The quality of light

Our eyes adjust automatically to the quality of the light. White objects always look white, black objects always look black. But in photographs you can adjust the colors in anyway you like. I was fascinated by the patterns in this blooming palo verde tree. It is a dramatic example of the quality of the sunlight that was slanting in from a just risen sun. The sky was clear and there was very little reflective color. The photo captures the true essence of the yellow blossoms contrasting with the darker bark of the tree.

Dancing on the Wind

This is a single palo verde tree blossom literally dancing on the wind. Below is a picture of the whole tree in bloom.

You will better appreciate the photos if you click on them to enlarge them on your screen. I'll let you guess how I took the first picture. All I will say is that the picture was not created in Photoshop or any other program. Except for some enhancements, this is how the picture was taken and came out of the camera.

St. George Tabernacle, St. George, Utah USA in Utah
The St. George Tabernacle was completed in 1876. The project was used to provide work for the early pioneers. It is open to the public as a civic center. The main tower is 140 feet tall. St. George, Utah is the county seat of Washington County and a major transportation and commercial hub for the Southern Utah area. This city has a sizeable winter visitor population but has an official population of just under 73,000 people. The city is located in a small valley along the Virgin River. Because of its low altitude compared to the rest of the state of Utah, the weather is mild in the Winter and the area has earned the name of Utah’s Dixie. The city is the center of some of the most spectacular scenery in the continental United States and is also near several National Parks and Monuments, such as Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. This panorama shows the compact size of the main part of the community but does no show the outlying subdivisions where a sizable portion of the population resides.

Sonoran Desert Trail, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona USA in Arizona
The Desert Botanical Garden is one of America’s premier collections of desert plants including a huge collection of cactus and succulents, from around the world. The Garden’s Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail exemplifies a typical Arizona-Sonora Desert location, with giant saguaros, creosote, barrel cactus, prickly pear cactus, cholla cactus, and palo verde trees. The strange branch on the prominent saguaro is called a “Cristate” variety and is the result of the growing point of the saguaro dividing into a disorganized tip. This is not a normal growth pattern but not uncommon. The Desert Botanical Garden is located in Papago Park on the east edge of the City of Phoenix.

Road Runner

Contrary to the popular cartoon image, these birds can fly. They are very fast running on the ground and are so perfectly colored that they usually are almost invisible against the desert plants. They eat small lizards and bugs and are active during the day. They are about the size of a skinny pigeon with longer legs. Road Runners almost never hold still and getting a picture of one is rather difficult. They are one of the fascinating things about the desert.

Arizona State University Downtown Campus, West End, Phoenix, Arizona USA in Arizona
Arizona State University is the largest public university in the United States with an enrollment of over 72,000 students. The main campus is located in the Phoenix, Arizona suburb of Tempe, but there are other campuses located throughout the huge metropolitan area. This panorama is a view of the west end of the Downtown Campus. The Downtown Campus was established in 2006, but has been growing since its first appearance. The Downtown Campus serves over 17,000 of the University’s students. Located right in the center of the Phoenix downtown area, the campus houses the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, College of Public Programs, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. The Campus is convenient to public transportation but there is little housing in the immediate area. The west end of the Campus is on Phoenix’s Central Avenue and is across from the Space Center Park.

Celebration

I really like fireworks. The other night we had a huge fireworks display in our neighborhood. We had no idea what they were celebrating, but we did enjoy the fireworks. Arizona has always banned fireworks or any kind until relatively recently when they allowed some kinds of fireworks on certain dates. Big displays were always allowed and watching fireworks has been something I remember doing, at least from my teen years on. Lately, we haven't made any special effort to go to fireworks shows, but we have enjoyed them when we have them in our neighborhood.

Contradiction

It is not unusual for prickly pear cactus to have different colored flowers on the same plant and even on the same pad. I am sure there is a very good reason for this, but it certainly eludes me. I see all sorts of analogies with differences within families, two brothers that are polar opposites and many other variations in the world we live in. Each flower only blooms for a day but there are so many flowers on one plant that they bloom for a couple of weeks.

Barrel Cactus

Next to the giant saguaro cactus, these are some of the largest cactus in the Sonoran Desert. Before the world became aware of the limited nature of the desert flora, a common desert survival technique had the thirsty hiker cutting open a barrel cactus to get the moist interior. FALSE. I tried it when I was a teenager and didn't know better. It doesn't work. The interior is very bitter and the flesh of some types of related cactus causes nausea, diarrhea, and temporary paralysis. One thing about the cactus is true, it always points towards the south. The plants grow that way to prevent sun burn to their sides. These cactus are now a protected species.

Ocotillo Fence

Even with its long spines, ocotillo is a succulent and not a cactus at all. Most of the year it looks like a bundle of sticks, but during the Spring and in wet seasons, the dry looking sticks are covered with small green leaves. Also in the Spring, it has brilliant red flowers at the end of each stalk. For centuries, the inhabitants of the desert have used ocotillo for walls, fences and roofs. When I lived in the jungle, I was fascinated with the way fences of cut branches would grow by just being stuck in the ground. The same thing happens with ocotillo. When these sticks are cut from the plant, if there is any water at all in soil, they will sprout and grow. Unfortunately, this fence appears mostly dead.

Saturated Color

One of the hallmarks of our age is that computers have given us the ability to modify images endlessly. Using Photoshop and similar programs, you can change almost everything about an image. One of the parameters that you can adjust is saturation. This gives the color more depth and intensity. Cactus flowers do not need adjustment to their saturation. In fact, if you add saturation, the flower loses detail. Cactus flowers really are this intense color. There is no false advertising here with these flowers.

Contradictions

The cholla cactus is notorious for its spines. It seems to put all of its energy into its defense system and leaves little over for its flowers. They are mostly small but brilliantly colored. I am fascinated by this contradiction, trying to attract a pollinator while at the same time trying to repel practically everything else in the world. Reminds me of some political systems.

Reaching for the sky

Cactus grow in such harsh environments that I find their size amazing. These cactus are Cardones, some of the largest in the world. They can grow to over 18 meters in height and one cactus plant can weigh as much as 25 tons. They live for hundreds of years and would have to survive many drought cycles as well as range fires and disease organisms. The cardones are the symbol for the two states of Baja Califonia. There are a number of other cactus in this photo including an ocotillo with red blossoms.

Heritage Roses

Every year there are new varieties of roses. Only a very few of the varieties become classics. But behind the multitude of rose varieties on the market, there are those that date back closer to the wild original varieties sometimes called antique varieties. When I was young we had huge almost wild rose vines growing at both ends of our property. The fragrance of these roses was unforgettable along with their beauty and simplicity. These roses, although not likely antiques, remind me of those roses of my youth.

Contrast

These Opuntia cactus reminded me of cartoon faces. But later, after looking at the photo so more, I noticed the contrast between the cactus and the sky and the lack of contrast between the cactus and the plants in the background. Outlined against the sky, the cactus take on a life of their own. At the same time, against the background of the other plants they are almost indistinguishable. As I get older, I notice that I have become indistinguishable against the background of people my age. If there were a place where I could be seen against a contrasting environment, I might be noticed but I am just another overweight old person.

The ox cart

I never understood oxen. It took me years until I finally figured out that there is no such animal as an ox, strictly speaking. An ox is a trained cow. When people talked about their ox it is really nothing more than a mature castrated bull, but the animal was sometimes the same as their milk cow.

Here comes the oxcart, oh, how slow!
It’s pulled by an ox, of course, you know.
The wooden wheels creak as they roll along.
Creak, creak, creak, creak is their song.

 “The Oxcart,” Children’s Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 219

Glory Glory

This gorgeous flower is about six to eight inches across. You simply cannot imagine how impressive these cactus flowers can be. They are so large and so beautiful it is a shame that they last only for one, or at most two days. In fact, you have to catch them during the time of the day that they are in bloom. On our last outing, we saw evidence of quite a few of this type of flower that had already past their blooming time but this was one of the few that was still in bloom. Remember to click on the image to see all the detail.

Arizona State University Downtown Campus, East End, Phoenix, Arizona USA in Arizona
Arizona State University is the largest public university in the United States with an enrollment of over 72,000 students. The main campus is located in the Phoenix, Arizona suburb of Tempe, but there are other campuses located throughout the huge metropolitan area. This panorama is a view of the east end of the Downtown Campus. The Downtown Campus was established in 2006, but has been growing since its first appearance. The Downtown Campus serves over 17,000 of the University’s students. Located right in the center of the Phoenix downtown area, the campus houses the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, College of Public Programs, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. The Campus is convenient to public transportation but there is little housing in the immediate area. The west end of the Campus is on Phoenix’s Central Avenue and is across from the Space Center Park.

Overlooking St. George, Utah USA in Utah
St. George, Utah is the county seat of Washington County and a major transportation and commercial hub for the Southern Utah area. This city has a sizeable winter visitor population but has an official population of just under 73,000 people. The city is located in a small valley along the Virgin River. Because of its low altitude compared to the rest of the state of Utah, the weather is mild in the Winter and the area has earned the name of Utah’s Dixie. The city is the center of some of the most spectacular scenery in the continental United States and is also near several National Parks and Monuments, such as Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. This panorama shows the compact size of the main part of the community but does no show the outlying subdivisions where a sizable portion of the population resides.

The Water of Life

The early pioneers in Arizona and elsewhere in the desert Southwest, followed the waterways. There aren't rivers as you would think of them if you live where there is water, most of the watercourses are dry or almost dry during the hot months of the year. But the more time you spend in the desert, the more you value water as water. The Scriptures speak of living water. I relate to those references because of the value of water to me and my ancestors as we have lived without abundant water. It is very easy for me to understand how the teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, could be compared to a stream of water or water in the desert. Just as we need water every day to survive, my ancestors survived on the precious water found in the muddy rivers of Arizona and at the same time the words of our Savior in the Scriptures. I do the same today.

By any other name

Growing roses in the Salt River Valley is a challenge. When I travel and see huge beautiful rose gardens in places like the University of California and in Washington State, I sometimes wish I were living somewhere with flowers. Then I remember the cactus flowers and don't feel bad at all. Even though I love roses, I wouldn't trade them for the lovely cactus flowers. I think the flowers that they sell in flower shops and in Costco, for example, are pretty generic. You have to get out and look at a really nice rose garden to begin to understand roses.

Wild Iris

Iris are some of the most spectacular flowers in the world. In the high country of Arizona, there are wild iris that have striking blue markings. The cultivated varieties are more showy but the basic form, color and all of the other attractions of this flower are here in the wild variety. These plants and their 300 or so relatives live all around the world in the Northern Hemisphere. I love irises and that includes the wild varieties.

What Might Have Been

I was living in the mountains with four lovely seasons and snow in the Winter, but I decided to move back to the desert. I have always wondered what might have happened if I had moved back to the mountains. I wonder if you can love both mountains and desert equally and yet live in the desert. Going back to the mountains is like going home but then coming back to the desert is like going home. You can't live your life with what might have been. You have to accept the decisions and bloom where you are planted.

Sacred Datura

Sacred Datura must have hired a PR firm to re-brand itself. When I was young, this plant was known as Loco Weed or also commonly, Jimson Weed. It is poisonous to cattle and causes them (or anything else that eats the plant) to go "crazy" (or dead). These plants are not too common for the simple reason, that if anyone sees one growing they pull it up. But look, they have gorgeous flowers and beautiful leaves. Kind of reminiscent of some people I know.

Snow and Leaves

No, it hasn't started snowing here in the Arizona Sonora Desert. We are climbing towards the mid-90s and will likely reach 100 degrees by the end of the month given the trend. But every once in a while I get to visit the cold country and see how the other side lives. I know it is Spring and flowers are blooming all over the Northern Hemisphere, but here in the Desert (with a capital D) we like to hang on to our cool weather as long as possible and then think cold thoughts the rest of the Summer.

Disorganized Beauty

We sometimes associate beauty with obvious organization and sometimes with simplicity. Beauty can be both disorganized and complex. These flowers look unreal and they are surely disorganized but they are beautiful. I see a lot of beauty in apparent disorganization. Once when I was very young we had a huge woodpile. One day, for a reason that now escapes me, I sat down and numbered every piece of wood in the pile. I think I might have been fascinated with the disorder of the pile and my natural compulsive tendency stepped in and took over the day. I remember finding pieces of wood with my penciled numbers for years. Obviously, my attempt to order chaos did not work.

Blooming Yucca

Unlike agaves, the main yucca plant does not die after blooming. Yucca keep growing but in some species the lower spines die as the plant grows. Unlike most other succulents, yucca are cold tolerant and grow as far north as Montana and North Dakota. They are pollinated by the yucca moth. Although they look ferocious, they are relatively benign and would only be dangerous if you happened to run into one. As spiny plants go, they are relatively easy to avoid. We have had different species of yucca growing at some of the houses we have lived in over the years.

Busy as a bee

Bees and flowers go together. We had bees build a hive in our roof and by the time we figured out that they were there, we had to have hole chopped in our roof and the bee specialist removed over 100 pounds of honey. Unfortunately, all of that honey went to waste because the bees had been fumigated. This year they tried again, but we found them early enough to stop them before they established a hive. In the abstract, bees are really nice and quite friendly creatures, but not so if they get mad. Sort of like people, don't you think?

A House with a view

Have you ever dreamed of having a house with a view. This is a reality for this cactus wren nest with an excellent security system and adequate spacing from neighbors. Not much room for the children to run around or play. Nesting in cactus is really quite common and the longer and more threatening the spines the more the birds like the location. One advantage, you don't need to post a no trespassing sign.

Still Growing

Life unfolds one day at a time, just like this agave. Every day is only slightly different than the last. But over time, major events mark our lives. I can no longer remember the ordinary, average day, I only remember the events. I remember a traffic accident but not where I was going or why I was going there. I remember falling off a cliff, but not who I was with or how we got there. Whatever happens today will become the same spiraling pattern of events in our lives. We may remember the events, but not the day. 

A Sign of Age

It is amazing to me how people will spend millions of dollars trying to avoid looking their age. The classic is the AARP magazine that always has a picture of some 70 years old actress that looks like she just graduated from high school. Becoming old is a full time job and I want to be paid for it. Who would know about all the things I have done and suffered if I looked like I was seventeen years old? If anyone comes along and says, my but you look just like you did twenty years ago, they are lying. Being old is being invisible. When I am in a social gathering, no one under the age of forty or so will even notice that I am alive. 99 out of 100 younger people will walk right by me as if I wasn't there. Young women now open the door for me! It was time to feature a photo of something really old and beautiful.

Spring Glory Again

These gorgeous cactus are called claret cups. They are relatively rare in the wild and I have only found them on very rare occasions. This plant is growing at the Desert Botanical Garden. One thing about this and other cactus flowers is that they only bloom once a year for only a few days. If you miss those days, you have to wait another year to see the blooms. Some cactus only bloom one day, once a year. Some of the most beautiful natural phenomena last only a very short time and you may only see it once in a lifetime.

Variation

One remarkable thing about cactus flowers and those on prickly pears most commonly, is that the flowers on the same plant or from plant to plant can vary so much in the color of the flowers. Here you can see one flower and part of another. Guess what? They are blooming on the same plant. It is also not unusual to see the flowers change color during the day. Two cactus growing right next to each other, of the same variety, can have flowers that are different colors also. This color change can be remarkable from one year to the next.