Beware the Ides of March?

Spring is well underway here in the Southwest. There are blooms on all of the citrus trees - even the lemon tree that we thought might not have survived our few nights of freezing temperatures. The afternoons are already hot in that clear, bright way that happens even in the city in desert country. When I open up the house in the mornings, though, it is still cool enough to make my hands cold. The birds are back in full force, raucous when the sun comes up and twittering in the background all day. It is the time of year when we all grin and remind ourselves that this is why we live in Arizona.

Spring fever doesn't make much sense here. Our winters are mild and sunny. We are free to roam all winter with most days just requiring a jacket. We are not stuck in closed houses, avoiding the cold and waiting for the freedom of spring and summer. If anything, our restlessness stems from a desire to get the the most out of the next few weeks or, possibly months, before battening down the hatches for the summer.

Sometime in the next few months, the Valley of the Sun will take on an entirely new character. It will become impossible to open the door without thinking about blow dryers and ovens. The temperature will still be over 100 degrees at midnight. So, instead of writing about how lovely this day is and think about the things that I need to do before the summer comes, you will all have to forgive me while I head outside.