DESERT WILDFLOWER PICTURES!!

[California Girl]

Last Friday we drove out to Anza Borrego Desert to see the wildflowers. What a treat! This is a particularly great year, sometimes they don't bloom at all. I have to say it was amazing and the Ocotillo (pr. oko-tee-oh) weren't even in bloom yet.

I've posted our best pictures on pbase and if you care to have a preview of spring, this would be it!

ENJOY! HAPPY EASTER!!

http://www.pbase.com/thegripps/root

[cptnkirk]

Gorgeous CG Neat to see all that color in such a dry place. I can't wait for the daffodils bloom here in Ohio, until you see that springs not here. I have wild flowers all around our home, will post some when summer hits.

[sea-nile]

Real nice CG!

[liamsaunt]

Beautiful!

With the weather we've been having here, I am expecting flowers around oh, say, July!

[verjoy]

Lovely CG, Coyote Canyon is amazing!

Thanks for posting.

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

Let us know if you want another picture of the snowy/frozen lake. We can give you an update. Got a lot of snow/sleet today which helped us NOT see the grass anymore. We were sooooooo close. We had patches of grass. Not green grass but bare ground.

Oh well. Spring soon come. Even here in Wisconsin, right?

Happy Birthday Pete!!!!

[linne]

Really great pics, CG. Must be nice to have such a fantastic landscape not so far away.

Linne

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[California Girl]

Nice avatar Margo. How did ya get that hat on the donkey? lmao

I gotta tell ya' Jorge, it wasn't easy!

[Lex]

Beautiful shots. I've never spent much time in deserts, definitely never seen them in bloom. I'd love to, though. So this is seasonal rather than after rains?

[linne]

CG, I have just showed your pictures to hubby.
Perhaps we will come and see the place some day!

Linne

[California Girl]

Lex - The deserts bloom every year, but sometimes you have to really search for a flower. Blooms like this year's happen only when we've received a lot of rain during the winter. Fortunately even though our rains came late this year, they came in time to make flowers everywhere! The last time Anza Borrego bloomed like this (that I can remember) was about 4 years ago. And even then you only have about a 2-week window to hit it right.

So Linne - Watch our weather! When you see us getting lots of rain, plan your trip for mid-March! It seems the wildflowers always bloom mid to late March. If you plan your trip accordingly you could also see the poppies out in the Antelope Valley (3 hrs. drive north of us and worth the trip!)

I'm currently watching the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve website and they post current pictures of how the California Poppies are progressing: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=627 We'll probably go out there next weekend. Here's are a few pictures from about 4 yrs. ago - it's like The Wizard of Oz!!

[California Girl]

Oh, by the way, the Antelope Valley is considered the "high desert" and Anza Borrego, I believe is the Sonoran Desert (I'm not positive). They are very different kinds of deserts.

I happen to love the desert any time of year. I always think it's beautiful and it feels so clean. There are so many wonderful things to see in the desert. I think many people don't give it the credit it deserves!

[linne]

CG, seing your pics I understand why you love the desert!

Linne

[Agent99]

Just gorgeous CG!! I was able to tag along with 86 who had a conference in Scottsdale last week. We managed to take a ride up into the Tonto National Forest. I'll download my photos when I get a second today and put them up. They too are having a great spring of wildflowers. I wish we had more time to see them.