Spring in the Desert

It's been a really wet winter here in the Southwest and that results a color we don't often see - green.

If you are in the Midwest (or anyplace else but the desert), this probably looks a bit stark, but for us this is absolutely lush.

Our green is different than the green of grass or oak trees or hydrangea bushes.  It is verde.  The exceptional rain we have had this year has made this cactus fat and happy.

Looks can be deceiving, though.  These are Teddy Bear Cholla (choy ya).  Don't you just want to reach out and stoke that fluffiness?  That would be a serious mistake as it has needles so small they can't be seen, but will bury under your skin.  Ouch!  Beauty here is meant to be observed, not touched or cultivated in another environment.

Sometimes I miss tulips, daffodils and lilies in the summer, but Mexican poppies are also perennial and have the brightest oranges and yellows.

We also have beautiful wildflowers in the brittle bush.  You may know recognize some of them in the heat of the summer or fall as tumbleweed.

It's not for everyone, but after 20 years, I can't imagine Spring any other way.

cindy