AZ "Deep Freeze"

Hello Reader,

As you may have heard, AZ is experiencing some very unusual temperatures. In my last post, I was complaining a little about the warm weather ... well, ask and you shall receive! The highs have been in the 40's and at night it gets below freezing! This "Deep Freeze" has been the leading story every night on the news for a week.

I've never seen ice on the sidewalks in AZ!

There are two things I find amusing about this "deep freeze" ...

One,  it looks the same outside if the temperature is 46 or 106. It is always sunny, the sky is always blue, and it is as lush with greenery as AZ can get. It is incredibly deceiving.

Two, Arizonians focus on one thing in this cold, their plants. It's not about warming up their cars or making sure their pipes don't freeze, all they talk about are the fact that their plants might die. I have come to realize that plant death due to frigid temperatures is a novelty around here. To prevent this tragic event, people cover their gardens and citrus trees in sheets that do not seem to be the standard, clearly right off the mattress sheets. The sheets are all a crisp white and look as if they were custom made for that particular plant. Below, you can see the entrance to the apartment complex that has two large perfectly tailored, clean, white sheets covering up the flower beds.

I'm going to pretend that all these white patches on green grass all over the valley are snow piles. And I will embrace this "really" cold weather as if it was a true New England winter.

Thanks for reading!

- M

I want a snow day ....

Hello Reader,

I want a snow day. I want to wake up in the morning with the hope of no work because the campus is closed due to inclement weather. And I want to hear the Storm Center music that means that hope could become reality.

But that doesn't happen here...it is always a perfect day.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and there is not a cloud for miles.

Now, let me clarify, I am not complaining about the weather - every day is seriously gorgeous - I'm complaining about the lack of variety in the weather. Specifically, the kind that makes it impossible to get out of your front door so you go back to bed and curl up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.

I guess what I am really saying is I miss snow/Maine, and I should probably take a day off to read a good book for fun and drink a chocolate beverage that is iced ... it's too warm for hot drinks. Maybe that is what I really want.

As for today, it was 70 degrees - in JANUARY.  Maybe, one day, that will seem normal. But for now, it's too warm and I want a snow day. 

Thanks for reading!

- M

From ME to AZ Photo Project pt. II

Hello Reader,

Here is the second installment of From ME to AZ Photo Project!

I realized as I was finishing this up that I did not include a single picture of food, which I think, for me, is quite impressive. (I'm pretty sure 90% of my posts are about food). So, maybe, over the next year I will strive to do a From ME to AZ Food Photo Project...lobster roll and tacos, blueberries and prickly pear, crab cakes and fry bread, chowda' and chili...clearly this will not be hard for me.

Well, there's no food, but I hope you enjoy the second half of my photo project.

Succulent in AZ & Lily in ME

Pedestrian walkway to the Desert Botanical Gardens & road way to home in ME

Bell Rock in Sedona, AZ & The Bubbles at Jordan Pond in ME

Tree branch over Phoenix & tree branch over Bar Harbor

This one is a bit of a stretch...

What tourists think of when they think of ME or AZ ... OR ... Cliche ME and AZ

Palm in AZ & Pine in ME

View from Cadillac Mountain & Sedona Airport Mesa

Flight to ME and flight to AZ

And, in case you missed it, here is pt. I.

Thanks for reading!

- M

From ME to AZ Photo Project, pt. I

Hello Reader,

As promised, two blog posts in one weekend!

While I was in Maine over winter break, I was asked on several occasions something to the effect of, "Is Arizona different than Maine?"  And my answer is always "Yes" with a slight undertone of "Duh." Typically the conversation will evolve from there to do I think it is better, how is it different, which do I like more, etc. My stock answer is always about how, "..you can't compare the two, they're so different, apples and oranges, really..." But as I continued to think about these proposed questions, it inspired me to complete a mini photo project. I am a very visual person, and I think we live in a visually stimulating world, so this is how I have chosen to best express the stark, aesthetic contrast between Maine and Arizona (hence my hint yesterday with my ASU and UMaine bears, get it?). I took all of these images over the past year while bouncing between the two places I call home. Enjoy part one!

Cobbossee Lake at home in Maine & the no name lake at my apartment complex in Arizona

Cacti at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix & snow covered rocks at the lake in Maine

Sun flare through the snow covered trees in Maine & over the town of Tempe

I cheated a little on this next one...but visually speaking, I think this pair makes sense. 

Tempe Town Lake in Arizona & Stillwater River in Orono, Maine.

Spiky plant life in Arizona and Maine

And one of my favorite...

Sandstorm in Arizona & snowstorm in Maine, also known as a Haboob and Nor'easter

Thanks for reading!

- M

A New Year, A New Look

Hello Reader,

Just a brief post to show off the new page template ... and to keep my every other day rule. I will be doubling up though - two posts in one weekend! I have a photo project that I will share tomorrow. Here's a hint below:

Any guesses??

Thanks for reading!

- M

Resolutions Continued...

Hello Reader,

First, I want to say how proud I am of myself for completing two posts within the first three days of the new year - yay for starting things off right!

Second, I am working on completing projects regularly. I often buy all the supplies for said projects and then the supplies just take up space. Well, I have already completed my first project of 2013! I made chalkboard paint! I was so surprised it actually worked! Check out my new chalkboard below.

Third, I have continued to do some thinking and reflecting on 2012 and what 2013 may be shaping up to be. I am going to call them "Reflection Games" because I have no idea how else to refer to them. 

The first one was "Learn from your successes, Mad-Lib style" from Self Magazine. This one forces you to focus on achievements of the past year, which is a good thing. Plus, t has some humor which is a necessary thing I think. 

The other Reflection Game I completed was, "What a Year It's Been" that I found here. This one is technically for children...but I found it rather deep and thought provoking. 

I think this is what resolutions should look like; focus on the highlights and what exciting possibilities may pop up in the following year. Since taking a little more time to think about all of this, I know I could at least double if not triple my list of what I am looking forward to in 2013.

And finally, just to balance out all these positive, warm-fuzzy feelings is a Calvin and Hobbes comic about resolutions to add a little snark to the day.

Thanks for reading!

- M

Happy New Year from AZ!

Hello Reader,

I have - once again - failed to keep up with blogging. So, it is now part of my New Years Resolutions!

With that being said, I have some mixed feelings about new years resolutions and I feel I should air them before continuing.

I have been rather cynical all New Year's Day because I do not see today as the start of the new year, I see it as the end of my 10 day vacation. As a result, I have been doing some reflecting on what this time has meant in past years. I used to write down regrets I had of the year and tear them up at midnight and resolve to not live with those regrets in the following year. I eventually ran out of regrets at the end of the year since I had resolved to not make them again, so I hopped on board with this resolution thing - sort of. I do want to incorporate more reading and writing into my daily life and adopt more of a "just do it" attitude to cut down on procrastination which should allow for more time for such things. I think it is important to remember that anyone can make a resolution at any time. There is a "clean slate" feeling that comes with a new year, however, why wait til January 1st try something new or start a new habit? Change takes time, and new habits take 21 days to form (according to Twyla Tharp). So, as I am trying to squeeze this blog post in before the end of the first day of the new year, I will work on my new resolutions and consider each day a new chance to embrace them.

Finally, the ode-to-2012 Facebook posts are in abundance this year with themes of "ups and downs" and "lessons learned" and "personal growth." I just want to say, I hope when anyone looks at any 365 days in their life that it is filled with lessons learned from ups and downs and they've grown as an individual because of it. It is not because of 2012, it is simply life. My 2012 was certainly full of ups and downs, lessons learned, and lots and lots of personal growth and as a way to keep record of it, I will continue to blog.

Here's to an amazing 2013 - Cheers!

Thanks for reading.

- M