"Walkin' The Black!"

Marie Jarreau

My Brief Encounter With Fire and Fine Souls . . .

 

Snow Day in the Arizona Desert!!

   (Updated June 10, 2023)       

2014-2015

New Years Eve Reflections 

                                                  Marie Jarreau

       

Once Upon A Christmas . . .     

                                             Memories were made - of dreams I never knew I had!!!

Snow Cap
Just a winter detail.
Affectionately referred to as
"designer snow" 
Since it could be beautiful in the morning
and gone by noon, lessening the impact.  

Dashing Through ...
Montezuma Ave, Lake Montezuma, Arizona
'twas the quiet, lovely road on which I lived.
I was surrouned by good neighbors and friends,
fine music, memories, monsoons and moonlight walks.

I thought it ironic that the house I rented, after moving to the Verde Valley in Arizona from SE Oregon, looked much like the Verde Station US Forest Service office at which I was later employed for 5 years!                 

The small juniper bush to the far right in the photo is one I transplanted from the wooded hill across the road. It eventually grew to be about 14 feet when last I saw it!

What a peaceful, pleasant world it was!

                                                                                      

HotShot Crew Honored by Brendan McDonough's Resilience

(Updated June 10, 2023)

Loss of the Granite Mountain HotShot Crew remembered

 during 4th of July celebration, 2013

Heroes Honored by Lone Survivor

Marie Jarreau

     Brendan McDonough is the young Granite Mountain HotShot firefighter who was assigned to be the team's 'lookout' and so was not in the same location with the rest of his crew - all 19 of whom perished on Granite Mtn. at Yarnell Hill in Northern Arizona, just four days ago!

     Brendan was the guest speaker at Parkside Community Church in Camp Verde, Arizona recently. I attended the church service with a need to hear his story (yes - 'history'). He sat just seats away from me and I could feel his pain and agony as he was introduced while video images of his crew in earlier days moved across the large screen and a recording played Vince Gill singing Go Rest High On That Mountain.
 
     I had prepared myself that, in attending this event, it would be painful. I also recognized that 'my' emotional pain could not compare to Brendan's. As we sat listening to the mournful song and watching images fade in and out on the screen of his crew in earlier times, moving about the wildlands landscape working and or smiling and joking glad to be where they were,  I thought, "why are they playing this?"  It's so painful for him! But quickly I realized too - grieving IS painful, but must be done. Brendan was in tears, as were most of us in the audience.
 
     With my own emotions welling up, I wanted to give him a comforting hug and to hand him my own Kleenex tissue as he tried continually to wipe away his tears - bare handed, but I thought better of offering my own tears on the used tissue to mix with his own. About that time one of the ushers appeared at his side with a box of tissues. I felt some relief.
     He wasn't what you'd call a wholly eloquent speaker, just a young kid trying to speak about a dreadfully difficult experience, in essence, trying to tell us how he came to be spared death while the rest of his beloved crew was not, all still fresh and undoubtedly, raw. The pastor accompanied Brendan onto the stage where they both sat and spoke of the events of June 30th. Pastor Martin gently guiding Brendan through the pain. It was acknowledged that Brendan had given this talk a number of times already, it was obviously still painful to go through.

    He didn't tell us much that we had not already heard though the media, but hearing in his own voice about what happened that day somehow helped me in thinking that by being there to hear it, I was 'helping him in his grief' if that makes any sense. 

     He seemed to be in somewhat 'good spirits' as he told a funny story or two surrounding the camaraderie of his crew in earlier times.  Brendan, through no design of his own, will spend his life dealing with an incredible burden - no matter how well he handles it, or seems to handle it.
     After the service he was available for those who might speak to him. Of course I had to. After waiting my turn in line, I gave him a hug, and simply said that I would be thinking positive thoughts for his future. I mentioned  to Brendan, my son-in-law Jonathan (who IS) and his wife, my daughter Beth (who used to be a firefighter) and my personal connection to that world. Jonathan and his own Red Rock District/Camp Verde fire crew had been sent to fires in New Mexico just days prior to the Granite Mountain incident. It was another group of wildlands firefighters, (who on occasion had worked alongside Jonathan's crew) who discovered the remains of the '19' on Granite Mountain.
    
     I gave Brendan a copy of Listen To The Noise with a hope that the music there, with no connection to 'fire,' might give him a opportunity to escape in the melodies. I hoped that it might at times ease his mind.
     His look, his demeanor, his speech patterns, Brendan's apparent sense of integrity and personal dignity, his love of life are so reminiscent of my perception of the young, optimistic, energetic wildland firefighters I'd encountered over the years in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona.

    The day after the tragedy as a way of dealing with my own sense of grief over that event, I'd written a lament for the loss of the 19 firefighters. I may revisit that 'ode' in years to come but right now it seems too sad to listen to again.
    Anyway, I think it's good that he is sharing, not his 'experience' (we can't be THERE with him) but his story. I think it's good for him to talk about it so it isn't 'shut up within him to fester and eat away at his soul, (I hope it doesn't) and good for us to have hope about life and the delicate twists and turns that come with living life to the fullest. His very presence offers 'hope' and a sense that even in the harshest events - all is not lost.

- - - - -   Communications Gap Found in Granite Mountain HotShots Death Incident - - - -
The folowing link is an update to the blog, a report of the investigation of the incident on Granite Mountain published via NPR on Sept. 28, 2013:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/09/28/227177905/report-on-arizona-hotshots-deaths-finds-a-communications-gap?ft=1&f=1001

19 Lost - Granite Mountain Hot Shots Honored

(Updated June 10, 2023)

The beginning of the Honor Guard Procession approaches the intersection of highways 69 and 89A in Prescott Valley on Sunday as the bodies of the 19 Granite Mountain Hot Shot crewmembers who perished in the line of duty at Yarnell Hill, are returned to their community.

Granite Mountain Hot Shots Honored

by Marie Jarreau

    The lump in my throat gets in the way of finding words to express the grief over the deaths of 19 young wildlands firefighters.

    The younger of my two daughters began a career as a wildland firefighter. Beth left that occupation that she had come to love when she became Jonathan’s bride. They both understood that for the future they wanted dual-fire careers was not a practical fit. 

    Jonathan Nash, now my precious son-in-law, continues in a long time career as a wildlands firefighter.  Thoughts of him are always in my heart when I hear he's gone on a fire. As I think of him and other wildland firefighters I came to know, while living in Oregon and working as a journalist I recognize that they are a brotherhood of bright, energetic, problem solving, compassionate, dedicated heroes. There are both men and women among that unique alumni.  
    Though strong, independent individuals, in a way; they seem to have similar personality traits and characteristics. I’ve thought on occasion how much young firefighters seem alike.  There’s often that easy going smile and quick wit that encases the psychological and physical ability to spring into action at a moments notice to offer help - whether to scoop up a little kid falling from his first bike ride or to don boots and appropriate gear to run toward the danger of a raging wildlands fire.

    While we as non-firefighters flee the fire - the fire crews race toward the flames in an effort to cut off the fire’s fuels.  Their goal and concern: to protect the wild landscape they love; and lives and homes that may be in the path of the fire. They respect fire as an intricate part of the environment, they also know its dangers.  
The loss of the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew has brought new recognition to the sacrifice offered by all firefighters – structural and wildlands crews. Until this event, there had not been such a loss of these heroes since Sept. 11, 2001.

    I’ve had the honor of getting to know wildland firefighters from the standpoint of a journalist and as a community member that included wildland firefighters.  I accompanied crews on prescribed burns while living in Oregon in the course of writing news stories about their fire suppression efforts and practices. Losing these 19 heroes recently brought occasion for me to, once again, hear people talk about their gratitude for the firefighters.

    After listening to many who have fled wildland fires, there is that common theme that's repeated: Recognition and gratitude that the hotshot crews and smoke jumpers and Forest Service fire crews run "to" the fire to contain it while community people attempt to 'escape the flames.'
In truth, if they can help it, even the fire crews try not to go directly "into" the fire, rather, they use a variety of tools, practices and techniques to contain the flames to protect wildlands, wildlife, human lives and property.  My premise is that if they are heading "to" the fire rather than away from it - they "are," in a sense, going "into" the danger -  INTO THE FIRE.
 
 
 

    During this past week (June 30 – July 9, 2013) many of us have struggled to find ways to show our respect, offer condolences to the families, offer our own sacrifice and to honor those lost to the Yarnell Hill fire.  An impromptu memorial quickly appeared along the fence at the home base of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots in Prescott, Az.  It seemed to be the first place that people could congregate and honor those lost. A candlelight service was held at the local high school. Community meetings to address the progress of the Yarnell Fire suppression efforts also addressed the loss of the 19 firefighters.  Also addressed was the fact that one of the 20 man crew had not been among those attempting to shelter in place when the fire blew back on them. 

    Brendan McDonough had been assigned the duty as ‘look out’ for the crew and was in a different location.  He too, remains the subject of prayers and support, and heroic respect.

    Sunday, July 7^th I had intended to watch the televised broadcast of the Honor Guard Procession, bringing the bodies of the 19, from the coroner’s office in Phoenix - home to Prescott where the official memorial service would be held on Tuesday.
     As I watched the broadcast of the procession beginning in Phoenix I was suddenly compelled to actually be there and so made the 45 minute to one-hour trip to just outside the Yavapai County Fairgrounds where the procession was headed. They would travel thru Yarnell and so there was time for me to make my way to the fairgrounds. I was early enough to find an open parking spot just off the shoulder of the road at the intersection of highways 69 and 89A South. There were at least a thousand or more like minded people parked along the roadway for as far as my eyes could see. That was but a small part of the route the 19-hearse motorcade would travel from Phoenix to Prescott Valley with 'mourners' lining much of the route.

  

    The weather-thermometer in my vehicle read 104F for the outside temperature when I arrived about noon. Throngs of people stood along the pavement waiting for the procession of 19 hearses and accompanying entourage. Large and small red, white and blue flags and purple streamers waved above the landscape along the roadway of people and vehicles and motorcycles.
    Each time I thought about how ‘hot’ it was standing beneath the blazing Arizona sun, on the black tarmac beside the roadway, I immediately remembered that exactly one week before, the 19 young men we all stood waiting for had lay huddled in the midst of the inferno’s super heated gases in individual emergency "safety" shelters. Those shelters were no match for "those" high temperatures. 
Yes, as we all stood waiting - it was hot, but today it didn’t matter. 
One young woman stood beside me with her six and four-year-old fair haired sons.

    “We had to be here,” she told me. “No, I didn’t know them (the firefighters) but I needed to be here.”
Plying her sons with water and shading them with an umbrella, she explained that while her younger son might not remember the event as he grows into his own manhood, they would both know that this was important, and that they as a family (dad joined them later) had attended this procession to offer their own respect for the sacrifice of what she considered – national heroes.   
After standing on the roadway for nearly four hours, we knew the procession was approaching as a dedicated Smokejumper DC3 aircraft, with jump-door open and classic smoke-jumper red and white colors, began its flyover above us all.   

 

    Uncontrollable tears welled up and flowed from my eyes and a large lump developed in the midst of my throat as I saw the first of the 19 white hearses top the hill above us. Escort vehicles led the way as they turned the curve of the highway and travelled down to pass just before us. Other fire and emergency vehicles brought up the rear. The Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew's own crew vehicles were also in the procession along with vehicles of other wildland firefighters. 

 

As they travelled on into the fairgrounds the red and white DC3 flew overhead again and dropped a flurry of 19 purple streamers from the sky.

    I heard someone make a comment that summed up the day’s events for me, and I know this to be true from my own experience with the environments that surround wildlands firefighters. That is: while others have come to recognize the sacrifices made by our firefighters - firefighters have been considered a community’s true heroes long before the recent great loss, and they will continue to be valued-so.   

    The sacrifice of the families and friends of these brave men can't be understated, I pray that they will all have the support and assistance they will need to get them through the pain they are enduring now and will endure for sometime, but also to appreciate that their lives, our lives are blessed to have had these heroes among us.

    Hearing of their loss on June 30^th, was heart wrenching for me.  My own method for working thru the emotional experience was the creation of an original song in simple tribute to the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew and their brothers and sisters who run toward the flames so others may escape the danger of fire.

 

  

     It was comfort to hear that, from the time the firefighters bodies were brought down from Yarnell Hill, taken to Phoenix and returned to Prescott, througout the memorial, through funeral arrangements and burial, there was a fellow firefighter accompanying them.

    Even through this deep loss there is at least one item of hope and salvation. It rests with the fact that Brendan McDonough is still with us. It was gratifying to also hear the support, respect and love given to Brendan as the only one of  his 20-man hot shot crew to return from the Yarnell Hill Fire alive. A fact seen as a blessing but one that will undoubtedly bring him both blessing and sorrow throughout his lifetime.

 Weeks brfore their lives were taken on Yarnell Hill, the Granite Mountain Hot Shots were battling the Doce fire. The Doce was a big fire whose smoke could be seen with great intensity 50 miles away in Lake Montezuma.

 

    In recent years I've seen and heard comments that there are no more heroes for youngsters to look up to.
    Well, rest easy - we now have The Granite Mountain Hot Shots, all 20 of them, and the rest of their firefighting brotherhood.

Granite Mountain Hot Shots crew vehicle in Sunday's procession.

 

Wild Pigs Wander My World!

                                                                                                             (Updated June 19, 2023)





Javelina in the backyard garden - like a herd of mini-buffalo! 

 

                                                                                            By Marie Jarreau

                                                                                                                                    Oct. 24, 2011

                             

        Finally, after months of hearing about Javelina (or collared peccary) in the area, I actually saw them with my own eyes this early morning!
Peaking out the back door around 4-4:30 a.m. just to take a look at the clear night sky I heard 'munching' below the tree-lined edge of the back yard.  Then I could just barely make-out little rounded shadows moving along as my eyes adjusted more to the low light!  I must say the pre-dawn experience was exciting!  There they were!
        In the very spot I’d pointed out to a friend yesterday.  I’d thought the indentations might be Javelina tracks in the rocky Arizona sandscape beyond the patio. Here was confirmation – in the dimly-lit hour of early morning – that I was right! One of them lay down in a depression and seemed to rub his back into the wallow spot just as I had imagined they might have been doing.
        I counted seven gray moving figures, including three smaller youngsters, but could hear more of them deeper in the trees - munching and crunching, grunting and wallowing.  The group in the yard didn’t seem to know or care that I was watching them.  I imagine they were feeding on the fallen Mesquite bean pods that littered the ground. As I was able to make out the shapes of their rounded, mounded little bodies they looked more like a herd of mini-buffalo grazing beneath the mesquite and desert willow.



Nocturnal scavengers!

 

        Viewing them ‘munching along’ in my backyard – I thought, “they’re kinda cute!”  
Then, as if on cue and just for me, I heard them ‘grunting’ like pigs. I stood in the darkness wondering – if they might be talking to each other about me watching them; maybe discussing whether the herd should be prepared to either run into the gulley or charge me! 

        I remember how my neighbor Kelly says they’ve trashed her vegetable garden on a number of occasions until Dan put up a fence to protect their tomatoes and root crops. I remember reading something that explained how a herd of Javelina will attack and do mortal damage to a dog without provocation.
This morning, Google tells me: “Peccaries are aggressive enough in temperament that, unlike Eurasian pigs, they cannot be domesticated as they are likely to injure humans. In recent years in north-western Bolivia near Madidi National Park there have been reports of people being seriously injured and killed by large groups of peccaries.”
So maybe they’re not THAT cute!  And maybe I do want a bigger fence around my backyard!

(OK, I understand they are actually not in the swine/pig family, but really - if it looks lika a pig, acts like a pig, grunts like a pig, digs the ground with its snout like a pig, how can we not call it a pig??? !!!)


Prickly pear - Javelina appetizer!

  

• * All photos and written works copyrighted by B. Marie Jarreau unless otherwise noted.

Ahhhhh Arizona!

Ahhhhh Arizona!

“Is the ‘Arizona Envy’ Justifiable?”

 
                                                                                                              B. Marie Jarreau                                                                                                                                   October 16, 2011

I really have been hesitant to do too much bragging about my move to the warmth that is Arizona for fear of 'spoiling the magic' - but YES the Arizona Envy is INDEED JUSTIFIABLE!!!

           My friend Laurie posed this very question to me in an e-mail the other day. In crafting an answer I found it difficult to not sound too enthusiastic but I am soooooo in 'hog-heaven' just being here! My list of reasons for loving life in the 'lowland' seems to grow with each magnificently vibrant sunrise and sunset.

        Since arriving in Northern Arizona, June 3^rd of this year, my senses have consistently been on the verge of overloading!

Sunset Over Jerome, Arizona

                                                                                     

-    The sights and colors of life in Arizona are so intense I believe I’m using parts of my optic system that have been relatively dormant (billowing and linear cloud shapes, flower species, sunset/sunrises and ‘sundogs’, lightning, mountain landscapes, desert landscapes, staunch saguaros and prickly pear in bloom, insects and other crawlers, cityscapes and forest environments, deep ruby-red chili peppers strung in big ristras; not to mention the beauty and intense colors of the Red Rock country at Sedona displaying various reds and cream colored layers of geologic time)

-   Arriving in late spring - early summer meant large numbers of differing smells of wild and landscape flowers complemented the spicy aromatic cuisine of the area, monsoonal rains were preceded by that intense nostalgic smell of dust being kicked up by the incoming storm hard to describe accurately but instantly recognizable by almost anyone!.

  -   The touch of the summer’s triple digit temperatures upon my skin penetrated my being and felt like a warm massage on my bones! There are also beautiful things to be viewed but carry a distinctive Do Not Touch warning!

 

 

Prickly Pear Cactus in Red Rock SP

 

-    As a youngster I once went through the fear of thunder and lightning like many, but later grew out of that insecurity. Long ago I’d grown to love the sound and sensation of so much power overhead. Here in Arizona experiencing the progression of billowing clouds during the monsoon as they meandered across the desert brought excitement and a delight - each day. The sounds of the thundering storms were like a symphony complete with BIG strobe lights and dumped torrents of refreshing rain to the landscape. Many of the monsoonal concertos lasted into the night creating a boisterous but comforting backdrop of sound to fall asleep to.

-   Most regions of the world boast foods and specific flavors that celebrate and identifies the culture of that community or connection of the inhabitants. Arizona as part of the Southwest Region of the US has peppers among its native food stuffs. If you’ve ever smelled or tasted fresh chilli peppers – “ya already know what I mean!”  While I prefer to eat foods that don’t send my tongue and mouth into ThreatCon 10, I do love the flavor of mild chili peppers. Here in Arizona, I’m in the pot’s pit of the pepper pool!  - LOL   

So suffice it to say there are a number of reasons I count myself lucky to now be living in Arizona. I truly feel like I’ve “retired and gone to Heaven” but hope that my enthusiasm at sharing the information doesn’t sound too much like boasting for fear it will bring bad luck and tarnish my positive view! LOL

I consider my friends in other parts of the country even when I’m feeling so blessed, and truly wish that you could all be here with me to share in the Arizona experience. However, realizing you all probably won’t be here with me I’ll try to restrain myself as I offer tidbits to share with you some of my positive encounters:

            I'll list just a few of them here to try to share the essence that is my Arizona experience:

- The atmosphere, the environment, the activity, the energy makes me feel ALIVE!

- The warmth of the Arizona sunshine is something I'd needed for many, many years. Having grown up in New Orleans, lived part of my adult life in Miss., Texas and South Florida, Calif., Wash., Ohio, and Oregon I can say definitively regarding the triple-digit-temperatures in the Arizona summer - it really does matter that "it's a DRY heat." As I understand, this has been a more intense summer than they've seen here for a number of years. I, and my kids (daughter and son-in-law), have just sailed through it. In fact we have all absolutely loved the hot days, having been cold for so long! Yes, we were mindful about being out and about at mid-day but even venturing out during 100+ degree portions of the day I absolutely loved that feeling of being warm down to the bone!

 

         

Monsoonal Clouds

- Even the monsoons (which did bring with it some uncomfortably humid days and nights through August along with creepy crawlies that I would prefer to do without - roaches, scorpions and black widow spiders!) gave us spectacular thunder and lightning storms on a daily basis! Each afternoon we could count on the sky-show of billowing clouds and downpours of refreshing rainfall. That smell of impending rain as the dust is kicked up across the desert by the preceding winds is intoxicating. I counted myself lucky as I sat on the patio watching those clouds sail along the sky, begin to build in big active round forms, turn dark ominous-gray and then explode dropping their payload of earth-washing moisture! I have a ‘gully’ or a 'wash' just behind my house that separates my backyard from the golf course (still mowed and maintained to a degree but I sort of dread that they will start using it again for 'golf'- currently it's used by many of us as the world’s best walking park.). Anyway the 'wash' funnels the runoff from surrounding hills and so far has protected the neighborhood homes from monsoon floods (though we all understand that there's always the threat of that 100 year event!) I now have a thorough understanding of the phrase I've heard in the movies for years and years: I now know what a 'gully-washer' really is! 

Arizona Sorbet

- Monsoon season ended a couple of weeks ago.

Though we've still seen one or two minor rainstorms, we are sad to see them end. Now, however, the days are absolutely 'picture perfect' - deep blue sky, bright sunny days with sensory perfect temperature through the days and not too cold into the nights. Whether I'm working on projects in the house, touring the landscape, visiting nearby neighbors, walking the trails, sitting on the patio or headed for town to get errands done it's just such a pleasant environment.

- My immediate neighborhood is quiet and pleasant. On one side a young couple with a toddler. They aren’t home that often. On the other side of them a very nice late-middle-aged couple. He an artist - especially loves metal art, there property is tastefully decorated with his art. Other side of me lovely folks from Canada. The house is their vacation home. They come as often as they can and were here in early September. Already wonderful friends. They came over for dinner one evening and we spent most of the night singing and playing guitar! Kris, originally from London, is a master guitarist and has his own recording studio in Winnepeg. We were all lost in the magic of the music. Those old-folk-songs are universal and really bring people together - LOL.

- Nextdoor to them another lovely couple and already good friends. I love their southwest-style home. Tracy originally from Wyoming, Lincoln actually grew up in Burns!
How's that for a small world!

Ballooning photos by Elizabeth and Jonathan Nash

 - I won't even mention the photo opportunities ‘EVERYWHERE’!

That would take another hour of writing but I'll just note my love of The Red Rock country! The Red Rocks of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon are the kinds of photographic landscape I've been searching for throughout the US all my adult life. I'm not interested in any of the 'so-called Mystic qualities' for which the area is well known but the beauty of that landscape sends me into a photographer's Nirvana! 

I took the photo of the Red Rocks under snowcover last winter. 

One of my favorite images and favored hiking places.

 

- The community where my house is, is truly lovely, but modest, well maintained homes with lots of gardens and attention to the aesthetically pleasing . My walks have taken me throughout. Haven't met an unfriendly resident yet. A wonderful little community park bordered by a few shops and one of my favorite eateries (Crickets) sits about a mile away from home. I often walk there for lunch or just to visit and to see what's happening – community bulletin boards, park benches, roses and shrubs and a small lawn area nicely maintained make it inviting as a peaceful retreat from the heat. I joined a watercolor group there, and have begun to get to know some of the "old-timer" residents - ladies full of goodwill and a love of life..

- There are 4 or 5 nearby towns in which to shop or take care of any other of life's necessities, and that's not including Flagstaff or Phoenix. I'm not in any big hurry to go to Phoenix, except maybe to see the museums or the botanical gardens etc. (maybe next year). I do enjoy an occasional trip to Flagstaff. Had wanted to see Lowell Observatory since I was a star-gazing kid growing up in New Orleans! Jon and Beth took me there for my birthday in June. What a treat!!!

Lowell Observatory Telescope

 

- Last week, my daughter got an unexpected day off from work so we decided we should go to the Grand Canyon. It's THAT close! A great day-trip.

        Well this is a very SHORT list of why I love being here. I'd promised several months ago to begin a new blog to chronicle my move and experiences in the new southwest home, but I must admit I have been spending so much time enjoying life here I haven't taken the time to write about it!! I’m glad I was spurred on by the question to begin to put it into words. I really needed to do that.

        I've always shied away from 'bragging' or from presenting information that I felt might bring envy to others, but SINCE I WAS ASKED (lol) yes, the Arizona Envy - from my perspective is very justifiable!

       I've experienced some pretty nice areas around the country, and I certainly will always treasure the landscape of SE Oregon, and Puget Sound and the Channel Islands of Southern California, even Tar Hollow State Park in southern Ohio, the Yucatan Peninsula and the Florida Keys but I am especially thankful that I did NOT find this Arizona landscape early in my life, because I might not have ever left, missing out on other lovely landscapes!!! 

        It just all makes me sigh, "Ahhhhh Arizona!"

                                                                     

Oh, as a side note: yes of course there are 'negatives' to living here. I've experienced a few things.... but at the moment, I can't think of any worth writing about! 

 * All photos and written works copyrighted by Marie Jarreau unless otherwise noted.