I'm Happy To Be Back!

I'm back from Vacation. My husband and I took our two boys up to Pine Top in Arizona for a short ski vacation after Christmas this year. Here's a photo I took with my iPhone from the car. It's our first snow encounter on the highway up to the Mogollon Rim.

I am always struck by how profoundly the landscape changes as you drive through this state. You can be in the desert surrounded by saguaros and then an hour later, there's not a cactus in sight. First they are replaced by low growing trees and shrubs. The farther north you go, the taller the trees become. Next thing you know, you are in a forest of evergreens and birches. It's so beautiful!

This ski trip proved what I kind of already knew to be true. My family is much more of the sledding sort than the skiing sort with the possible exception of my husband who skied as a kid. Fortunately we planned for this and scheduled a day on the slopes and one for sledding.

We have lived in Arizona for two in a half years now which is just enough time to feel really odd in layers of clothes. We all groaned at the necessary gear we had to put on in order to stay warm. Everything felt like so much more effort. I also forgot how hard it is to walk through deep snow. As we made our way to the tubing hill, my 12 year old decided to exert his independence and went off the beaten path. He found himself in snow up to his waist. I made a silent wish for him to be able to liberate himself so I would not have to go in after him. Luckily, he was up to the task. Still we found ourselves trudging through snow up to our knees. It was both exhilarating and exhausting.



Here's another picture from the car only this one is much closer to home. I loved our exploration into the snowy world, but I am happy to be back among the cacti and palm trees. It's awesome that we live close enough to a cold climate to visit, but it's even better to come home to paradise!

Before I sign off today, I want to say THANK YOU to all of the shoppers who visited Wind Rose and made purchases even while I was away! My little business means a lot to me and I feel so blessed that it has become a place where people like to shop. I love the fiber arts community and I'm thrilled to be a part of it! So really, thanks everybody!