west texas.

i wouldn't call lubbock beautiful.
i'm from new jersey. ocean... and virginia.  trees... and utah. mountains...
lubbock has sky and desert beauty.

this is the windy season.
it is so funny and blustery.
have you ever experienced tumble weed?

they are big balls of thorns that roll in the wind... fast.
you can't let them hit you or your car because they hurt.
sometimes, if i'm heading west, i feel like i'm in a video game... dodge the tumble weed.
most of the time they are smallish... but i have seen them larger than me.
before houses got built in front of ours, we would have them stuck against our fence, or FILLING our fenced in back yard.

(can you see the tumbleweed on that fence?  one neighbor cleans his, the other doesn't.)
tumbleweed is a fun part of texas.

and dirt.  our wind is dusty.  so, beware of gritty lip gloss.  and, wear sunglasses.
and, laugh when you clean dirt out of your nose and ears.
and... hold on to your door when you open your car.
because the wind DOES break doors.
and... don't do what i did the first spring i lived here.
DON'T try to clean your windows when it's windy.
i had a whole hispanic construction crew laughing hysterically at me as i tried to wipe away the grime. 
finally one kind soul came over and explained, "we don't wash windows today.  you just make mud.  wait till summer and no wind."
lesson learned.
really, the wind is strong enough to knock you over some days-- or at least blow down your kids.

on our blustery walk yesterday leah was excited to pick me a "flower"

and, she wondered, "Is this jail?"  (Her siblings horribly threaten her with jail time when she won't let them buckle her carseat.)  She kept asking me, "Are people in here?

life is good... and perhaps there is a little beauty in lubbock.