"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 150 ~ Fire in the Sky

3 more days!!!!!!! (until Halloween) (and the end of this project) (and, just saying, it's still in the 90s as the high during the day) (I got sunburned at the bridal fair yesterday).

The nights and mornings are fantastic...gorgeous.  This picture is reminiscent of Day 56 which was also a SOOC (straight out of the camera) sunset.  July in Vermont equals October in Arizona!  Seriously.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 100 ~ Rain Flowers.

This is a Texas Ranger.  It basically looks like a grey bush most of the time...except when it rains a good-dumping-rain like we had the other day (see Day 98. Hello, monsoon, hello).  Then, and only then, that grey bush transforms into a lovely lavender carpet of flowers...

** Oh, and today is Day 100 which some of you are thinking "oh thank GOD, she's done..." but no, 53 more days until Halloween (and THAT is when this project is over...2/3 thru.  Woot!

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 87 ~ Condensation, Revisited.

So....remember waaaay back to June 4, 2013 (Day 4) when I did the experiment about melting ice in a glass with NO condensation???  Well at 101 degrees and NOT a "dry heat" here is what that glass looks like today.

(P.S.  The original Day 4 post was my sister, Lauren's favorite...)
(P.P.S. Yes, I realize this condensation doesn't compare to a NC summer)
(P.P.P.S. I am NOT using a coaster...for this experiment only, I promise :) )

"100 Degrees until Halloween" Day 76 ~ View of a Storm

"Storm at Sunset," maybe this picture should be titled...or, "Orange."  Whatever.  It was incredible.  I was driving home from a family photo shoot and it took me 45 minutes (rather than the usual 15 min) because I had to keep pulling over to try and capture the sky, and the mountains, and the gorgeous light.  I am lucky I made it home alive.  (P.S. My house STILL didn't get any stinkin' rain...)

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 67 ~ Long Shadows

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 66 ~ School

Seriously.  In Arizona, these days, school starts, AT THE LATEST, August 8th.  Really, I am not bitter.  Most thankfully, my kids know nothing different.  Every year I take a picture of the kids with their fingers representing their grade...this year, 4th and 6th, and in my un-biased opinion, could NOT be cuter!

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 64 ~ The Lady.

It's too hot to roast a chicken...the solution?  Williams Sonoma beer can chicken pan  This is the lady sitting on her can prior to getting her rub.  The results were delicious!!!  Yay to the grill.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 63 ~ Tears.

We leave Vermont today.  I was happy (for us) that the skies reflected our emotional state.  As we packed the car to leave, it started pouring rain.  (For those we were leaving behind, we knew they would be ok since a mile down the road, the skies were blue and open and sun was shining.)  We appreciated the skies' sentiment, nonetheless.   Back to the original project...and school...and work...and  90 more days until it is cool enough in Tucson to live outside again.  Stay tuned to see if I make it.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 54 ~ A Stiff Breeze.

On my list for this photography project (a list I created in case I am bereft of ideas one of these days-- suggestions welcome!!!) was a picture of air conditioning blowing the bejezus out of someone (my daughter's long hair, my dogs' cute ears....).  Today I had the perfect opportunity.  We have a food cart that comes to the office building and they set up a portable evaporative cooler and voila!  Thank you, Luke.  Those locks are appreciated for this picture only.  Time for a haircut???

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 53 ~ This Guy (I wanted to name this post "It's a Boy!")

This guy (who likes to be called Rusty) is at the corner of Sabino Canyon Rd. and River Rd. every day at no later than 6 a.m. (except for Mondays when he legitimately gets there later to take care of personal business).  This guy is selling newspapers until they are gone for the day.  That can be 7 pm.  This guy is there on the weekdays and weekends.  He's there when it's 110 degrees out or 50 degrees out.  He always has a wave and a smile to those who accept it.  And, he agreed to be photographed for my project.  I gladly buy his papers and wish him well and I hope if you see him, you feel inclined to do so too.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 51 ~ storm clouds

Lots of beautiful cloud action.  No rain.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 50 ~ Agua Caliente

I went to scout out Agua Caliente Park for a photo shoot later today.  Usually Agua Caliente is a sure thing (and I will run into at least one other photographer).  The client and I had both heard water levels were down in the main lake so we were unsure of its suitability for a setting.  Gah, it was depressing...the grass is green but the water is sooooo loooooow.  The article (linked above) said that it is a spring fed pond and the spring stopped running last summer.  No help in sight for this Tucson landmark.

(DISCLAIMER: Commercial photography at this park requires a permit.  This blog brings me absolutely no $$ so I think I am good :) )

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 49 ~ Storm

I grew up in New Jersey and moved to Tucson in 1996 (a mere 23 year old in the arid desert).  I have forgotten what it is like to NOT see the whole sky and what it is like to NOT be able to pinpoint where in the city it is raining.  In NJ (and Maine and everywhere I've been on the East coast) it is just gray and cloudy, or it is not.  I was trying to see if my friend in DC (who, to my knowledge, has not been to southern AZ) "got" my post from Day 40 (Rain Cliff).  Today, while driving home, I saw another chance to document this western phenom.  I could see two storms from miles and miles away...and I don't care.  I love it.  :)

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 48 ~ Half Mast

I have been mentally writing this blog post since I heard about the death of 19 firefighters in Yarnell, AZ June 30, 2013.  As much as I love the monsoons and appreciate the rain, the lightning that comes with these storms is also many times the cause of the fires, and in this case, the fire that killed these19 men.

Photo credit www.abc15.com

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 47 ~ Dog's Head In Puddle, happily.

Back home.  Sigh.  And look at this poor puppy.  He's so hot, he thinks this big puddle (caused by the mister) is a great place to lay his head...he's right.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 43 ~ Sunrise

Thing are really heating up in our household!

We are off and running these last few weeks of July (school starts for my kids Aug 5th-- an ABOMINATION to this East coaster).  In any event, the blog and project will take on all sorts of new sights of the summer starting Monday.

First new sight for this lazybones is sunrise!  I was up at 5:00 am to drive my daughter and her grandma to the airport for their special trip to Washington, DC.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 42 ~ Plip Plop

It's real raindrops!  Puddles and all.  And, in the morning....lovely.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 41 ~ 7/11 Day!!

Let me introduce all non-Tucsonans to the eegee....it's Tucson's favorite thing to love so, although "similar" to the slurpee, it's no slurpee.  It has love and tradition in it the way no stinkin' slurpee ever has.  They do a different flavor eegee each month and THIS month is watermelon (which is my daughter's favorite flavor).  So much so, that when doing our July family wall calendar she wrote the eegee flavor on it.  Happy 7-11 and long live the eegee!

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 40 ~ Rain Cliff

The monsoon light is so incredible.  This is the northwest-west side getting hit.  I also took pics of monsoon rain south and far east-- over the Rincon Mts. (River Road and Swan).  

To date we have had nothing but sprinkles at our house.  

Again, I am sure it's NOT the project's fault (grrr)....

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 38 ~ Nanny Nanny Boo Boo...

And a big outstretched tongue.  That's what I feel the monsoons are doing to this Northeast side of Tucson.  Oh, and by the way, this is the 38th day in a row of reaching 100 degrees in Tucson.  Tomorrow, IF we hit 100 degrees it will be record breaking...stay tuned!