Weekend Edition, yet again!

To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up... Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 (Amplified Bible)

This picture was taken with my cell phone
and is the scene I have of the sunrise during my
early morning walks.

Seasonal Changes In the Southwest

Well, its official – it is autumn, or rather was on Tuesday, the 22nd. I love autumn and it even shows itself here in Arizona, albeit in a much more subtle way. In fact, it was only 61 degrees this morning and that is one of the ways you can tell fall has arrived in Arizona. It is much cooler in the mornings and evenings and that even if the daytime temperatures reach into the triple digits.

The other is that Arizona does not have ‘daylight savings time’. Frankly, I think that’s a wonderful thing as I don’t have to rearrange my schedule for time changes! It does, however make for much shorter days during that six month period. Even now, I have to leave at 5:15 in the morning to get my walk in and over by 6:00 a.m. It is so dark the stars are still out with just barely a glint of sunrise on the eastern horizon. By the time I’m heading back home, the sun is up, the stars are gone and more people are gathering on the walking path.

These pictures are also cell phone pictures of beautiful Mt. Graham with the early morning sun reflecting off of it.

If I’m fortunate, I will get to see a coyote or two near the walking path. There is something so wildly exhilarating about them. I do carry a ‘walking stick’ just in case they get too close. Another thing about autumn is the smell. I can only describe it as ‘crisp’. And although I miss the colorful changes of season back east, I have learned to discern the subtle seasonal changes here in Arizona. The smell of rain here in the southwest is wonderful and I don’t think there is anything like it anywhere else on earth.

There are also seasonal changes in our lives, aren’t there? We have Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. I’m having a difficult time deciding if I’m in the fall or early winter portion of my life. Especially with all the hype about 50 is the new 40… 40 is the new 30… who knows? In fact, until my life is over, I don’t suppose we’ll be able to actually measure if it was fall or winter!

Another thing I appreciate about Arizona is that during the winter months there are not many ‘grey days’. You know what I’m speaking of… those dark and dreary days that cause seasonal depression. We do have an abundance of sunshine here and the fall and winter months are the very reasons we live here. It’s almost perfect weather. Often we have the patio door open during Christmas day.

We are surrounded by 360 degrees of panoramic mountains. If we want snow, we merely look up at Mt. Graham. That will suffice. Mt. Graham is located in the Pinaleño Mountain range with an elevation of 10,720. I’ve had my share of driving in the snow and ice, so I’m content with just looking at it.

This is a summer picture of our Grandson Zachary who was
camping on the mountain with his Dad.

This is a picture of the black bear that came to investigate their camping expedition!

Mt. Graham has seven different ecological zones and is called a sky island. The famous (or is it infamous?) U of A telescope project is there as well. When it was being built it was national news worthy due to the protests of its construction.

Nonetheless, every morning I awaken, I feel as if God is hugging me when I look at His beautiful handiwork in these mountains.

I trust you weekend is going well and I wish you all peace, the peace that comes from the heart of God.

Hugz,

Tamara