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#WeekendCoffeeShare Tempe Edition

March 4, 2017 — 9 Comments

high noon

Desert Botanical Garden

If we were having coffee today I would invite you to sit by the pool at my fabulous air bnb accommodation in lovely Tempe, AZ. I am visiting the home of the Sun Devils because I love this town, even though the ASU/UofA traditional rivalry demands that I not. I have no wildcat loyalty, except during basketball season. I am glad to show you around this history filled place to share the reasons I find it so fascinating. I think you will agree that Tempe is worth a visit. We will stop at Tempe Farmers Market for our take out coffee and then take off for the Desert Botanical Garden for a special festive day.

I came up this weekend to attend a big opening party at the Desert Botanical Garden for a new butterfly pavilion. I am dressed in my Tucson Botanical Garden Frida shirt so I can be easily identified as a Tucsonan. I plan to spend the greater part of the day at the gardens, which are extensive and have good wifi throughout the space. I have a reservation to eat brunch at the restaurant inside the garden. This will be the kind of solo travel day that really makes me happy. I can stay as long as I want, which is always much longer than any other person wants to stay at a botanical garden.

Scottsdale Artists

Thanks for going to the party at the Desert Botanical Gardens with me today. I was particularly delighted that a group of artists were painting all over the garden. They all had different styes and personalities. It added a wonderful dimension to the already great day. I enjoyed every moment of the time. I took a real camera as well as two iPods, and used them all. I am very pleased with the volume of photos, as well as the quality. I plan to use some for fiction and poetry inspiration in the future. I hope you also had a good time seeing all the wildflowers and cacti in bloom. The desert is a flamboyant place, especially in the springtime.

Let’s take a break in the shade and enjoy some lunch at Gertrude’s Restaurant, inside the garden. I want to hear what is happening in your life. What is happening with your writing these days. Do you have new projects? How is the seasonal change where you live (if you are not at the equator)? I enjoy keeping up with the coffee crowd. If you, gentle reader, want to take part in this digital coffee drinking party each weekend, check in with Nerd In the Brain. Please feel free to read, comment, or submit your own coffee share post here. The group is diverse, worldly, and sophisticated.

#WeekendCoffeeShare

Sonoran Light by Bruce Munro

March 11, 2016 — 4 Comments

Last weekend I drove to Tempe to enjoy the light art show at the Desert Botanical Garden. Bruce Munro installed this impressive exhibit which has been a popular temporary addition to the gardens. Sonoran Light is incredible, immersive, and impossible to capture on a camera. I have made an attempt above, but I highly recommend that the gentle readers see it in person. The Field of Light is the most expansive of the installations. It has vast sections of the gardens covered with light strings on the ground that change color and illuminate a large hill seen from a distance. There was a concert last Friday which was sold out, but still audible in the Field of Light, adding to the night’s special quality.

: painting show

: painting show

: Chihouy at the entrance

I arrived early in the day and took advantage of the day pass for just $5 added to the evening ticket price. For a total of $30 I had hours of botanical fun in both day and night lighting. There are many details not visible at night that I loved seeing during my day trip. I took an Uber to the evening show, and was so happy I did. The parking lot becomes super jammed for the event, and I was tired from my hours of walking during the day. I happily waited by the entrance for my Uber driver while others drove themselves home.