Life in Tucson - Part 1

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January 20-Feb. 3, 2007
While we were in Hawaii, Tucson had a serious cold snap. Unfortunately, the result was that over 700 homes, including the one we are renting, had frozen pipes. The resulting water damage has wiped out our master bedroom, so we are now living in a smaller space than we planned on. The owners have been great, repair work is underway, and our spirits are undampened.

We are trying to pack as much as possible into the time we have here. We have joined a local racquet and fitness club where Andy is working out and playing tennis and Jennie is swimming. We have our library cards, are—between us—taking three courses at the local community college, have spent a wonderful day at the Sonora Desert Museum and another at the Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie, been to two Univ. of Arizona baseball games and a performance of Madama Butterfly, played our first round of golf, and tried 3 or 4 local restaurants so far.

We marvel daily at the magnificent mountains that surround the city, the spectacular sunsets, enjoy biking here and there in this very bike-friendly and navigable area, are learning a good deal about the plant and wildlife of the region and as much as we can about its history. Andy has made a good connection with the Univ. of Arizona baseball coaches, who are quite welcoming of his looking on and asking questions, and Jennie is, among other things, spending a good deal of time on her photography, as the accompanying pictures make clear. We have experienced the world famous Gem Show and are looking forward to the Rodeo coming up next week.

We are watching for signs of spring, which can appear either quite quietly and randomly or with a lot of flourish! Apparently the key is the amount of rain received during the late fall and early winter and then additional rain here in these months will contribute to the "show." Everything looks pretty dormant to these New England eyes, but occasionally we'll be surprised with some color on a bush. The desert, however, looks so brown and dry. We are comforted by the fact that the rattlesnakes are in hibernation. We learned that the agave plant (looks like an aloe plant) spends most it's life growing sharp spikes. Then it will send out a large and powerful center shoot/flower and die. The flower shoot grows very fast. If you are lucky enough to witness it, they say you can see it grow 3-5 inches a day. (see photo) More on the arrival of spring in Tucson later.

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Photos

SNOW IN TUCSON
Unfortunately the frost and snow hit right at the peak of fruit season.

SNOW IN THE FOOTHILLS
The snow and blue sky brought out the green in the desert - see next picture for the contrast and what we see daily.

BREATHTAKING SUNSETS
and yes, the color was that firey orange--you just never know what it will look like!

DESERT MUSEUM
A barn owl during the "raptors in flight" demonstration

DESERT MUSEUM
just can't get enough of the cacti and dry terrain.

AGAVE
after it has set it's flower and died

VIEW OF TUCSON
at night from the "A" mountain (Arizona Wildcats)

GEM SHOW
Amythest -- just one of MANY, MANY specimens

GEM SHOW 2
and if the purple wasn't your style, how about this gold one, maybe placed in the foyer....

NEIGHBORHOOD ART
just 2 blocks from us. This is a great show of public art. Can imagine what else is in his yard..

CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT
amazing rock formations - you can barely get the feel for the enormity of these stacks of rocks

CHIRICAHUA CLOSE-UP
can you guess the name of this formation?
(sea captain)