#2 Love At First Sight...

The plane landed and rolled gently to a stop near the terminal. A large stairway was pushed out to the plane and we disembarked slowly. In those days, everyone in Tucson exited planes down staircases and walked into the terminal. As it was my turn to exit the plane, I stopped for a moment at the top, inhaling deeply this new fragrant air.

The air held an unknown scent... somehow exotic and somehow fresh and somehow clean. It tantalized as no perfume ever had. It would be some time before I discovered the source of this scent... chaparral or more commonly called here, desert creosote bush.

There had been recent rains in the area, rains which released this incredible scent into the air through the plant's leaves. Thousands of these long lived plants, some hundreds of years old, grew in great colonies all over this desert land.

I walked slowly across the tarmac enjoying the scent sensation and almost overwhelmed by the brilliance of the day. I almost hated going inside the terminal to collect my luggage.

At the luggage counters I saw a collection of people off to one side. All were holding signs of cardboard with boldly printed names on them. One sign had mine.


I went to the bearer and met my ride to the guest ranch. It turned out to be the owner, as these small hostelries were very hands on with their management. He was a charming and slightly shy man who told me about the desert I was about to meet. I barely heard him as at my first real look at this incredible place totally engrossed me.

It was love.

I arrived a young woman of the world. I arrived from a foreign land and a different way of life. I arrived but would never ever really leave again. This place would forever have my heart where ever I would be. I had found my home.