Unrelated: The springtime yellow tulips recently gifted to us by an uber-kind houseguest!
Winter’s basically over, so the time is ripe to look back at this past season’s getaway trips and, because this is America, crown a WINNER.
Let’s start with Arizona, where I went in January to visit my friend Elena who was interning at the blissed-out Tree of Life Center in the teensy town of Patagonia.
Elena chillin’ on the plateau
She showed me around the farm’s sprout house (where tubs of little seedlings are each identified by a name like “Surrender” or “Forgiveness” written in marker on one side), brought me to dinner at a pizza restaurant called Velvet Elvis, and helmed many a scenic drive—from Phoenix to Tucson to the border town of Nogales and many stops in between. My favorite part might have been the evening when we set up lawn chairs on a hillside to watch the sun set, then turned them around to watch the moon rise.
I took so many awesome pictures (if I do say so myself) in this spellbinding locale that it’s hard to pick, but here’s a wee selection:
Turning our attention next to Florida… Arthur and I flew to Ft. Meyers last week to visit his mom and stepdad, who have wisely started leaving Boston each March to weather the bitter ends of the Northeast winter in these more hospitable climes.
While the area’s sprawling tic-tac developments and endless six-lane highways were not a draw for any of us, there are innumerable awesome animals and plants all around, and we spent much of our time hunting them down (with our eyes!). Plus of course many hours were spent in fine company simply relaxing and chatting, and sometimes enjoying a little media accompaniment, such as Rivers and Tides, the enchanting movie about artist Andy Goldsworthy.
So what do you think, dear audience? Which winter getaway vacation wins?
Cast your votes—the chosen city will win a prize!!
April Greene 
The rugged sexy Arizona wins vs. rednecky sexy Flo-rida!!
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Hear hear, Elena! Your vote has been noted :)
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Ha – nothing can beat those dolphins we saw jumping and frolicking behind our boat in the Everglades!
Got to be Florida. Besides when I was last in Arizona I was freaked out by the people who were openly “carrying” in the grocery store…
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I vote for Florida…the egrets and ibis and wood storks, oh my! They’re just walking along everywhere doing their thing as if this is their world still despite the cars and the people and the bike riders in lines, all serious as bike riders always seem to be.(Of course there are also turtles and alligators and black bears , who roam into school yards and have to be given naps and carried away to another place to call home.). Not to mention flowers blooming in abundance and trees I don’t yet know
The names of…a paradise with too many people. Lydia Harris, new resident
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Well said, Lydia!
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Yikes! Freaky indeed. Point for dolphins noted :)
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Well, I think I will vote for.,….aaarrggghhh! I can’t make up my mind! I love those dolphins and Leoma’s wonderful “art garden.” But I will vote for Arizona because I haven’t been in a while and those plains were calling me. Wait! Wait! I forgot about open carry. Florida wins, after all. And that’s my final answer.
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I understand it’s tough, Sally! I’m torn, too :) Thanks for voting!
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Florida wins my vote – rather biased because it was our time spent with family – both Lee’s and mine. Find sights to be noted of course but rather lost on us except for the Florida Jay.
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Thanks, Lynn! If we keep this Florida voting streak up, we won’t even need to consider a recount! (Sorry; still too soon?)
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