Why people live in the valley of the sun

In the middle of summer, while soaking their cotton t-shirts, people who live in the valley find themselves wondering why in the world anyone thought that it was a good idea to plan a series of cities in the middle of a dry and miserable desert.

But in the winter, we remember.

It has been in the 60s an 70s the last several weeks, with the sun shining and the sky drizzling here and there.

So we have spent a great deal of time outside revelling in the fab-u-lous weather.

Our "east coast" leaf pile provided much amusement for ourselves and neighbors for several days until it started killing Evan's gorgeous winter grass underneath.

And Amelia and Dylan have been braving the sidewalk along our sometimes too busy street.

Amelia spends many an afternoon making artwork on the driveway. She said that this was a drawing of our neighbor's truck.

Contemporary art may just be in this child's future.

Amelia had me trace her body. It looked like crime scene evidence, except for the pony tail.

And the rain boot outline.

It wasn't raining by the way. Amelia just likes the boots.

Amelia worked on filling in her outline.

And then she called it "Scary Amelia".

Dylan wasn't certain that he liked the drawings. Budding art critic?

Actually, he was just grumpy--rare form for Dylan.

So, grumpy boy, artistic girl, parading bicycles, and leaf piles, we'll take the valley of the sun in the winter any time.

(The summer is a different story.)