We went out into the desert for a very special picnic, a farewell to the sun and a farewell to Arizona. (Yes, I know the sun leaves every day and returns, and the farewell to Arizona may be permanent — but in Western Massachusetts it often feels like the farewell to the sun is semi-permanent!)
Our destination: Saguaro National Park, West, a little before the sunset, when the sky is still light over the Tucson Mountains:
One of our party toasted the upcoming event with killer margaritas (in plastic cups):
We did some nibbling and enjoyed the surroundings (many more nibbles than this, but I liked this photo best, radishes and fig/goat cheese, Costco’s finest, and delicious:
And then, swiftly once it started, the sun began to descend behind the mountains:
Dropping quickly:
The afterglow is still strong:
Night tiptoes in:
The rest is darkness, and silence. Words fail.
Touch2Touch 
As after sunset fadeth in the west
Death’s second self which seals up all in rest… or summat like that…
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“In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest. ”
Shakespeare, Sonnet LXXIII
I think this is your go-to sonnet because you have mined it tellingly before — but as I think I have said before, you are too young to own it so!
But certainly fitting here —
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Words may fail, but feelings and memories linger. Lovely.
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Your sunny Berkshire fricnds will be welcoming you home!!
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Claudia and Stef,
Thanks for the smiling thoughts —
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Oh, this is fantastic. I would have loved to been there. Cheers!
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It turned out that this was the very highest highlight of our whole month in Arizona.
Surrounded by desert and nothing else (in the state park) and the incredible presence of the sun and the mountains.
(And great margaritas, even if they were in plastic cups.)
Sigh.
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“…but in Western Massachusetts it often feels like the farewell to the sun is semi-permanent” – this week is pure example of THAT. Happy I stumbled on your sharing of the sun.
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Hope it warmed you a little —
I just grabbed a sweater to wear (indoors!) that I thought was safely put away for the “summer” —
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Stunning colours of the skies.. wonderful memories, I’m sure.
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That was one of THOSE days that you remember forever —
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It’s fun to know my parents were there solely because I recognize the cutting board…
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Surprise! Fancy meeting you here —
It’s a wise child who recognizes her parents by their cutting board. But then again, we always knew you were a wise child!
😉
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