Do you ever notice the sun is so much brighter in January and February? Especially in Arizona! I’m really feeling it this year. I live in Arizona so I’m used to plenty of sunshine. But this winter sun is different.
One of my favorite winter morning rituals is to wake up while it’s dark, then when dawn breaks, go to the three tall living room windows and open the blinds to let the sun in.
“It will help warm up the room,” I explain to the walls.
Our winters here in the desert are dry and cold. I mean get out your puffy jacket kind of cold. When the temperatures begin to drop below 60 Arizonans start pulling out their cold weather clothes. Give us a few mornings in the upper 20s and you’ll find a fire in the fireplace all day!
I know, I know. I hear from my friends in the Midwest and eastern parts of the country about their blizzards and closed roads and my heart goes out to them but I can’t help it – I AM COLD!
Besides being chilled all day long, I can hardly get out the door before that bright sun is hitting me right in the face. When I’m driving, it blasts through my driver’s side window making my skin feel like it is cooking on a hot skillet.
The only relief is to make a right turn and the sun goes behind me. Whew.
It’s not just the sun, it’s the sky! It’s so darn blue, so clear, not a cloud to be seen. That blue is nearly indescribable – certainly not royal or aqua or baby blue. It is not azure, cobalt or sapphire.
Most blues are considered calm and serene but not this cold winter Arizona sky color – it is bright, bold, intense, and powerful. I finally googled cerulean blue and this is the color swatch that came up. Yup that’s it! Doesn’t it just hit you in the face? Are you squinting right now?
My 8-year-old nephew bounced down his sidewalk to our car as we prepared to drive to a movie. He’s wearing full size adult ski googles – the kind with a single lens tinted orange.
They barely fit on his small face. I told him how cool he looked and he said, “I know. We got them at a yard sale.”
I went on to tell him it was smart to wear eye protection on this exceptionally bright day.
Showing off, I explained, “The sun is high this time of year and its angle to the earth make it really bright! I’ll bet none of the other kids will have those kind of sunglasses.”
He says, “but it’s to keep the snow out of my eyes”.
Me, “Oh. I didn’t know you were a snow skier.”
He’s serious now, “Oh no, I don’t ski. I just go sledding on Mt. Lemmon. But now I won’t get snow in my eyes.”
“Well, you might want to take those off when the movie starts so you can see.”
“Oh yeah.”
Driving to the theater, I feel the skin on the side of my face start to sunburn through the car window. I put my hand on my cheek and feel the heat.
“Darn you, winter sun.”