Life in the Desert

Ironwood Trees in the Sonoran Desert

Jeff

My wife and I feel very fortunate to live in North Phoenix in an area that is considered “the desert.” It has its issues of course such as all the animals that want to eat our plants, invade our house and bite or sting us. Other than that, it is a beautiful area. No, really! It is very beautiful. So many people think of the Sonoran Desert as a desolate place, but it has a lot of color, a variety of plants and flowers and of course an abundance of animals.

We get pleasure from the natural landscape that surprises us with waves of color during certain times of the year. One such plant that found a home on our land without any human help is an Ironwood tree. It is amazing how this tree can survive with all of the animals digging holes around the roots and the dearth of water. Truth be told, I do “sneak” some extra water to it now and then although it doesn’t like our household water too much because of the salts and chlorine.

Here is a picture of the Ironwood tree that has seen its share of trials and yet it continues to provide a blanket of pink each spring. My only regret is that it wasn’t near one of our Palo Verde trees for the photo which, this year, have been covered with an overabundance of yellow blooms. Did someone say pollen?


Ironwood Tree in Bloom - Sonoran Desert
“Naturally Occurring Ironwood in North Phoenix”

To read more about Ironwood trees, click HERE!


JBRish.com originally published this post

 
See more JBRish gardening and desert gardening posts here HERE

A Very Different Pointe of View – Septuagenarian Style

Jeff

So what did you did you do this weekend? While this isn’t my actual birthday, life circumstances sometimes dictate the postponement of celebrations or, as in this case, the fast-forwarding to a special occasion.

It was with the greatest of ease that I slid from being a sexagenarian to that of a septuagenarian although the former did have a certain ring to it! It was almost painless and was less troublesome than I had thought a number years earlier.

My very best special friends of more than fifty years feted us in grand style. As a surprise, we were escorted to quite a dinner at the award winning Different Pointe of View restaurant nestled high into the hills overlooking downtown and north Phoenix.

This is the blurb from Hilton’s website:

“The award-winning Different Pointe of View offers modern American Cuisine and stunning views of the surrounding landscape.”

Sad to say I only had my iPhone, but I was able to gather a few representative pictures anyway and I hope they impart the beauty and elegance of the surroundings. The food was excellent as well and I will talk a bit about that too.

Here is the first photo I took looking north from the parking lot near the main entrance to the restaurant.

 

View looking North from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix

This is another picture in the same basic direction; perhaps a bit more westerly. It had rained the day before and the clouds still maintained some of their drama.

View looking North westerly from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix

Facing south, we can see the hills that surround the valley including South Mountain.

View looking South from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix

As a frame of reference, I placed an oval around the downtown area of Phoenix.

View looking South from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, with the city highlighted Phoenix

From the balcony of the restaurant, looking southeasterly, there were more mountains and houses off to the side of the hill. The sky was a beautiful color blue.

View looking South easterly from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant's balcony, Phoenix, AZ

Needless to say the food was superb as well. This is the entrée that I had:


The Pork Tenderloin entrée at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ
Picture courtesy of Hilton’s website.

The tenderloin was “spicy,” but not overly so. Those more gringo however, might want to focus on other offerings. Several of our friends had the short ribs which were reported to be outstanding. The bread service was unique in offering several toppings for the bread varieties. Everything was as it should have been; very good!

The view was equally stunning at night with the city lights, the lights of the cars and streetlamps adding to the romantic aura.

An evening view from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant's balcony, Phoenix, AZ

The patio was superbly landscape inviting diners to walk into the various outdoor “rooms” and nooks and crannies that abound.

The Different Pointe of View's beautifully landscaped balcony area, Phoenix, AZ

This picture shows the interior of the restaurant (left) with the door to the outside open (right) which melded the indoor and outdoor experience for total enjoyment.

An indoor/outdoor split view from The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

The hibiscus (below) and greenery were presented with dramatic flare!

A pretty, red hibiscus on the balcony at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

Naturally one would not expect the ordinary outdoor lamps at a Different Pointe of View.

Decorative outdoor lamps at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

Nice!

Decorative outdoor lamps (closeup) at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

The base of the lamp, with the associated shadows, also served in their role as a catchy design element.

Decorative outdoor lamp base (closeup) at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

While we had a lovely, well-paced birthday celebration, it was one those events that we would hope to prolong as much as possible, but alas the evening had to draw to a close. We made our way to the elevator where a spiraling staircase allowed some guests to descend at their own pace.

The spirial staircase at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

As we awaited the arrival of the car, we enjoyed the serenity of the fountains and started to fashion the memories of the evening just passed.

The tranquil fountains at The Different Pointe of View Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ

Thank you to my best friend and college roommate and his lovely wife (L & M), as well as our other very good friends Terry & Lora for making this a most memorable evening. Every time I drive by, I will certainly have a different “pointe of view.”

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous Life in the Desert entries HERE

Unique & Beautiful Boulder House, Scottsdale, AZ

Jeff

I live in an area of the Sonoran Desert that is close to North Scottsdale, Arizona. The desert is a special environment and it lends itself to some unique architecture. One such building is known as the Boulder House.

The Unique and Beautiful Boulder House, Scottsdale, AZ

As you can see, the house, which is a national landmark, is built into and around the boulders. These boulders however are unique in and of themselves as they have petroglyphs on them.

The Unique and Beautiful Boulder House, Scottsdale, AZ

The house is currently featured on a number of realty sites and you can get a glimpse of more than just the exterior. Here is a quote from the LuxuryDesertHideaways.com web page which has some amazing photos of the entire building;inside and out!

“The Rare and Unique Boulder House in North Scottsdale, with the site and petroglyphs on the National Register of Historic Places On almost 9 acres of unspoiled desert called ”The most Original Home in America” by author Stanley Marcus in the book “Quest for the Best! Also included in “The Home Book” of greatest world-wide home designs which includes “Falling Waters” and the “Vanderbilt”!

The World renowned Boulder House-one of the only Arizona Architectural Digest Cover Homes, designed by Charles Johnson has been featured in over 30 publications and international TV including The Discovery Channel. This residence is integrated into a massive outcropping of granite boulders that make up over 60% of the structure. It’s also a horse property right in the middle of North Scottsdale, near the Boulders Resort. Surrounded by the famous and exclusive Whisper Rock golf course on two sides.”

You can see a Vimeo video The Boulder House and here is what Vimeo has to say about it:

“Called ”The most Unique Home in America” by author Stanley Marcus! The World renowned Boulder House-one of Arizona’s only Architectural Digest Cover Homes, designed by noted architect Charles Johnson and featured in over 30 publications, books and international TV. This astonishing residence, on almost 9 acres off undisturbed desert, is integrated into a massive outcropping of granite boulders that make up over 60% of the structure. It’s also a horse property. The land’s ancient petroglyphs chiseled into the home’s exterior, earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. There is no residence like this in the world, and has a multitude of potential uses. Surrounded by natural and pristine desert and bordered by the Whisper Rock golf course.”

Cholla – Do Not Touch

Jeff

Life in the desert keeps me on my toes especially since I enjoy hiking when the weather is reasonable. There is a group of cactus in the Sonoran Desert known as Chollas and there is quite a variety of them. The picture below is part of a Cholla (cactus). Notice all of those thorns!

This is certainly one cactus you do not want to touch. If you study the “arms,” you can see that they are significantly segmented by design. Nature offers this advantage to the plant by allowing the appendages to easily break off and embed in the fur or skin of passing animals and perhaps drop off to gain a foothold elsewhere. They do easily embed in human skin via the same procedure; trust me!

While this would not be a prize winning picture, I appreciated the light outlining the needles on the arms and presenting the contrast of light and dark colors. I often find that there is interest and beauty all around if we take time to look.

Segmented Cholla along the Jewel of the Creek's Main Trail

A Cholla cactus found along the main trail at Jewel of the Creek riparian area, Cave Creek, AZ

Phoenix, AZ Weather – It Can Be Hotter Than You Think

Jeff

When I tell people I meet that I live in Phoenix, AZ, at some point in the conversation their eyes get real big and they generally ask something like: “How can you take the heat?” I then explain that during the hot weather, and when my wife and I are in “the Valley” (as it is called), we get up at 5AM to do all of the outside chores which are primarily gardening and we are back inside by 6:30 or 7AM.

After that, we focus many of our days on the 3Ms (not the manufacturing company): Museums, Malls and Movies. With that introduction, I would like to share a video of one of our area meteorologists who reported SIGNIFICANTLY higher than usual temperatures even for our very warm summer desert. Grab a cold drink before watching!

Hardenbergia – Desert Lilac Vine

Jeff

Hardenbergia close view

In the Sonoran Desert this is a transition time of year as we are moving from the cooler winter weather where the temperatures can be relatively low to the warmer daytime temperatures of mid-to-high seventies. This year it seems as though we have been breaking records with temps in the eighties already; yikes!

This has encouraged our Hardenbergia vine (Purple Vine Lilac) to put on quite a show. The wet winter without a frost and the warmer temperatures have our plant strutting her early spring finery!

Late afternoon hardenbergia spray with beee

The late afternoon picture (above) shows that the bees (upper left-ish) enjoy this plant as well.

What makes this post extra sweet for me is that this particular plant was a box store rescue. They had it on a discount table for $1. Of course it looked nothing like its current self and was a leaf or two away from the compost heap!

The photo below is one of my favorite (even though the shallow depth of field has only some of the plant in focus) because the bright yellow anthers look like little eyes and with a bit of imagination, I can see a face in some of these small flowers.

Another close view of the hardenbergia

Hardenbergia originates in Australia and likes to dry out between waterings which is well suited for the desert landscape with just a bit of extra care. It is often used as a ground cover down under, but with the critters we have in the desert, we don’t need to create more hiding places!

Here is a picture of the complete vine which is more than six feet tall!

Full length picture of the hardenbergia vine; higher than six feet

You can read more about Hardenbergia violacea here


See more JBRish gardening and desert gardening posts here HERE

Gazania Mania

Jeff

During our hot summer it is difficult to find plants that can “take the heat” and keep on blooming or even surviving for that matter. One of our favorites is the Gazania. Well, I am happy to report that they can take the cooler weather as well. While we do protect them from any frost, the cold weather has slowed them a bit, but has not stopped the parade of blooms and the array of colors.

Here is our bicycle planter with Gazanias in the planter-box basket

 

Orange Gazania in Bicycle Planter

Pink Gazania in Bicycle Planter

Closeups reveal the interesting streaking found on the flower petals with the dark starburst-like ring in the centers.

Orange Gazania Flower Closeup

Yellow Gazania Flower Closeup

Light Orange Gazania Flower Closeup

Pink Gazania Flower Closeup

For more information about growing Gazanias, you can read the following article:

How To Grow Gazania Treasure Flowers: Care Of Gazania Flowers

Winter’s Light and Color in the Desert

Jeff

Anyone living in Sonoran Desert will gladly acknowledge the extremes in temperatures with a knowing smile. The winter temps can get as low as freezing and of course the summers, oh the summers, can soar to near 112 degrees plus at times.

One advantage, if you will, is that with the appropriate timing, one can hike and enjoy nature all year long.

Although it is winter in the desert, we still have “fall color.” I am not suggesting that the colors of fall in our desert can compete with New England or other areas of the world where there are an abundance of shades and hues, but we do have some color. Mostly that color is gold and yellow.

We took a hike last week in mid-afternoon when temps were in the mid-50s. This saguaro was haloed in a bright yellow light with the light green and yellow leaves of the plants in front accentuating the columnar display.

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Birds such as this Black Phoebe were enjoying the sun and the nearby stream on this autumnal-like winter’s day.

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As we were leaving the hiking trail and thinking about heading home, I looked back to witness this beautiful vista.

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I thought a closeup would prove even prettier and although it is colorful, I like the wider view above.

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With the contrast of light and dark on the first picture of the saguaro, I thought perhaps with a bit of cropping, it would make a good subject for a black and white picture. Do you like the black and white or the color version?

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JBRish.com originally published this post

Winter Holiday in the AZ Desert

Jeff

I don’t know what most people think about the winter holidays in the Sonoran Desert, but it is celebrated here much the same as it is all over the United States and perhaps the world. We do have a few differences, however. Below are some photographs taken at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix earlier this month.

Poinsettias and cyclamen are popular Christmas plants because of their red, green and white colors and their suitability to cooler temperatures.

poinsettias and white cyclamen

Planters with variations of this assortment can be found in numerous locations at the Desert Botanical Garden this time of year.

poinsettias and white cyclamen

Naturally we do accent some of them with our desert favorites like the agave and aloe in this grouping.

poinsettias, white cyclamen with an agave and aloe

And this taller cactus contrasted with poinsettias.

tall desert cactus accented with red poinsettias

For evening visitors to the DBG, there are metal sculptures with votive candle holders to add to the celebratory nuance of the season (pictured here unlit during the daytime).

metal sculpture of a candle tree

Recognizable in any locale is the relatively standard Christmas wreath!

Christmas wreath with red ribbon and shiny balls

That is not to say we don’t have our quirky desert expression of the season such as…

Cactus with Santa hats

Picture courtesy of AZ Landscape Creations

Happy Holidays form JBRish in the Sonoran Desert!

 

Desert T-Shirts

Jeff

Living in what I call a designated tourist area such as Phoenix, Arizona has both positive and negative aspects. Of course during those months that are cold in a good part of the United States and Canada, we have an influx of tourists, part-time residents and guests.

When guests come to visit us, one of the areas we like to take them is Old Town Scottsdale. There are some historical attractions which we look at, but the gift shops of all varieties are the real draw.

As the resident Phoenician, I get a kick out of going to the tourist shops to see what new desert themed T-shirts are displayed. They generally come in two categories, 1 – The beauty or uniqueness of the desert or 2 – Poking fun at the unusual life styles and/or environment of the desert.

The t-shirt below reminds us of the beautiful wildlife we have in the area. We do have some extraordinary lizards, although nothing quite like the one pictured.

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Of course Phoenix is a big draw as well as Scottsdale…

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And to celebrate the heritage and uniqueness of the desert…

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Then there are those that make fun of the harsh environment and cowboy atmosphere and this one tackles both…
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115 degrees is hot, but c’mon it beats 30 inches of snow, doesn’t it?

One of my favorites this day was this punful one…

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All of these T-shirts were found at Scottsdale Southwest Gifts and Apparel just north of the Scottsdale Historical Museum on the same side of the street.

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I am not making a recommendation although I have made purchases there. Many stores offer unique apparel both authentic southwest as well as humorous or stylized southwest items.

When you visit Scottsdale’s Old Town, be sure to bring your camera and your sense of humor. I am sure you will have a good time. Don’t forget the Scottsdale Historical Museum in the center of Old Town.