Baking with Cacti

If I had to live in a dessert, Phoenix might hold my interest for a time. Most of our travels east to this point were immersed in shades of yellow and brown, textures of sand and rocks with occasional low growing shrubs. As we drove out of Phoenix into the outskirts of the suburbs and hill country and I was fascinated with all the different shades of green, yes that's right, green vegetation. Great variance of textures, from the low growing cacti to the midsized shrubbery to the magnificent saguaros scattered the hill side in quite an orderly fashion.

I was on a hunt for my perfect saguaro that looked just like the taco time logo and I decided that they don't really exist as the logo is two dimensional and these cacti usually have three, four or even up to 12 or more arms. I learned that it takes the saguaro 70 years to grow its first arm. We were in a historic cacti dessert.

Alli Booth was waiting for us with open arms and awesome hospitality. I was so grateful to finally see my cousin after nearly 5 years.

Alli has the best set up with her casita, as she calls it, that she has all to herself, living on a cactus farm adjacent to public lands full of service roads and trails that are great for biking and walking. Nate and I really enjoyed our bike ride through the dessert as we went early in the day the weather was cool. When I say cool I mean 70.

This is what happens when cacti die. Alli's bathroom was trimmed out with this stuff. I took a piece thinking I could make her some frames for her art but then admitted to myself that I wouldn't finish.

I am so proud of my cousin; she just decided to accept Harvard’s offer for graduate work in teaching with an emphasis on science of the brain and particularly a focus on students learning processes. Turning down a temping carrot at her current teaching position Alli will continue her educational journey in the autumn of this year. So we had to celebrate! And we had so much fun eating, drinking and sharing about our trials and successes over the last few years. Alli is one of my true kindred spirits on this planet and I so wish that she could live closer to us.

We took a road trip into the city to see Antoine Perdock's work there. We had mixed reviews on both of the buildings. Some sides of his buildings were way more attractive than other sides of the same building.

I am so grateful that I am married to an Architect as traveling for me used to only be about natural vistas. Traveling with Nate has helped me have a greater appreciation for buildings, the development of towns, old and new and how the structures exist in their environments.

After an inspiring and warm weekend on Alli's porch watching two amazing sunrises and sunsets we were off to......

Sedona

Thank you Uncle George and Aunt Teri for your recommendation, these rocks were so intensely red and stunning, pictures do not do this place justice. The town is so charming and there were almost a hundred lodging options. Nate and I went to a Catholic Church built in the 50's on a hillside amidst this natural beauty.

The walkway entrance laced around the rock and the church itself was skillfully juxtaposed to the layered and folding rock formations surrounding it. We only planned a drive through on this day but we will defiantly be back for a long weekend. If you come, this town is bike friendly too.