I’m getting ready to say goodbye to my winter hideout in AZ; in a few weeks, I’ll be heading home to SD. As this reality settled in last week, I snapped a bunch of pictures on my walk. I wanted to soak in the bright blue, red, and green colors. (Clearly, I’m on the edge of a desert, not in one.) I concentrated on locking the images and smells into my memory to carry me through that inevitable snow storm when I get home. I’ll sit then by my own fireplace and not by a fire pit at the club. I’ll huddle in an afghan on my couch rather than sprawl on a chair outdoors. But I’ll say a prayer of thanks for having the opportunity to be a part of both worlds.

I’m debating whether to blog the alphabet again this year during the month of April. Last year was my first, and it was fun, most days, to blog on whatever came to mind starting with the alphabet letter for that day. Some bloggers are very focused and stick to a tight theme. I guess I’m not very focused because talking about the same general topic (recipes, books, movies, etc.) for a month makes me claustrophobic just thinking about it. Whether I accept the challenge or not, word ideas are parading across my mind. “A” would be for “acupuncture.” “S” would be for “soup.” “W,” of course, would be for “writing.”

Stay tuned. In eighteen days, we’ll both know if I’ve accepted the alphabet challenge. Meanwhile, take a deep breath. Spring is on its way. And don’t forget to pray for peace around the world.