Lake Pleasant, AZ

When I was younger, I hated the desert. I hated the dirt and the rocks, the heat and the shriveled up plants, the snakes and scorpions and lizards. I was born on a tropical island, and even though I've lived in Arizona most of my life, I always thought that island was the place I was meant to be. I wanted nothing more to live somewhere near a beautiful beach - or at least somewhere green! If I couldn't have my island, I wanted seasons, leaves that turned colors, rain, and plants that grew like mad.

Then, we moved to West Texas. The panhandle. The flat, red, vast caprock. They had seasons - ice storm season, tornado season, crop dusting season, dust storm season, tumbleweed season. West Texas names its towns things like Earth, Plains, Brownfield, and Levelland, which are all very fitting names for the area, let me tell you! Don't get me wrong. The skies go on forever out there, the sunsets and sunrises are incredible, and the night sky is breathtaking. I've never seen so many stars! There is a beauty to that area that can be bring you to your knees. Or maybe that was just the wind?

At any rate, after living in West Texas, I came to appreciate the beauty of the desert. Its plants and animals are incredibly adaptable, the mountain views are amazing - and, as it turns out, we have stars here, too. You just have to get far enough out of the city to see them. It's been good to be back home.