The Wind, She's a Blowin'

The wind, she's a blowin'.

Around here, the wind gets going pretty good.  The land makes a natural funnel, channeling cold desert winds into a breath-stealing, icy howler that makes me wonder things.  Like, how do the sparrows not turn into little feathered popsicles, much less fly?  Is the wind really blowing through my lined leather jacket or is it my imagination?  And most compelling of all ... how are there still leaves in the trees beside my house?  I have plans for those leaves, evil raking into flowerbeds to kill the weeds plans.  The wind shouldn't have to blow harder to get those things off.  I mean, my glasses are in danger of being blown off my face when I go out to the truck to drive to work.  A little leaf shouldn't be a problem.

Not that I'm super-excited about raking leaves in the wind.  I think that's a joke, or country wisdom, or maybe one of Aesop's tales.  Don't rake leaves in the wind.

But I hope to get those beds full of free mulch, bugs and all because the bugs are better than the weeds at this point.  Maybe the bugs will eat the weeds.

Nah.  That's just asking too much.

I pin the leaves down with branches, of which I also have plenty around the yard for free.  Those branches don't have leaves on them, which I think may be some sort of tree conspiracy.  If they still had the leaves attached, I wouldn't have to rake so many into the flowerbeds.

But I digress.

We have a really, really big branch up in the bigleaf maple still.  The plan is to get it down out of there tomorrow.  Will the wind still be blowing, or will it be rain?  Maybe we'll luck out and have both at the same time.  Then I could justify having a big hot chocolate with toffee whiskey in it.  Maybe even have one before and then one after.  Yeah!  I could get good and liquored up and do something super dangerous in inclement weather.

Okay, maybe not.

Hey, maybe the wind will blow that big branch right out of the tree!

Consider what it's done with the leaves, I'm thinking I have a better chance of winning the Powerball.  But I have my ticket, and you never know.  Because the wind, she's a blowin'.

Happy Thanksgiving

I went for a walk tonight in Bend, Oregon.  The cold in the air had me gasping and my heart pounding.  It wasn't that chilly, but I'm used to warmer, damper weather so it stole my breath.  There weren't many people out.  I suppose everyone was getting ready for Thanksgiving, or they didn't want to deal with any crowds, real or imagined.
There's something extraordinary about the high desert.  Stark, desolate beauty gets mentioned a lot, but for me it's the way my desert-raised husband behaves.  He takes full breaths, and smiles, and laughs more readily.  In a place where it's tough for living things to scratch out a living, he thrives.
We're here with family, looking forward to feasting and spending time together.  I love our family, and the desert, and the stars, and the clear air that steals my breath.  And I love the way my husband comes to life in the desert.
It's good to be here in my home away from home.
Happy Thanksgiving.  May you be surrounded by love, life and joy.