The desert continues to regale me with its blooms. Saguaros are the last to show their halo of white flowers, which I might miss if I head north too soon.

Critters are still yawning and stretching from their winter hibernation. Dobby is sharpening his feline claws. I keep warning him there will be no more of that murderous behavior when we get back to Cannon Beach but he just scoffs at me.

As I prepare to lock up my desert sanctuary I am sad because the tile floor that Forrest so lovingly laid down beckons me to stay longer. But my Oregon heart calls me to my other home with equal strength.

Against my dubious misgivings, Forrest got it done anyway, working late into the night creating a stunning work of art that will last for generations.

Adding a little signature tile, my spirit animal.

We are slowly making our way back up to Oregon, camping just between Sedona and Flagstaff tonight. It’s good to have company and help driving. So much love and comfort await me at my other home and soon the gravitational pull will be much more forceful from the Pacific NW than the Sonoran desert, leaving only the dust of memories behind.