What do Emily and Ola love about the desert in the novel, Toning the Sweep?

Emily and Ola, strongly identify with the desert. They see in it a simplicity and a reliability that cannot be found in urban settings. To them, the vast empty expanses are engaging, powerful, and inspiring. Emily finds the sun and the heat cathartic and reassuring. The fact that Ola's greenhouse is an artificial oasis in the desert only serves to highlight what Emily and Ola love about the desert—it's nothingness is not threatening but inviting, like a blank canvas upon which any life can be depicted.