I think the reason I like snowstorms is because the snow settles on all the imperfections of my property and leaves a much improved version. I am thankful for all the rain last week. My pine trees soak it up, but it leaves ruts of accumulated water across my front yard and ugly potholes in the street forcing drivers to slow down to avoid a muddy car wash. This morning's sun rose up over our small community in central Arizona where almost four inches of snow fell in the night. The perfect white flakes covered all the imperfections of weeds, ruts and mud on my property. Everyone posted photos on social media of their snowy porch railings, their parked cars hiding under a white coat of snow and my favorite--dogs jumping in the snow with white, wispy snouts. I bundled up in my winter coat and shoes and forged a path atop a perfectly packed accumulation to greet the strong sun and to assess and capture the beauty with my cell phone. I sat in my kitchen with a cup of hot coffee and
I invited a friend over for coffee. She's never been to my home so when she parked in the driveway, I greeted her on my back deck. "I never go to the gym anymore," I exclaimed as she made her way through my prayer garden and climbed up the deck. "You have more than enough exercise right here," she agreed. As I face this last week of summer I find myself thinking back of all the hard work during hot triple digits and how I prayed for rain. Then the monsoons came and I prayed for help with the high, out-of-control weeds! My son-in-law rescued me with his quad and sprayed for hours. Tomatoes were small, but I'm happy I didn't kill anything. I learned so much over the past months not only about how to water pine trees slowly and keep watch not to overwork the well, but to rise early with the sun and beat the heat. Farming Sleeves saved my aging skin. Spraying with Avon's Bug Guard, Skin So Soft, smells nice and protected me from critters that s