The -- Mostly -- Desert Scene

We have a Saguaro growing in the back yard. Here are a few close up pictures; first the left side:

then the right side:

and finally the center:

Be sure to enlarge each of these (click on them) to see the full effect.

This hill sits above the Salt River. I thought it looked a lot like a ruined fortress. Here's a color and black and white view:


I probably won't post the next couple of days -- I need to take more pictures first!

There was one more surprise waiting for us when we returned from the White Mountains. In our backyard there is a flower bed with several flowering bushed in it, including two large Rosemary plants. I looked at the Rosemary plant, and this is what I saw growing beneath it:


Neither my wife nor I remember ever seeing these flowers before. It was probably just the right time of year -- we've only lived in Tucson a couple of years.

Here is a close up of one of the flowers: