In the Blue

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September 11th 2009

Published: September 27th 2009

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Dell Phavero

Plane7

Outside, the heat builds until raging dust devils meander through the upper valley. They arise from the playa and vanish where brown morphs to blue. Waves of air shimmer upwards, radiating from the hard alkaline earth. Unfortunately, I find myself retreating more often here, to my white-walled cave, than to the ridge of the Panamints. Here, I avoid all light and heat. I Leave the lights off. Open the blinds only to let in the sunset.

Its cooled off a touch. But still, hot is hot. Summer is over. Yet, I was never sure that it really began. Three months have passed and there is no name for what just happened.

Once again, its dark when I wake up. This has happened all at once. I didn't see it coming. The sun hits the mountains at a point further south each day, moving from the middle peaks of Cottonwoods Mountains down to the North ridge of the Panamints. It seems as if its cooler now, only because the sun remains in the sky for that much less time.

Toads come out at night, hovering around my patio feasting on the cockroaches, who have also reemerged, no longer hiding

Plane1

in my walls.

The flowers have dried into yellow sticks. Shrubs are becoming like bones. This is how I met them. I remember them like this. Only now, I know their names, names which signify both my previous ignorance and their individuality.

Now is the coming of a second spring, where shrubs regreen and sometimes bloom. There is a smell emerging from the desert these days. The plants and rocks emanate the beginning of the great cool off. Its an odor I recognize. It marks the end of a cycle, one that has happened billions of times before, but which is new to me, and I am grateful for the chance to have lived through the entirety of this finitely harsh and infinitely beautiful circle and leave off again where I began.

It seems as though the park will keep me around for awhile longer. The Resources Management division is getting a complete makeover, with all new management and the promise of a new Botanist by December.

I had the chance to go up with the new Ranger Pilot last week for a three hour mission over the park. I am hoping this relationship