I was lucky enough to stay with a friend when I arrived in Tucson. Actually, it was a friend of a friend, a woman I had briefly met just twice. But we had such a lovely visit, I've since moved her directly into the friend column and can not wait until we visit again.
Her Tucson home was sprawling with 2 interior courtyards and a yard that led out to all kinds of fruit trees. This dear woman had a glorious meal of salmon and salad waiting for me when I arrived and we enjoyed it outside under one of the courtyard heaters.
It was such a huge treat to be able to enjoy the fresh air and this new friend on my first night. And what made it even better was that she had invited her creative friends over to join us for a happy hour on her lawn the very next day.
Included in this diverse mix of lovely people was Tanya creator of beautiful glass vases, bowls and trays, Alan, a photographer, Alec, an artist focused on detailed, miniature pencil drawings, and Ira, a former veterinarian turned metal sculptor.
Ira's metal creations
Tanya's latest glasswork and Alan's photography from his travels
The warm Arizona weather allowed us all to be outside and the sprawling lawn helped us respect COVID with a bit of social distancing. It will be a wonderful day when we all don't have to wear masks, but for now I'm happy simply for the opportunity to be outside in a beautiful location with wonderful people.
Without question, being surrounded by creative and supportive artists that were warm and welcoming was a perfect start to my journey.