Ya learn something new every day!

 

Hi Friends! So I have been oh so blessed to see some pretty amazing homes here in Tucson. This is one of Within Studio's clients homes, one of many modern homes in this golf course community. I thought you might like to see how some of these Tucsonians are living!

  

You can see behind the red sculpture they have these automatic storm shutter that open up so you can have an all glass house when you are home or fully secured shutter when you are traveling...

Incredible art garden...and what a cute little pool for your sculpture!

They called this their Cactus Garden...um, yeah, that is the only kind of "garden" out here.

 I learned that this particular client (currently retired), but they were in the Whirligig business...honestly, I've never even heard that word before. Well, anyway that's what these are:

And this is the view from their master...I wish you could see it in person, the pic's don't do it justice, and there is all kinds of wildlife running around.

Enjoying Peace In HIS Presence

" I AM WITH YOU, watching over you constantly. I am Emmanuel (God with you); My Presence enfolds you in radiant Love. Nothing, including the brightest blessings and the darkest trials, can separate you from Me. Some of my children find me more readily during dark time, when difficulties force them to depend on Me. Other feel closer to Me when their lives are filled with good things. They respond with thanksgiving and praise, thus opening wide the door to My Presence.

I know precisely what you need to draw nearer to Me. Go through each day looking for what I have prepared for you. Accept every event as My hand-tailored provision for your needs. When you view your life this way, the most reasonable response is to be thankful. Do not reject any of my gifts; find Me in every situation". - Jesus Calling

We miss you guys!

Brian + Natalie

Memorial Day Weekend

For Memorial Day Brian and I took a short drive up to Mt. Lemon. Locals say that it is basically like taking a drive from Mexico to Canada in 45 minutes. You go from desert to evergreens in no time; it's so pretty!

Close to the top of Mt. Lemon there is this small little town called Summerhaven

...and in Summerhaven we found the Cookie Cabin!!!

 

 this is the only size cookie they sell...AWESOME!

After a long day of exploring we made our way down the mountain to Guadalajara Grill. This place is incredible, they have a person who comes to your table and makes your custom salsa with any of the fresh ingredients you want in it. You get to try it out and you tell them what you want to add or if it's just right...soooo good!

Dinner - Chimichanga Asada : 

We finish up the day with Percy taking us on a stroll through the neighborhood...right before all of the bats come out...AHH!

8 Great things about Tucson

1. The Palm Trees - It really makes you feel like you are on a vacation. However, we have recently learned that any time you see a cluster of Palm Trees like this there is a sweet trailer park located beneath...beautiful!

2. Bicycle Friendly - Seriously, all of the roads have a third lane for bicycles and they cross in and out of the traffic lanes...sooo scary. Anyway, most restaurants and shops have these cool artsy bike racks; I like um!

3. Farmers Markets Galore - They are everywhere! The difference is that here the big day for the markets is Sunday. Not sure why that day works better, but Sunday it is.

4. Awesome Landscaping, perfect for BIRD WATCHING - Oh you didn't know about your friend the Bird Watcher? We basically live in a retirement community so we might as well take up bird watching.

Little tiny Bird:

Cactus Wren:

Not sure about this little guy, but he was hot pink up close; awesome!

5. New Furniture Stores - Antigua Mexico was cool, they claim to be the Mexico connection. Some really nice pieces.

6. The Music - There seems to be some sort of concert every night of the week...or at least some guy at the bus stop putting on a show with his harmonica.

7. Free Time - Oh yeah, you better believe I am watching the Food Network Cupcake Wars and then I end up stuck wi 3 dozen cupcakes...



8. No Hablo Espanol - EVERYTHING is in Spanish. Seriously even in english people roll their "rr's" when pronouncing street names. I am going to order Rosetta Stone and I am going to learn Spanish...and I am still going to be a bird watcher!



I wonder if people from here think these are strange...?

So, after lunch today Brian and I rode around and did a little house hunting...we saw some pretty homes on some rather unusual street names!
We could live on Smoke Signal; that way you would know right where to find us....

Painted Feather...REAL Nice!

Dancing Rabbit:


Or our all time favorite...Night Pony! I just don't think that we could tell people with a straight face that we lived on Night Pony!

A "Different" Kind of Pretty!

Ok, so here is a little glimpse of a typical day here in Arizona. I wake up around 5:45 (and I mean wide awake, I am still not used to the 2 hr time difference), I get coffee and breakfast going and Brian and I get to have our devotion time together outside in the beautiful, brisk Tucson morning (my absolute favorite part of the day...maybe because I know there will be little to no human interaction in the hours to follow!!)

Then I get these guys going. Apparently, you are supposed to be drinking two of these a day...and I don't mean just because it's good for you, I mean you have to just to keep from passing out! Anyway, all of that water gets a little monotonous so I am adding fresh limes and strawberries...ahh, that's better! Someone at Brian's work told him that was awfully metro of him to have his strawberry lime water...he has since asked me to limit his to just lime!

Then we hit the road and I drive Brian to work....that's correct, my car is STILL not here! Anyway, we take this beautiful drive into work; it really is a "different" kind of pretty. Not Alabama beautiful green pretty, but pretty!

Then, I am off to navigate my way through the community, aka, locate all of the shopping centers!

Oh, you know, just the view outside of TARGET; Magnificent!

Then we make our way home from Brian's work...stunning views of the Santa Catalina Mountains...oh yeah that is me swerving all over the road; I am not texting, just trying to operate my little point and shoot camera!

Ahh, finally home! It does get cool at night so Brian likes to show me how efficient we can be by cooling off the house with the outside air (and yes that box fan)! I hear ya! But you move a girl to Arizona; pa-lease let me crank that A.C.!

Love you, miss you guys!!!