Trip to The Tree & dust devils

Last Friday was a perfectly blue, still, early summer day, leaning toward actual heat. The perfect day to get outside with the kids. So I spent the necessary hour getting both kids sunscreened-up, putting together a hike-survival kit with diaper change materials, water, snack, camera, hats, sunglasses, cell-phone & first aid kit, and blowing up the flat tire on the Chariot (pictured above). Finally, we were all ready to begin our big hike to The Tree.

The Tree is well-known to all members of our housing community here. A large cottonwood, it is the only tree of size within at least a five mile radius. It's almost exactly 1 1/2 miles away, so walking or jogging there and back makes a perfect 3 miles of exercise. It's on the edge of a sandy wash that is a lot of fun to play in and explore. During the few times a year when the wash actually flows, it is a lovely picnic spot where you can bathe your senses in the sights and sounds of running water and rustling leaves. Of course, the walk there and back is completely exposed and shadeless, and is therefore a rather thankless hike with kids in the heat of the summer or the violently windy spring. It's not something we do very often. But last Friday was perfect.

The Papaya walked excitedly all the way to The Tree, while the Banana fell asleep in the Chariot. When we arrived, the Papaya & I had a snack and water while we looked around us (see picture above). The leaves weren't out yet, but there were buds and birds, the sky was a deep cloudless blue, and it was very lovely. As I looked back the way we had come, I saw a large dust devil whirling right over the health center compound (where our house is). It looked like it was headed straight towards us, so I closed the plastic Chariot covering over the Banana, pointed the dust devil out to the Papaya, and warned him that it might get very windy for a little while. (If you look closely at this picture - the view from the tree back towards our house - you can faintly see the dust devil in the distance. It looked more impressive in real life.)

In case you've never experienced them, dust devils are weird things. They're like mini-tornados, but usually just arise when it's still, hot, and sunny. They can really take you by surprise. Last year, one blew into our backyard, picked up our solid plastic slide, and deposited it on the other side of the yard. If you get caught in one, you'd better cover your eyes and mouth if you don't want to be spitting out grit for the rest of the day!

As it turned out, the dust devil changed course & passed quite a distance to the south of us. The Papaya, however, was much impressed, and has been talking about it ever since. I didn't realize how much he had been influenced by it until I found him napping that afternoon with the duvet pulled completely over his head. I pulled it down so he could breathe, but later found it over his head again. When he woke up, he began walking around the house with his hands over his eyes, saying, "I don't have to be scared anymore. I don't have to be scared anymore." When I probed, he told me he was scared of dust devils and that he slept with his head under his covers so they wouldn't get him in his bed. I assured him that dust devils couldn't come inside our house, or our car (we were about to drive to the post office).

As we drove to the post office, he listened to the song I was playing (a contemplative song by Fernando Ortega) and said, "This is a sad song. It's about the dust devil that went away and didn't come back."

"It sounds like you're not scared of dust devils any more," I said.

"No, I'm not scared of dust devils! I love dust devils! Dust devils are my friends!" replied the Papaya emphatically, spreading his arms wide and then crossing them over his chest.

The Papaya's fascination with dust devils has not waned. In Sunday School day before yesterday, I attempted to teach him and a couple other preschoolers about the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Desirous of making a Meaningful Connection, I emphasized that when Jesus' followers heard the sound of a violent wind inside their room, it was just like a dust devil was inside their house. Well, it was a Connection, all right (although I'm not exactly sure what meaning he got out of it.) When the preschoolers got their take-home papers to color, they were supposed to draw tongues of fire over the pictured apostles in the upper room. The Papaya picked up a crayon with enthusiasm. But instead of drawing tongues of fire, he drew dust devils.

The Papaya at the tree, contemplating the dust devil he just saw.