Day Three

We began the day in a depressing way. I was out of batteries for my camera. Prior to my purchase of more, we went to the Arizona Historical Society. Of interest was the reason for the old windmills that you see all over the countryside as you drive along. Oft a symbol of the "dirty thirties", these were used to pull water from deep underground. Irrigation was and still is needed for those crops that needed to be planted for sustenance for the large population increases, as well as for drinking water. Southern Arizona takes much pride in raising crops and plants not native to the area. Palm trees and citrus groves are NOT native to the area and require much more moisture than the climate can provide.
I really do see an eventual shortage of water in that area. They are building like crazy. There are so many more buildings up than when I visited 4 years ago. I am glad that they are building more houses than new trailer parks. I saw a commercial for a real estate company while I was there. It showed a happy family with two children being shown their dream home. Here was this pueblo-looking house sitting in a huge lot of well manicured SAND. To me, living here in the midwest that just seemed odd.
Of interest also, was the fact that the grocery stores and other retail businesses had their sales signs written first and large in Spanish and small and parenthesized in English below. I would have taken a picture, but due to the 3 a.m. wake up on Day One, I didn't have charged batteries along...
I enjoy taking photos of the beauties and the beasts of the area I am visiting. As I mentioned before, the cities are zoning nightmares and could use a lot of rehab. (I liked the "window unit" shown here. I guess I shouldn't complain about only being able to see out 1/3 of my window in the summer when our unit is in place...)
I noticed that large beautiful homes are being built or improved next to virtual shacks of homes. Graffitti runs all over town, good side and bad. This made me question as I was out and about...what does the midwest do differently? How do we define a "bad" side of town and keep the graffitti contained there? I am anxious for this semester's Urban Sociology class. Perhaps it will provide some answers.


Clean up is cheap and so often makes all the difference in the world. When I see places like this I wonder if this person needs help, doesn't care, or is used to this sort of lifestyle.

I had a friend whose family lived in a house much like this. It stank of piss and I stifled a scream as a mouse nonchalantly mosied out into the center of the living room and stood on its hind legs. It seemed quite comfortable and unthreatened there. This house has since been torn down. Needless to say, I didn't care to visit there.

This is the courthouse, I believe. I think it was once the high school, but this is about two blocks away from the three houses pictured above. See what I mean? Wierd!