Tucson...

The landscape is so different here from other parts of Arizona, the huge Saguro cactus must reach 30 feet or more into the air and they look like sentries as you drive down from the hills - to my (English) eyes they look like an alien species, dropped here from another planet.  The colours are different to those I've seen so far on this trip, but as ever, lovely; sages, silvers and soft, weathered dusty roses and browns; I hope I can keep all these colours in my head once I get home and start to work again; its always the colours I remember the most, the intense blues and red, red rocks of Sedona; the deep greens and wintry, pure whites of the White Mountains - and here, well, different again - always beautiful.

I was hoping it would be warm but its almost as cold as the mountains here right now - brrrrr....the photo above is of a cactus/fountain outside my hotel room first thing in the morning - you wouldn't imagine they could survive this sort of extreme of temperature but it seems they can.

Its off to the gem shows in Tucson over the next few days, this is what I am here for and I am rested and ready for the buying frenzy that will take place!   Tucson (and Arizona generally) is one of my favourite places in the States and is easily somewhere I could live - I had this image before I travelled here the first time that it would be just one big desert, but its an amazing state, full of contrasts and quirks and interesting stuff - you could spend years exploring.  

Still, once I've done my buying it will be back home to get all my bead and findings catalogued and photographed and ready for the site - and back to the mucking out!   Aaaargh.