Arizona 2013: Mariachi Music, Migraines and Other Christmas Memories

The stillness of the desert has a way of amplifying sounds, sights and other senses. The rusted wind chimes in the garden sound like the Carol of the Bells ringing mercilessly in my ears and the Milky Way seems to be close enough to touch. At 3am I was roused from my post-Christmas sleep by mariachi music. The same neighbors that harvest their Prickly Pear cactus also have a love of their Mexican heritage that is sometimes a little too freely shared. It was at this time I realized I had a throbbing migraine, my first since arriving home for the holidays. Probably too much lifting and not enough water.

My time in Coolidge is winding down. My dad had a successful run as Santa's Helper and also enjoyed his 72 birthday. I have seen 3 movies with him in less than a week, which is pretty normal around here.

 My mom, acting as my biggest supporter and part-time manager, staged a jewelry sale for me to peddle some of my handmade baubles. I think I made enough for my next round trip ticket on Allegiant Air. She is pleasantly surprised every time my little niece, Sawyer, runs to her with sheer joy on her face and practically climbs up into her arms. It has been fun to see Christmas through a 14 month old's eyes and remember how great Sesame Street really is - Cookie Monster has gotten much cooler as the years progress.





I accomplished all of the projects my mother tasked me with plus a few unexpected ones:
- caulking the kitchen cabinets against invading creepy crawlies;
- moving dirt and rock into the possible puddle spots in the driveway;
- clearing out the back storage room so my mom can organize her boxes of photos and frames and to make way for my dad's Triumph (a 20 year "project of obsession");
- hanging up oil paintings by my mom and another local artist in the guest room; and
- transplanting cactus bits that have fallen down in a wind gust.

In the course of writing this entry, the Mariachi music has stopped and my migraine is almost gone. One day left before I head back up to Utah and the sub-zero winter. I will spend my time building Lego castles with Sawyer and soaking up the Arizona sunshine.

Arizona 2013: Five Days of Christmas in Coolidge

The clouds of the past few days had dumped all their moisture and went on their way. It was a beautiful warm Sunday afternoon and so I went for a walk out past the train tracks along the canal.  I stumbled upon a field of leftover cotton pods... the closest we ever got to fields of "snowy white". It had been ages since I actually hopped in a hay trailer filled with cotton (not as fun as it sounds) and I had forgotten just how incredibly soft it was fresh from the pod.

On my way back home I found a street filled with deflated lawn decorations and out of place snowmen and penguins. I tried to seek out 12 Days of Christmas, but found only five. Here they are...

Five Friends from the Land of Misfit Toys

Four Balls of Cotton

Three Inflatable Wise Men

Two Pigeon Doves 

And a Drunk Man* Near a Prickly Pear Cactus

 *my mom recognized the sweater on the same man in the park the following morning, so we know he made it out OK.



Arizona 2013: Desert Redesigned

Having been raised in Arizona, I always knew that the sky here was big and wide and that the desert could be both unique an unexpected. Cactus abounds and the Prickly Pear are even farmed by my parent's neighbor for their fruit and juicy "leaves".

Winter weather is very unpredictable. It could be 70 degrees one day and 40 the next with sprinkles quickly followed by torrential downpours. Recent rains stirred up the green and left puddles on the desert floor. On this particular day, the clouds followed no special order in shape, color or composition. They filled the December sky like a grey-blue watercolor. It is only about an hour drive from Coolidge to Phoenix past harvested cotton fields, colorful rooftops on the houses in the Gila River Indian Reservation and soldier-like saguaro along the roadside. As I drove up to my sister's place, I remembered just how important and how far away the "Valley" used to seem.

On Friday, half of my family gathered at the Desert Botanical Gardens to see a desert completely redesigned; over sized swollen cactus were invaded by sleek, colorful sculptures. The artist, Chihuly, had returned to Phoenix to embellish the desert with the sultry hues and textures of blown glass.
 
We braved the nip in the air as we "ooh-ed and awe-ed" with the rest of the spectators. Christmas musician were strategically position throughout the gardens to remind us of the season.  It was a magical night and a great time with my niece, Sawyer, spreading joy and blowing kisses.