Pandemic Diaries - Year 3, Month 2 - Goodbye to Arizona

8 May 2022

 

We're currently on our way back to Washington state, but I didn't have a chance to write a blog wrapping up our time Arizona, what with all the packing, cleaning, getting the car serviced.

But the cacti were beginning to bloom, and I always like to make note of that.  The prickly pear seem to be the earliest cactus to flower each spring - or at least I think they're prickly pear.  The flat oval plants covered in spikes, the ovals sort of stacking on top of each other.  

It's always amazing to see these dry, dusty, barely-green spiny plants burst into color in the spring.  The last time we were in Tucson, we were near a group of prickly pears that were covered in bright red flowers.  This year, the cacti near us had gorgeous yellow blooms with red centers.  All the bees were busily rolling in the bright yellow pollen, spreading around the dust and taking it home to add to their honey factories.

 

Some stores even sell jarred honey from different cactus flowers.  I have no idea how they know what honey comes from what flower, but they're labelled "prickly pear" or "saguaro" or whatever.

 

 

 

We also have blue palo verde trees, which have teeny tiny yellow flowers and sort of dusty green leaves.  Every so often we'll drive by a tree that is so covered in flowers, you can't even see the leaves - they really are amazing, and truly glow against the dusty landscape.

Our house has a few flowering plants outside, mostly lantanas - some all yellow, some a golden yellow with occasional pink.  The butterflies seem to really like lantana, as do the hummingbirds.  There are some other flowers, but they aren't quite as photogenic.  And yes, it does seem we mostly are seeing yellow flowers this year!

 

 

 

 

We spent one afternoon at the eastern portion of the Saguaro National Park.  Yes, this park is divided into two sections, with the city of Tucson and the interstate highway separating the two.  The western park is on the far side of one of the mountain ranges that ring the city, while the eastern park is out in the undeveloped part of the Sonoran Desert but vaguely in the Tucson metropolitan area.

 

We did our usual drive around the park, getting out at all the various viewpoints to look at the cacti and admire the views.  Especially the tall saguaros with the Santa Catalina Mountains as a backdrop - that was a really spectacular view!

 

As always, the saguaros look stately against the sky, but welcoming as they spread their arms to greet visitors.  

 

It hadn't been a wet winter and early spring, so the saguaros aren't as full and spread out as they might be at the end of rainy season.  Many of the cacti, such as saguaro and barrel cactus, have vertical accordian pleats along their sides, which enables the bodies to expand during wet season, held in the internal fibrous matter to keep the plants alive during dry seasons.  Ingenious way to survive in a desert climate!

 

We didn't see any exciting animals, just small creatures like lizards, birds, and butterflies.  I always hope to see a bobcat or coyote, but no such luck this time.  Perhaps just the wrong time of afternoon, or not late enough in the afternoon.  And one of these days, I really hope to see a cougar!  (I know, not too likely, but I can always hope that one runs by as I'm hiking, or driving.  Okay, maybe preferably while I'm driving, so I don't need to think about avoiding becoming lunch.)

 

 

At the entrance to the park, outside the building, was an amazing bas relief (low relief) mosaic mural portraying the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert.  It really was gorgeous, with all the various cacti (many in flower), as well as most of the animals that live in the desert.  Some of the animals look exceptionally friendly, like the cougar and the bobcat, which is rather funny since they are some of the fiercest desert animals.  But it isn't easy to make super realistic animals in clay, especially when they don't want to pose in front of the artist.  

There was a photo of the mural with labels, so viewers could look to see exactly what each animal or plant was - and there were little turquoise name plaques around the mural, giving the names of donors and honorees who helped fun the mural.  

There isn't much more I can say about this wonderful mural, so here are the photos.

And keep checking back, eventually I'll have time to catch up on our route north and what we've encountered along the way.

Until then, enjoy the photos of the mural!