Having spent much of my youth in Arizona, where I frequently return to visit my family, part of me will always be a "desert rat" at heart. These linked courtyards from the Tucson TOH TV project (a house in the same neighborhood where my grandmother lived for many years) form outdoor rooms that invite evening gatherings by the beehive fireplace under the mesquite tree. A simple counter and grill, just off the indoor kitchen, let the cook stay part of the conversation. The built-in benches and raised beds in the outer area make for lots of seating, and the smooth, curved stucco surfaces keep the rustic pueblo feeling without drifting into Southwest kitsch. A hammock in the palms calls out for naps in the warm winter sun or gazing up at the crisp, clear desert starscape. The fountain and small plot of turf are an oasis at the center of it all. I can practically smell the clean scent of creosote bushes after a rain and hear the calls of Gambel's quail. And I'm suddenly craving one of my dad's margaritas...made with fresh Mexican limes and plenty of salt on the rim...stop...please...
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