Casa Espiritu

Of the places I love to be, Casa Espiritu is high on the list. The house sits on a small ridge with desert around it. To eat on its patio is to share in a small piece of natural desert with its denizens. Sit quietly and enjoy their conversations and a piece of their lives.

Storms and their aftermath add to the excitement of desert living.

Watching the moon rise over Pusch Ridge is a reminder of cycles, of nature, and natural beauty. It's a great way to relax and let ourselves just be.

Main Living Area

A house of and for art

With a woodburning fireplace and a window that looks out toward the Tucson Mountains, the living room is designed to make conversation easy as well as viewing the widescreen television (with many DVDs in the cupboard alongside the cabinet). 

Behind the bookcase, well stocked with books, is a desk and reading chair providing its own little corner for writing or reading. The closet is for coats but also the modem and what is needed to keep the house up and the computers working.

There are two inside tables for dining. The dining room is an alcove off the living room with a sideboard for dishes and another for games, tablecloths, napkins, and mats.The house makes full use of sculptures, paintings, and Native American crafts-- all inspired by the Southwest. This is a home aimed at comfort, sanctuary, and increasing creativity in anyone.

Bedrooms

Master bedroom has a king, while the two smaller bedrooms each have a queen. There is a small bathroom off the master bedroom with a shower. The main bathroom is also small but with a tub. The bedrooms are filled with art (from originals, prints, posters, to giclèes), as this home is about inspiration.
 

Patio, pool and surroundings

Set on 1 1/3 acre, as much natural desert as possible has been kept to make it feel like it's along a desert trail with cactus, ironwood trees, and palo verde. 

There are three patios. The first one is beyond the dining room and kitchen with its own table and chairs to sit and enjoy the birds or grill a steak. This patio is fenced to make it safe for small pets but has a large gate that can be opened for those most interested in a full view to photograph quail and other visitors from LaCañada wash half a mile away. These can include many types of birds, rabbits, rodents, bobcats, javelina, coyotes, and snakes (which sometimes are rattlesnakes).

 

 The pool area has its own fence both from the patio yard and the desert beyond. It is not heated but it is maintained for swimming year round. There is a second outdoor table and chairs for dining as well as a sunken patio with a small fire pit (only safe to use briquettes due to fire risk).

Denizens of Casa Espiritu

They live here too

Nature and nurture

Within twenty miles of Casa Espiritu are many interesting places to visit-- petroglyphs, hiking trails, museums, wildflowers, cactus, spiritual places, and creeks. Each has its own appeal for those interested in knowing more about history or just immersing themselves in nature. Every season is different and offers its own unique pleasures. The following photos, from many seasons, and not labeled, shares only a tiny bit of what the Arizona-Sonora Desert offers.