Winter Walsh Wandering

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Tohono Chul Feb 28, 2014

I got so busy recording the rain storm that I forgot to post these updates on desert flowers at Tohono Chul.

The pomegranate tree had NO leaves on it 2 weeks ago.

Desert white roses

Image flowers shaped like little yellow brushes

These will be gorgeous prickly pear flowers sometime in March (hopefully before we leave)

The most unlikely bush had these tiny red flowers. It is called a Fairy Duster bush.

This is a mountain laurel tree with beautiful purple grape like clusters of flowers

This area has been replanted. It is normally very colorful as is the area below. Have to see what comes up next year.

Tint cactus with big time flower

These are my favorite desert flowers, called Mexican Goldpoppy. They don't always bloom year to year, depending on how cold winter was and how much precipitation happened in February.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this clump of Saguaros. Usually they are never this close together. Papa, Mama, 2 kids and a tiny baby saguaro.

Don't you love this guy. It is called a fan or palm saguaro-just a mutation of growing arms together instead of separately. Looks like he got over his mutated self and will grow 2 arms out the top. The 2 holes are bird nests but they do add to his pretend face.

There is always an art exhibit. I loved this picture although I wouldn't be camping overnight in the desert. The sky is so beautiful at night.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Winter Storm Titan and Green Valley March 1, 2014

The sun does not always shine in Arizona. This time the winter storms that have rattled the rest of the country, started down by us.

Jim's sister, Margie spent a week with us. We took her to the airport Saturday, March 1 and then Titan roared in.

Very stiff wind gusts of 45 miles per hour. The mountains are obscured by dark clouds

We had 3 distinct waves of the storm. This is the second wave which brought 1.02 inches of rain!!!

More to come

Palm trees can do a disturbing amount of swaying

Thank goodness for the water control plans for drainage. This leads down to the hiking path around the complex.

Now we can see which unit NOT to rent in case another big rain comes through. The road gathered some big puddles but all property was fine.
During the night the third wave of rain and wind came through. I slept through the storm but Jim worried about all the rain. Our screened in porch got soaked around the edges. The sandy flower patches held a little water for a short time. The rest of the house was dry. Can't wait to get back to Tohono Chul ( my favorite desert garden park and see what new desert flowers popped out.)

Snow on the Santa Rita Mountains on Sunday.

And rain will make the flowers grow.

Whitehall Hike, Madera Canyon, Feb 23,2013

Back to Madera Canyon on a glorious clear, warm day.

Smuggler's Gap in Vermont has a similar set of naturally occurring super huge rocks on either side of the road. I doubt that this road is used for smuggling. The desert is more accessible. The smaller of the 2 big rocks is on the left.

We are just coming up to the largest rock on the right..

The road is very narrow here.

Cabins are available to rent

This group of cabins is next to the bird feeding station.

A "flock?" of turkeys came buy to munch on the spilled seeds.

Lots of small birds that look like finches maybe

Mexican Blue Jays are easy to see anywhere in the park.

The birds have their own water fountain.

Gift shop and cabin rental office

This is the only bear is hope to meet in Madera Canyon

The Whitehall Path

Dry river bed

What happened to my nice easy paved path?

Another bridge over the river bed

I took this picture of the sign just in case I took the wrong "loop" As it happened, I met a group who had lost a hiking member. Cell phones weren't working. I had not seen the missing person on the path I was on. I think they found her. There were 3 of them looking for her. One stayed at the Whitehall parking lot, the other went to Proctor and the third went to the upper loop.