Gray, before the latest storm

For today, Gray is curled on his bed in the garage until it warms up, if it does.  But a couple of days ago, he was enjoying the afternoon sunshine on the front porch mat.

Water Droplet

Often, I don't have to go far from my front door to find beauty.  On a short walk today, between rain storms, we had a bit of sunlight shining on tree droplets.  Can someone tell me what kind of tree this is?

Friends in the desert

We had several play days in a row this weekend, and I am just now starting to add posts and pictures.  As I sit at the computer, the day is grey (with an "e") and rainy, but five days ago, it was sunny and light.  With a fellow NIU alumni (Adult Education, 1976, as I am, also), Michael, and Mark (Safety Engineering, also NIU, '76), we went to Catalina State Park.  More "nature" photos will be added to my AnitaWrites blog tomorrow ( http://anitawritesforyou.blogspot.com ), but here are Michael and me, friends in the desert.

Warming up in Winter

Wow, in a week, we have gone from five frigid days, bottoming at 17 degrees at night, to highs now of 75 in January. I don't know what the plants are "thinking", but we really can't complain about sunshine and light warmth in January. We have been playing a lot since the warm-up--walking on Mountain, bicycling in the neighborhood, and enjoying time outside with visitors. Lots of photos to sort through but here is one, taken at Hacienda Del Sol, from the patio where we were having lunch with our friend, Gail. You can see the moon in the turquoise sky, just right of the stately saguaro.

Warmer Winter

Finally, the weather warmed up enough for Mark to take Lia for a walk and for us to walk on Mountain Avenue, appreciating the winter light on a nature-sculpted tree. Can you find the female cardinal in the left, upper branches of the tree? She is there!

Gray Curled in the winter

When he is not lounging in his bed in the garage, warmed by a heating pad and space heater, Gray either is in the sun by his grassy bush or on the chair. Such is the life of Gray in the winter.

Honey, it's cold outside

No new photos to add so here's a previous one showing winter light on the Catalina Mountains. The cold in the desert continues and so our walks, solo or with each other, have drifted to mall walking (yesterday, for both of us; Friday, just me). While I like drinking hot tea and wearing sweats and warm socks all day and night, I will whimper and admit I want to shift from 40 degree highs to 60s. I think that's supposed to be happening by the end of week when we have visitors from the midwest and west coast arriving. So, until then, the warm woolies are being worn and we let our cat stay in a pretty warm garage as long as he wants, thanks to a heated bed pad and space heater.

Slow Train at Reid Park

The weather warmed up a bit this weekend, so Mark and I took a 30 minute walk at Reid Park.  More children were there than our last visit on a late Christmas Eve afternoon, so the train was running.  I remember riding such a train at Santa's Village by Dundee, Illinois when I was growing up and loved waving to the passersby as if I were going on a real trip.  About once a year, usually during the holidays, we did take Milwaukee Road train from Elgin to Chicago to see the decorated windows at Marshall Fields.  That is a sweet memory.  What children's train memories do you have? 

All aboard...!

Gray in Winter's Light

It's been awhile since I posted a picture of Gray who now spends half his time in the garage, with the heated bed and space heater to keep him warm.  But when the sun shines, particularly in the afternoon, he can still be found either on the patio sissel mat or under the grasses. Here he is, eyes half closed to the light.