CRYSTAL STARS IN A VELVET SKY

I hate winter. 



I mean, I really, really DESPISE winter.


I hate cold. I hate overcast days. I hate days that don't become days until mid-morning. I hate evenings that fall before 5 p.m.


Which is one of the many reasons I live in Arizona. 


Heck, we don't even observe Daylight Savings time here.



It does get cold here.


It even snows a couple times a year here - and although it melts by 9 a.m., our mountain tops stay white until spring.



And it almost always cools down 10 - 15 degrees within 20 minutes of the sun setting behind those same mountains.


But most of the time, it's in the 80's here during the day.


And I like it.



However, tonight is different.


Yes, it's warm. It's still around 82 degrees.


But there is an insane wind whipping through the valley, taking every single particular of dust, smog, vapor far far away from here.


And the stars in the sky....


There is no hint of a moon-rise to dim them.


The clear clean air offers no filter.



So the stars and the planets and all those twinkly little lights way up high above are as bright as they normally are only during those bright cold cold nights far away in the north.



Okay.


  I like it.