Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Desert Living Life Lessons, Part 1


I am taking notes of the little things I am learning on a daily basis about this new environment and life in it, and sharing, such as...
  • Much like living on the beach, get used to getting sand in your shoes, and your pant legs, and to tracking it into your house. If you aren't careful you will drag sand into your bed. Concrete floors are the bomb. Why would you want anything else? Easy clean up.
  • Stay away from the tarantula wasp. Not aggressive, but excruciating sting. And no, I haven't experienced this firsthand and I do not plan to. Ever.
  • You need to have a fly swatter in your house. No matter how hard you try, flies and moths will get in your house when you walk in and out of doors. The moths are only annoying at night when you have the only light on in the house, trying to read in bed. Its a regular moth party. The flies on the other hand are annoying all day long. And I swear they congregate at the sliding door just waiting - its like they know. I can't seem to get in and out without letting at least one fly in. We just bought a fly swatter and I am now on a killing spree. I think this will be my new way to release work tension. 
  • Cottontail bunnies are adorable and everywhere. Jack rabbits are cute too, just in a huge and freaky way.
  • Shade is the most wonderful thing in the world. It gets hot out here, but its always ok if you stay out of the sun. I will take this dry heat over the humidity I endured back east for so many years. Any day. And no matter how hot it gets during the day, the evenings will be cooler and pleasant. And you want ceiling fans in your house. And you want a swamp cooler too.
  • I've never been a hat wearer, but you can't survive out here without hats. You need lots and lots of hats. I currently have like 6 of them. So don't worry, we'll have extras for you if you come and visit.
  • When desert plants get wet - either from rain or if you water them - the smell is powerful and amazing.
  • This should be an obvious one, but, anything metal that sits out in the sun is going to burn you, and I mean really burn you. I burned the heck out of my hand the other day grabbing some keys that accidentally had been left sitting in the sun. It doesn't take long for your iPhone to overheat and shut down, or to ruin a guitar left in an unshaded car (happened recently to a friend), or to burn your hand opening a car door. 
  • It is so quiet and peaceful you will sleep like a baby every night.
  • Your laundry will dry immediately.
  • If you don't want your car to be a death machine you have to be watchful when driving because little critters (mice, chipmunks, road runners, rabbits and such) will dart across the road in front of you. I really don't ever want to run over anything if possible.
  • We need to get a snake stick and bucket so we can catch and remove snakes that come near the house. I can't wait for my first time attempting that one.

1 comment:

  1. You are so your Mother's child. I hear her in your musings. Send her my greetings.?...JP

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