As a new resident, I often wonder while wandering through the desert (whether it’s paved over in concrete or left to thrive in its natural state), how the changing of the seasons play out.  It’s still Fall, technically.  But it has been much different from last year, till this week.  Last year I remember lots of winds and getting the flannel sheets on by Thanksgiving.  This year we have had 80 degree weather to the point that I forgot there was such a thing as rain.  The sky hit high notes of cerulean blues almost every day, with an occasional SoCal-type haze.

Christmas lights on the front porch?  I hope the sun doesn’t burn them out.  Baking?  It’s 80 degrees outside – the oven makes it warmer in than out!  What to do, even when the sun sets at 5:25PM and it’s still warm enough to leave the windows open.

Nights cooled down, but not enough to warrant kicking on the furnace.  Ok, I will admit that it was hitting the 50’s, to the point that it was chilly getting in the car at 7:45AM to go to Jazzercise.  My fellow classmates live further in the hills and were getting much chillier weather.

But today all that changed.  The temperature ratcheted down a good 10 degrees, the winds kicked up, and the sky gathered clouds on the horizon to ready for a good square dance in the sky.  Neck warmer in place, socks and boots in place, I made the “OK it’s getting past the Fall thing” concession.  And last night it rained.  What a glorious sound!  I could almost hear the dust being cleaned out of the air.  The joy of hearing water pour down the roof!  The plants soaking up every molecule of moisture they could absorb – a desert plant’s version of Thanksgiving.

So, I am on the holiday program.  Tis the season, Ho Ho Ho, life is good.  It’s a Merry Christmas season!  Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa!  Happy New Year!

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