Wednesday, August 20, 2008

SUMMER in Tucson, Arizona

We moved to the southwest. From the east coast. To be near family. I wanted my kids to know their grandparents. Mission Accomplished. Now I'm done. The summertime here is just ridiculous. Beyond hot, and humid besides. Monsoon season. Mosquitoes, tarantulas, scorpions, black widow spiders, rattlesnakes, poisonous desert toads (don't let your dogs touch them, often fatal). I hate to be inside; I want to be outside. I sat outside the other evening, with my horses. I can't count how many bug bites I have. It is not pretty.

BUT


Here is some desert pretty:

Southwestern thornapple?







Juvenile giant saguaro cactus, surrounded by 'nurse' trees. The saguaro doesn't grow arms until it is 40-50 years old.




I'm not sure if this is a creosote bush or brittlebush. All of this stuff just grows wild.



Rabbitbrush? I think......

Back east, I knew the names of most flowers and shrubs. Too hot to learn them all here.


And here's a shady thicket of different shrubs and small trees. That's prickly pear cactus, with fruit on it. I have a friend that makes a syrup from the fruit, it is delicious. And javelina (wild roaming animals that look like boars, but aren't) love them too. You can always tell when they've been around, because there will be mashed fruit all over the place.
So, it's a wild place to live. And one day, in the not too distant future, we will leave for higher ground. And cooler climate.
:0)







9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wait a second. I thought it was dry heat out there. What the heck?

FairiesNest said...

I hear you! Of course I live in the oh so hot and sticky southeast but I'm longing for the mountains. One day...

woolies said...

Note to blueviolet: dry heat is true until around July 4th, then monsoon season hits, and lasts for around 2 months.
Then it will get dry again. But the bugs will stay, until it gets cold - around November.
SIGH!

Anonymous said...

I feel the same as you and I don't live as far South!! I am SO tired of the hot summers. Unfortunately, we are kind of stuck here and also, the kids' grandpa and Carol are here...and they love them so much, I couldn't take them away from them!

What we do for our kids, huh? :0)

Hey Harriet said...

Tarantulas, scorpions, rattlesnakes etc...Eeeek! I'd be too afraid to ever leave the house with those creepy things around! I enjoyed your photos. That giant cactus is amazing! Sorry the heat is so bad. I'd send you a little of my cold winter if I could!

Teaching Handwork said...

just a skip and a jump from me over here

Bumpkin Hill said...

YIKES that sounds too hot for me too - I'll send you some of the cool rainy weather we are having here in Belgium right now :) Catherine x

Rosebud Collection said...

What great pictures..Isn't it funny how they, the wild flowers, always look so pretty..To me, since I don't have a green thumb, glad I have them..

Perri said...

Oh I'm feeling for you, Woolies! Sounds pretty miserable (Though also pretty beautiful). We made a similar choice and moved from the west (CO) to the Northeast to be near family.

Aside from the miserable heat, the west is awesome! :)

Hope the higher ground comes soon!

Perri