Winter in "The 'Brooke"

With just a few exceptions, it has been unseasonably cold in Saddlebrooke since we have arrived. Of course, it's all a matter of perspective, so for those of us from New England watching the current east coast weather from afar, it seems positively balmy here. I'm delighted, but not at all surprised, that many of my friends back east love the outdoor opportunities that the snow and cold bring: Mary and Marga and Patty skating on the pond (who cleared the snow, by the way?); Mary and Randy going skiing instead of shoveling right away (good call, the snow at the house will wait); Marga and Ed brushing up on their snowshoe technique; Diane and Bill finally getting a chance to cross-country ski after waiting in vain all last winter. Thank you all for posting your exploits on FB! I hope the storm has been kind to you in other dimensions as well, so no significant loss of power, and no snow-related injuries, please!

Although we arrived on a 60-something degree day at the end of January, the daytime temps here have been mostly in the 50s. When the sun is out it's really beautiful and a sweater or sweatshirt suffices. As soon as the sun goes down, the temperature plummets, this past week into the 20s, which is cold even for us. Today begins a string of sunny days in the 60s, which is just perfect for sitting or walking outside. Saddlebrooke sits at about 3500 feet above sea level, so it's always a few degrees cooler than Phoenix, and even a degree or two cooler than downtown Tucson. Because of the altitude the atmosphere is a little thinner, so it's possible to get a tan almost all year 'round, or a burn if you forget the daily sunscreen.

Saddlebrooke is a "dark sky" community, which means no streetlights and only low, downward facing outdoor lighting. Residents are careful to turn off lights in rooms they're not using, to use task lighting when possible, and not to have blazing white lights in the rest of the house. As a result, the night sky is spectacular. There are always constellations and whatever planet happens to be near. I've even managed to see the Milky Way, which I remember seeing all the time when I was growing up and there was little light pollution, and hardly ever since then.

We ate last night at a lovely little bistro with a view of the mountains at sunset. We sipped our before-dinner wine outside, watching the light play off the rocky terrain. Dinner inside was delicious, and we strolled back to the car slowly, just savoring the moment with our good friends and the night sky.

Bob played golf this morning while I sat and chatted with a few ladies over tea. (Next time we'll plan better and have four for tea and bridge!) My sister, Paula, and her husband, Mike, arrive tomorrow to spend a week with us. On our way to the grocery store we stopped at the Western National Parks store, which had a special exhibit of Oaxacan carved wood, rugs, and hand-embroidered blouses. I could not pass up the last, and bought two that are just perfect to wear here. We finished up the afternoon sitting in the sun on our patio, enjoying a little reading, which we've hardly had time for.

Not too bad for the middle of February.