exposure by Cherie LangloisPrickly pear cactus is a tourist fave .
Our prison term in the desert fly by in a sandstorm blur .
We take a scenic boat drive on Saguaro Lake ( strange to see so much pee – and bald eagle ! – in this dry land ) , revel a night of eclectic euphony at the Arizona Opry ( Elvis was there ) , chaffer Old Tucson movie studios ( gosh , those cattleman are cute ) , and boost through bird mecca Madera Canyon ( spotted idle turkey , lots of hummingbirds ; missed the desired Elegant Trogon ) .
We also enter in some less - touristy activities , like running around the neighborhood golf form at dusk take care for javelina and bobcat , only to find about 1,000 bunnies ( and one pack rat ) instead . Hello ? bobcat ? You ’re entirely missing out here .
We manage to squeeze in some quality clock time with my family , too .
But the star magnet is the Sonoran desert , a broken , burry , sunshine - strike position completely unlike home .
I get it on people raise farm animal here – we see Equus caballus and scrappy cattle – but I ca n’t suppose my own zoo go in this desolate body politic full of venomous snake , threats of heat diagonal , and spine - armored plants .
Here ’s just a sampling of the desert pricklies we dislodge into ( not literally , give thanks good ! ):
Arizona Barrel Cactus : These stout cacti sport hooked spines and tend to angle to the southwest . Sometimes they lean so far they go down decent over .
Brown - spin Prickly Pear : This cactus specie has thin , green oblong pads with spaced bunch of retentive , unbent spines . Juicy red prickly pear yield make delicious candy , jam , and syrup – popular southwestern souvenir .
Ocotillo : During dry time , these left , marvelous plant expect like deadened , thorny sticks . When the rains come , though , they bristle all over with small green leaves . Hummingbirds adore the red-faced bloom .
Velvet Mesquite : For the indigenous mass here , this thorny , deciduous tree with the feathery leaves offered up a hoarded wealth trove of fuel , shelter , solid food , dyestuff , medicine , and more .
Jumping Cholla : We’ve learned to give this bristling , many - bifurcate cactus a broad situation on our rise ; its evilly barb sticker are famously difficult to yank out .
Saguaro : My hands - down favorite , this desert icon can grow up to 50 feet tall and live over 150 years . It wo n’t even arm or flower until it reaches the advanced older age of about 70 !
Each twelvemonth , the Tohono O’odham Indians reap the yield of this cactus for its tasty ruddy pulp .
Back in Washington , I ’m hit by how soft and nerveless everything depend : soft green pastures , furry fir tree , puffy rain clouds .
Wet and dismal , too , but I ’m try not to dwell on that . It ’s still nice to be home on the farm .
~ Cherie
PS . Thanks Mom and Dad for a terrific time in the desert !
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