La Vida Loca De Flores

For the past week or so, wildfires have been burning here in California, just on the other side of the mountain from us. I didn't even know about them (obviously I was a little behind on the news) until my mom called me to ask if we were okay. The same Santa Ana winds that were fueling the fires were also blowing the smoke away from us, so all was clear here...until today. Weather man says the winds are shifting which is good for the firefighters, but now the wind is going to start blowing the smoke towards us instead of out to sea. Already this morning, we could see the smoke coming up through the pass and up over the mountains. The mountains are getting all covered up now. This afternoon, the sky is turning orange and getting smokier and smokier and they say it will be getting worse for the next couple of days. It is so sad to see all the news coverage of people who have lost their homes or had to leave! I felt so bad for one man who was told he could return and found his home still standing, but all those around it were burned to the ground. He was so torn between being relieved that his home was still there and so confused as to why his home was spared while those of his neighbors burned to the ground. As much as I complain about living in this valley, today I am feeling incredibly blessed to be just experiencing the smoky side effect of those devastating fires, and not having to try to protect my family from fire.