The Rhythms of Summer
Summer has officially arrived. Here in southern Arizona, the temperatures have been climbing into the triple digits for weeks. I’m taking my morning walk as soon as it gets light—before 5 am—and the temperature is usually already in the 80s. When I get back, I take my...
Pondering the Passage of Time
I’ve lived in the Tucson area for more than ten years now, but I’ve been visiting much longer. In fact, I used to visit as a child, when our family drove over from Albuquerque to celebrate Christmas or spend part of summer vacation with my paternal grandparents. Today...
Crested Cacti and Climate Challenges
The image above is of what’s called a crested or cristate saguaro in Sabino Canyon, on the east side of Tucson. There are a number of crested saguaros in the greater Tucson area and surrounding Sonoran Desert. There is also a lot of speculation around what causes this...
What Makes Wildflowers Wild?
It’s wildflower season here in the Sonoran Desert. I recently went on a hike out behind Picacho Peak with visiting family, and we encountered quite a few wildflowers coming into bloom. We’ve had enough winter rains that it should be a good year for wildflowers. Though...
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