Living in the desert keeps the rain away. I had not realized before I moved to Phoenix that a long soaking rain in spring or fall, a straight-down-falling rain, a gentle, splashing rain is more than a blessing. It’s a miracle. I have not seen hail fall from a clear blue sky, nor have I tasted horizontal rain, flung by powerful winds, but I have witnessed dust storms for years that blind you and keep you coughing for days.
I live 1117 feet above sea level, among scorpions and Gila Monsters along with swarms of insects. They attack like plaques depending on the time of year. We have only two seasons, so they rotate; Africanized and carpenter bees in the winter and spring along with West Nile mosquitos and scorpions, Gila Monsters, fruit flies in the spring and summer. Rats are prevalent in the winter months and early spring when oranges begin to ripen and the cold lures them to find warmer places inside vents, attics, and on roofs.
Phoenix has the second highest major league baseball stadium next to Denver. It’s located in a small downtown area that keeps trying to catch up with the world by building high rises that can’t find renters. We have a few theaters, like the Herberger and the Orpheum that have worthwhile plays as long as one doesn’t walk the streets alone at night.
I live with sameness only when it comes to the Phoenix weather. My personal life gravitates toward eclectic experiences. I’m always playful and like a diligent journalist, I look for a story in every experience—trying to recreate negatives into positives.
I invite all of you to become frequent visitors of my blog, soak in it for a while and always look forward to the next essay. Engage yourself in my words and photos, and hopefully you will feel propelled to share your own personal experiences with me.