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Published: June 22nd 2009
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Tucson Mountains
The view from the clubhouse in Janice's neighbourhood. Sunset is upon us and it takes my breath away. The week after Easter has been a flurry of activity, ..... homeschooling and preparing for our trip to California. We asked Janice to come with us and she accepted the invitation. So there will be three of us heading west in another week’s time.
As we have run errands and travelled around the Tucson area, we have come to appreciate all the things that make this city so special. Nathanael and I can honestly say we have truly loved every place we have visited but since so much of our time has been spent here, we have really been able to notice things that make Tucson, Arizona, unique!
One thing that makes Nathanael and I laugh is that we have never crossed so many bridges which span dry river beds! Each time we drive over a bridge I say to Nathanael, “Look quick, is there water down there?” and his response is invariably be, “No!” The ‘so-called rivers’ have a name but no water. The locals assure us, however, in monsoon season those dry river beds actually overflow their banks. Sure wish we could stay to see that.
Something else that is funny for us
Every Mountain has Character
More than once, Nathanael has heard me say, "Oh I think I'm going to bring that mountain home with me." If only it were possible. is the number of white vehicles on the road. We have never seen so many in our lives in one place. Of course it’s the colour of choice in such a hot climate since white reflects rather than absorbs the heat of the sunlight. It sure is a hoot watching us trying to find Janice’s car (also white) in a parking lot whenever we were out running errands. We are usually turning around and around trying to recognize the bumper sticker on her trunk and using the ‘locater button’ which causes the lights on her car to flash and her horn to beep. It’s a good thing Nathanael is usually with me to tell me from which direction the sound is coming.
Of course part of the magic of this city is the geographical region in which it is located. It doesn’t snow in Tucson, even though winter nights can get quite cool, but the mountains which surround the town often have snow on them for weeks at a time. The mountains themselves are beautiful, with distinct crevasses that reflect sunlight and shadow in an ever changing display as the sun moves across the sky each day. When
"Oh Purple Mountain Majesties"
In the haze of dusk the mountains around Tucson stand purple against the sky. the dust level is high, those same hills look purple just like the song, “America the Beautiful” describes, ..... “for purple mountain majesties above the enamelled plain.”
It is really cool to see quail and roadrunners in the wild, running up and down the streets of Janice’s neighbourhood. We haven’t seen any rattlesnakes or scorpions in the wild, but we’re not complaining.
Tucson is dry. Let me say it again, ..... Tucson is dry! So dry that people do not have grass growing in their yards. Oh no. Home landscaping is accomplished with different planting beds created using various coloured pea gravel. It is best to work with native plants when designing your yard because the high temperatures and merciless sun will kill the common annual flowers those of us who live up north like to use. But that is nothing to make anyone disheartened since there really is a wide variety of desert flora that grows in this area.
What we do miss, on occasion, are trees. They grow sparsely here in the Arizona landscape. Instead we are treated to the view of saguaro cactus forests (pronounced suwaro). The Saguaro only grows in
A Tireless View
The bright blue sky, soft white clouds, and rugged mountains, a view of which I will never tire. a specific and limited region and altitude of the south-west, extending from Arizona into Mexico. These cacti are beautiful, and amazing, as well. They grow to an enormous height and weight, taking eighty years to mature. They can weigh two tons when fully grown. Janice took us hiking in the Sabino Canyon of Saguaro National Park during one of the first weeks we were in Tucson. The heat in the bajada landscape was surprisingly intense but the scenery was absolutely memorable. Dehydration is always an issue, as is sun stroke. It’s important to carry water, a hat, and sunglasses with you all the time. Even though Tucson is a metropolitan area, it is still a desert and precautions must be taken.
Nathanael and I have become semi-adept at identifying different types of cactus and it has been fun learning their names and the various characteristics of each, ..... from the saguaro, (which is almost famous in its recognisability), to others such as ocotillo, barrel cactus, crochet hook barrel cactus, pipe organ cactus, chainfruit cholla, teddy bear cholla, staghorn cholla, bougainvillea, agave, yucca, hedgehog cactus, pincushion cactus, totem pole cactus, prickly pear, candelilla, beargrass (both tree and ground), pallo
Local Wildlife
Here we see two quail that I captured with my camera, running across Janice's front yard, .... notice I didn't say lawn. Ha-ha. verde trees, bottle brush trees and flowering lantana. Check out our pictures to get an idea of what I mean. It is truly a different world than that back home.
Something we absolutely adore about Tucson is that there are no mosquitoes! None. There's no water, so there is nowhere for them to hatch. It’s so wonderful to be able to sit out on the patio at 9:00 or 10:00 at night, enjoying the balmy temperatures, and not being eaten alive, .... completely unimaginable back home in Ottawa. Janice doesn’t even have screens on her windows, except for the bathroom window that is near the ceiling in her shower. There is a story behind the reason for that, ....... shortly after she bought the house, Janice discovered a bat had entered via that particular window because it was the only one she ever left open over night or when she wasn’t there. It took several hours of crawling around with a broom in hand to try and chase it out of the house. As she tells the story the picture she paints is hilarious, although I shouldn't laugh. Bats are not fun to deal with.
All
Saguaro Forests
This is the view of the end of the street from Janice's front yard. These saguaro's are not very big compared to some we have seen. in all, both of us are enjoying our stay in Tucson, Arizona. Day after day of sunshine surely agrees with Nathanael and me. It lifts our spirits and warms our bones. We feel so much better after only a few weeks in this toasty climate. Every time we hear a weather report from home, especially those that forecast snow, we giggle in glee and give each other a high five. Occasionally we have even danced a little jig. We sure are going to miss this weather with its high temperatures next winter when we’re buried under snow. Our bodies will be in Ottawa but our hearts will be down south.
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Janice
non-member comment
wow
you need to apply for a job with the chamber of commerce !!! what a review!!