Blogs from Arizona, United States, North America - page 4

From the Wednesday, March 15, 2023 Daily Program, “San Juan, Puerto Rico; Arrival: 8:00 AM – All Aboard 5:30 PM; Tonight’s Attire – Casual.” Somehow, someway, all good things seem to find a way to come to an end. And so it was over for Booking Number XQVR5N and for the 2023 edition of the “74-Day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage.” The finality of the cruise had struck when we left the Amazon behind. We had not stepped on anything but Brazilian soil for some 23 days, from 2/15/23 to 3/10/23, when we arrived in Devils Island, French Guiana. Separation anxiety, probably not; but for some reason I was struck that it all was coming to an end, albeit a very busy end! Including Devils Island, we had five ports of call in six days. ... read more

Having been to Arizona so many times, I tend to repeat the same activities on most visits. Generally, these activities might include: Spring Training, Sedona, Old Town Scottsdale, hiking or cycling in the Valley of the Sun, visiting friends, visiting a few of the museums, and dining at some of my favorite places. But here is something rather unique for Arizona: When many think of Arizona, they think of oppressive heat, miles of sandy desert, and coyotes chasing road runners, so it might come as a surprise to know that Arizona has an ideal climate for growing grapes. It's actually not all desert — there is a great variety of climates and a vast difference in elevations. Arizona also sits at 40 degrees latitude — the ideal growing conditions range from the 30 to 50-degree mark. ... read more

Time for warmer and dryer climate, at least for a few days. Having been to Scottsdale, and the state of Arizona so many times, it has become more difficult coming up with a new angle for an email about our trip. So, here is some extraneous information that you may or may not care about: 1. The average temperature in March is 76. Most days are clear and sunny. Perfect for baseball or golf. It rapidly jumps up to 85 in April. 2. There is a cactus league (Spring Training) game held every day in March, somewhere in the Valley of the Sun. 3. It is just a few hours drive from either Sedona or Scottsdale to see the magnificent, Grand Canyon. 4. The Sonoran Desert, one of the lushest in the world, is blooming with ... read more

This winter we have seen a fair amount of rain. One benefit of the rain is we have enjoyed some beautiful flowers in the desert. Friends that have been coming to the area for years have never seen it so lovely!... read more

We’ve now been in Yuma, Arizona for 3 months, and it’s been an amazing time, enjoying Christmas when the weather is far from cold and white. After the new year is well under way, it’s interesting to consider our changes in 2022: A little over year ago, I was still an employee, even though it was two weeks of annual leave with one work day left to check out of a federal government job, and believe me, checking out of a federal job is hard labor. Just a year later, life is very different: I’m not waking up at zero dark thirty to go to work, even if the commute was just down the hall. Our home is now 37 feet long, and happens to be wherever we happen to be. At the moment, that’s Yuma, ... read more