Like many of us living in Fountain Hills, I am not originally from these parts.

I just celebrated 10 weeks here in Arizona.

As a life-long writer, I am compelled to write what I see.

I take notes on vacations and observe details during traveling.

The most recent experience from which I can draw is coming from Connecticut to this little piece of hot heaven.

New England has its fair share of extremes. The winters, the Nor’easters, the shoveling snow and the ice are all still fresh in my mind.

I quickly realized that you can add so many layers of winter clothing for warmth; but there are only so many layers to subtract from (short of being cited for indecency) to stay cool.

Many, many days by the pool and learning the hours by which I function best have served me well. The coats, thick socks, base layers and gloves are boxed up in my dusty storage unit.

My winter tires were removed in Connecticut and listed on Craig’s List. I never knew there was such a thing as summer tires.

I let out a laugh upon paying the window tinting man.

Seems like I was just chugging down the highway, with blowing snow screaming around me.

Despite growing up in Florida, it did not take long to acclimate to New England. Opening the windows happened fairly regularly.

“I’m so hot!” I would exclaim as spring brought temperatures into the 60s.

And then…I moved to Arizona.

There was a short burst of rainfall a week or so after I got here.

I watched quizzically, noting the gap between the ground and where the rain seemed to evaporate.

I guess that’s exactly what it did.

After this brief respite, humidity levels “soared” to a very comfortable 40 percent.

I noticed a distinct smell of chalk in the air, as though Mother Nature had just clapped her erasers all over the world.

A few people attempted to goad me during my first few weeks.

“Oh, you just wait. You haven’t seen hot yet.”

My reaction was mixed between horror and disbelief.

The weekend when temps soared above the 115 mark, I told my sister I had a new excuse to binge on Netflix and stay inside.

“I am literally too hot to exercise.”

She laughed.

I turned the air down two more degrees.

I shifted my thoughts to the things around here that I love.

No allergies. Yay! Low humidity, friendly people and brilliant sunsets, too.

To me, Arizona really shows off in her skies.

Every evening, I look up at the pinks, oranges and reds glazing across the darkening horizon.

But only for a moment do I look up. There are scorpions on the ground to watch out for.

I am learning how to live in a new extreme.