Coming Back to Wisconsin April 6, 2013

We left Arizona 3 days early due to those pesky winter(this time Walda) storms that come across Colorado and snow up Raton Pass ( our route back through Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.)  Those intense blue skies followed us through Raton Pass.

 

 Snow covered Rocky  Mountains in the distance.

April 8, 2013  Davenport, Iowa.  Our motel room overlooked the Mississippi River which appears to be back to a high water level.

 

 Mississippi River - no rain but 50 degrees and cloudy.

Journey's end.  Safe and sound.  Thank you, Lord

April 4 Desert Flowers full bloom

Time to head back to WI.  Our time here was wonderful!  We visited our favorite places and a few new ones.  The desert flowers were different this year.  I guess this is not so unusual depending on the Nov thru Jan  rainfall and the optimal temperature.  Here are the comparison pictures from our favorite garden Tohono Chul.

 Feb 16

April 6, 2013

 This is a pomegranate tree.  We don't have these trees in Wisconsin!!

My Columbine flowers NEVER get this large and I won't see any blossoms until June.

These are my favorites, but they did not flourish this year.

Goodbye till next year.

Last Day at Tohono Chul and Arizona Critters April 4, 2013

Last year, I remembered seeing this quote but could not find it again till this year.  It was on one of the benches that are scattered around Tohono Chul Gardens.  Although the desert landscape continues to intrigue me, I love this description from someone who really loved the desert.

 Mr Lizard paused to pose for me

Very nervous little ground squirrel on  the look out for possible trouble.

A rattlesnake.  We gave him all the time he needed to cross the path.

Hummingbird getting a quick drink.

And of course, here is my favorite critter, Horacio, the Great Horned Owl.   I had not heard him who hooo ing lately.  I was walking around the complex and just as I was wondering if he was gone, I heard Who hooo hoo and there he was.