I awoke this morning to bright sunshine. I rolled over and hid my face in the covers. Two hours later my feet padded down the stairs. I opened the patio door and my nose was greeted by the sweet hot smell of the desert. My heart jumped - the santa ana winds are back!
I sat outside in the shade and enjoyed the wind and heat. My mind traveled back to the tan, rust, striated mountain ranges I know so well, east of the inhabited LA basin. In an instant I'm standing on a pile of boulders on the top range. I can see a full 360 and all around mountains, basins, washes... no roads. No houses, no inhabitants, no water. My hair is longer and the wind is whipping it around my face. I love it up here. The sun, the wind, the openness, emptiness, space and lack of human mark (save the power lines and landing strips).
I miss the desert. When the santa ana winds come blowing through LA - bringing their China Mievelle dreams - it is like my favorite grandmother visiting. It's a little reminder of home and that I must plan a quiet visit soon.
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