Arizona - My Tierra

My dad used to talk wistfully about his "tierra". Translated that means his dirt, his land, but he meant Mexico, the land of his birth. My mom still talks about her "tierra" in Texas and has a picture of the old family homestead hanging in her house. What is it about the land of our birth that fills us with so many memories and peace and why do we long to go back?

For me, my "tierra" is Arizona, especially Eloy, Arizona and nothing means home to me like this site.

Picacho Peak - Picacho, Arizona

I can remember standing in front of my maternal grandparents home looking out and seeing this. It was something I saw daily. I didn't realize it was such a big part of my life until we left it and I didn't get to see it every day. I always know that I'm home when I see Picacho Peak.

My cousin Stella posted the photo below on her Facebook page and wrote, "I know they say you can't go home again, but I did this weekend...literally! Got to go thru my grandparents house....the house that built me. Everything inside was still the same. So sad and yet so blessed for all the memories that came flooding back. Thank you Norrie, Alicia and Lisa for being there as well." 

Forgive me for stealing this photo Stella, but it is perfect, just as your words above were perfect! This is the home that built me too.

The photo on the top is the home as it was back when it was first built in 1954 or so. The bottom photo is how it looks now. This is the front of the house, where as kids we would play in the front yard with the view of Picacho Peak in front of us about 13 or so miles away. While we played the view of Picacho was always  there, which is why whenever I see it I know I'm home, I've arrived at my "tierra". 

As cousin Stella mentioned she was grateful to relive this moment with her cousins Norrie, Lisa and me, Alicia. So to close a picture of us four cousins and our beautiful Tia Ninfa that was a second mother to us all growing up.

Left to Right - Cousin Stella, Aunt Ninfa, Cousin Norrie, Sister Lisa and winner of the whitest leg ever Me, Alicia