Winter Wonderland?

The first real chill of the season happened to hit Tucson immediately after Thanksgiving, while my family was visiting for the holiday. I usually enjoy December, for all of the excess and exclusions it brings. But it takes a little something extra these days to get me truly enthused. When I walked out of the Barnes & Noble at Foothills Mall an hour ago and, looking up at the lights newly glowing on the palm trees, smelled wood smoke on the wind, I felt the shove I needed. I just hope that the nights stay cold enough to sustain my momentum without killing off the basil.