SUMMERTIME IN THE BOONDOCKS!

Yep, summertime is upon us in the 'sticks' of Arizona ... hey! I can call it that if I want for that's what it is to me.  Boondocks, sticks, desolate hell, the tules (a California term), the boonies ... and other such descriptions of places like San Tan Valley AZ.  Although boondocks also describes a mountainous area by the Filipino race, and I wish it were in my case, I love the mountains, forests, streams ... log cabins, yes!!!  Oh yes!!!

Then to add to the grief of being so isolated, the summers are unbearable here in AZ!  Up to 117 in July, sometimes higher.  It is not a place you want to be in the summer, especially if you're a cool weather person like me and would rather have daily rain than daily sun.

So why don't I move?

Well, first of all, I have created a beautiful cocoon for myself and my babies - Princie, Albee, and Oreo.  A lot of my time and $$$ have been expended.  My backyard is completely enveloped by trees that have been trimmed to form a canopy over the entire space, mostly shade back there now ... it's taken six years to do that. I've planted all kinds of flowers, roses, bougainvilleas, and many other flowering plants and shrubberies that surround a very small lawn area including a fire-pit (winter) and lawn chairs.  There are two iron bench niches under the trees, too, and an umbrella covered table with two stools out under the tallest tree, as well as other seating and table/chairs inside my covered patio. It all makes for an outdoor living space, an extended living room so to speak. You aren't going to believe this, but there is seating for 16 in my back garden without adding more chairs ... spread out under the foliage and in the covered patio.  I know, that's quite a bit for the small space it is, I know. But I don't care, I love creating my vignettes outside just like I do the ones inside.  (Per square footage, I probably have more seating area inside my home than most other people do in a house this size - approx 2200 sq ft.  I love that too.)

So I work in the garden, front and back, every morning.  The front garden is overgrown too - one tree covers it all giving it plenty of shade.

Indoors of course is my little palace holding my collections and eclectic furnishings - lace and satin, brocade and silk fabric.  A woman's house, not a man's house.  

The reason I don't move is because if I sold this house I would not realize enough profit to purchase another home that would equal this or go one better.  Just doesn't compute.

So, I'm stuck!  But you know, most of the time I don't look at it that way.  Like I said, I love my garden and I love my home.  It 's just the damn surrounding desert I don't care for ... and being way out here in the boonies, having to drive 40 minutes to an hour to a town -- a real town with shops, cafes, music, antique stores, etc.  

But on the flip-side, there is a plus of being isolated for it forces me to get things done that I need to do ... like writing, editing, publishing and doing the support work that makes it all pay ... rather than being out-and-about, playing.    

But it's so damn hot!!!!  It's summertime in the boondocks, guys!