Spun on the Wheel of Time, Ep. 21

Episode 21, Celebrating AZ

Lisa takes us to Arizona’s west coast for some mixed impressions, and Julie gives us reason to feel great about the future in Tucson with science students.

Mug: Lake Havasu with blue interior

From “Arizona Friendtrips: Stories from the Road”

by Lisa Schnebly Heidinger

Lake Havasu illustrates perfectly that it takes only three things to sustain

life: land, water, and sunlight; and that water is the element that can be

moved.

There used to be too much land and sunlight here, but adding water

changed everything.

Although, driving up the road alongside the Colorado River meant I could no longer claim that water makes any landscape beautiful.

So many people have staked out their wee slice of paradise-­ by-­ the-­ sea that the ticky-­tacky dwellings are kind of all you notice. However. People who may never see the real thing can dip a toe in faux London, and then turn around for a Jimmy Buffet-styled cocktail festooned with fruit. It’s over-the-top tourist, but good-natured people unabashedly savor the vacation culture. Dinner with a view of the bridge and blue gentle slapping waves helped too.

Upon rising, we walked at dawn. Watching the water under the lightening

sky made a perfect farewell gift from this place. Nature is always at its best

without throngs of people. I better understood why the residents love living here.

Now I’d go back much sooner than I thought I would.

Copyright 2025, University of Arizona Press, used with permission

Science Projects

by Julie Morrison

Hypothesis—how things matter

begins with inquiry—

Questions—of nature,

behavior, role,

Purpose—how to add meaning

to life, species,

act, trait, element—

Variables—subject to change—

one moment, observation,

at a time, given the following—

Materials—a spirit of inquiry,

senses, probing experience,

a relentless why throughout

Procedures—cycles—

chains—events—

Data—ever a mosaic of notice—

we record what we see,

an incomplete, ever fascinating

record spun

on the wheel of time—

Note—reflect—query each

Conclusion—lesson—

partial, and for now,

as more questions present—

Copyright 2025 Julie Morrison, All rights reserved