Golden Friends

    Last week we had a special treat when Ohio friends Larry & Connie came to visit us for a few days.   Larry had been a chemistry major with Kent.  He retired earlier this year, and they were planning a trip to the national parks to celebrate.    Unfortunately the government shut down ruined their park trip.  
      They decided to come west anyway since we had been planning this long overdue visit for months.  We were glad they did.  It was great to see them again.   We picked up the friendship as if it had only been a few months, not 30+ years, since we had been together.   Golden friends are like that.
     We took them to the Desert Botanical Gardens, one of my favorite places in Phoenix.   They had never seen so many cacti.   I remember thinking that, too, the first time I visited there.    

 

     We had lunch on the patio at Gertrudes at the Desert Botanical Gardens.   Yummy as always. 

     The butterfly pavilion was filled with Monarchs, too.

 

      Another day we went hiking in the White Tanks.   This county park doesn't compare to a national park, but it is beautiful in its own desert way.   Unfortunately there weren't any plants in bloom this time of year.   

    

 

We took the Black Loop trail, an easy and popular trail.   

 

      They visited other great Arizona sites--Sedona, Jerome, Tombstone--and we had lots of grilling out on the patio time.   We've already made plans to visit their lake house in Ohio.  

      And we're not going to wait 30 years to do it!

    

Fiddlenecks and Globe Mallows

Here are a few more pictures from the White Tanks.

Fiddlenecks were very plentiful this year.

The breeze always seemed to pick up whenever I clicked the shutter! Of all the pictures I took, this was the sharpest of the flower detail.

Globe Mallow comes in orange and yellow, but I only saw orange ones at the White Tanks. They stood out against the Brittlebush and lupines.

We saw a number of hikers on the Black Rock Loop trail, many of them with cameras. But the area is so large that it never seemed crowded. The Black Rock trail is a very easy couple of miles. In fact, the first part of it is groomed enough for a wheelchair or stroller. It isn´t paved so it wouldn´t be easy, but it is do-able. The longer loop has some rolling spots, nothing too adventurous, and some rocky paths. But it is a very easy, enjoyable hike.

The Desert in Bloom - White Tanks Park

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The wet weather in February has paid off in beautiful wildflowers. The desert is now green and lush.

These photos were taken at the White Tanks, a Maricopa County park near where I live. One of my favorite places for a Sunday visit, which this was. The pix were taken March 25. The blue Lupines were spectacular.

I´m not sure of the name of this cactus. Claret Hedgehog, perhaps? The color was too good to pass up. Had to get down on my knees to get a close up, too!

These are Mexican Gold Poppies. We also sawBrittlebush and lots of blooms, which means I must go back next weekend. The creosote bushes smelled so good, too. I love their scent, although I know it isn´t for everyone.

We didn´t see any wildlife other than a few birds. I said it was too early for rattlesnakes--but I was wrong! Someone told me her neighbor had gone for a family hike this week and saw one in the parking lot!