This beautiful desert wilderness can be seen in less than a 30 minute drive from our new home. This is Vulture Peak near Wickenburg, Arizona. We stopped at the Vulture Peak Trailhead and took several pictures of the beautiful cholla and saguaro with the peak in the background. Click on the image to enlarge.
We took the dogs to the groomer today. While we were out running some errands, we took a very short drive out into the Vulture Mountains south of town. We seldom do this, but had some time since the dogs were otherwise occupied and we felt like seeing some of our wonderful desert scenery up close.
I composed this panoramic image along the roadside of a local mountain ridge with a rock outcropping on the left in the foreground and Vulture peak in the distance on the right. This view shows a saguaro-studded landscape with a sprinkling of teddy bear cholla and palo verde trees. Click on the image to view the full-sized panorama.
This is a view of the Vulture Mountain Range located south of Wickenburg. Verna took this photo from US 60 southeast of the range and I cropped it into this panoramic view. Vulture peak, the highest point in the range, is the prominent feature in the distance near the center of the panorama.
We like to say when the autumnal equinox happens that we’re in “Second Spring.” The temperatures aren’t over 100 degrees like in the summertime, only reaching to 98 or 99. When the thermometer starts peaking at only in the 70’s, then Fall is finally here and second spring is over. That is likely to be around Halloween or after.
This time of year, we’re still seeing the Turkey Vultures (Buzzards to some) soaring overhead. I took this photo of a buzzard swooping low this morning.
Our “Devils Tongue” barrel cactus usually has its flower power in the fall. This is a close-up of one of the flowers surrounded by other flowers, flower buds and (below) cactus fruit ripening. Image courtesy of Cap’n Bob.
Click on either image to enlarge.
OK — the first day of Spring and the Equinox are here. The nights of darkness and days of sunlight are of equal lengths, according to the official astronomical ephemeris. However, at our particular latitude and longitude here in Arizona, the day length grew to just over twelve hours last Wednesday per the actual observed sunrise to sunset times. So, we can look forward to longer days peaking at the Summer Solstice and then on to the Fall Equinox when they fall back to be less than 12 hours again.
As of a couple of weeks ago, the Turkey Buzzards have begun to migrate back to Arizona and other northern places, I assume. These vultures bring the promise of warmer conditions for us, although there is still some cooler weather and precipitation still headed our way.
Even though it will be a month or more before the Pride of Barbados or Red Bird of Paradise shrubs to return from their winter slumber (we cut them back to nearly ground level in the fall). We expect that the hummers will begin to take advantage of the nectar when the gorgeous flowers return to our courtyard.
Enjoy the warmer weather and longer daylight. We know we will be enjoying the spring weather, birds and flowers.
Images courtesy of Verna.
After visiting the Wickenburg Sportsmen’s Club on Saturday, we drove down a road along the east bank of the Hassayampa River This view shows Vulture Peak in the distance and the river in the foreground. The town is in between the two landmarks. Click on the image to enlarge.
