Exhale

I took a short drive a sunset tonight. There were no dramatic colors, just the gradually changing blue sky. The road I took separates housing developments from the open desert. At this time of year, the daytime highs are still near 100 degrees but the evening temperatures are quite cool. As the sun sets and the colder air settles to the ground, the trees and plants seem to exhale, releasing the breath they’ve held all day long. The result is intoxicating. The smell of mesquite and creosote isn’t overpowering, like fresh cut grass, but if you look for the scent it’s there.

I drove under the speed limit with the windows down, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the wind. I could have driven back and forth down that road all night.