Arizona sunsets are both fiery and soft, and today I'm showing the soft side. I took this first batch in Catalina State Park, just a few miles up the road from my house north of Tucson. Those are giant saguaro cactuses, which are only found in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and the adjacent area of Mexico. Saguaro is pronounced "suh-wah-roe."
The cactus below is a prickly pear, much more widespread than the saguaro.
Shortly after I posed for this photo I almost stepped on a rattlesnake in the middle of the trail! I couldn't wait to get back to the car as night closed in.
While the sun was setting in the west, the moon was rising in the east, with this saguaro seeming to reach its arms out to greet it.
The next night, I photographed the sunset from in front of my house. It's a spectacular show that goes on every night. There are always fiery colors near the sun, but off to the left and right the colors are soft apricot, lemon, pink, lavender and blue-grey.
Last night we had some big, heavy clouds illuminated by the sun. A few hours later, they burst and rain pounded down, accompanied by thunder and lightning. It was a preview of the monsoon season, which goes from mid-June through September in Arizona.
When I went for my walk this morning, I saw smoke rising from the mountains behind my house where lightning had set off fires overnight. I watched a helicopter dump water on the fires, but the news station said no buildings were in danger. Never a dull moment!
Have a colorful day
Fabulous storm cloud pic. I'd actually been thinking about watching out for scorpions, remembering a story a friend told me about visiting his parents in Arizona I think, finding one in his bedroom. So long ago I can't remember if he found it between the sheets or in his shoe. It put him off any notions of relocating to that area (a western WA native). But rattlers - I'd never go out on a trail again!
ReplyDeleteWell, I can see where "there's never a dull moment" but what beautiful moments! Even the storm clouds! I think it's just beautiful! Hope you're getting a long just fine...minus any snakes! UGH...but we have snakes in our yard here in Michigan!!! So guess it doesn't matter where you live, right! You look very happy and content!!!! Yea for you!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou take such beautiful photos! And of course your narratives make for delightful reading. Yes, fire season is here, but at least the monsoons can help. We don't actually expect the rains up here for another month or so, but you're closer to the gulf and I saw a weather map yesterday that there's a hurricane forming in the gulf, so you might get the benefit of some more rain from it. Glad you're enjoying the beautiful sunsets and clouds, and thanks for sharing with us!
ReplyDeleteOops, my bad... not a hurricane, a tropical storm. As you were... ;-)
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