Spring in the Desert

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I traveled from chilly Wisconsin to sunny Arizona. Exiting the plane, a soft blanket of warm air embraced me. It was heavenly! After a quick stop at baggage claim and the restroom, I exited the building and fell in love.

I’ve always loved palm trees, and there were plenty of those. There were also more cacti than I could ever count in different shapes, sizes, and colors.  Even the sides of the interstate were beautiful!

The ride to my aunt’s house passed quickly as I took in the beautiful landscape. Rugged and wild, yet filled with such beauty, it spoke to my heart. I felt myself relax as I prepared for a week of vacationing fun in the sun. Girls week with my mom and aunt had begun!

When we arrived at my aunt’s house she told us about a cactus whose flower only lasts a day. Her neighbor had one, so after filling our tummies, we headed over to see if there were any flowers blooming. There were, and they were beautiful – and huge! Seriously, they were as big as my head.

My camera battery had died on the flight so all I had with me was the camera on my cell phone. I snapped a memory, just in case that was the only flower I saw. The next day that flower was indeed wilted, but there were a few more buds that had bloomed overnight.

I discovered that even though the bloom only lasts a day, the buds don’t all bloom on the same day. Spring had come early to the desert, and the entire week I was able to enjoy the blooming flowers of this beautiful cactus.

Later in the week, with camera battery fully recharged, we walked over to the neighbor’s house to see if there were any more flowers in bloom. I was thrilled to find the cactus full of beautiful white flowers accentuated by small yellow flowers, the rocky lawn, and a small stone fence. I couldn’t have asked for a prettier picture.

I can’t say for sure, but I’m pretty sure God sent spring to the desert a little bit early, just for us! And that, my friends, is the story of how I captured Spring in the Desert. Click to Tweet.

Until we meet again,

Josie