Botanical Garden

I had never been to the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and it was a good place to have a relatively l0w-impact day in a desert setting to break us in. It's really beautiful there, and we enjoyed observing cacti and other desert plants as well as the wildlife. Well, M and I enjoyed it. I don't think Aviva really cared either way, and Lilah was sometimes camera-shy and often lizard-shy.

On University

I don't know where we "belong," but I don't think it's here. We were discussing this last night, after feasting at Charlie's Mongolian Barbecue in honor of our 8th anniversary (with Aviva; you get the picture). Tucson seems like a better fit for us in many ways, although I'm afraid that I am merely waxing melancholy about the relatively carefree days of grad school whenever I think about Tucson.

But it is great to visit, even with a four-month-old. Our first day there was interesting, as it was in the 60s and raining when we arrived! Bizarre.

We went to University to check out the sites and find Kerry for lunch. Here she approaches:

The area west of campus has changed a lot since I first arrived in August 1995. This little courtyard area is surrounded by restaurants and offices; I had Hebrew class in the space that is now a Starbucks.

Before we went to Frog and Firkin to eat (couldn't stomach the idea of green fries, Alysia), Lilah got hold of the camera and took a lovely picture of the rest of us in front of Sinbads. Another headless Abba shot.

The cool weather didn't hold, of course. Next up: sweating in the desert.

What, you don't like my hat?

Or Kerry's awesome zebra-striped baby carrier?

Summer has officially arrived ...

... as the carnivals have begun. We went to St. Ben's Summer Social last weekend, which was kind of windy and cool. Vivi was not so into it.



We went on one ride only: the super slide. Arwyn slid next to us (alone!) but had scurried away by the time I hoisted myself up off the gunny sack.



Cotton candy swayed in the breeze.



And, of course, Lilah preferred the low-tech playground to the exciting rides.

no words

I was wrong about the Lost statue

It's not Hathor (oops - Sekhmet); it's probably Sobek. I have no pictures of the two of us together to include here. Anyway, I'm trying not to be one of those geeks who reads the Lost blogs, although I'm still thinking about the finale last night. It's going to be a long wait until the 2010 season.

Here are two Lost fans (ok, not really):

Planting Peppers

Serious garden this year because we aren't going anywhere for long. This is what the back between the patio and the grass looked like two years ago. After battling the weeds growing between the ANNOYING rocks for too long, M decided last fall to get rid of the rocks, expand this area, and plant crops.




This is what is looked like a few weeks ago after a downpour. I think the only thing coming up was the arugula in the cold frame (what can I do; you can't buy arugula anywhere in this town).



Among the first plants to go in this year were peppers. About 16 of them, or maybe more; I have totally given up keeping track. Did I mention that we are overdoing it? We've planted over 30 tomato plants here and in the garden area behind the gray shed. There's even a rabbit-proof fence (necessary to defend ourselves against the family of 5 living in the back). Check back in two months for pictures of this insanity. If you live here in town, please remind us to give you some tomatoes before M and L eat them all.



Like me when I was little, Lilah doesn't love to get her hands dirty. I don't really love to get my hands dirty now. Pretty ironic considering my profession.