

The 330,000-acre Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, 10 Organ Pipe Drive (520-387-6849, www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm) is south of the nearby town of Why. The 21-mile loop Ajo Mountain Drive is a scenic drive through the monument. The park charges $8 per vehicle to enter. However, many of its other roads are closed because of public safety concerns.

The drive

It’s about a 2 1/2-hour drive from Tucson. Take state Route 86 (Ajo Way) west across the Tohono O’odham Nation to Why, and SR85 north to Ajo.

To learn more

(Car show) 520-387-7742; (home tour) 520-387-7742

Citizen Staff Writer

GARRY DUFFY

gduffy@tucsoncitizen.com

One of the West’s best gatherings for cyclists will be held on Fourth Avenue on Saturday: El Bike Swap de Tucson.

This fall’s event will include more than 100 vendors and booths lining the avenue between Sixth and Ninth streets, offering deals on bicycles and all manner of accessories from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“If it is related to a bicycle in any way, it will be there,” says Greg Yares, organizer of the semiannual event for the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association.

Cyclists and pedestrians will be welcome on Fourth Avenue for the event, but motor vehicles will be banned.

Bicycle valet parking will be provided by members of El Grupo Youth Cycling Club.

The event began in 1991 and has gained momentum each year. It has been held on Fourth Avenue since 1999, Yares notes.

“This is the best bike swap in Arizona, and some say in the whole West,” he says.

It draws cycling enthusiasts – and sometimes their families – from Colorado, California, Utah, New Mexico and, increasingly, from Mexico.

Many classes of bicycles and related gear will be on hand: racing, BMX, mountain, tandem and commuter bikes.

If you have an older bike, it can be upgraded with state-of-the-art components available from vendors.

Cycling-related clothing and other accessories also will be for sale.

Even if you haven’t been on a bicycle in many years, the event will have items of interest, including vintage bicycles like the iconic Schwinn Stingray – banana seat, high handlebars and all – from the 1960s.

IF YOU GO

What: El Bike Swap de Tucson

When: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

Where: North Fourth Avenue between Sixth and Ninth streets

Cost: Free admission

Info: 624-5004, www.fourthavenue.org 323-9020 or www.bikegaba.org