What a beautiful
day. I believe it is about 76 degrees now. I'd like to share a little of
our spot
under the sun with you.
If you walk down the
path leading from your back door, you will suddenly see a clearing, and
just beyond you will see
desert brush, huge Saguaros, some Ocotillo, Prickly Pear and lots of
Jackrabbits and maybe a few Coyote. A family of
Quail may cross your path. You are entering
a land of enchantment.
You can bet the
sun will be warm, and there is a large rough scrub oak Gazebo with benches
lining
the inside, just
waiting for you to rest awhile. Be careful, don't get a splinter. An old
fashioned
fountain in the middle of the Gazebo
drawing it's water from a deep well, will quench your thirst.
It tastes
so good, 'cause now you are beginning to get
warm.
After you've
rested awhile, you will find a pile of 'walking sticks' leaning against
the back wall of
the Gazebo. Pick one
that is slightly taller than you are, and fits your hand well. They are
perfect to
help you along, as you might want to
hike up that trail leading to Catalina mountain. At the foot of
the
mountain, you will see all the corrals. They are hidden
from where you are sitting in the Gazebo,
but you can get a mount there
and head up the mountain.
A leisurely ride
beneath the warm sun, with the breeze blowing gently across your face,
will refresh
all your senses
and make you wish you could stay forever. The wildlife scooting through
the brush
may startle your horse, so be careful.
I wasn't going to spoil your enchantment by telling you about
the
occasional rattlesnake you might hear. They always
give a warning with their rattles, so you won't
come too close. Don't
worry, your beautiful dapple gray gelding knows
what to do to steer clear of them.
As
you ascend, you can see for miles. The city skyline way off to the
south, the low lying residential
areas sprawling
to the west, and the large brush filled desert in the distance, leading to
the Tortolito
mountain range just beyond the
Saguaro forest.
Stay as long as
you like. Time seems to stand still in the desert. Only the shadow of the
sun moving
across the
mountainside, changing shapes and colors as you watch, gives any hint that
time is passing.
If you stay long enough,
you will experience the paintbrush of God as He tops the mountain peeks
across
the vast expanse of sky, with the
brightest oranges and fuchsias and gold that you have ever seen. And
as
you watch the colors fade together and
darken, you realize that He is saying goodnight, and giving you
hope for a
bright tomorrow.
When you get back home, you will feel
like a million. You will have had the greatest vacation
in
years, and it only takes a few minutes.
Have fun.
