These photos were taken on our recent White Tank Mountain trip. Click to enlarge any photo. The desert is lush and beautiful right now because of the recent rains. On this trip, we didn't see or hear any wildlife at all. Maybe they were hiding in the abundant grass and bushes on the desert floor.
You can see the steam from the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station from almost any area in the West Valley. It is located about 55 miles west of Phoenix, and it produces the most power--of any kind of power producer--in the whole United States. The plant was up and running in 1988.
According to Arizona Public Service, "Palo Verde is the only nuclear plant in the United States that does not sit on a large body of water. Instead, it uses treated effluent from several area municipalities to meet its cooling water needs, recycling 20 billion gallons of waste water each year."
This barrel cactus must have had some kind of damage to its top at one time. It looks like another, smaller cactus was grafted on top!
This Saguaro cactus is tenacious and just determined to live! I can't tell if the broken part is an arm, or maybe part of the trunk. Whatever it is, it's growing the two arms, which could mean it is a trunk. I'll check back in a few years--'God willing and the creek don't rise' to see if these two cactus are still alive and thriving. I can't wait for the next trail ride!
6 comments:
Great shots... the second one, with the distant saquaros against the sky, really impresses me for some reason...
Please check back on that damaged saguaro... I blew it up, and it does look like the trunk to me. I read somewhere that saquaros don't grow quickly and they don't die quickly... they can be technically dead for three years before they finally turn brown... and even bloom during that time! Which is why transplanting them is so misleading, as it can be in your yard and blooming and looking pretty good until, a couple years later...
Anyway, thanks for sharing your trip with us...
Great pictures! I think this is the best time of year to go checking out the desert!
Claude- How well I know about transplated cactus! I bought two 15 foot saguaro when I first bought my house. Two years later.....gone, along with most of the neighbors cactus.
Dee- I love this time the best! I only miss Aug. and Sept. Then we heard up north!
You know seeing this terrain looks like something out of a sci-fi novel! Just so amazing from where I sit here on the other side of the states! Neat photos!!! I wish you would consider joining us on Cactus Monday...you could show your beautiful photography to us! Let me know if you want to join us and I will tell Teri, our fearless leader!!! YOU WOULD LIKE IT!!!!
I keep meaning to ask, and then forgetting...
How did your sweet peas do this year? For some reason, I've been worrying about them.
Claude- Funny you should ask- posting about them now! tHESE ARE THE FIRST!sTILL NOT MANY BLOOMING YET. My Aloe IS ALMOST READY TO BLOOM -EVERYTHING IS LATE AT MY HOME!
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