Deserere

This morning was sad for me. My father in law, sister in law and brother in law left to go back to S.C. They were with us all this past week. We had a wonderful time together. I miss them! Since yesterday was their last day we took them out to the local regional park to see more of the local desert sights. The sky was crystal blue and the temperatures were in the high 70s. We took a walk along one of the trails and Kerry took some beautiful photos of blooms, cacti, and he even caught some shots of a little desert hare.

I learned that the word desert is derived from the latin word "deserere" which means "abandoned". However, if you venture out there you will see that the desert is far from forsaken. I am amazed at the abundance of life found there. I cannot wait until spring to go back out and see more flowers. I think God gives us sweet messages from the desert. Sometimes my heart feels abandoned or empty like the desert. However, if I ask Him to fill me up with His presence, He will come and cause beauty to grow in the most barren places. Our God is full of surprises and I am blessed by His creation! Enjoy the photos!

Mexican Gold PoppyThese little beauties bloom in the desert from the months of February through May. They carpet the desert floor with their yellow and orange hues.


Indian Paintbrush Flowers


Abundance of life in the desert
Kerry took this great shot of a little rabbit playing in the desert

Brittlebush
There are already signs of spring in the desert.These little blooms have two sets of leaves. One set is for cooler weather. They are deep green which enables them to absorb more sunlight. In the intense heat, paler green leaves with little white hairs appear which acts as a sunscreen for the leaves to help keep them from getting burned.