Arizona Dreamin'

I'm still thinking about the weather. It's grim out there tonight. Sharon Ray (my Sharon Ray!) is predicting wind chills near -1 by 2:00 a.m., and -5 to -10 tomorrow morning. Winds gusting to 25 mph. And then there will probably be a fresh round of "wintry mix" right before the weekend. Brrr!!!

So I will take this opportunity to show you a picture of what Sue and I saw only last week. On Saturday, February 7, we were in Tucson, Arizona, where it was in the low 80s, sunny, and pretty near perfect. Blue skies. Things were blooming. Springtime in the desert!

It was that kind of dry warmth that makes the Sonoran desert so perfect in February. You can wear long sleeves or short, or slacks or shorts, and still be comfortable. You'll want a little jacket at night, just because it cools down so nicely after dark.

So, here's a picture of Saguaro National Monument. Just to let you know: If we ever pull up stakes and disappear without warning, this is probably where we'll be.



(Yes, Sue took the picture. Thanks, Sue, for sharing it! Y'all, you can see it bigger, and see more detail, if you click on it.)

We Can Always Talk About the Weather

We really haven't had much precipitation this winter. Hardly any snow to speak of. I guess today Columbia, half an hour's drive north of us, has had some accumulation, but so far in Jeff City, all we've had is freezing rain.

Which I hate.

But at least I don't have to go anywhere, and we have plenty to eat here at home. And as long as I have Internet, I can communicate with you! Whoever you are.

Here are some pictures I took out of our top windows only about a half hour ago.

First, a view out of our top dormer looking north along Broadway toward the 50/63 Expressway and the capitol. (Well, we call it "north" here in Jeff City, because the river is "north." But let's not get into all that.) In the distance, the big building on the left, with the horizontal pattern to the windows, is the Truman State Office Building. The next building to the right of it, is the Broadway State Office Building. The next one to the right (red brick; in front of the capitol) is the Missouri State Supreme Court building:



Next, a view "west" along West Elm. Apart from our dear neighbor's house (happy birthday, Kay!), there's not a lot you might recognize here. The large rectangular building in the background is the newly former St. Mary's Hospital. The bright "light" almost in the center of the picture is the Dulle mansion:



Looking out our front dormer window, we see Broadway heading south. The former salon is in the foreground. The Schaeffer House (gift shop) is about halfway down the block, on the opposite side of the street. The green light is the traffic light at the intersection with Dunklin.

And no, that's not snow along the edges of the sidewalks, and that's not rain making the sidewalks shiny--it's ice:



Finally, here's the view along West Elm, to the east. That big tree two houses away from us is a real, genuine American elm tree, which somehow survived the dreaded Dutch elm disease. Also, you can't see it very well in this picture, but the one landmark a Jefferson Citian might know is the Coca-Cola Building. The "Coke Room" community room is at the end of the block. The famous Coke signboard is a bright spot with a small pointy projection at the top, roughly between the elm's trunk and the bright orange streetlight in the center. It's shaped like a candle because we're seeing it at an angle. (There's a picture of it on this post.)



Plus, a bonus picture: My car, with ice falling on it! I'm so glad I don't have to go out anywhere tonight or tomorrow!



Wherever you are, be careful driving (and walking!) in whatever foul weather you might be having. Take care!