Phoenix, from A-Z...

If it was even possible, this day was hotter than the last. Chugging water, bathing in sunscreen, and sucking it up, I walked down to my car to start my day. Looking down at my car from my second floor room, I saw a note on my windshield. I'd been hit! What a way to start the day. I took the long way around my car to look for the damage, but I didn't see any. I reached for the note that said, "Hey! I parked right next to you! I graduated from IC in 2014! Go Bombers!" I remembered that I had seen a car from Vermont the night before, but didn't see any Ithaca College stickers. What a small world!


My first stop of the day was the Heard Museum which is filled with Native American artifacts. Full to the brim with pottery, jewelry, traditional clothing, and models of homes, I learned a lot about local Native American culture.

They were also featuring an exhibit called Superheroes, which I mistakenly thought would be about Marvel Comics or X-Men. It was actually about Native Americans who were prominent in sports! Not what I was hoping for, but still cool! Native Americans often played lacrosse and had relay races. They also played a hoop ball of sorts.

 

When I was done with the museum, I took a short drive to my next destination. Within a ten-mile radius, the landscape changed from lush greens and palm trees to absolute rocky mountain desert.

My next stop was Desert Botanical Gardens. You know how I was saying it was hot? Ya, a desert botanical garden in hundred degree heat was not my best idea, but it was absolutely beautiful. So many different kinds of cacti, desert bushes, and flowers all in their natural state. Not only this, but there was a different kinds of wildlife! In the time I was there I saw jackrabbits, prairie dogs (yes, I did try to take one home), quails, hummingbirds, lizards, and doves, just to name some.

All the plaques in the garden describe what everything is also gave note to how it would be used by Native Americans back in the day. They described rituals that the would use some plants for, different medicines they took, and how they ate it!

 

 

This was the start of the Agave Forest, which only made me want a margarita!

I guess I was walking around in a newer part of the gardens that they had just paved and I saw these adorable prints every so often in the sidewalk. Silly animals!

And just as I was leaving the gardens, they turned on lit Chihuly sculptures. Everything that I saw in the full day was absolutely beautiful. I learned a lot about native culture. And I sweat more than I thought was possible. 

Follow me on instagram: https://instagram.com/mywindowsarerolleddown/
Follow me on the Untappd App: Taylor_k22