blooming – Tales From The Hive

Or unknowns of the Arizona desert (or lots of pictures and fewer words!)

The desert is mysterious. In Arizona, it will be different every spring based a number of factors. There has to be a triggering rainfall in the autumn, as well as some rainfall in January or February, and then no excessive heat (which means over 90).

It definitely all came together this year to produce “super blooms”. It truly was a wonder. Almost like we were in a different place this March and April than we were last year, but we aren’t.

Every week the blooms were different. These are some of the first!

Then the super blooms hit. And the experience of hiking in the desert while these flowers bloomed was astonishing. Usually, in many places, it is quiet and oh so pleasant, with no crowds. In every direction, there is a view but usually tans, beiges and some green. But this spring, everywhere you looked in the hills there were colors, mostly yellow and orange . As you got closer, other colors appeared, including blue, purple, red and white. It was impossible to walk through this and not be blown over by the stunning landscape. Every time you turned your head, there was something to look at.

I have never see colors appear in the desert. On this day, there were large swaths of yellow on the hillsides.

Then as you hike, you personally get in the middle of the swaths of yellow and orange, and it becomes apparent that there are many colors, but some of them from tiny flowers.