( This photo is not mine, but it is a good representation of the eastern horizon during a morning dust storm. Is that gorgeous or what! Notice the blurred landscape. That's dust-not poor photography.)

It’s morning in the desert. But it is one of those neat, eerie mornings when the sky is covered with clouds and the view to the horizon is dusty. You can still the see the mountains, but it is hazy. In Ohio it would be moisture. Here it is dust.

We have fallen into a routine now. Notah left for work at six this morning. About two minutes later Kerra woke the kids up and I went to the bathroom to wash up and brush my teeth before the kids needed to be in there. Tomorrow I’ll be a little speedier so that I get in there well before Seth and Keva need it. Gable was worried to death this morning that Kerra would let the other dogs out and he would still be in the bathroom with me. I don’t know what he thought was going to happen out there. Robbers, murderers, arsonists…maybe even they could find a hidden treasure—he has an amazing imagination.

I was worried about bringing him this year. I know he would probably bet sick if I left him in Ohio. He is really attached to me. But Notah has their new dog, Thain. He is the German Shepherd pup they got last year at the very end of April. I think he will be a year old just about on my birthday. Anyway he has grown up into a big dog. He is bigger than either of his parents and is going to be gorgeous when he grows into his bones.

I was worried that he would hurt Gable because his is big and he likes to play. He is still enough of a pup that Gable’s fierce teeth can intimidate him so I was not so concerned that he would attack him but more that he would put one of those big paws in the middle of Gabe’s already-not-too-healthy back.

When we got here we introduced the dogs to Gabe. The meeting with Thain was rocky so we put him out and brought in Sadie. Sadie is a born mama. She was happy to see Gabe again and ignored his grumbling. Soon they were being all friendly and things were good.

Then we brought in Huckleberry. He’s the old Dalmatian that Notah has had every since his college days. Huck just kind of ignored Gable. When Thain came back in everything was hunky dory, if Mama Sadie and Old Man Huck said Gabe was OK then Thain was fine with that.

THEN a couple days later there was a big dust up. Huck is old and partially blind and partially deaf. He only hears part of sounds and sees shadows in his peripheral vision. Gabe startled him and he grabbed him across the shoulders. Sadie came running to the rescue—not Gabe’s but Huck’s. Poor Gabe got rolled around in the dirt and slobbered over. Kerra was by the sink under the open window when the ruckus started and she burnt rubber getting outside to break it up.

Poor Gabe. Now he is really paranoid and growls whenever the other dogs come close to his bed. He has two ‘safe’ places—his bed and my lap. He thinks that no one can bother him or hurt him when he is there. And of course, he’s right. I don’t let any of the other dogs infringe on his personal space; but he is not allowed to be crabby either.

Last night I was helping him up on my lap and he cride when I supporte his neck the way I always have. Evidently he is still sore from his tumbling, even though there was no blood involved. Sadie and Huck both used their teach-the-pup-a-lesson-bites and didn’t intend to really hurt him.

Now the sun just rose above the clouds on the horizon. It is still clouds and overcast but the eastern horizon is less gray and the sun is well above the haze. Now it is laying strips of bight sunlight across the landscape. The cream colored house across the way is glowing against the still gray dark clouds on the western horizon. And the branches of tree beside it look like golden spray against that dark sky. The breeze that was stirring up the dust in front of the western hills finally made it to the top of our hill. It is blowing fresh cold in our window. I’m wrapped in a blanket, but I won’t close that window until I freeze! There is nothing to compare with New Mexico skies!

I thank the Lord daily that I’ve gotten back to the desert one more time. It is a separate blessing each time. I love Ohio and my home with Rachael and Michael, they are so good to me, but the desert holds my heart.