Mountains, Sunrises, & Palm Trees

I will admit I have never been a big outdoorsy-type person. I figured, I don’t need a tan, so indoors is good enough for me, haha. But, spurred on by this post, I decided to get out and about a bit more — set my sights on what nature has to offer, if you will. I did attend summer camp when I was younger, and it did give me a love for trees and forests. I have good memories of investigating maples, oaks, wild mushrooms (most likely poisonous), wild berries (probably poisonous as well), and the like. It was at camp that I first felt the squishiness of mud between my toes in a lake (not my fave thing at this stage in my life), learned to use a ‘pedal’ boat, discovered that green peas (canned, I think) weren’t so bad, and developed a love of “poke cake” — vanilla cake from a box, poked with the end of a wooden spoon, fruity gelatin poured through the holes, with whipped cream on top.

I do love the outdoor environments that can be found in places like Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut. I also love harbors, overlooking boats and water. And, of course, I love many of the rural and open spaces in my home state of New York. As I wandered around urban Tucson this past few weeks, I suddenly felt so blessed that 2 of my favorite natural views — palm trees and mountains — abound here. Even in the midst of shopping malls, chains, and big boxes, the beauty of nature overtook me. I’m not great with map directions, and so many local residents would say things like, “North is towards the mountains.” Well, there are mountains everywhere in Tucson, so that didn’t help me, lol.

I shared a few outdoor photos in this My Way post, but I wanted to share a few more today. I really hope some of you reading in different parts of the country (or world) will have the opportunity to visit Tucson (if you haven’t already). Just so you know these are urban pics, the first one is near a mall (sorry if you get a Double Double craving 😉 ). I love the way they have the palm trees shaped like an ‘X.’ There’s also one with a small jackrabbit. He blends pretty well with his surroundings (and it was barely light out), so you’ll have to look closely. I put a little colorsplash below him so you could maybe see him a bit better. I didn’t have a zoom lens, so I got as close as I could. He hopped away pretty quickly. Some pics are nearly the same view, just at different times of the day.

Independents Week 2015

Take the Pledge | Independents Week | Buy Local | LocalFirstAz.com.

Independents Week is rolling around again, and I couldn’t be more excited. Arizonans, check out this link and ‘Take the Pledge’ to ‘Go Local’ during this important week for small and independent businesses. Also, look for this interesting article: 10 Tips for Shopping Local.

If you’re not aware of all of the benefits of supporting your local merchants and businesses, please take a look at some of my past posts:

State Organization Promotes Staying Within the Community to Shop

The Top 10 Local Business Headlines from July — Local First Arizona

Shift the Way You Shop — Local Impact Calculator

Shopping Local Makes an Impact!

Even if you do not reside in Arizona, the basic information is still applicable to most. I know many of you have hearts to get out there and help your local businesses grow, but don’t know where to start. I have really found a wealth of information on the Local First Arizona site. Quite a few surprising facts, indeed. Some folks worry about barriers/obstacles such as location, family budget, and the likes. Believe me, I know…I live in the land of Big Boxes, lol. You might live in a rural area where the options are few and far between. I would love to be downtown Tucson with its great variety of local shops (many of my favorite shops, I should also say). Sometimes, I also have to make purchases to satisfy others. Many times, I pick up items for my mom that I would not purchase otherwise…she likes this particular meat, she likes this brand of household cleaner, she wants these eggs, or peach tea, or bacon, etc. I know some of you go through the same thing with your families, haha. But, as I’ve said before, anything we can do is helpful. Our communities and local economies so desperately need our support. Spreading the word is one way to help right off the bat. Brag on your fave local haunts, restaurants, stores, etc. You can find some of mine under the category of My Favorite Places on my blog menu.

And, there’s a bonus: 20% off with the Golden Coupon at participating businesses.

Happy (local) shopping!

State Organization Promotes Staying Within the Community to Shop

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/mesa/article_50b9879a-0962-11e4-8a9b-001a4bcf887a.html

“Locally centered spending has surged over the past few years due in part to organizations that promote local economies.”

I have written several posts on the topic of “Keeping it Local.” My last post included a list of the top 10 local business headlines from the month of July, 2014. The article quoted above was one of those headlines. I found one of its statements quite surprising:

“Local First Arizona also reports for every two jobs a national retailer creates, three jobs are lost as a result of local closures and that the tax revenue subsidies granted to chains by local government depletes tax revenue.”

Local First Arizona is a fabulous organization and has done much to keep me abreast of our local businesses and economy. As I will continue to state, many people are unable to solely choose local shops & stores, restaurants, etc., to frequent. Factors such as location, family budget, and accessibility of products can come into play. But, as this article points out, even a 10% percent shift to local merchants can have a positive impact on your local economy.

For more information on how spending your dollars locally can make a difference, visit the Local First Arizona website, and see my previous posts: The Top 10 Local Business Headlines from July, Shift the Way You Shop: Local Impact Calculator, Economic Studies, and Independents Week.

The Top 10 Local Business Headlines from July – Local First Arizona

The Top Ten Local Business Headlines From July – Local First Arizona

Wow! Check out these 10 articles on “Keeping it Local.” As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we may not always be able to shop at a local retailer or dine at a local restaurant. But, making an effort to do what we can (when we can) to support them is so vital to our communities. My current locale of Tucson, Arizona has a growing number of fabulous local shops and restaurants to enjoy (see some pics of Tucson’s eateries on my Restaurants page). As you will see from some of the articles, local food and restaurants give people a “sense of place” and greatly contribute to local tourism. That, in turn, equals greater employment opportunities and a stronger local economy.

Pic is from Cup Cafe at the historic Hotel Congress in Downtown Tucson, Arizona.

Shift the Way You Shop: Local Impact Calculator

Calculate Your Impact | Shift Arizona | Shift The Way You Shop.

Calculate the economic impact of shifting at percentage of your shopping to local businesses. The calculator was created for Arizonans, but there is also an out-of-state option. I posted some interesting studies on how buying from local businesses can vastly improve your local economy: Shopping Local Makes an Impact!

Tucson’s Roller Derby

Events | Tucson Roller Derby.

These Tucson, Arizona roller derby events look so fun. I would love to do something like this!

Tucson, AZ Streetcar Kick-Off: June 25, 2014

After several years of construction, the Tucson, Arizona Sunlink Streetcar  is set to kick off on June 25. Free rides June 25-27!

Jewish History Museum

Skullcaps and Shul Hats

via Jewish History Museum.

There are many types of museums one can visit, but this one has had a great impact on me. It leaves you feeling very aware and thankful. They currently have an exhibit running entitled: Skullcaps and Shul Hats. A must-visit if you are in the Tucson area!