Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Please excuse me while I take a brief departure from the fauna (did I hear a “phew?!”) and explore the flora side of nature here in the Sonoran Desert. Granted, it’s not the world in which I grew up surrounded by riotous displays of azaleas, dogwoods, and daffodils (oh my!) but more subtle and rare, making one appreciate what is offered all the more.

Due to a few good winter rainfalls, the wildflowers are plentiful this year and provide sharp contrast to their surrounding cacti and scrub. I love the colorful carpet they lay.

Except for the poppies, I don’t know what they are called but also don’t really care as long as I get to look at them.

I think this might be a lupine yet we are in Arizona, not Colorado, and frankly I don’t know how they could grow in such dissimilar climates.

Clover? Thistle? My ignorance does not interfere with my bliss.

Wee daisies? I love how their bright yellow contrasts against the dull rocks and sand.

There are more, many more, and I had planned on photographing them all until this guy distracted me. Sure, he was tiny but, unsure of his species, I gave him a wide berth. After meeting him, I lost my enthusiasm for snapping pictures and high-tailed it home.

HH says he is a non-poisonous glossy snake so apparently I wasn’t in mortal peril or anything. Yet I know by his presence, the climate has warmed enough to awaken his less docile and venom-filled cousins, giving an edge of danger to my morning walks. Maybe I was just meant to have a big fat arse.

Comments

[Nancy K.]

..."Maybe I was just meant to have a big fat arse."

Weren't we ALL????? Except, Michelle but she's an athlete.

I love the wild flowers! How beautiful!! Thanks for sharing

[Molly]

Oh the flowers are just beautiful!! We have lovely wisteria and azaleas here in east Texas, the daffodils are over already though.

I think the snake is a garter snake of some sort. My children brought one(different kind from yours) home from the park yesterday so the research is fresh on my mind. You can see pics on my blog if you want. We love snakes 'round here, they eat the rodents!

[meg]

The poppies are California poppies I think... and yes, that is a lupin. There is a dryland variety and we have those here too. Thanks for sharing ... after the snow yesterday it seems like we are a ways out from Spring still.

[Suzanne V. (Yarnhog)]

The purple thingy is not a thistle, but a variety of statice (sea lavender). And that appears to be a ribbon snake (or whip snake), one of a variety of fast-moving but harmless garden snakes, although they will bite--hard and repeatedly--if you try to grab them!