A reader whose opinions I respect wrote recently to encourage me to continue this blog. “But I’m just back in the U.S., most of my readers know all about life here,” I replied. He went on to say that every part of the U.S. holds interest for others who don’t know it well, and he’s right. For a girl from the East, Arizona is in many ways a mysterious entity. The base culture is American, but the overlay is about as different from former homes Massachusetts and Connecticut as can be.

Arizona was a wild place until not so long ago – wild in nature (which it still is in most of the State) and wild in its population, which it still is in some instances (yes, you can carry a weapon openly without a permit – now that might be a good subject for a post). There is a lot of interest to see and learn about here. It’s a State where history is so fresh it seems like the present. There are even other countries within the State –  The Navajo Nation,  The Tohono O’odham Nation, for instance. As well, it is a State of great natural beauty (home of the Grand Canyon, after all), spicy Mexican-influenced food, and a political point of view slightly right of right.  As old as Italy is, that’s how new Arizona is – it makes for striking contrasts.

It will be a such a pleasure to get to know our newly permanent home better through the eyes of this blog. I hope that having been an expatriate for a number of years will give me a slightly-but-not-quite foreigner’s perception of what we see.  And I hope you’ll stick around for the ride, pardner – you’re mighty welcome.