Chuparosa in full bloom.
The desert is changing color!
When I arrived, in late January, it was yellow. Perky little daisies - Brittle Brush - everywhere I went.
Desert Globe Mallow
Two weeks later, Globe Mallow began to blossom, giving the desert a brand new, and bright orange, personality.I happily wasted the better part of an afternoon meandering Spur Cross Ranch, to photograph this pretty girl.
And, then came the reds. That gorgeous, jaw-dropping, terra cotta red. The color I always think of when I'm thinking of the desert Southwest.
This is the Ocotillo - bursting forth on 6 -10 foot tall, gangly, prickly stems with stunning clusters of (edible!) red blooms.
And, right when I thought it couldn't get any prettier... up pops a POPPY!
Well, not just one Poppy. Plentiful Poppies! Mexican Poppies blanketing the hillsides.
I don't remember her name. Horses are the only thing we have in common.
It inspired a horse back ride with a few new friends - who quite literally met up on a horseback riding bulletin board because we wanted to ride and we didn't want to ride alone. (Having a horse is not much different than taking your pup to a dog park. It takes like 5 minutes to meet great people who are a lot like you.)
I'm not sure why I love horses so much. But, sometimes I think the #1 reason is because it's a whole lot easier to climb those high hills when the horsie is doing most of the work! :)
Cave Creek, Arizona, is a crazy, eclectic horse town.
We rode into town, tied our horses to a hitching post, outside the restaurant, and had ourselves some lunch ~ cowgirl style!Then, we took the long way home.
Where I spotted some purples and blues.
Shock o' the world, there is a Desert Lupine! And, what appears to be a Canterbury Bell! (I don't know the correct names of these.)
I'm from Minnesota - where Lupines shrug off that ridiculously cold weather...
It's so hard to imagine they would grow well down here. But, I guess we all flourish with a wee bit o' sunshine.
Here's hoping y'all had a wonderful week.
~ kate
* I rented my house to a snow lover, in exchange for this house, in sun country. I'm visiting Cave Creek, AZ for 6 weeks this winter. My! How time flies! Next week, it is time to go home.
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