Winter is visiting Southern Arizona.
Hats and mittens and boots come out.
And yet, whilst preparing for record lows since 1971, there are smiles.
Smiles found in what this time of year brings...
Iceland Poppies.
Pumpkins from the summer pumpkin patch sit, (some) still safe on the porch.
(random tale about that to follow)
Pretty petals create good heart flutters.
Unfurling, paper like, beautiful...
Hairy pod homes open slowly...
And then, sheer beauty.
A random tale for you goes like this.
A few weeks ago, I was asleep in my bed, when I heard what sounded like someone jumping over our fence (we have walls and fences), and knocking things over.
A robber!?
My heart was thumping, I started to shake.
My eyes wide open in the darkness of 2 a.m.
Never mind that I already have severe robber paranoia.
Then, they were right outside my room, on the porch.
Things being turned upside down.
I bolted out of bed, flipped on the porch light, and there they were.
10 javelinas.
Somehow, they got in our yard.
They had a baby the size of a tiny doll with them.
My heart almost broke for that little cutie.
Crying as he got trampled by the big huge javelina adult.
They were yanking and gobbling up my grape vine.
(they looove roots too)
I woke Lovee up, and he went out armed with a trash can shield, and a broom sword.
He didn't take the dogs, because javelinas can hurt dogs bad.
They have really poor eyesight, but they have tusks, and a keen sense of smell.
They can kill people too.
The dogs howled from inside.
Lovee managed to scare the javelinas back out the yard.
(they do run off if you startle them, thank goodness)
And repaired the hole they made in the fence the next morning.
Then they came back 3 more nights, tearing holes to get in.
How they made such holes, who knows?
Lovee fixing and fixing, properly.
On the last visit, they found 8 of my pumpkins that I was keeping safe for cooking under the cool porch.
They ate them all.
Pulled them right out of the old wagon, and gobbled them up.
But they didn't get my best ones, the hugest ones on the front porch, and inside the house.
Yay!
Those javelinas.
I felt sorry for them that they were so hungry.
So, I didn't mourn the fairytale pumpkins I toiled over all summer.
They didn't get the last of the Jack-o-Lanterns out front either.
It was the first time I had ever seen javelinas in the yard.
Mister Lovee has since triple secured the fenced part of our property.
That was exciting night after night.
In a way, haha.
So, where was I?
Oh yes, winter days.
Sniffing cool moist earth...
Birds break through gourds to make cozy winter homes.
And find safe places, like in the tall little gazebo...
Temperatures drop, bringing super cool hazy mornings...
We wake up to a dusting of snow.
Silver roofs, like powdered sugar doughnuts....
Really, it is like a scant dusting of sugar.
And it's pretty.
Paws crunch through icy lawn.
Searching.
Sniffing.
Listening for the squeak of mice, I am sure.
Skelly who lives in a branch in the pecan tree smiles.
He must enjoy the icy dusting on his crown.
I stroll around, looking at the iciness.
Sunflower snow...
The strawberry patch is one of my faves.
With green leaves turned winter red...
Yarrow too...
Arugula...
In the winter vegetable garden...
I bundle up extra much.
Then I am not cold at all.
I know, I am a cold wimp.
Wimpier than I thought really.
Some of you have feet of snow.
I know :)
I wear a hat I made.
I winged it so I have no pattern.
But a couple of friends want one.
Hmm, what to do?
Not that I could even read a pattern if I had one.
I stole it back from my sis, whom I had made it for.
She wasn't as inclined to walk around with ears, as I am.
As we cover citrus trees and pipes, we plan for what the news keeps saying is the coldest cold on its way.
For now, we have Iceland Poppies.
Which can survive severe cold temps, that we will never see here.
Something like -49'F
They hold promise of what is to come.
Color, light, growing things.
Hope.
Happiness.
Spring, in winter.
I don't like to push through seasons.
But a little flower power in winter is a-okay with me.
What sorts of thoughts does winter bring your way?
This time, this January time, is always such an odd curious time.
Good, and interesting.
Slow, and beginning.
Hopeful, and hoping.
Love, Vanessa
One of my fave songs this fall and winter...
ps: I think this weather calls for churros, you?
