I marvel at the beauty of nature. ‘The silhouette of the mountaintops, the contours of the ruddy hills, the perfect blends and contrasts of color, the streaky dawn in the sky. Birds cheerfully awakening even as insects are silenced by the advancing heat of the day. It is all so magnificent, I feel well and at peace. Nature! Perfect by design.

Last night a pack of coyotes scrambled and dashed madly around the house, their dissonant shrill yips and howls piquing confusion and fear in their prey. It was a warm, restless night – with just a thin screen separating me from the wild creatures and unusual noises of the dark.

But the morning was cool and delicious, and I got up and to work early. Deceived by the temperature inside the house, I went out to stretch my legs around 11:30 ... by the time I returned it had jumped from 95 to 104 degrees! No wonder I was the only living creature out at that hour -- I would have made easy mountain lion prey, but even they were too sluggish to hunt. After working a while, I reached back to my South American days and siesta’d during the worst of the heat; waking up at 5PM to eat and write deep into the night. Now it’s cooling off, time to crank open all the windows and let the refreshing evening air rejuvenate me.