Arizona 2012: Chili Pepper Lights

As my mom and I drove up to Phoenix today for some last minute shopping with my sister, I found myself singing along to all the Christmas songs on the radio - some silly, some nostalgic, most obnoxiously familiar. As I did, I realized very few of them described the Christmas I knew as a child growing up in Coolidge, a medium-to-small sized town in the middle of the Arizona desert.






The closest thing we had to snow was the fluffy white cotton bits that get scattered along the side of the road after the final harvest. Often times it was cactus and palm trees wrapped with bright lights instead of bare trees and evergreens. Bundling up meant a jacket in the morning that could be easily discarded in the 65 degree sunny afternoons. Tamales, not turkey, was the more common Christmas dinner.

Yesterday evening, as the sun began to set, I drove around town past the water tower (most likely the tallest thing for miles) and up to the fence of our "claim to fame" - the 500 year old Native American dwelling, Casa Grande Ruins (probably the second tallest thing.) I was looking for Christmas lights, but didn't find much. When I got back home, my parent's tenants had turned on their mix 'n match light display and I was grateful for the festive attempt.

When my parents downsized and moved into one of their rental properties, one of the things that got lost in the move was the box with the Christmas lights, all except for the chili pepper lights, that is. Where would we be without chili pepper lights! My brother sent my parents a mini pine tree this year. Not being big on decorating (that was always my thing) they decided to fore go a large tree and just used the small one. It works for them.

Tomorrow is Christmas. The presents are wrapped and the stockings are hung - well at least, draped over the cedar chest. I have been Santa's "helper" for as long as I can remember and since my parents have both already gone to bed, I can finish stuffing the stockings with a couple of dollar store finds, nuts, a few chocolates and a mandarin orange in the toe.  A movie on Christmas Day has been a Barnett tradition for years (see previous post regarding my Dad's movie addiction...)We are heading out in the morning to catch a matinee - Les Miserables. Nothing like a bit of musical misery to make one grateful.

Merry Christmas!

Arizona 2012: The end of the world, a birthday and a very cute baby

 What do moving walkways, snowflakes, and a skeleton in a fuzzy green hat have in common? These are a few of the "christmasy" things I found at the Salt Lake Airport during my delay on Friday. The "end of the world" came and went without much fanfare. I am thrilled not to have encountered any mystical beings or major calamities at 30,000 feet. The only inconvenience was the airport delay due to massive winter storms slowing my plane down from the Midwest. The Arizona sun had already set when I arrived home. I was obviously overdressed for the 60 degrees that greeted me.

One of the reasons I came home early was to be there on December 22 to celebrate my Dad's 71st birthday. I knew a trip to the movies would be mandatory (my father is a self-proclaimed junkie with no intentions of rehabilitation) so we found one both Mom and Dad would both enjoy - "Rise of the Guardians" - an animated holiday film with a Russian accented Father Frost named "North" and a classic battle between good and evil (or at least between Santa, the Easter Bunny, Sandman, Tooth Fairy and Jack Frost and the devilish 'bogie man' with 'nightmare' minions.) Since it was his birthday, my Dad decided he was entitled to finish 3 king sized candy bars - several variations of Reeces - all by himself.

 After the movie, we met up with Larena, Erica, and baby Sawyer for an early dinner at Olive Garden. It is amazing how much power a small bundle of only 12 pounds can wield on 5 seemingly 'grown-up" adults. After her "conversations with Grandpa", Sawyer continued to charm those eating at the next table. We took some photos afterwards...I think Sawyer out-dressed us all in her candy cane outfit and tu-tu cuffed footies - Dad was a close secondwith his new Polo jacket - tag still attached.

  



Arizona 2012: A Thankful Trip

It is hard to believe two weeks have passed since Thanksgiving - one of my favorite holidays! I decked my halls (well my very small living room, at least) with Christmas before heading down to Arizona. I wanted to be sure to have the tree and lights waiting for me when I got home - Christmas being my most favorite holiday :) I am lucky to have extended family in Utah, so there was always a place to go for Thanksgiving dinner. But this year, I decided to fly home to Arizona for some mild November weather, turkey and to meet my new niece, Sawyer.

But first, my turkey hunt at the airport. Greek, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Fish Market and, of course, McDs. On any other day, I would be thrilled at the new food choices at the SLC Airport, but it was Thanksgiving and I wanted turkey! I made the rounds of Terminal 2 and finally found U Food Grill at the end of Gate C. The turkey may have been served on naan flatbread, but there was cranberry chutney included, so I am not complaining. I am an firm advocate of flying on actual holiday days. The airport is almost entirely devoid of people but there is free wi-fi, so life is good! Extra thankful for a beautiful view of the mountains and a short flight home.

An hour and 30 minutes after take-off, mom and dad picked me up at Sky Harbor Airport. It was a balmy 78 degrees and the sun was just about to set. For those who have not experienced an Arizona sunset, you are missing out. The sky goes on for miles. With all the dust in the air the red-orange sun sets the sky aglow as in dips behind jagged hills - after living in Utah, I can't really call them mountains. It can be a fleeting moment, easily missed if you are talking or otherwise distracted on the drive across the Santan Reservation. There is a hilly stretch of road just as you turn off the I-10 Freeway that is lined with saguaro cacti and chunky black rocks. If you are lucky enough to be passing by at sunset, it is a real sight to see. I wasn't, but I did get a photo in looking back at the hills before the sun set.

This year, my brother stopped over in Coolidge during a business trip to California. We met up with Larena, Erica and baby Sawyer for a morning hike up Squaw Peak, in northern Phoenix. I must admit, this was my first time actually hiking around this well-known spot. I guess, back when I actually lived in Arizona, I wasn't much of a hiker, that came later. Mom and dad stayed with Sawyer and the rest of us took to the trail. I say I am a hiker, but I use that term loosely. As I tell my hiking companions, I am like the "little engine that could", slow and sure. I have climbed up many a tower, cliff and mountain as I have traveled, but I am never the first one to the top.


The trail was full of after-Thanksgiving hikers, hard-core joggers and even a group of "techies" on their weekly exploration of Arizona trails. I often complain about the heat of Arizona. But between the months of November and March, it is actually quite nice. The landscape is unique, even exotic. On our hike we saw cactus with freakishly huge thorns and rocks jutting out of the side of the hill like white-crystal kryptonite. Amazing!



Luckily, I didn't miss out on Thanksgiving dinner altogether. My mom tried something new this year, pre-ordering a pre-cooked turkey dinner from Safeway. We picked up everything Sunday afternoon - turkey and all the fixings, as planned. However, that fine print will get you every time! Didn't realize the turkey would be cold and have to be re-heated for an hour and a half before we could actually eat. Bummer, but not the end of the world. We added the customary green bean and fried onion casserole and embellished the stuffing with walnuts, onions and celery. It was less than half the Barnett clan, but it was a nice, relaxed after-thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner. 

We took a walk in Coolidge's "sport park" after dinner - really just several ball fields joined together by sidewalks and some trees - but a nice place to walk in a town with no real "downtown". As we were leaving the park, I commented to my sister that it must look nice when all the grass is green and she said, "this is green!" But then again, the trees still have all their leaves, and green ones, at that. Ah, another Arizona-only moment.