Arizona!

 Hooray!
I visited Arizona!

It was the first time I've been back since we moved home to Minnesota.
In case you're new here, Greg moved to New Mexico in 1994, to Arizona in 1995, we got married in Minnesota in 1996, and I joined him in Arizona.  We lived there until 2021, at which time we moved back to Minnesota - and we couldn't be happier about it!

My clothes packing was great - I wore almost everything and didn't feel like I was missing anything.  But I didn't take a hair dryer, thinking my Mom would have one (she does, but it doesn't have a diffuser, which I need to prevent my hair from tying itself into knots).  I should have also taken my travel blender just in case, but my parents had a blender that worked AND a cute little travel blender given to them by friends.  And I could have bought a blender while there.  My suitcase got heavy and I took those things out . . . how in the world did I take all those things to Switzerland but my suitcase wasn't too heavy?!

It was VERY cold on the day I left.  I layered my outfit and took a light-ish lined water-repellant coat.

I always got motion sickness in airplanes, so even though I enjoy watching the world from above, flying has always made me a bit nervous.  With crazy things going on in our country and in air travel lately, I am even less likely to fly anywhere.  I am happy to report that I made ALIVE it to Arizona and back home again.

Alive!

The creative and lovely tile work in the Phoenix airport.

Mountains!

Big sunglasses:

Ready to be picked up by my parents!

I was very happy to see my FAVORITE GROCERY STORE: Sprout's!!!

The one I used to shop at regularly is the FIRST Sprout's ever, store #1!

We picked up a few things there and then went to Barro's for dinner.

They have a great gluten-free crust and they are willing to pile the veggies on there!

The next day, I had two friends scheduled - both at Barro's, but in different locations.

This one was in Chandler.

They had old photos from Chandler High School on the walls - some of them from 1919!

I was thrilled to hang out with my dear friend Jihae (illustrator of the Chirp Curriculum!) and two of her amazing children.

What delightful young people they are!

Meanwhile, at home . . . 

On the way home, I drove past our old house!

I was able to find it via little back roads even though things have changed a bit and even though I haven't been back in over three years.

The little old school that used to be closest to our house was completely gone and a new one was being built in its place!

There's our cute little Arizona house!

And our beautiful sweet acacia tree with precious little verdin living in it!

The new owners have left the lovely large Chinese Elm trees in the backyard, which were my parents' idea, and which do a miraculous job keeping the house cooler in the horrible long hot summers!  They shaded the house from the west as the sun went down in the hottest part of the day.

Sometimes I still think I hear that little gate (which made a specific sound when someone opened it!)

We did love our house and our neighborhood and our neighbors (still do!)

In case anyone is wondering if I/we miss Arizona and our life there, no.

I do love the mountains and our hiking haunts, but I prefer Minnesota in almost every way.

I've had THREE actual nightmares (one of which I woke up from crying) that either we had never actually moved to Minnesota at all or that we had to move back to Arizona for some reason.  I love it here in Minnesota! 

My Mom said that many neighborhoods are replacing curb ramps with new ones that have a different angle and I noticed the new ones have bumps on them (perhaps to decrease the chance of a wheelchair or stroller sliding backwards into the street?)

The entrance to our neighborhood had lovely flowers:

Later that evening, I went to Casa Grande to have dinner with my sweet friend Stacey!

My favorite selfie, but it's blurry.

Here's a non-blurry version!

We had lovely conversation, tasty pizza, and some laughs.

The next morning, I met my friend Jen at the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert for a little walk.

Baja Fairy Dusters:

Since I was last there, they put up mental health tips all around the pond.  I'm not sure what to think about these.  If they help someone, good!

The sun was in my face, so excuse my squint!

This is as lush as it gets in southern Arizona . . . and it's all human-constructed.  It is used to help process/filter water.  It attracts lots of different birds, rabbits, and coyotes, which is lovely in the middle of a big desert city.

Also, there's an observatory!

I love ducks.

Although I feel sorry for ducks in Arizona.

I suspect that this one wanted some snacks!

Ring-necked ducks:

Desert mallow:

Turtles like the pond, too!

Then I had an appointment with the doctor who helped me get much healthier again after being mostly couch-bound for many years.  I took her an orchid!

The orchid looked great in the office!

Meanwhile, back at home . . . 

Greg set up a game for the kittens!

On the way home from the doctor, I couldn't resist stopping at Ross!

It was a Ross up north in the Phoenix metro area that I didn't shop at often.

I needed a water bottle and I had neglected to bring one, so I thought I would pick one up.

But whoops - I also tried on these things!

I only bought the black and white striped light sweater.

This was my own outfit for the day:

The landscaping around this shopping area is fancy.

The following morning, I decided to go park in my old neighborhood and run my old three-mile route!  I thought it would be fun to see how it felt.

It was a cloudy day with a few sprinkles and I saw a rainbow!

I got a few sprinkles on me during my run!  I think can count on my fingers the number of times this happened while we lived there so it's funny that I got rain while I was there just for a week!

Then I got to shop with my Mom!

When I lived in Arizona and she was there for the winter, we had a shopping day about once per week.

We usually focused on Ross because Minnesota didn't have any Ross stores (though it does now)!

We used to often go to Macy's, too, because we found such good products and great deals, but Macy's is really struggling and it's not as fun to shop there now.  :(

It was a lovely day and I was happy to wear my favorite sandals.  They looked cute with these blue pants.

A little too windy!

Much better!

I tried on these things at Ross and I don't think I bought any of them!

I liked this license plate!

Oh wait!  I bought this cute shiny top!

We went to TJ Maxx, too, but I guess I didn't take any photos there.

Saturday morning I happily met my wonderful sweet friend Echo at Starbucks!  We talked for FIVE HOURS!  I had been intending to do a local hike later that day, but ran out of time and I'm not even sorry!

Echo is much more important.

I went to Sprout's later on Saturday to pick up yummy things.

Such lovely-smelling wood!

TWO of the employees remembered me!  That warmed my heart.  I love Sprout's.

Meanwhile, at home . . . 

Allistair got sick while I was gone; his digestive disorder flared up.  His Daddy took good care of him, but I called the vet when I got home and she prescribed a short course of antibiotics.  He's much better now.

That evening, I made some burrito bowls for us for dinner, and we watched a British murder mystery!

(Midsomer Murders)

My sweet adorable parents!

On Sunday, I had lunch with my long-term dear friend Kristi planned.

She was one of my students when I was teaching German at Arizona State University while I was getting my Masters.  She was 18 and I was 23!

We met at a wonderful vegan restaurant in Gilbert.

I wore this that day.  The weather was perfect.

The sun setting over the lake in my parents' neighborhood:

On Monday, I headed up north to Payson to hike one of my favorite hikes!

There's Four Peaks!

The drive up there is beautiful.

Though everything seems a lot browner to me now that I live in Minnesota!

They have installed a new automatic pass purchasing machine near the trailhead.

Arizona has gotten so highly populated and busy, that I thought the parking lot might be full, but it wasn't!  In fact, I didn't see very many people on the trail.  More than in previous years, but it was still not overfull.

Thanks for letting my borrow your car, Dad!

I'm on my way!

An old mill wheel!

Gotta climb up!

And it's going to get steeper!

But there will be WATER!

There must've been a flood lately, because there was a lot of stuff, mud and grass, in the trees quite high up.

And some trees had been knocked over.

More climbing . . . 

neat rocks!

Prickly plants!

Here's the canyon:

Lichen:

Once I got to the waterfalls, I decided to have lunch.

I had packed yummy stuff!

Fritos:

A banana:

Green tea (decaf):

Sandwiches!

Cashew cheese, bell peppers, greens:

Yum!

And look at the view!

(imagine the sound of rushing water!)

Now the trail gets a bit more foresty.

Then I reached the big waterfall!

Very cold snow run-off water!

A woman who was hiking by told me she's been visiting here since the late 1950s and this log has been there the whole time!

This large boulder was wedged in a crevasse.

The sky was a beautiful color.

I brought home this rock to put on a cairn in our front flower bed.

There are free-roaming cows in this area.  One time I saw a couple, but not this time.

Nice striped rocks!

Then I had to go back across the river!

A century plant!

Once I got home again, I got to play with the cute little dogs that belong to my parents' neighbors!

They brought me lots of joy!  They are blurry because they are always in motion!!!

And then I got to shop with my Mom again!

We started at Target.

We weren't very successful looking for fun things, but we found the practical things we needed!

Then a different Ross!

I found a huuuuuggge lollipop!

We also went to TJ Maxx, and that's where I had the most luck!

Here are the things I purchased during our shopping trips:

We went to Chipotle for lunch and it was delicious!

Tasty!

I learned that there's a specific kind of oak tree where the acorn leaves its hat on the tree!

The naked acorns drop to the ground all alone and unprotected!!!

Here is what my Mom found!

That evening, I got to see Jen again - we had dinner together at Barro's.

Then I took my Dad's car through the car wash to wash off all the dust and grime from driving all over.

Then I made some cookies for my travel day.

The next morning there was some confusion about what time I should be at the airport because my flight was delayed BUT they told me to be there at the same time I would've anyway.  But I made it!

I enjoyed the time alone at the airport!

I had lots of layers to wear so I didn't have to pack them!

I browsed through the IndiginoUS store and bought this beautiful heart-shaped ceramic bowl by Lisa, Howe, an artist who trained in Sedona.

I read.

I still had red dirt on my shoes from hiking in Payson.

I saw Four Peaks from the plane!

It was very cold when I arrived home in Minnesota, but I was SO HOT after being in the plane and the airport that it felt good for the short amount of time I waited.  

Hooray!  I'm home!