A mighty conflict is taking place

    Here in the far southeastern California desert a mighty conflict is taking place as spring struggles to steal the landscape back from winter's cold grasp .Days here at this time of year can be warm and sunny or cold and windy, but at the end of day the temperature inevitably drops faster than the setting sun. Sometimes the azure blue sky hosts a selection of pillowy-soft clouds; occasionally they darken and treat us to a brief rain shower, sometimes warm but more often not. When it rained last week the wind blew so hard that only the side of the coach facing into the storm, the roof, and part of the windshield received any moisture at all. I took advantage of the raindrops we did get to wash the windows on that side of our motorhome. In this arid desert region one quickly learns not to squander the gifts nature blesses you with.

    While the shower was brief and light where we are, other nearby areas were granted a more significant amount of moisture and I am excited by the knowlege that somewhere deep within the beating heart of the desert country the beginnings of a blazingly beautiful spring bloom is taking place. I can see it in the lone red-orange ocotillo flowers hesitantly appearing here and there atop tall spiny stalks, but mostly I can feel it in the energy of the very earth and sky above and below me. There is an electricity in the air, an expectation of the magical transformation just around the corner. Spring becomes a lightning rod for all the energy of the vast universe, and it is channeled into those first brilliant red blossoms. A promise has been made and accepted; life and color will return to this harsh and dusty land. Wildflowers in every color of the rainbow will carpet the valleys and slopes, and the fierce cacti will once again don their Sunday best in a brief but spectacular display of flame-bright color. The soft spring rains will come and the water holes will fill again. For a few short weeks, color will wash the southwest like an artist's canvas; scarlet and crimson, gold and lilac...all the colors of a blazing sunset will fall to earth in one unbelievable shower of life.

    As always in the desert, there is a high price to be paid for the unparalleled beauty of this annual re-awakening, for spring is followed quickly by summer. The bright hues of spring rapidly succumb to the earth-shattering heat of summer. The desert once again adopts a mantle of dusty sage and hazy purple, and the silvery-grey horizon becomes obscured by a shimmering curtain of heat as far as the eye can see.

   Desert dwellers, both human and animal, have learned to appreciate the short respite spring provides us here. Snakes and lizards reappear after the cooler temperatures of winter have gone, as do the scorpions and less hardy insects. Birds sing cheerily while perched among the thorns of cacti of various sizes and shapes. Hummingbirds search eagerly among the brilliant blooms of trees and wildflowers, darting about in a quest for their favorite nectars. They are easily distracted by bright colors and often hover around our red Honda Helix scooter!

   The mild temperatures attract tens of thousands of RVers (some put the numbers upwards of 500,000 throughout the California and Arizona desert country) for the winter season. Like others wintering here, our primarily outdoor lifestyle meshes well with the cycle of life in this region. The mild sunny days allow for hiking, cycling, and exploring off-road trails with 4X4 vehicles (which most folks here tow or carry in a toy hauler behind them). These adventures, followed by crisp, clear nights gathered around a campfire bring people back year after year. Friendships are formed and renewed, travel plans are made, and mobile neighborhoods develop. In the late winter, we are joined by photographers and myriad artists eager to capture the brief glory of spring in the desert.

    Most of us will follow the spring north, individually and in groups, staying just ahead of the hot weather. This can be accomplished by either going further and further north, or by going up in altitude; both option allow for many choices within the southwestern portion of the U.S. Some travelers will return to an established home somewhere the snow has just melted; most will continue full-timing year 'round. Once you have enjoyed the uninhibited freedom of a nomadic lifestyle it is hard to return to a stationery existence. After all, what other lifestyle allows you to prolong the beauty and magic of spring halfway through summer?

  Come join us and experience the magic, My Friends!      -Lynn
     
***Stay tuned for more adventures and meanderings of the mind. We were finally able to fix the "glitch" in the system so that you can subscribe to our blog; thanks for your patience!***