Jun 30 2009
Postcards From The Edge
Is it wrong to be annoyed by a tree?
When most people think of palm trees, they think of tropical vacations, sandy beaches, coconut daiquiris, and blue oceans filled with frolicking dolphins. Most people probably don’t associate palm trees with the dry, brittle desert—unless, of course, you’re a botanist or one of those whiz kids who can spout off every answer on Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit and if you are may I friend you when I become a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
I’m not one of those whiz kids but let me dazzle you with this: There are approximately 2,600 species of palm trees. Historically, they’ve been symbols of victory, peace, and fertility. Before I moved to Arizona, the only time I ever saw palm trees was on postcards from Florida or during Palm Sunday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Oddly, my adopted home state is full of palm trees, and I’m talking about the super skinny kind with brown trunks and leafy fronds that grow as tall as skyscrapers. Whenever there’s a bad storm (we call them monsoons), you think that the palm trees are going to snap in the wind but, miraculously, they do not. I’m sure they were brought to the desert by somebody else like most of the vegetation in Phoenix. Most people who move to Arizona immediately want to retrofit their yards to resemble anything but the desert. That’s annoying, too. And off topic. About the only thing left that’s indigenous to Arizona are the saguaros and those bolo ties worn by retired men in Sun City.
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This is an original recipe for pasta with homemade sauce that is ready in about 20 minutes!
