Back to the Desert

I am always perplexed how sometimes life moves by at such a slow pace that you can almost count each day in minutes passed, while at other times it moves so quickly it’s as if it never happened. For me, the month of December was an intricate combination of the two. After the students went back to Prescott early in the month and the fellows returned to having the station to themselves, it felt oddly quiet. Shortly after, the fellows began heading home in rapid succession. Despite having a bit of field work left to do, I was struggling to stay on track as I eagerly awaited my turn to spend my first Christmas at home in three years.

Finally my day came and I made it back to the Cape. There were even some welcoming flurries on our drive to remind me what snow looks like. My time at home was a blur of yummy food, spending time with family, catching up with friends, and of course, seeing my dog Finn. I couldn’t believe how small he looks in comparison to Ocotillo (my Mexican pup) who is over 40 lbs now!

Next up I jetted back to Phoenix to meet Neil for a whirlwind tour of Arizona. The red rocks of Sedona were stunning, as was the Grand Canyon as inspiring as I could have imagined. The trip sped by and before I knew it we were on the bus heading back to Kino Bay… however, this part was pretty brutal as the already long journey was extended by many hours due to our bus breaking down.

I’ve been back at the station for almost 2 weeks now but in that time I’ve already moved and started various new projects including grant writing and there are Brown Pelican nest’s to monitor. I now live in a small house attached to a boat storage facility due to a huge influx of students this quarter. It’s simple, yet very comfortable. Ocotillo is enjoying his new bed I lugged with me all the way from Phoenix, and I am enjoying having a little more independence. My commute to work is a three minute walk and I even have an ocean view if I sit at the dining table just right. Muy tranquilo. 

nueva casita

living area with Ocotillo enjoying his new bed

cocina

Sedona AZ

Grand Canyon

Montezuma's Castle AZ