This photo updates the destruction of the mountain I wrote about before. They are putting in some retail stores in my community. They've cleared the construction area by blasting and grading the mountain, and actual building construction has started.
The store walls are going up, despite the slowing economy. It looks like the fall opening is still on target. Everyone is excited, even though it will bring more traffic and people to the area. Right now, we have to drive 13 miles just to get groceries, so in one way the retail center will be a good addition.
Our little community has been somewhat isolated for nearly 20 years. The community started just before the savings and loan debacle of the late 1980's, which slowed down progress because the owner of the project was, ta--da--Charles Keating! After the development's subsequent bankruptcy it was sold a couple of times, and then more home builders came in, but it's been slow. Just before this recession, building was at an all time high, and then it all went bust. It seems we take one step forward and then fall two steps back. The slowness of the development has been nice because it has remained so peaceful and beautiful, but we can't stop change or progress!
The railing on the side of the mountain must be for safety--maybe to prevent falling rocks or falling people. Just guessing!
My neighbor's Ocotillo is in full bloom. The orange flowers are unusual, as most Ocotillo flowers are red around here. Some Ocotillo flowers are a red-orange, but these are just plain orange-orange. We rarely see yellow or white ones. In late winter and spring the flowers come alive--if they get some moisture. They will last until July. The canes are sometimes used to make fences, corrals and Ramada roofs. An Ocotillo fence of canes will sometimes come alive. When it rains, the seemingly dead canes get green leaves all over them.
Today is the first day in quite a while without wind. We've had more windy days this year than any other on record. Wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour have been frequent! It will start up again tomorrow. A lot of my flowers have just given up--blown over, burned edges or just dead! The wind just sucks out any moisture left in them.
The sweet peas are forming seed pods, so it looks like an early summer planting of Vincas are in order for this month. We're still working on the front door refinish--I am allergic to sawdust and I haven't been much help with all the sanding. The older I get the longer it takes to complete projects. I think part of the problem is that I forget what I should be doing....
2 comments:
Ocotillo will survive here, but my seedlings didn't make it. I guess I could buy a plant, but they're so darned expensive here!
It's nice that you'll be able to get some shopping done locally, eventually...
It is hard to see the desert destroyed for more cement- but it will be nice that you won't have to travel so far for groceries.
The Ocotillo is beautiful- I had two huge ones in my front yard when I moved in but they just fell out of the ground during the monsoon rains the last two years.
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