Arizona really is quite the unusual place. I never thought it was growing up. I always thought it was dry, ugly, and boring. Now that I'm older and wiser I realize that only one of those adjectives is true.
Dry: Arizona is definitely dry. I saw rain while driving through Alabama at the beginning of June. The next time I saw rain (other than a few scattered sprinkles) was the end of July. That's nearly 2 whole months without rain. I'm amazed that there's still life here after so long with no water.
Not Ugly:I still believe that the lush life on the East coast is prettier than the desert, but the skies in the desert win hands down. Every time I look at the sky in the evening, I'm in awe. They're stunning! I'll never have to suffer through a gray-skies winter again.
Not Boring: There is quite a bit to do here. Most of the year, the weather is beautiful, and you can go hiking in beautiful scenery. Last January, I hiked the Superstitions. The view was spectacular. You don't get views like that back East. Plus, being the city there are a lot of activities to do around town. I've now been to two improv places which were way fun.
I haven't taken any pictures lately, but my current Sonoran desert background shows how pretty it can be here.