Inez in the Middle

In this valley that is not dwarfed by the stunning Santa Catalina Mountains surrounding it in the High Sonoran Desert I have become a student of plants.

This locale is part of the region that hosts more wild edible plants than anywhere else on the planet. It is dense with cactus, succulents and mistletoe. Each area of Arizona has a cactus it is known for. This valley is best known for its Saguaro cactus.

typical roadside Oro Valley, AZ  © 2012 bubblegumvision

Saguaro Sunset, Oro Valley, AZ  © 2012 bubblegumvision

This valley is the best of quite a lot. I am a student of that also. Top 10 tech companies. Best Best Places to Live in Arizona. Best Towns for Families. Best Places in America to Live and Launch a Small Business.

The best and most remarkable story I have heard in this Valley so far is about Inez in the Middle. Yes Inez is my middle name and my grandmother's first name. Inez is the name of a woman who died in a knife fight when she came between two men in a row over her in Mexico.

Mexico is less than two hours away from here. I have never been to Mexico.