SONORAN WALKABOUT~AZ Sabbath Rest

I watched the sunrise from our bedroom window.

Sunrise; bedroom window.

This afternoon, Bleu and I went for a walk - I'm not sure how far we walked, but we were out there a while. I took a walking stick with me - to lean on when the sunshine got too hot ... and to make vibrations with, so any snake in the neighborhood would be aware that we were out there (and hopefully we would not get bit).

Exploring - I did not let Bleu get into the bushes: I had his zap collar on him, and if he got too head-strong and insisted on getting into the bushes - I beeped him and he came running back. He did not want to get zapped.

Enjoying - our present surroundings; enjoying the freedom of wide open spaces. New and different surroundings from what we were used to back in WA State.

Living life in the moment :-)

A perfect Place to start a sandy adventure; these evergreen creosote bushes are everywhere. This path and these bushes are literally right at our front door.

You don't have to go far into the Sonoran Desert to find a creosote (cre-uh-sote). These evergreens will grow to 3-6 feet.

(1 to 2 m) tall shrubs are found just about everywhere. The amazing thing about creosotes, is that they are among the longest-lived of all plants. Some plants are said to be over 10,000 years old! The plants can go without water for a very long time. They do this by loosing their lower leaves and smaller limbs. This helps reserve water and nutrients for where they are needed most. Better for some of the plant to die, than all of it. The tiny green leaves mostly grow towards the tops of the limbs. The rest of the branches are often bare. The leaves produce a spicy-smelling oily resin, which helps protect the leaves from the desert's dry and sunny weather, and from hungry animals. Their strong spicy aroma is easy to identify, especially after a summer rain. The fragrance is called by some, "the smell of rain."

After seasonal rains, the creosotes will grow small yellow flowers. The flowers are followed by little white fuzzy fruit capsules that contain seeds. Notice the tiny leaves, flowers, and seeds below, and the fuzzy fruit capsule above.

Paloverde tree, and a small Saguaro cacti.

Bleu connecting with nature -'Oh, you look sharp today' ;-)

Paloverde tree blossom; it must be a sight to see.

(PA-loh-VUR-dee) tree. This large green-colored tree turns lemon-yellow in early spring from showy displays of tiny dainty flowers (below photo). When the paloverde is not in bloom, every part of the tree is green--the trunk, limbs, thorns, and tiny leaves. In fact, "paloverde" (or palo verde) means "green stick" in Spanish.

A paloverde tree's leaves are so small that one can barely see them. The tiny leaves allow filtered sunlight to pass through the branches. This provides just the right amount of light for the growing cacti below. Cacti, such as saguaros, need the protection of paloverdes, and other desert trees, in order to grow. The trees' lower limbs shelter the growing cacti from harsh weather and hungry plant-eating animals.

By the time a saguaro is four feet tall its roots have been growing for as many as 55 years and they stretch out four feet from the main stem in all directions, and three to five inches deep. 

The saguaro features a pleated surface which allows it to expand to contain all the water it needs: it can hold over a thousand gallons. During dry times, it can pull from this source to grow and produce flowers and seeds.

I can get lost in my own thoughts (time and distance fall by the wayside) when I hike, but in this desert, I kept a careful eye on how far afield we were getting - and the cactus that would be my {homing compass}.

Wanderlust & desert dust.

Ocotillo cacti.

Ocotillo in Springtime full bloom.

Ocotillo cacti, (ach-o-tee-ya), also called coachwhip, Jacob's staff, or vine cactus, flowering spiny shrub. Ocotillo branches can reach heights up to 20-feet: that's one tall plant! It's estimated ocotillos can live up to 60 years, studies also indicate some could possibly be over 100 years in age.

After significant rainfall, the sticks grow small, dark green leaves, covering the plant and transforming how it looks; which taste like spinach when consumed. The leaves grow for 2-3 weeks and then fall off when the soil dries out. Because they are drought-deciduous, ocotillos can appear lifeless for most of the year. Leafless ocotillos rely on chlorophyll in their stems for photosynthesis. Thus, ocotillos make the best of good times and survive the worst, a typical way of doing things for desert plants.

Native Americans made tea out the ocotillo bark and flowers in order to treat swelling, cough, and sore muscles.

Cactus, sunshine, & desert life.

Los Lobos - 'Arizona Skies' instrumental:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMlAzNi75T0)

I paused here, and poked the hole in the cactus with the end of my walking stick to see how deep it was … later, I found out that snakes can climb these cactuses & often escape the heat by curling up in the cactus holes: I almost had a heart attack when I read that! Who would have thought a snake would brave the cactus spines!!

OMG - Snake Climbs Saguaro Cactus: (https://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/06/21/snake-in-cactus-with-photos/)

This saguaro cactus looks like it has a rot disease.

Then, back home again, where we were basically lazy all day long - and watched a beautiful sunset to kick off the Sabbath Rest :-)

SHABBAT~Sonoran Desert;AZ: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/10/shabbatsonoran-desert-az.html)

The sky looks ablaze with flamingo pinks, brilliant oranges, and bright yellows.