Have you been to the desert on a horse with no name?

I hear that it feels good to be out of the rain. But I wouldn't know, since it's actually raining here in the Mojave! It's very funny when it rains, because here's what happens: it's like the first snow in Minnesota. I had kids asking me if we could go out and play in the rain instead of work on vocabulary today. Yeah right -- dream on, suckers! And suddenly everyone is a Sunday driver -- people who would have run you off the road rather than use a turn signal yesterday are now driving at the least 15 miles under the speed limit and pumping their brakes excessively at evey stoplight.
You'll all be happy to know that my friend at Sahara/Fort Apache was out is full regailia today, unfased by the rain -- pharoah hat, playing a fake guitar with his teeth. Buckwalter saw him earlier this morning, and he was wearing a Cat in the Hat hat (sounds a bit repetitively redundant?) and a red Nascar jacket. It would appear that he has different costumes for different times of day.
The big news is that I went on a hike at Red Rock Canyon yesterday -- a little solo adventure for the Madame. I took the Keystone Thrust trail -- and it was gorgeous. Not very long, not a large elevation gain (only 400 ft.) but the views were astounding all the way up. I'm going again this weekend to try out another hike that takes you right past the red rocks themselves -- or the Calico Hills. Taking a hike by myself was so awesome. I loved the silence -- meditative and centering -- and the weather was beautiful. There really aren't too many words to describe it. So beautiful...should have sent a poet. (Name that movie!)