Historic home in small mountain town with a beautiful yard, nice neighborhood, and great hiking and birding opportunities nearby

About this assignment

Quiet, non-smoker, responsible/dependable, clean/neat, organized, and respectful of neighbors and others. Ideally, our house sitter also will be someone who enjoys watching birds and who likes plants. Couples are welcome to apply :-)

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Main responsibilities:
1. Maintain 5 outdoor bird watering "stations":
Ensure there is clean water in the stations 2-3X day..
Clean stations once a week (basic soap/water/rinse).
Four of the "stations" are clay dishes: two stations are approximately 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, and two are 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. One station is an 8 inch (20 cm) diameter glass bowl that is suspended from a bird feeder post.
There is an outside hose for easy refilling of water stations.
Estimated total time per day for this task: 10-15 minutes/day

2. Hummingbird feeders: Clean and put new food in hummingbird and oriole feeders (three of them) once per day. Make hummingbird food as needed; we will have plenty of sugar on hand for this. Estimated total time per day for this task: 15 minutes/day

3. House and potted plants: Ensure these are kept watered (or not too much water for succulents) and are not getting too much sun (out door potted plants). Estimated total time per day for this task: 10 minutes/day

4. House security/related topics: Ensure house is locked and secure when house sitter is not present. Close windows to appropriate level when it rains. Keep house clean and neat. Check doorstep daily for packages. Be a good neighbor (no parties, no loud music, etc.) - we have very nice neighbors!

What are the good features of the property and location

Beautiful historic home with a wonderful outdoor living space/yard. that is conveniently located 0.75 miles/1.6 km (15 min walk) from a small, unique historic downtown with excellent restaurants, shops, art galleries, a glass blower's shop, a vegan grocery, town library, post office, coffee shops, mining museum, and other amenities. Four very good restaurants, including one with a small market, are only a 5 minute walk from our home.

Mountain hiking trails are accessible within a 10-15 min from our home. The San Pedro River Riparian Conservation Area, two national monuments (with lots of hiking), a Nature Conservancy Preserve, as well as a state park are located in this county. The area provides unique and ample opportunities for hiking, bird and wildlife watching, nature and landscape photography/painting, etc. This is a VERY beautiful area!

This area is one of the best birding hot spots in the country, located near the San Pedro River migratory corridor. We have seen over 30 different species of birds in our yard, including Curve-bill Thrashers, Mexican Jays, Acorn Woodpeckers, Bewick's Wrens, Lesser Goldfinch, Says Phoebe, Western and Summer Tanagers, Northern Cardinals, Northern Flickers, Scott's Orioles, Hooded Orioles, Hermit Thrush, and several species of hummingbirds (Annas, Broadbilled, Black-chinned, Rufus)

We have very nice neighbors across the street from us.

Our home's driveway has space for parking a house sitter's vehicle (car, small SUV or pick-up, no RVs please).

Our home is located at an elevation of about 5500 ft (1676 meters) in the incredible mountains of southeast Arizona. The ecosystem is a high oak woodland with very pleasant daytime temperatures and cool nights in September. This is not the Arizona desert!

We have an extensive collection of books on a variety of subjects that the house sitter is welcome to read while residing in our home. Kim is a retired math, astronomy, and physics professor and Beth Ann is retired from being a biology & natural history professor.

Kim and Beth Ann first language is English. Kim is also proficient in Spanish, as are some folks in the town. Beth Ann is studying the Ukrainian language and Kim is studying the Latvian language. We enjoy learning!

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

Bisbee has a population of approximately 5000 and is located in a rural county. For more information about Bisbee, visit www.discoverbisbee.com

We have high speed internet that the house sitter is welcome to use. The connection will not support gaming, however.

The nearest major airport is about 100 miles away.
We do not have a television. We do not have a grill.

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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