Sunday, August 22, 2010

Walk through the Desert with Me

Sorry for the long absence. I've been busy since my mom got back to the US and into town. She spent a year in Norway, and I'm so happy to have her back.

We decided to go for a walk the other morning for some exercise, and my sister-in-law knew of a path that goes through a very wild part of the city. She suggested I take my camera. For as much as I love to take pictures I hadn't thought of it until she suggested it, but I went ahead and packed up my camera and we were off to our little desert trail.

When we got there I discovered that the path was paved and looped around but was not near long enough for the walk we had in mind. Plus, there was a warning to watch out for scorpions, tarantulas, and rattle snakes. JOY! We went on ahead anyway, and when the path ended we took the rough trail for a while.

I took a good amount of pictures, and now you all can take the walk with me.

This is a cholla(pronounced: Choy-a) cactus. Not the prettiest of cacti, but this one was quite big.


This is a very cool dead tree. Some of you might not find it as cool as I did. I liked it.


A very pretty barrel cactus flower


The same barrel cactus with my mom's shadow


A bunch of yellow flowers growing between the rocks.


An ocotillo cactus


A palo verde tree. These grow such beautiful yellow flowers in the spring.


A very strange, little, spikey thing


A tiny barrel cactus


A neat little bush I found


A very scary spider hole


A lizard that lost his tail


Another cool little lizard


A ground squirrel


A giant saguaro. This is what my desert is known for. Yes, they are giant. For a little perspective see the next picture.


This is my mom next to the cactus in the last picture. Did you know they can grow as tall as two giraffes?

6 comments:

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

>> A very strange, little, spikey thing.

I happen to like very strange, little, spikey things.

>> A tiny barrel cactus

I prefer a barrel of beer.

>> A neat little bush I found

As long as it’s not related to George W. Bush I’m OK with it.

>> A lizard that lost his tail

At least he hasn’t lost his job.

>> Another cool little lizard

Cool? In 109 degree heat? Think again.

>> A ground squirrel

Get a job, Squirrel!

>> This is my mom next to the cactus in the last picture. Did you know they can grow as tall as two giraffes?

Yeah, I knew that. Did you know that giraffes are the most selfish of animals?

~ “Lonesome Dogg” McMe
(Remember McMe?)

Natasha said...

Love the flower of the barrel cactus. Me want to come to your part of the world.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Lovely to have you back, and I am pleased you have your mom back also, I think the pictures you took were great, I love looking at the plants and flowers. once again Welcome Home.

Yvonne.

Cruella Collett said...

Those are gorgeous shots, Marjorie. And I am so glad you're enjoying having your mom back home :)

(And yes, I did know that cactus could grow as tall as two giraffes, but only because you told me yesterday, tee hee)

Ella said...

Great pics; There is beauty everywhere! We just have to look for it..except for that darn scary, spider hole...no beauty there! lol

Grammy said...

Hi, I really liked the pictures of the cacti and the dead trees, even the spider hole. It is wonderful to be back reading blogs again. I enjoyed going to Phoenix and Tucson and seeing all the wild life there. Thank you for the reminder. I know you must be glad to have your mom back with you. Thanks for continuing to read my blog. Ruby