Prescott Outdoors

The fresh air of Prescott lures me to throw windows open wide, and to spend as much time as possible outside. We've lived other places where we have enjoyed being outdoors...our patios in Sachse, Texas, evenings sitting by the pool in Vegas, visiting on our back porch in Chicago and walking by Lake Michigan...but Prescott has something special to offer.

This time of year there is a welcome bit of chill to the air in the early morning and late evening. It will become very warm later in the day, and we are luxuriating in these last days of summer. The air will cool as we sip cocktails on the new patio and watch the moonrise. Last night we were bathed in the late night brightness of a full moon. I had a shawl on my shoulders, sitting contentedly by a fire.

Golf is one way we make sure we spend time outside. The views are breathtaking. Talking Rock's course is as beautiful as I've ever seen it right now, after several weeks of rainy weather. The fairways look like green carpet, and even the desert grasses are green. Blooming flowers are everywhere - you might guess it's Spring again.

It's a great time to visit with friends in the evening around one of the club's fire pits, or to enjoy the view from the Granite Mountain patio during Happy Hour.

I'm not much of a hiker, but nature walks are a great way to explore the amazingly varied landscapes in the area. Desert, lakes, pine forests, granite dells, and mountains - we have it all, within a few miles. The scent in the air is unique to our high desert. Juniper, cedar, and Arizona chaparral are prevalent. This time of year, juniper berries have fallen from the trees, and they create a carpet of frosty blue on the ground. A local spice merchant, Spice Traveler* , has captured the olfactory essence of Prescott in a unique spice blend called "1864 Prescott". It's Prescott in a can!

At home, we invite the outdoors in as much as possible. They'll be less opportunity as the days shorten and our mild fall turns into winter. For now, we are enjoying our indoor / outdoor life in Prescott.

*Check out Spice Traveler online at: http://spicetravelerprescott.com/