All About Arizona - Desert Winter

Today Sun stretched out to kiss Moon,
Tenderly touching the midnight clouds
Until they blushed in purple hues.
Shy Moon faded, slipping a wan glance at her suitor.
Sensing no return embrace, Sun draped his rays
Over the shivering shoulder of a waiting mountain,
Awakening the desert

Saguaro lifts his arms to the warmth.
Javalina collectively shuffle to the shade of creosote.
Coyote dogs slunk
After a night of howling and carousing.
In single file Quail whispers
Good morning to her briskly moving brood
Under azure skies.

Sun beams, strides warm
Patiently steadfast, this steward of the day
Lingering then, yearning, reaching back
Toward twilight tendrils and tomorrow's chance
To kiss his Moon.

cindy

All About Arizona - Blue Skies and Sunsets

One of the best parts of Arizona living as monsoon season ends:

Big fluffy puffy thunderheads near the eastern horizon at sunset.  They actually reflect the sun in the west as it is sinking to sunset.  Here's the other direction:

Hard to take a bad picture.  'Nuf said.

cindy

Arizona Fiery Sunset

Arizona Fiery Sunset, a photo by straddlingthegap on Flickr.

Winter is tough other places, but it usually gives us the best sunsets. I love Arizona.

Clouds

The approach of Fall in the desert part of Arizona is not much like the rest of the country.  This is approaching our best time of year with clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70-80s.  You won't see a cloud in the sky until the early spring rains in February.  Fall begins when monsoon season ends.  When I first heard the term "monsoon" used to describe a season in Arizona, I pictured torrential rivers carrying away houses.  I guess there are some big rains, but to me monsoon season reminds me of the most beautiful clouds and sunsets.

These are all taken near sunset.  The clouds in the east are reflecting the sun setting in the west.

You just can't take your eyes off of them, which is why some of these pictures were taken from the car. Now that monsoon season is over, we won't see these beautiful towering thunderheads for another year.  Not to rub it in, but we will see clear blue skies all winter :)

And some awesome sunsets.

cindy