It’s the new year of 2001. We arrive mid-morning, sunny but cool enough to give us an excuse to wear the recently gifted winter clothes we received for Christmas (though in the afternoon sun, we’d be shedding them and lapping up ice cream). Everyone is here. My mom, dad, sister, brother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, two nieces, nephew, husband, and daughter surround me—I push my one-year-old son in a stroller ahead of me. If you’re keeping track, that’s three generations—with that comes differing generational mindsets, schedules, and interests. It proves challenging to bring everyone together. Thank goodness it’s easy to know what to do when they arrive. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a refreshing desert escape with the open-air freedom to explore the high desert and stare straight into the eyes of the region’s wilder residents. Though, to be honest, “museum” just doesn’t seem to cover it. The Desert Museum (the local nickname) is several attractions that focus...
A collection of writing samples by Lesley Kontowicz