Beautiful 5 acres with comfortable home in SE AZ

About this assignment

We hope that whoever stays here truly appreciates the outdoors, wildlife, (birds!) and our unique "Sky Island" setting, loves to hike, explore, hang out, and enjoys canine company!

Our dates are unofficial and flexible at this point. We'll need one approximately ten day stretch sometime between mid-April and mid-May. We may be able to accommodate any specific needs of our house sitter.

Our house sitter needs to be comfortable being in the "country". It is a sublimely serene 5 acres, nestled in a lushly (for the southwest) wooded and grassy canyon in the midst of the Coronado National Forest and expansive ranch lands. We have a handful of wonderful neighbors within easy walking distance but not within sight from the house. We do get plenty of critter visitors, mostly friendly wildlife (fabulous bird watching!), but also occasional pesky bugs, rodents and snakes. So, ideally, this would be someone who is fairly self-reliant, appreciates nature and an outdoor oriented lifestyle and doesn't need a lot of entertainment or city-life! The access here to the natural beauty, wildlife and outdoors activities is our entertainment.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

We have gardens to water and tend to during growing season.

We have one super friendly dog, Rowdy. He is a blue heeler/border collie mix, 13 years old and in excellent health and fitness, except for being mostly deaf now. He really appreciates at least a half to an hour morning walk and a short one late afternoon. He has always been off leash, but now requires some attention to proximity so he can check your location visually. He has a good internal clock and is demanding about timely meals. He is most comfortable being outdoors during the day, but does hangout around the kitchen during meal times and he sleeps in our bedroom at night. He will let you know when he wants to go in or out. He is a pretty independent guy.

We have 4 chickens to visit daily... check feed and water and pick up eggs. We like to close them in their coop at night.

We also keep wild bird feeders and baths full.

We respect and are grateful for all the sentient beings in our midst and believe that you are too. We tread lightly in our environment and ask that you do as well!

We trust that you will care for our home as you would your own!

What are the good features of the property and location

It is a park-like piece of property - a gentle grassy slope of Emory (live) oaks, so it is shaded year round. Except for the gardens we've planted, the landscape is all native grasses, trees, shrubs and flowers. A wide gravelly wash runs through it that flows during a good monsoon. It and other tributary washes make for fine hiking trails.

Our property adjoins Coronado National Forest land, so there is plenty of great hiking/biking, and water activities at nearby Parker Canyon Lake during the summer/fall season. All our closest neighbors (within a short walk's sight) are super friendly and helpful. Two neighbors operate their properties as Airbnbs and they are very consistently booked by birders and outdoorsy people. In general, visitors are amazed that property like this exists in Arizona! It is enchantingly unique.

Our home is what I like to think of as Rustic Charming. It is approximately 1600 sq ft, naturally cool in the summer, cozy in the winter. We do have heat pumps/mini-splits so you keep comfortable however suits you. It has 2 bedrooms, and there is a 1 BR casita; both are enclosed by a lovely gated courtyard. There is a new bath house a few steps from the master bedroom, with a sauna, hot soaking and jetted tub, shower, toilet and sink. There are other outbuildings as well.

The yard has many seating options with varied views. Sunrises, sunsets and night skies are all worthy of deep appreciation. It is all well maintained, as we are both retired, energetic, and prefer doing anything outdoors!

The area around us has so much to offer! Parker Canyon Lake is small and sweet, and offers fishing, boating and picnicking. Our paved roads and National Forest trails are becoming renowned by cyclists. Hiking is virtually unlimited, in our own canyon and beyond. The wineries of Sonoita/Elgin beckon for a day of relaxing and tasting. The towns of Bisbee and Patagonia are worth checking out. Beside all that, people from around the world come for birdwatching. Many species exist here in our biologically diverse Madrean Archipelago (Sky Island) ecosystem, that are seen nowhere else in the U.S. or the wide world beyond.

Specific location info is that we are at 5200' elevation, in Lyle Canyon, 12 miles north of sweet Parker Canyon Lake, south of small communities of Sonoita and Elgin. It is 5 acres, down a few easy miles of dirt road off of Hwy 83, a little over an hour from Tucson and 45 minutes from Patagonia or Sierra Vista. The hiking and exploring in the National Forest is endless right from our lane.

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

The somewhat remote location and the ramifications of that, will not be comfortable to all potential sitters:

Related to location is the fact that there is no cell signal. Most phones have WiFi Calling, which works here via internet through Starlink, or the option is to drive out of the canyon to the highway for a cell signal, which is a 10 minute drive. We live down several miles of dirt road, which is County maintained, and passable by any decent vehicle.

There is abundant wildlife of all types in our neighborhood. That includes javelinas, deer, skunks, coati mundis, mountain lions, bobcats, bears... We have occasional rattlesnakes too, which Rowdy has little influence on, but will naturally shy from. Other reptiles, birds, rodents, insects are also regular inhabitants of course.

There are property and pet responsibilities involved..... feeding, watering, walking.
Rowdy is a very happy-hearted dog, loving of everyone and very lovable himself. His age is slowing him down, his deafness is accommodated by some strategies, and he's generally more needy and less sharp than he used to be.

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

Enlarge map