I’ve not spoken to anyone who works in the Monument and am wondering when the last rain was. Many of the ocotillo, which reserve their leafing and blooming for rain times, are in leaf with remnant blossoms. Otherwise, there’s nothing in bloom; it’s still early and more rain will be needed. I had the extraordinarily good fortune once to arrive in the Mojave Desert at just the right time after just the right rainy winter and innocently head into the Sierra foothills for a hike. I had to walk with care; the flowers had left little space to get around without harming them. After a few hours I reached a high ridge and peered over to discover an entire valley turned colorful. This was only a few years after my first Alaska spring; once the snow melted and revealed ground, I’d not seen in seven months it took little time to bloom in a vast array completely new to my eyes and expectations. These are gifts never forgotten.
#Mojave #CaliforniaDesert #Desert #ocotillo #mojavepoppybloom
Image: Public Domain, National Park Service
