Sunny and warm here

When you live in Tucson, sun and warmth replace the snow and cold found in other parts of the country in December. This week, for example, I wrote out my Christmas cards on my sunny patio with the temps pushing 80. In shorts and a t-shirt! And I got a sunburn on my arm!

Nature here offers up winter gifts, like these lemons against an intense blue sky ...

... and oranges nestled in shiny green leaves and warmed by the sun.

Our palo verde trees are painted gold in the winter ...

... and pink bougainvillea and roses spill over stucco walls.

I don't know what kind of cactus this is, but it's full of red fruit bursting open to reveal its seeds.

We also differ from the north when it comes to our outdoor decorations. A lot of residents hang ornaments from their trees because we don't have to worry about howling snow storms knocking them down.

And these red ornaments will stay securely on the yucca leaves in my front yard. I also saw silver and gold ornaments on the tips of agave plants on today's walk.

Down the street, cheerful red bows stand out against our mountains and blue sky. I still can hardly believe I live in this winter paradise after spending most of my life up north! I mean -- that's a palm tree!

Have a colorful day

Lights and magic

Nancy and I went to Oro Valley's annual holiday market and tree lighting yesterday under a beautiful blue sky. After we shopped, we snagged an outdoor seat at a restaurant where we ate until they lit the tree. We had a perfect view, but by the time they lighted it two hours later we were so cold I could hardly hold my hand steady to sign my check. It gets cold fast in the desert when the sun goes down!

We each bought a hat -- everyone who lives here has a hat collection.

I've also been hiking as much as I can. There's water running at Catalina State Park after some recent rain, and it's nice to hear the burbling.

Finally, I've been working on handmade gifts. Beth and Barb had November birthdays, so I made them each a quote collage and took them out to eat. Those salads were amazing, and mine made three meals!

The quotes say: 

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." -- Roald Dahl

Have a magical day!

Christmas decor is up!

I got the Christmas decorations up today -- what a feeling of accomplishment! Even though I live alone and no one will be staying here over the holiday, I put them up for myself. I love the colors and all the candles and little white lights in the evening.

Since I moved to the sun, I decorate the outside with shiny Christmas ornaments on my yuccas.

I have a tall, skinny tree that tucks into the corner. It's loaded with ornaments that all have special meanings.

I just made these three to send to Juniper and her mom and dad. The pattern is "Emmitt & Ivy Ornaments" by Sweetwater.

I made the snowman out of stacked wool circles and the Hole In the Barn Door quilt block out of flattened chocolate wrappers

Friends made all of the wool mittens and the snowperson ornament.

I made the triangle Santa last year. Every year I made a different ornament.

Here are some more decorations in the living room ...

... and the kitchen  LOL ...

... and the guest bathroom.

After growing up in Pennsylvania and spending many years in other snowy states, it stills feels strange to be decorating for Christmas when I can see a palm tree from my living room! But there is a natural Christmas feel to the lady slipper plant by my front door, with its bright green branches and red flowers that the hummingbirds love.

Have a colorful day

Road trip to see little Juniper

I just got back from visiting my sweet little Juniper in Spokane, where I gave her "mama and dada" my trusty old Toyota Venza. Since I have road trip driving anxiety, my ex flew down and drove it all the way up, through rain, sleet and snow under dramatic skies.

 

Here's the old Venza, at 122,000 miles and 15 years under a stormy northern Arizona sky, and my new sunny sky blue Subaru Crosstrek with the safety features this aging driver needs.

We ate well on the three-day road trip. Above is the colorful artsy decor of the Rocking V restaurant in Kanab, Utah, where I had a molten lava chocolate cake with a toffee caramel sauce and ice cream. Below is me holding a big piece of chocolate cake from Dixie's Diner in Idaho Falls.

One of our first orders of business in Spokane was to visit Michael's for Christmas decorations, where Juniper lugged around two huge stuffed characters.

She's obsessed with her Sesame Street finger puppets and was delighted to see that they could be put on the tree (and taken off and put on our fingers and taken off and put on the tree and on and on)!

I can't get over her curly blond hair, which she inherited from her other grandma.

 

One evening, my daughter's friend visited wearing this very cool coat made from a quilt. She bought it at an art market. She also brought a big pot of her delicious vegetable curry, which we all loved.

Juniper and Dad at work, supervised by Charlie the cat. All three cats curled up on my bed sometimes during the day.

Here's our parting shot on a cold and windy day just before I left for the airport. I sure do miss them. The doll that Jade's holding was Julia's when she was two and now it's Juniper's and she includes it in all activities. LOL

Have a colorful day