these hills

was in palm desert this weekend and got to be surrounded by one of my favorite things.

the hills.  

and not just any desert hills-- not the ones that are covered with trees and cactus and tumbleweeds, but the ones where there is not a single sign of life.  the simple, sleek line of them moves me in a way that is very different from the majestic beauty of yosemite's half-dome, or even the powerful, rhythmic beauty of the ocean. these hills make me think of  hundreds of faceless, naked giants, laying side by side in piles, asleep. they are simply astonishing to me.  

it's not like i haven't seen them before, driving to and from palm springs at least once a year for the last 45 years of my life.  but i think, i've always seen myself first and foremost as an ocean girl, then a mountain girl, and then, lastly, a desert girl.  i don't think i have valued the simple, sleepy, sensuous beauty of these hills until just the last few years.

am i just tired?  is that why i am drawn to these "giant sleeping people?" to live vicariously, peacefully, through them?

are my values changing?

well, it doesn't really matter why i love them so.

i'm glad that i do.

i love that God made these hills.

they feel like a gift to me. 

p.s. forgot my camera, so i couldn't take my own pictures of said hills, and i've been trying for 45 minutes to download a picture i found that did em' sorta half-way justice, but it's not working!  so, people, if you know the hills i'm talking about, please let me know!

hey, i was finally able to download this image of my hills.  hot dang!  also, after re-reading this post, i would like to offer an alternative, less (cough) provocative description of the hills.  these hills also remind me of the wrinkled face of a shar-pei.  naked sleeping giants, or the face of a wrinkle dog--take your pick! 

well, what did i tell you?