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| Apache Lake |
I live in Arizona and have most of my life. I was born in Phoenix, and until I married a man in the Army, I'd barely gotten outside the state. I never liked the heat or the desert so following him to Massachusetts, Germany, and Florida was exciting. Florida was a little sticky in the summer, but the greenery and water made me happy.
After the Army, we moved around some more and returned to
Arizona several times. Now we're back for good. I've found if I stay north of Phoenix, I like Arizona. There are picturesque mountains, areas with snow, and the northern prairies are lovely. The desert is more lush too. The heat not so bad.
This year we had much needed rain. There are plants in the desert that can lie dormant for years waiting for that rain. Orange, yellow, and purple flowered bushes dot the landscape. My allergies are giving me hell, but the beauty of a high desert in bloom is easy on the eyes.
My five book Love and Murder Series is set mainly in the northern
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| Near Tonto Basin |
mountains and prairies of Arizona. Four books are available and the fifth will be ready later in the year.
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17 comments:
We used to visit a ranch outside of Tucson every Easter flying in from London. It was much welcome warmth for us but I've also been there in 115 degrees. No thanks!! Good luck with the book😃
The rains have blessed us in many ways; the desert is abloom! For good reason baby boomers have moved to the warmer states. I play my best golf in 70 degree weather; I write more rapidly and happily when the sun is shining. I forgot about your Army career, Brenda. I'm an Army brat (Germany, Japan, Korea)...in the years before I started college, we moved every two years! But the travel gets in the blood...and to keep that blood warm...we travel to the warm states. The southern climes are FULL of service retired folk!
I normally don't like any of AZ from Prescott south. There are a few areas, close to the mountains, in Tucson that are nice. Yeah, 115 sucks.
Yes, moving around does get in your blood, Rolynn. One reason I like the RV. It's strange, but when I lived in Phoenix, I could barely finish a paragraph. Something about southern AZ dries up my creative juices. I can tolerate up to the 80s and then I go blank. I actually prefer writing in cool or cloudy weather.
I love your pictures of the desert. What a difference the rain makes! I'm not sure I could tolerate the heat in Arizona for long, but I do love to visit.
Gorgeous photos, Brenda. High desert is beautiful...the Phoenix area, not so much to my tastes. It's great that you've found your happy place!
Thanks, Alison. Heat is why I prefer Prescott and north. In Tonto Basin where we spend much of the year, the summers can tip over 100, but the nights are beautiful. Last week we had some unusual heat. I would turn the air on about 3:30 and shut it off about 6:30. Then I had to set the heater on 62 for the night and it would kick on around 3 am. Love how it cools down once the sun goes behind the mountains.
Thanks, Jannine. I actually have several happy places but family are all in AZ so here we stay.
I left a comment earlier, but it isn't here. Hmmm. Anyway, we lived in Texas and Arizona when my husband was in the army. Not fun in summer. Especially with our way north roots. With family living in Phoenix for years, I visited many times before the army stint and since and have only seen the desert in bloom once. It is spectacular as your photos prove.
Yes, Margo, the full bloom like we got this year is not an every year occurrence. It can be awesome but it's not the norm.
Since our son moved to AZ seven years ago, we've made many trips out there. Now with a granddaughter there, we're going out more than once a year--in the winter and early spring. I don't do heat! Our first visit I didn't see the appeal. Brown and red. No greens like I'm used to in Michigan. But in the winter, I love the 70 degree days when my joints don't hurt from the cold. I see what you mean about north of Phoenix. The greens and mountains are fabulous. Everybody has to have their writing spot. Mine is home.
Stunning photos, Brenda! I've been as far north as Vermont, as far south as the tip of Florida, and as far east as Bermuda, but never farther west than the Mississippi! I'm more than a bit envious of those of you who have traveled the world, although I know that transient lifestyle has its drawbacks, especially for a kid.
As far as heat, I have plenty of experience with that. A typical Jersey summer day is "hazy, hot and humid," days in the 90s (temp and humidity) when you walk outside and a film of sweat plasters itself all over your body. UGH. People think I'm kidding when I tell them it's actually less humid where I live on the Virginia Peninsula than Central Jersey! We get hot and humid here for sure, but there seems to be more of a breeze on most days, even inland.
I'd love to try the heat of the southwest some day, but for now I'll have to visit vicariously through you ladies!
It's the winter temp in southern AZ that is the draw. It gets quite white and cold in parts of the north. But the trouble with the valley (greater Phoenix) in the winter is the thick air. My eyes burn with it at times. Must not bother everyone because the valley really fills up in the winter.
Be sure if you come to AZ, come in the spring...still warm but not suffering and you'll see some green. MN can have high humidity. And FL does too. Makes it hard to breathe.
Hi Brenda, I have fond memories of my visit to Arizona. I saw most of the state and agree that the northern areas are more comfortable. I visited in September and experienced record-high temperatures of 100 degrees (PLUS!!) in Phoenix. Cars and even buses stalled in those temperatures. But it was an unforgettable trip.
Yes, Joanne, those summer temps can last long into September. Not my cup of tea!
How did I let so many days slip by without checking the blog posts? Great post. Beautiful pics. I was in Arizona once, as a small child. I would love to go again, but I am not a fan of heat, so not sure I'd want to live there.
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