A walk in the desert

Our Minnesota Landscape Arboretum membership entitled us to free entry to Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden, which was our destination today. It was 83 degrees in the Valley of the Sun -- gorgeous weather.

This critter -- Texas Mountain Laurel -- smells like grape candy and as you walk through the trails, when the breeze is just right, you get a whiff of grape.



At the entrance, this is a glass sculpture. I haven't played with the color settings on this at all. Look at the color of that sky!



But there was plenty of the real thing.



I took this one to give me some ideas for the backyard, you know... what with climate change and all.



The only frantic moment was after we took the picture at the top of the post, Carolie realized a little later that she'd forgotten her backpack/purse. We raced back to the spot, but it was gone. Fortunately, someone had found it and turned it in and the two were reunited. Big points again for you, Desert Southwest.

Happy hour by the pool while waiting for a load of laundry to finish.

Click the image below to go to the album and then click "slideshow."

A walk in the desert