Author: Linda

Adaptation

  • January 13, 2020
  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Saguaro National Park

Adaptation keeps plants alive. Creosote trees have minuet wax-like coated leaves. Even with the leaves shed during droughts, photosynthesis can still occur as the green bark is rich in chloroform.

The trunk of a Saguaro tree is pleated. During rain, water is stored in expandable pleats which actually increase the circumference of the trunk.

  1. Creosote tree
  2. Minuet Creosote leaves
  3. Saguaro

Man-in-Black

  • Monday, 13, 2020
  • Tuscan, Arizona
  • Saguaro National Park

For the hike, I paired with another female solo walker. Imagine our surprise when we were passed by an older man, all in black, without water.

  1. View from trail
  2. Man-in-Black
  3. Hiker gaining distance

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So it’s Said?

  • Monday, 13, 2020
  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Saguaro National Park

Saguaro primer…Saguaro (suh-wah-roe) can grow 40 feet tall and often exceed 150 years. Their side arms can appear at 75 to 100-years. Sometimes no side arms form and those Saguaro are called spears. It’s native to the Sonora Desert and the blossom is Arizona’s state wildflower. A familiar image on Arizona licenses 🌵.

  1. Saguaro Cactus
  2. Spear Saguaro
  3. Saguaro Cactus

On Camelback

  • Sunday, 12, 2020
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Camelback Mountain

Iconic Camelback Mountain forms Phoenix’s backdrop. It’s quite the hike.

Half-way up the Cholla Trail is a helicopter pad. What might that be for?

  1. Helicopter landing pad
  2. Hiker’s approach to summit
  3. Success!
  4. View worth the climb
  5. Perspective from Phoenix Airport

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Game Show

  • Sunday, 12, 2020
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Dessert Botanical Garden

Desert “bare bones” primer:

  1. less than 10 inches of rain a year
  2. sandy
  3. arid
  4. great temperature range between day and night

Which of the four types of North American deserts are found in Arizona?

  1. Mohave
  2. Chihuahuan
  3. Great Basin
  4. Sonoran

Arizona is the only state to have all four!

  1. Flower
  2. Nature’s pollinator
  3. Flower

Japanese Garden

  • Saturday, 11, 2020
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Japanese Friendship Garden

What could be more appreciated than a place of tranquility within an urban location? Good fortune as the garden assistant was from Japan. Naturally we reminisced about Japan and our longing to return. Her soft voice, bowing posture, and a smile incorporating her entire face brought warm memories of Japan for me.

Shachi is the mythical fish that sprays water and causes rain. Since the 15-century, they have been used as charms against fire and can be found on the ridge of roofs.

  1. Japanese Friendship Garden
  2. Statue of Shachi
  3. Japanese Friendship Garden