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View From a Writer's Window...
From my home office I have a pleasant and sometimes inspiring view. 
It’s a quiet cul-de-sac where everyone’s yard is immaculate, except maybe mine at times. After all, I’m an indoor gal and taking a walk on a windy day without a headscarf or hat is my idea of roughing it.
Yes, my voluminous butt is planted in the chair most mornings while I write or do drive-by promo. I know it’s bad, but it’s better than no promo at all—right?
Several years ago when I was more ambitious I planted four “butterfly” bushes, and there are two purple ones on each side of my office window. I’m treated daily to the sight of a variety of butterflies, bees and the occasional hummingbird. Monarchs with their striking orange and black wings, yellow and black swallowtails, black and blue swallowtails flit and flutter while I watch. Sometimes I run for my camera and venture outside to capture them on my digital camera.
A little farther out in the yard, I have a small apple tree which I planted over ten years ago from bare root stock. It’s actually bearing apples although I think the squirrels appreciate them more than I do. Yes, I have two fast as greased-lightning gray squirrels that zip around my yard from tree to tree.
In April my two dogwoods bloom and show off their snowy white beauty. My deep pink crape myrtle is almost in bloom; I can see the buds so it won’t be long. I have a white crape myrtle, too, and it’s already heavy with white blossoms. I can’t see it from here in my office, but I know it’s there. It’ll bloom until September and sometimes even have a few flowers left in October.
Come October something else dire will happen: the huge maple tree will start dropping its leaves and I wouldn’t mind so much if the leaves turned red, orange or even bright yellow, but no this one turns a pasty yellow-green in the fall and seldom shows its best. And then there’s a crisp carpet of leaves about a foot deep until I hire someone to rake them for me.
So now you know all about my view. What’s the view like from your window?
Our view is of a walking trail edged with cacti that bloom fuchsia in late spring. To the southeast lie the Sandia and Manzano Mtn.s of central New Mexico, to the north, the Sangre de Cristo’s, and to the southwest the Jemez and Santa Clara’s. It is mansoon sesason now, and when indoors we get a glimpse of lightening and thunder storms outside. The smell of rain wafts in through open doors and windows, and it smells better than burning incense. In the morning, when it’s not raining, we are visited by humming birds, rabbits, tiger tail butterflies and a variety of finches. Yes, that nature abides outside the Precise Edit office is very inspiring and refreshing. Sometimes we can take a mini vaca and sit out on the porch to enjoy the best gifts of life.
Oh, Alina, that sounds heavenly. Thank you for sharing your view with me.