Home again, home again, jiggety jig

God knows I love to travel but coming home is it's own reward. Normally I like a four day trip. A little trip to the beach for a few days of R and R is a wonderful thing. I have even done a four day trip to Europe more than once. (I get there, cram in as much as possible and get back before my body can realize what's happened.)

The trip to Phoenix was a full eight days. Much, much longer than I like but I have to say it was most enjoyable. We were so busy sight seeing and Juice Plus conferencing we never had the "down" time to start missing our own bed and shower.

As I wrote previously, the landscape was beautifully in bloom, the weather was good and the company was great! I loved the art work and the native American culture. The food was wonderful and the massage was so relaxing I fell asleep several times. Wayne's magnificent gift was particularly appreciated. I can't wait to go back in two years!

But home sweet home is not just a cliche'. It wasn't easy getting here and we arrived at 0200. In the middle of the night while unpacking the car I found myself moving my potted plants out into the storm so they would receive God given rain water. In the dark I walked around our small courtyard to soak in the flowers and herbs. It seems the lush, tropical landscaping is in bloom here too. My gardenias are about to pop! I can hardly wait. (I shall post pictures when the buds are open.)

I am so happy to be back in my own bed, shower in my own shower have access to my own refrigerator. It takes so little to make me happy. I am just happy to be home sweet home.

The Sonoran Desert

I have to admit I am a lover of tropical landscapes. I love the palm trees swaying in the gentle breezes, the red hibiscus in bloom everywhere and the orange blossom's fragrance is such a blessing. I also love never being very far from a body of water. While I was "exiled" in Cincinnati that is what I missed most, water...and also azaleas.

So now I am in Peoria AZ. It's about thirty miles north of Phoenix in the Sonoran Desert. I may as well be in a foreign land. As I drove out of Phoenix into the desert landscape my first thought was "this is ugly." Then I began to see the big awesome cacti. They are amazing! I was actually lost and in the middle of nowhere because I programed the wrong street number into the GPS. God has a sense of humor that way. I would never have seen the giant cacti and the smaller ones (don't no the name) that are in full bloom with bright red flowers on their tippy tops. When the GPS announced "I had arrived" there was not a building or human in sight. That's when I realized the desert has it's own beauty and it should be appreciated.

I sat there on the side of the road looking around at the barren land with the hills and mountains rising in the distance. There were no trees and seemingly very little color. However upon closer examination I found there is much color in the desert, not the bright vibrant kind but dusty hues or green and gray along with the earth tone colors of the hills.

I am intending to visit a botanical garden and a couple of nurseries this week to learn the names of some the beautiful specimens I have spotted already. There won't be any effort going into learning about lawn grasses. There aren't any. Every "yard" is sand and rock. I can't say I could live without St. Augustine but on the other hand there are no chinch bugs and no mowing! Wouldn't that be something!