The Tropical Paradise February morning

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It's February 2nd at 7:20 and the sun hasn't quite hit The Tropical Paradise yet. The sky is still that famous Arizona "sunset" color, which is nice to see first thing in the morning. But in a few more minutes the light won't be so soft.

One of the advantages, and disadvantages, of living in the desert is the low humidity. Of course that means beautiful clear blue skies, but it also means very little cloud cover, and when the sun comes up, it's fierce.

When I visit Los Angeles, I am reminded of how pleasant it is with the marine layer softening the mornings. I lived in Santa Barbara for a few years, and you could count on it, just about like clockwork, until 10 am.

My backyard faces the east, which means it gets afternoon shade, which is perfect for such a sunny, hot climate. The winters here in the Phoenix area are nice, but the sun is low all day in the south, and in the morning. That's why you see people wear sunglasses a lot.

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