One of "Those People"

Yes, I am officially one of "those people".  
and I resisted for so long!
but ....  living in the desert means sometimes
you do things that quite frankly aren't logical ......

I bought a dog stroller.
Yep.
Always thought it was weird, but here's the deal:

I am a single dog mom.
I live in the desert where it gets too hot to walk a dog.


When my dog stays home 10 hours a day alone, she needs to see more than these four walls.  Do dogs get cabin fever?  My instinct - and experience - says yes!  Because there are some days when bedtime hits and that's when she wants to play again!

I always laughed at people who pushed their dogs in strollers.  Until I realized that at 100 degrees, the asphalt can feel like 150 on her paws - Can't exactly walk her over to the park to play in the grass like that!  Driving two blocks seems ridiculous, and staying home hasn't been a good option either.  I need to walk, I love to walk, it's my thing.  Truth be told, I feel guilty walking alone when my dog's been home alone all day.   Yep, I'm funny that way.  So this was my $100 compromise:  A stroller to get her too and from the park while I can get my own walking in as well.

I think she likes it!
I think this is gonna work well for us!
Even if you do say I'm one of "those people"!
hahahaha

Mission Accomplished!

My New Year's Resolution is pretty basic this year:  Do things for me, to please me.  Maybe that sounds a little selfish, but it isn't mean to sound that way.  What I mean to say is that we (yes, all of us) get so busy doing our routines, the need-to's and the have-to's, that we forget that there is a beautiful world out there, and we should be finding our joy.
   

This was a really busy work week for me - all those Christmas presents being returned make for a lot of work and I was working extra hours in the beginning of the week just to catch up.  Working retail means nothing more than 40 hours per week, once the max is reached, they scoot us out and send us home!  Being it was a gorgeous day when I walked outside, I got home and mandated that Brian get dressed and head with me over to the Lost Dutchman State Park.  I have gone two or three other times with the goal to complete the Treasure Loop hike -- and haven't ever gotten all the way.  One time it was nearing evening, the sun was low in the sky, some clouds moved in; we needed to turn around and head back, as it was nearly dark by the time we reached the bottom again.  Then of course, the rain drenched us just after we reached the car.  (Drenching rain in the desert can make for slippery hiking, for sure.)  The next time, my girls were with, and the little one had a cold.  We turned around and headed back after we'd reached a resting place on some rocks.  Had I known we were less than two minutes from the top, I might have insisted we keep going! 


Yesterday, however, was a huge TAA -DAA moment!  We reached the summit of the hike, and down the other side to complete the loop.  Was THRILLED!  Going up you ascend about 700 feet in just under a mile.  It's a trek if you're not prepared for it, but we were -- plenty of water, snacks and rested part of the way because Sadie was panting a little.  hehehe

It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny at 70 degrees, just right for an afternoon hike in the sun.
A beautiful "me" moment, for sure!

This last picture of a Saguaro Cactus
I like a lot because of the streak in the sky
looks like lightning!

Desert Snow!

Wow!  Surprise! 

Crazy! Weather!

Yes, this is

snow in the desert!

This storm is a very chilly one, and the clouds were black and ominous.  On the way home from the gym, as tired as I was, I wanted to get up to my mountain, to see if it left a dusting along the top.  So I grabbed Sadie and the kid and headed out that way - a quick trip for just a few pictures was my goal.  And yes, we did get some great photos of snow and lots of interesting clouds as they whispered around the top of the mountain. 

On the way home, we stopped off at my aunt's to say hello to my folks, and not 15 minutes later we could hear a pattering against the window - wow, its raining hard! we thought.  After peeking out, we could see it wasn't just rain!  About 30 minutes later, this is how the road looked! How awesome, snow in the desert --- who knew???
 

Desert Morning

I am an early riser.  I get up with the birds, even on my days off.  My eyes popped open about 4:30am and I thought mmmmm, I get to sleep in.  I left my blinds open last night, and could see the sky beginning to get light.  You never know if there will be clouds in the sky until the sun begins to peek through them, and I wavered back and forth .... should I get up and head out?  The thought that a real photographer would get up and moving, just to get that next perfect shot made my decision for me. But I was surprised at what else came from it.

I hopped out of bed, splashed my face, brushed my teeth and ran a quick comb through my hair.  I grabbed my netbook, my camera and my cowgirl hat, a diet coke, a protein bar and two bottles of water. (well, you never know where things might lead!)  and I sped down the highway toward Superstition.  I pulled into the Needle Vista area, and parked.  The sun was just beginning to show itself.  I rolled down all my windows, and pulled out the netbook to make a few notes.

Here I am, sitting.  Listening. 

Watching as the desert wakes up.

The sky turns a wisp of clouds 

from crimson to pink to golden

as the sun rises.

The birds are awake, 

calling out to each other,

and the morning is so quiet,

you can hear 

the beat of their wings 

as they flit from one cactus to another.

I get out and walk into the desert

and catch a glimpse

of a bright yellow breasted bird.

I hear what sounds like a woodpecker

in the distance

and rustling in the underbrush 

as animals begin their day.

There air is calm and silent

as the sun begins to warm the mountains 

in the distance.

As the sun makes it way

up into the sky

shining down, 

warming my skin,

I can feel the intensity 

of the desert sun

and know it will be 

a warm, sun-filled day.

Park of the Canals

This morning when I woke up, I lay there thinking, "What chores should I get done before the heat of the day arrives? (predicting 108).   I slid out of bed, and into some shorts, a tshirt and my tennies, brushed my teeth, then on the spur of the moment grabbed my purse, my camera and my GPS, bottle of water from the fridge and headed out the door to find Park of the Canals.  (Turns out, its very local!)

Living in the Valley of the Sun, with all its myriad of desert landscaping, one cannot escape the history that lives here.  Every time I venture out, I am in awe and wonder at how they lived here so long ago when it appears so desolate.  And yet, if you look close, it isn't nearly as desolate as it seems.  Plants and animals find a way to survive, along with the people bold enough to call this "home". 

The Hohokam engineered large and sophisticated canal systems, creating a productive agricultural society that spanned many centuries. Their achievements in irrigation engineering are among the most impressive and most enduring ever constructed using preindustrial technology.  From A.D. 600 to 1450, the prehistoric Hohokam constructed one of the largest and most sophisticated irrigation networks ever created.  

The great achievement of the Hohokam lay in their ability to manage the harsh desert landscape for the resources they required to eat, trade, and produce stunning pieces of shell and ceramic art. They did not simply subsist in the Salt and Gila River Valleys—they thrived on a varied diet of corn, jackbeans, tepary beans, lima beans, squash, barley, and amaranth. They grew cotton, gourds, and tobacco for textiles, art, and possibly ceremonial use.


Today, you can see many of the remnants of the extensive canals left by the Hohokam culture.  As I walked through "Park of the Canals" in Mesa, AZ, I found myself pondering those old tribal ways, the hard work they did, just to keep living day to day.  Shutting out city noises, I let myself imagine an early spring morning, everyone out working hard at their task, whether it be wielding a stick to break up the dirt, scooping the dirt into a basket, or hauling that basket of dirt out of the canal.  I also caught myself imagining what it must have looked like with life- giving water flowing in the canals.  (With monsoon season coming up, perhaps I'll be able to catch glimpse of that by heading over to the park on a rainy afternoon.)  Out beyond the park's trail, an old stone house.  Only found one reference to it online, dating it in the late 1860s pioneer home.

February Reflections

February 2011 brings many thoughts. Today, at lunch with the girls, I realized that in just 18 days, I will have been here in Arizona for three years now. Some days, I feel like a newbie here, because I haven't traveled all over the state ... yet. And other days, if feels as if I've always lived here. This place has begun to feel like home to me. At first, I have to admit, it was very different living here -- nothing green (like in Ohio), very few cloudy days (unlike Ohio), and everything so dry. Often, I felt as if I'd just shrivel up and blow away like a leaf from a tree. But it didn't happen. And I've learned to love living here in the desert. Two weeks ago, I took a friend hiking up around the Superstition Mountains, specifically the Lost Dutchman State Park. There's a quiet to the desert that can be pretty awe inspiring, if you take the time to notice it.

As we hiked along, I was able to snap a few
pix of some riders on horseback ...
talk about feeling like we'd stepped
back in time!

I love the magic of the desert,
the quiet beauty,
the many layers of color
that are subtle at first glance,
but deserve a second look.

As you move through your days this week,
make sure you take notice of the small beautiful things that most of us tend to overlook on a day to day basis as we hurry from task to task. You may be quietly surprised as well at the things around you!

HUGS to everyone!!