You know you live in Tucson, Arizona...

I have lived in the wild west of Tucson, Arizona (or Marana which is like the countryside suburb of Tucson) since Feb 2006 (is that year right?). Anyway, long enough to compile a checklist of how to know you live in Tucson.



You know you live in Tucson, Arizona if:

* your local artist is nature and the painting is the sunset

* hummingbirds are a year-round resident

* winter traffic comes to a crawl because of all the retired snow birds

* the only excitement for local meteorologists is monsoon season between July and August

* River Road runs along a dirt wash that only has water in it once a year

* A few passing clouds is a common weather condition

* Funnels come from the ground up in the form of dust devils

* you have to swerve to avoid a tumbleweed crossing the street

* a common sighting while sitting at a traffic light is 20 illegals being loaded into a border patrol van

* you use the mountains to determine direction - i.e. Fingerock is North

* 60 degree temps sends an artic chill through your spine

* stray "dogs" are actually coyotes

* you have celebrities living on one side of you and a native american community living to the other

* the ice cream truck has Christmas songs as part of their playlist

* you have to call your insurance company because a saguaro fell on your car

* on weekends, the Walmart announcements are made in Spanish

* a common traffic occurance is road rage between a BMW and an oversized four wheel drive pick up truck

* your kids are out of school for the rodeo

* if your spiders have more hair than you

Ok, the garden is built, the irrigation is placed and the soil is ready. But am I? My seeds didn't do so well so the five starfoam coffee cups of pepper plants and tomato plants are sitting on a dinner tray outside adjusting to the life of a free plant. I don't know how they will do but they take after their mom. They are determined to live no matter what the conditions!

So the soil is placed and, on Sunday, we planted carrots, radishes and part of the bunched onions (also known as green onions) in their predetermined areas. We also bought the most perfect pot for my herb area. We went back to Pottery Blow Out which is a local shop that my Mom found a couple of years ago on a visit. I saw the pot and had to have it. Here is my herb garden (well, minus the lavender and mint):

Today I bought some chives, a pot for my mint and more peppers and another tomato plant. I sure hope I can get the rest of the planting done tomorrow. I need to get it done. By the time I get to it in the afternoon, it is shaded and windy in that area and I become a whiny 4 year old. Maybe tomorrow will be more productive.

But, tonight...productivity has taken a backseat to chillax-tivity.