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Today began with the roar of military helicopters overhead, waking me into startled disorientation. As I became more aware of what was going on, I realized that there were no helicopters, but that the nearby citrus growers had started their wind machines in an effort to keep their crops from freezing. (When I was a kid in southern California, the growers used smudge pots to keep the trees warm, which made a smoky mess of the air. They aren’t allowed any more.)

I spoke to a grower at Olive Garden today, who said she started her wind machines about 9:30 last night and ran them all night long; she farms in an area a bit south of me, where the temperatures are generally several degrees colder. Temps are expected to drop below 30 again tonight, so the machines will be going again, but after the first night of the season one gets used to the noise.

This first day of 2015 finds Trigger’s Horse facing another blogging milestone: I am two followers short of 2,000 as I write tonight. That is an incredible number to wrap my head around. I’m working on the details of a contest to celebrate…watch for an announcement on Saturday.

May your dreams for 2015 be happy ones, and the noises in the night be friendly. Sweet dreams.