Happy New Year! My first New Year in Arizona and my first without snow. It is wonderful! People have asked me if I miss the snow at Christmas and New Years. The answer is a resounding NO!! After spending as many years as I have in the north, I can honestly say I do not miss winter one bit. I do miss my friends and family, yes, but not the bitter cold, snow and ice. So, in that vein, here are a few photos to show why we are not missing winter:
How beautiful it is here! We usually go for a walk in the desert each day. We look for interesting plant life and rocks. We have found an abundance of different types of quartz. Whenever we find a particularly interesting rock we bring it home to use on the landscaping. We are limited by what we can lift and carry to the van. Most people here have quads which allow them easier access to the desert and to larger rocks. We won't have quads this year so we make do with the van.j
Here are a few pictures of some cranky cactus. The dogs have learned a new respect for these plants:
This plant drops dead parts all around it. They are light so the wind picks them up and scatters them all over the desert floor wherever this plant grows. The spines are still very sharp even though the plant part is dead. When the dogs step on them the results are extremely painful! We have learned to avoid stopping in areas with this plant when we have the dogs with us.
This is a fierce and cranky looking cactus. And fierce it is if you touch it. However, it is easy to avoid as it grows in a clump and is easy to see.
This is a dead ocotillo. I think I have spelled that right. These plants grow in a large clump looking like Medussa's hair. They have very sharp spines on them, and you can see how easy it is for the dogs to step on them. Our dogs are learning fast to avoid any plant, dead or alive.
Another nasty plant. They are so interesting to look at but one needs more than gloves to examine them closer. The spines go through even leather gloves. Best to use metal tongs of some sort. I have no desire to handle them.
These little guys show the resiliency of cactus. This spot was atop a rock outcropping. There was no soil that I could see, but there was life, in its prickliest form, growing away in amongst the rocks.
And here is Finn after stepping on, and trying to bite, a cholla cactus. (pronounced choya). He had spines in his nose, knee, chest and feet. Poor guy! I pulled them out but he was still sore and discouraged. He just went and lay down in a sandy circle and would not get up. Finally he decided to come along but was extremely tender footed. I noticed one spine broke off in his foot pad when I was trying to pull them out. They finally dissolve but he had tender feet for a few days.
Here are a few more pictures of the areas in which we have hiked. The picture directly below shows the rock outcropping we hiked up. The rocks are so sharp that we had to turn around because the dogs were suffering too much trying to climb up. Being loyal creatures, they kept trying to climb, but I could see it was hard on their feet. Also, poor Niko cannot bend his back legs so had to pull himself up with his chest muscles and front feet. It was amazing to see his determination as he tried to stay with us. So we did not get to the top. We will save that for a day when we go out without the dogs.
The desert has miles and miles of these types of roads. Most are not quite this well used. Many quad trails come off these roads. I still could not get too far with the van as the road is dissected with washes. Even main highways have washes going through them, posted with signs that say not to enter when full of water.
Here's our boy Finn after his hike and altercation with the Cholla. It was very cold so he pulled his pillow up and stuck his nose in his tail. Poor guy. He is much better now, by the way, and eager for his next walk in the desert.
Well that's it for now. Again, Happy New Year to you all, wherever you are. May good health, happiness and peace be yours for 2015!
Bye for now.
