Many years ago, on a cold January day in Arizona we came across a small yard where metal works were being sold. One of those was an unusual metal robot with a red and white hat on it’s head, saying “LET IT SNOW”. It didn’t snow, but it was cold at night!

The 2008 Automattic Grand Meetup took place in a small ranch in the Arizona desert. It was mid January so it was nice and cool, maybe even cold at night!

Detail from the wheel of a VW Beetle parked in an iron smith’s yard in Oracle, Arizona. This was taken in 2008 when Automattic visited there and I have quite a few other photos from that visit to show you, if I ever get around to working on them that is! This was taken with…

The Historic C.O.D Ranch outside Oracle in Arizona where Automattic held a meetup in January 2008. Winter in the desert is mostly pleasant, during the day. At night it was freezing!

The moon shines down on the Arizona desert, January 2008.

Inside Biosphere 2, Arizona is a complete ecosystem meant to keep a group of people alive for months on end. That project ended years ago but the building remains and it’s worth a visit if you’re in the area! Just in case you didn’t see yesterday’s post, 3 hotel rooms going for free on the…

The visitor center at the Biosphere in Arizona.

The burning embers of a bonfire glow brightly in the chill Arizona night. Taken in January 2008 when Automattic visited Arizona. Here’s another shot of that fire!

Biosphere 2 in Arizona on a cold day in January last year.

Biosphere 2 in Arizona, from the outside with clouds.

These tall evergreens planted in front of a set of small houses in Oracle were almost gone before I saw them. The scene looked bizarre. Tall trees, tiny houses. I wonder who lives in them? Here it is on Google Maps. Try the Street View, you’ll see two cars pulled up in front of the…