Dreams, Moments, Travels
It’s not a cactus, it is a succulent – well it looks like a cactus to me. Not the flower, of course, I know what a flower looks like, although on second thought this doesn’t much look like a flower – besides its bright colors. From the Aloe vera plant comes this springtime bloom. While not native of Arizona, the Aloe vera grows wonderfully here in our desert climate and as always, anything that adds color to our brown environment is a welcome addition.
In six days spring will officially be here. Today it was more like summer and the weekend promises more record-breaking high temperatures. We almost hit 100 degrees here in Phoenix, 99 though was a surefire record – and it is still winter (smack my forehead). I, unlike the flowers, am wilting from the early bake. I do not look forward to the hell this summer is sure to deliver.
A local restaurateur of one of our favorite Mexican eating places is always in a fresh supply of no less than a dozen roses. The color changes weekly and sometimes there may be a couple dozen fresh roses adorning the counter, but you are always sure to find an eyeful of beautiful flowers in bloom at El Conquistador on 32nd street in Phoenix, Arizona.
Ah, it’s March 1st, our long winter is over and spring is in the air. Along our mountain trails, greenery is making its appearance. Phoenix seems to have had a fairly wet winter which should be great for us photographers who are tired of trying to differentiate shades of brown.
Today finds me doing a lot of nothing besides sleeping. After the long drive home from Santa Barbara yesterday and facing an almost equally long drive tomorrow as we travel to Death Valley, I took it easy and didn’t take a single photo here in Phoenix. And so it is that I am posting a photo from this past week’s visit to the Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California.
Yes, even Southern California has winter; that is the time the grass turns brown. But this year, winter was a week in early January when the citrus crop was frozen over and destroyed, and now, two weeks later, spring is here. Caroline has flown back to Phoenix while Jutta and I stayed on and have driven north to Santa Barbara to visit my aunt and uncle for a few days.