Cover of Night

A Short Story by JannaTWrites:

**November 22, 2001 (Thanksgiving Night)**

Tammy Adler curled in bed on her right side with her eyes closed.  She willed every fiber of her body to portray peaceful slumber, even while turmoil churned within and adrenaline sped her heart rate, making it hard to breathe.

She heard the heavy footsteps clomping up the stairs and fought the urge to vomit.  Relax…breathe, she reminded herself.  She hoped her black eye and swollen left cheek would remind him that he won.  She prayed the sleeping pills in his mashed potatoes and the 2 beers he had while watching the recorded football game were enough to dull his senses.  An extra prayer went out that he stopped at two beers, and the Packers won; otherwise, she’d have to deal with a different monster.

At last check, it was nearly ten o’clock, but Tammy had no sense of time, and couldn’t risk opening her eyes to peek.  Dread and anticipation built like afternoon thunderclouds as 1AM approached.  By then, Jess would be waiting in a car nearby.  Getting out was hard enough; escaping with three-year-old Gary Jr. paralyzed her with fear.  Failure was a death sentence; Gary warned her last time she tried to go.  Tammy wondered how she let Jess convince her leaving was good idea.

Textures of Nature (Walnut Canyon)

As you saw yesterday, the cliff dwellings are the main attraction at Walnut Canyon National Monument.  The opening act would have to be the rock formations, specifically the different textures and layers, and of course, the vegetation of the area.  Unlike most concerts, this opening act is just as good as the headliner.

What I like most about the Colorado Plateau is the mingling of desert and forest plants.  Spotting a Prickly Pear cactus next to a Pine tree sapling, or snow covered Yucca always makes me stop and linger (while the rest of the family continues hiking, not even noticing my absence.)

I didn’t know this, but Wikipedia tells me that the Colorado Plateau has the greatest concentration of national parks in the U.S. (there are 10 national parks and 17 national monuments.)  I’ve lived in the Southwest most of my life and I’ve only been to 2 of the national parks and 3 of the monuments.  I’d like to change that.

Here are a few more pictures from our visit to Walnut Canyon.  Just remember: my mediocre photography skills don’t do the scenery justice

Yucca surrounded by snow...normal for the Colorado Plateau

These opposites coexist peacefully...now only if my children did the same

The lines on this rock look amazing in person

Alligator Juniper tree. I love that name!

Pitted erosion on some of the rocks

How can plants grow out of a rock but not in my garden? Just curious, that's all...

So what do you think – is Walnut Canyon a place you would visit?  Why (or why not?)

Walnut Canyon (in pictures)

Over MLK weekend, we went to Walnut Canyon National Monument in Northern Arizona.  (This was part of the trip we made for my younger son’s birthday wish.)  We even got an added bonus of showing up on a “fee free” day, so the hike didn’t cost us a dime.  I love that price!

The fun thing about this national monument is that it was a hands-on experience.  The hike was just under a mile and we actually got to walk through cliff dwellings that natives lived in hundreds of years ago.  The kids kept calling dibs on different rooms, which is funny because I don’t think they realized there’s no TV or internet connection in any of them.

If you’re ever in Arizona, it is definitely worth a visit.

I pared down my bazillion (okay around 60 or so) pictures to give you a glimpse of the canyon.  Even my narrowed down selection was too much for one post, so I’ll share more tomorrow.  I hope you enjoy it

I hope I can make it back up the stairs!

Good news is, you don't have to paint the walls...

The original "open floorplan" concept

This probably wasn't ENERGY STAR Certified

Neighbors were just a shout (across the canyon) away

I have no idea what kind of bird this is, but he gave us a few seconds 'modeling' time

Thanks for visiting the Canyon with me.  Have a beautiful Tuesday

Fear Should Not Be A Factor

Fear is an unwelcome guest who drops by unannounced and brings two mischievous cousins – Worry and Doubt.  I bolt the door and pretend I’m not home, but fear doesn’t care.  It kicks the door open and drops its overstuffed 6-piece luggage set in my entryway, switches the TV to ESPN (oh, wait…that was hubby ), eats all my brownies and has the nerve to leave the crumbs between my couch cushions.

I put on my ‘nice’ face (i.e., not the one I wear when the kids use my best kitchen scissors to try to cut rocks in the back yard) and sweetly ask Fear how long it plans to stay.  Fear laughs at me and cranes its neck to see the TV screen behind me.  Doubt and Worry get inside my head and mess with my senses.  I begin to wonder if I can extricate the trio from my life.

Fear comes in different forms.

There is the fear punishment and infliction of mental anguish:

The IRS and I are pen pals. There's another post in this mess somewhere!

There is fear involving life and death – our mortality or that of someone we love.

Whole lotta sweet, in a little bit o' dog

Some of you might remember how Josie came into our lives in November.  If not, click here for the story.

Last week, Josie started having seizures again.  The mild seizure activity from the evening culminated in my hubby rushing her to an all-night animal hospital at 2AM after a horrifying seizure.  She was stabilized and so far, her blood work is normal.  The only test result missing is Valley Fever, but the vet is skeptical this is the cause of her issues.

Little Josie is on Phenobarbital now.  At least the Pharmacist has a sense of humor….they sent home a bottle of small pills with instructions to cut them into fourths.  I crushed the first pill I tried to cut, and no amount of angry muttering could put it back together again.  My husband got one clean cut before botching the second cut and nearly cutting his fingertip.

For two days, I have been watching Josie.  Every facial twitch, muscle spasm and collapse of her legs sends my heart into my stomach and riles Fear (and the annoying cousins.)  I fear each errant movement will turn out to be another “big one”.  I doubt my ability to calmly get through the experience, and I worry I won’t know when God says it’s time to let go.

We’ve been told it can take several weeks for the medication to get in her bloodstream.  We’ve also been advised that the wobbliness is normal.  For me, neither statement offers much comfort.  I’ve had to look elsewhere for that.

John 14:27:  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I open the door of my heart for Peace to make itself at home.  With Peace, there is no room for Fear, Worry or Doubt.

Quick Thaw

Quick Thaw

Like the midday sun

Turns snow into water,

His tears surely melt

The thick frost of anger.