Arizona and the Wet, Wet West -- Dec. 2007 Day 1

Sunshine is what you usually expect when traveling to sunny Arizona since they get more than 310 sunny days per year. However, that wasn't the case when I flew there the first weekend of December 2007 for my annual visit with old friends from the 11 years we lived there in the 1980's. There had been no rain in the desert since July, but it rained half of the days I was there, however my mom always says you "have to take your good times with you" so we did and had a great time anyway. Fortunately, I love a rainy day too.

I also time my Arizona visit to coincide with the Tempe Arts Fair, a wonderful arts fair held every year outside in downtown Tempe near the ASU campus the first weekend of December. This Arts Fair is considered one of the best in the country and offers crafters who have high quality things to sell -- no crocheted pot holders here. You are more likely to find lovely pottery, fine jewelry, carved wood, photographs, blown glass, unique clothing items and much, much more. I have never seen it rain on the Arts Fair but it certainly did this year, and as you would expect the crowds were thin on this Friday afternoon. Usually there are throngs of people mingling along, most on foot but some pushing strollers, some on skates, some with dogs on leashes and all having a great time. I was looking forward to enjoying Indian Fry Bread for lunch but it was too wet to eat outside this time. My friend Linda and I huddled under our umbrellas and makek our way through the fair in record time before retreating to her nice dry car for the drive to Prescott, Arizona.

On the last day of my trip my friend Georgette and I toured the historic Petersen House Museum in Tempe, AZ. This house was built by Danish immigrant Niels Petersen for his wife Susanna in 1892 on 160 acres of land that he acquired as a homestead. Petersen was a very successful businessman and a representative of the 18th territorial legislature in Tempe.

The old house was restored in recent years and was decorated for Christmas by members of the Danish Immigrant Museum of Elk Horn, Iowa as a celebration of Niels Petersen's Danish heritage. There were delicate paper cutouts of hearts, trees, small paper baskets and other Christmas motifs hung from swags of greenery that draped across the doorways and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree was standing in the parlor. A lady was there demonstrating the art of paper cutting called paperklips -- this is cutting intricate designs into folded paper with small, very sharp scissors. Docents wearing long dresses and white aprons were available to tell the story of the house. Cups of hot apple cider and Danish cookies were offered for refreshments.


Petersen House Museum, 1414 W. Southern Avenue, Tempe, AZ
(Northwest corner of Priest and Southern)
480-350-5151

Danish Immigrant Museum is located 2212 Washington St. in Elk Horn, Iowa
(6 miles north of I-80 at exit 54)
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 5, Sat 10 to 5, and Sun 12 to 5.
712-764-7002