In the Desert

Dear Friends, 

Rhonda, Melina and Isabelle

I'm wishing you all the happy's rolled together. Soltice, Hannekah, Christmas, Kwanza, boxing day and any others I may have missed. It is a quiet day for us, a walk, a swim. The skies are quite dark do I don't know if I will make my traditional Christmas hike.

We've been in Desert Hot Springs for a week today. It was a bit tricky crossing LA, and getting around the mountains, but thanks to google earth I found the route with the least elevation and got us there without running into snow on the highways. We are nestled in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains. The mountains and hills have been covered in snow. Like elsewhere, an unheard of event. 

A hike to the oasis

The desert left me gasping with it's stark beauty. I'm so accustomed to the obvious beauty of the ocean and lush forests of the Pacific Coast. Here the beauty is more delicate. It reminds me of when I was learning to dive. I was so excited I would just go looking at one thing to another. Then my instructor grabbed me by the arm, she stopped me and pointed. It was then I began to really see because in one small spot on one small rock was this world. This beautiful delicate world with tiny creatures, and immense magic. A world most divers missed and I can see how I could miss the beauty of the desert if I move to quickly.

Desert beauty

Sam's Family Spa is living up to it's name. Family. We've met a couple who have a daughter the same age as Isabelle. It has been great fun, we had dinner together last night and the girls played together for hours. One of the mothers, Leah is a professional cyclist so she is training every day, the other mom Rhonda is with Melina so we've gone out and about together. 

From here we go to San Diego for a couple of weeks and then we'll come back to the desert for a while. We get to go camping with my niece Stefanie, I miss her so much and am really looking forward to seeing her. 

I go in to this New Year with gentle hope and gratitude. As we settle down into this life of smallness, in our 8 x 23 foot existence I find myself more grateful everyday. I am so thankful for the internet and this gift of connection.

Isabelle and Melina

Wishing you the best,

Love and Gratitude, Renee and Isabelle

Choose Empathy over Apathy.

Palms trees and snow covered mountains