Spring in the desert
Freesias and Angelita Daisies
I love spring in the desert, it's so much earlier than spring in Indiana where I come from. If we have a wet fall and winter, it is glorious. You have to admire all these sturdy plants that survive the coldest and the hottest of the 5 western deserts, the Mojave Desert. I remember the first year we lived here and there were the El Niño rains, Death Valley was amazing. I left at 5 in the morning to go photograph flowers and didn't leave there until dark. It's a couple of hours drive from Las Vegas, so I was pretty late getting home. My husband was really worried that something happened. Well it wasn't the first time I got yelled at for making him worry, nor the last. I pretty much do as I please, it can cause some friction.
Anyway, the show was splendid. Purple! Yellow! White! I was so impressed I built a 23 foot long flower bed in those colors. There are low growing flowers called belly flowers. The prize though is finding the desert five spot. You cannot imagine the thousands of people who visit Death Valley to see the desert bloom.
Closer to home is Red Rock National Recreation area, a few miles west of Las Vegas. There are amazing plants that grow there and grow no where else in the world. A redbud that has to be a hundred years old puts on the most spectacular display. There are terrestial orchids growing along a stream. Discovering canyons with petroglyphs and pictographs left by ancient native Piutes, with amazing wildlife and spectacular views has led me to love this "barren" desert. If you come to Las Vegas, I hope you'll venture off the strip and find the real Las Vegas.
posted by MrsGreenThumb @ 12:37 AM
5 Comments:
Gorgeous picture!
If it was so dry there, and housing so expensive, I would live there. I have to agree that the landscape is beautiful. I always thought of deserts as dry, barren places where nothing grew. Was I surprised. I was also surprised at the amount of wildlife to be found there. The first time I saw wild burros standing next to the road at Red Rock, we were awestruck. Very cool place. Thanks for the interesting post.
I meant to say, "If it wasn't so dry there, . . ."
Sorry, my fingers got away from my mind (what little there is left of it).
You're right, the desert in spring is a majestic site to see all a bloom with spectacular flowers.
I've been to Las Vegas, but not to the city. We tend to venture to see nature in all it's wonder. We avoid cities.
We visited Red Rock also and Death Valley was almost just that for two of us in 2004. In years past, I apparently dressed appropriately, but in 2004, two (out of five of us) wore shorts and tank tops. Not a wise thing to wear...and we were on motorcycles which over-heated us worse than if we had been inside a car. Once everyone helped to cool us down, with soaking wet towels, we put on some clothes, and quickly recovered. Jimmy & I enjoy walking off the beaten path and looking things over...we are no longer able to hike up steep clifts...but we walk as far as we can and enjoy what we see.
We plan on going back out west to visit the deserts every year that we are able to travel on motorcycles. My husband is in love with the heat & and I love the desert beauty.
If I could just get my husband to travel by car, we would travel more. But maybe when he is older he will change his mind.
I really liked your post and am looking forward to reading more and since you are a pro at pictures...I can't wait to see more pictures.
Lovely flowers! I have never been out there but one day I want to. Each area seems to have its own uniqueness!
Those are beautiful flowers.
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