I’m a NH resident but have been away from NH for years for my spouses job and I completely understand what you mean. It’s great out west, and the desert is beautiful, but there’s something about NH that’s so special and homey. One thing I really missed living in the desert was the delineation in the seasons. In the winter it just kind of gradually gets colder, windier, and more grey. There’s usually a bloom in the spring but that and the temp increasing around May/June is the only real “the season has now changed” indication, versus in New England where you can clearly tell that the seasons are changing and there are different stages of change.

I wish you luck in AZ! Keep in mind it may look desolate and ugly (and it can be), but there is a lot of life in the desert if you’re willing to slow down and take it all in. Take more water than you need everywhere, even in the winter, because the dry air will seriously dehydrate you.