“Freezing fog had moved in cold silence over the fields during the night, encrusting the buildings and leaving spiky crystal evidence of its damp presence.
‘Prickles, Mama, like cactus!’ Everett was fascinated with the hoarfrost up and down the fence line around the blanketed garden. It was icy magic, but after dawn the fog lingered just at the tree line, leaving the morning gray and gloomy.” The Sparrow’s Choice

We had more of the freezing fog and its prickly presence this last week, more of the same that inspired the prickles in my story. It’s a tradeoff for the cold and damp, so I try to enjoy the artistic leavings of an unwanted visitor.

A million snowflakes keep me company on this gray, winter day. Some days they may plummet, or blow skyward in a confused dance, sticking to the underside of the roof, but today they drift in a leisurely, companionable silence, icy petals tossed down by benevolent angels. They lie down quietly to show me their lacy crystals, catching the soft light to shine like white jewels.

My favorite author, Rick Bass, says snow is like wealth, piling up like endless riches! That makes me a very wealthy woman! I took the dogs down the back today. I wore my snowshoes and still it was treacherous, er, rather, overwhelming in its richness, a deep, powdery prosperity! I worked up a sweat – hard work trudging through all that abundance.

I hear the snow angels are going to be a little more aggressive the next few days, not gentle tossing of flakes but heaving mounds of frozen bounty earthward. I will try to take it in the spirit they’re intended and consider myself fortunate 😉

Home for the holidays, I believe I’ve missed each and every face…celebrate me home. Kenny Loggins

The snow-covered San Francisco Peaks made it real – I was flying home, my other home, for Christmas, past Salt Lake City, past the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, skirting east of the Four Peaks and into Mesa, Arizona. Yes, I was just there in August but Christmas is special and one can’t pass up any opportunities! Though not as warm as I was expecting (had to borrow some layers from Mom) the sun was brilliant and Phoenix was dressed for the holiday. This trip was all about family, fun, and making memories to last. Zane is just a little guy, watching and learning, but hopefully Eva will remember this Christmas – the fun, love, and sharing of her parents, great grandmas, grandmas, aunts and cousins. A fun time was had by all –


And there was such good food!

Mom and I went on a little excursion to Jerome – we bellied up to the bar at the Haunted Hamburger and indulged, then enjoyed the never-changing town, well, except for the old hospital, now a fancy hotel, but the ghosty buildings and skeletal facades are still there. It was doggone chilly, even by my standards.

Though nice now and then to see the saguaros and mesquite, my holiday was over and I was missing my kids. I flew home – to this – yikes – 15 degrees when I landed! I enjoyed the scenery on the way home and was shocked to see a foot of snow at home – I had to walk in from the neighbor’s, who’d already been plowed out. So cold but so pretty – a fine end to a Phoenix holiday to keep the spirit glowing.