Life goes by at Mach something...

It has been a while since I could find the time to write. Finally, yes.

And time sure has been              flying                 by!

I guess that's what happens when you're having fun. So really, I cannot complain.

It's starting to warm up here. Recently we've gotten a brief relief from 100 degrees with a dip into the 80's, but those blazing temperatures are not far away. And I can't say that I'm disappointed. I love the way the air smells now. Everything is blooming and changing, getting ready for another summer in the desert.

It's time for patio dining, early morning bike rides, afternoon sunset walks in a tank top and shorts, relief from the heat with watermelon and iced tea under a fan, the smell of sunscreen on my skin, monsoon sunsets, and pool parties. I am reminded daily of why I love my home so much.

And what is home without those you love?

I know some of the most wonderful people. They are always keeping my life exciting and fun. Here some flashes from my most recent adventures with them.

Elgin Wine Growers Festival 

The drive into Sonoita through the wind and pouring rain didn't stop us. We walked into the wine estate (fancy, fancy!) and quickly began sampling the wines from all over the Southwest. Zinfandels, Cabs, and Merlots. It was hard to believe it was so cold in April! But huddled together, we laughed, and discussed the wine as if we were sophisticated-pinky-raising-people :)

Country Thunder!! 

The band line-up was great, but I really went to see my most favorite country singer - Dierks Bentley. (Can you say Sexy Hunk??!) The crowd was going wild, as was I. We danced around and stomped our boots into the ground to the beat. All crowded together and singing along at the top of our lungs. We stretched our hands into the dusty air almost as if we were close enough to touch him, absorbing his energy and soaking up all the incredible music. 

Tucson Airshow

It was time for me to be a true Aerospace nerd! (I think I took a million pictures, so I have spared you all of my extensive photo gallery of this day.) I walked around the air force base, studying the planes and trying to remember all that I had learned as an undergrad and graduate student. This was engineering at its finest. How these great and elegant machines get off the ground is one of the most beautiful and incredible things to me. The Thunderbirds roared off the runway and zoomed off into the sky--buzzing by us at unimaginable speeds. We followed their paths high into the sky where they disappeared into the sun. I never thought having a kink in my neck would be so awesome.