Life in the Desert

Fall Hike – West Fork of the Oak Creek, AZ – Pt. 1

Jeff

Much of our lives were spent in the northeast and although we now live in the southwest and we are fond of the desert, once in a while we get the urge to experience a true change of seasons like those we experienced during the fall in our rural New Jersey home.

When this happens, we look to northern Arizona to satisfy our yearning. Recently we decided to take a November foray to an area just north of Sedona, AZ and hike the trail of the West Fork of the Oak Creek.

 

West Fork Trail #108 Sign

The trail is located off of highway 89A between mileposts 385 and 384. As always, dress appropriately, be sure to have waterproof/resistant footwear and perhaps bring an extra pair of socks. One other hint…many will find hiking sticks useful especially during the stream crossings. If you don’t have hiking sticks, a dead branch can usually be found along the way and often they are left at the trailhead sign.

Soon after we began, we were treated to this beautiful, red rock fall scene. It was a very crisp, clear fall day at the Oak Creek.

Beautiful Colors at the Trailhead Approach

Snow remnants

We were aware that it had snowed a week or so before our planned excursion, but we did not realize remnants would still be found. Mary picked up a handful; something we can’t do in the Valley of the Sun.

Mary grabs a handful of snow

As you may note, there are no officially maintained crossings of the stream which number thirteen each way for a total of twenty six. All hikers are left to decide the best route to attempt. Rocks are not always steady, logs are sometimes slippery and the dry footholds may be far apart. This provides some excitement and challenges. Many hikers brought their four-legged companions along for a frolic.

Mary at stream crossing; dog waiting

Gymnastics training could come in handy.

Gymnastic creek crossing

The creek widens and narrows along the route providing interesting and contrasting vistas among the red sand and rocks.

Contrast of stream and red rocks

Of course we need to mention the leaves; yes the leaves. In the desert, we don’t have fall leaf colors and shapes like these.

fall leaf colors

The contrast of reds, yellows and bronze against the dark bark and red cliffs was very pretty.

gold bronze leaves amid the gray of fall

Change was definitely in the air. Leaves were donning their seasonal finery as they fell to the ground or attempted to cling to the branches just a bit longer.

Leaves change color

The patches of dried, brown foliage also provided a pretty foil for the remaining snow which provided the background for the patterns of fall.

patterns of dead ferns against the snow

To be continued…

For more information about the West Fork of Oak Creek, Sedona including hours of operation, fees and restrictions, see the links below:

West Fork Oak Creek #108

Hiking the West Fork of Oak Creek

Trail Map of West Fork Oak Creek

Showy Queen’s Wreath – October, 2015

Jeff

Readers of JBRish know that we do quite a bit of gardening in our Sonoran Desert home. One of the showiest plants we have is our Queen’s Wreath (Antigonon leptopus). This is an easy-to-care-for vine that asks little more than enough water and fertilization with a standard blooming plant variety enhancer.

While the plant blooms through much of the growing season, it reaches a full flush at one point which is generally late summer or early fall. It is a stunner. Below is a picture of our coral Queen’s Wreath that we have covering an arched trellis.

Read more about the Queen’s Wreath here:

 

Stunning Coral Queen's Wreath



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Carefree, AZ – Enchanted Pumpkin Garden , 2015 – III

Jeff

The Carefree Desert Gardensis hosting a pumpkin fest this year and there is a schedule of events for family fun. Some of the days provide opportunities to watch sculptors at work creating their special brand of Jack-O-Lanterns. You can find more information by clicking here.

This is part three of a three part series about the Carefree Desert Gardens Pumpkin Festival. You can read the other posts here:

Part I, Part II

One of the more interesting venues at the Carefree Desert Gardens Pumpkin Festival is the ability to watch expert pumpkin sculptors at work. There is ample seating and shade for a good number of spectators so find your holiday inspiration here.

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A few of the carved pumpkins were quite whimsical and interesting. The appendages, it is noted, are not made of natural materials because they would be difficult to maintain and fashion according to need.

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A very clever displays is the one with the pumpkins diving off of a high stone wall into a bucket of water. Ooops! Apparently one pumpkin missed.

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Of course this is not to take away from the more artistic, if not serious, offerings.

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The planners put a lot of thought into this production as evidenced by the pumpkin picnic scene which is partially shown in the pictures below.

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Once again, I should mention the ever present gardens which are beautiful in their own right and what desert planting cannot be improved with some nested pumpkins?

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It is not easy being a pumpkin at this time of the year so after putting on such an interesting show, I think you will agree that these pumpkins have earned a good rest!

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Happy Halloween and safe Trick or Treating!

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*NOTE: The pumpkins in the scenes were made using artificial resources to keep them from being eaten by the native wildlife such as Javelinas. Also of note, some of the metal stands supporting the pumpkins in the “scenes” have been removed in the photographs.

Carefree, AZ – Enchanted Pumpkin Garden , 2015 – II

Jeff

Our previous post (see it here) about the Carefree Desert Gardens Pumpkin Festival provided a good overview of what you might find at the exhibit. In our second post we will follow up with more posed pumpkin scenes…*

Such as this Motorcycle pumpkin daredevil with feet flying behind as he ramps over his “volunteers.” Is that pumpkin all the way to the left praying?

Motorcycle Daredevil Pumpkin

Pushing your special pumpkin friend on a swing is always a fun activity.
Swinging pumpkins

Or perhaps you would rather go for a wheelbarrow ride, but I don’t suggest being too pumpkin bossy!
Pumpkin wheelbarrow ride

This pumpkin looks persnickety as he is walking his gourd dog!
Dog-walking pumpkin

For that very special pumpkin in your life, roasting marshmallows together is a very Halloween thing to do,
Roasting Marshmallows

But try to ignore the eerie looking toadstools growing at the left end of the log!
Spooky toadstools

Scootering is one way to travel around the festival to visit your pumpkin buddies.
Pumpkin on a scooter

Golf appears to be a very difficult sport for pumpkins.
Pumpkin golf

Halloween mischief may be at hand with at least one pumpkin spotted with a slingshot.
Mischievous Pumpkin with Slingshot

Carving pumpkins can create a mess and someone needs to help clean up.
Cleaning the pumpkin carving mess

And after the cleanup, there is time for a siesta!
Sleeping pumpkin

Of course don’t forget there are gardens to look at as well and I must explain that they have some very unusual “crested” cactus like the one pictured below. Also look for the large crested saguaro which is quite rare.
Crested cactus on display

*It is noted that the pumpkins in the scenes were made using artificial resources to keep them from being eaten by the native wildlife such as Javelinas. Also of note, some of the metal stands supporting the pumpkins in the “scenes” have been removed in the photographs.

An additional related post will follow!


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Carefree, AZ – Enchanted Pumpkin Garden , 2015 – I

Jeff

Just because we have temperatures over 100 degrees in the month of October doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate Halloween. That holiday is alive and well in the Sonoran Desert and the town of Carefree, AZ is in a spooky mood!

The Carefree Desert Gardensis hosting a pumpkin fest this year and there is a schedule of events for family fun. Some of the days provide opportunities to watch sculptors at work creating their special brand of Jack-O-Lanterns. You can find more information by clicking here.

To preserve the carved pumpkins, they are treated with a brine mixture and some are submerged in brine containers. In the picture below, for example, there is an artificial saguaro cactus containing a brine-filled glass container housing a carved pumpkin. Signs warn that although the saguaro may be fake, the needles are real; one way to discourage touching!

Saguaro with brined pumpkin

In the close up you will notice that there is a highlight at the top which is created by a blacklight. The gardens are open after dark and my assumption is the lighting adds to the mystery of the presentation.

Brined pumpkin with blacklight

There were many carvings in brine such as this bulldog

Carved Bulldog in Brine

a ferocious wolf

A carved pumpkin wolf

an Imp

A carved pumpkin imp

and a devilish character!

A devilish pumpkin character

*Other exhibits include pumpkins posed in human-like activities:

There was a William Tell wannabe and his target friend (not pictured),

William Tell-like pumpkin

It’s not easy being a pumpkin the desert so a nap is required every now and then

Tired, napping pumpkin

or perhaps a break relaxing by the pool.

Pumpkin relaxing by the pool

There are more than just pumpkins. There are witches hats although not the standard black issue.

An orange witch hat

Of course it is all about the carving by master pumpkin carver Ray Villafane.

pumpkin carver Ray Villafane

*It is noted that the pumpkins not enclosed in brine were made using artificial resources to keep them from being eaten by the native wildlife such as Javelinas. Also of note, some of the metal stands supporting the pumpkins in the “scenes” have been removed in the photographs.

Additional related posts will follow!



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Desert Snake – Coachwhip

Jeff

As noted in previous posts, I live in the desert southwest and one thing we have in our neighborhood is snakes. Yes, we have a good number of snakes. We don’t seem them every day, but every spring and summer we encounter several of them.

Unlike some people, I like snakes. I even like the poisonous snakes because they fulfill an important role of keeping the rodent population in check. I just wish the would have larger appetites so we didn’t see as many rodents in the desert.

One day I peered outside to see a Coachwhip commonly referred to as a Red Racer (Coluber flagellum piceus) because it is very fast. I had to be quick to get these two photos because once the snake decided to take off, it exited a break neck speed.

I think there is a lot of beauty in the coloration of this particular snake. The blurb below from the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum explains the derivation of the name.

Coachwhip Snake

 
Coachwhip Snake

This long, slender snake reaches lengths of 3 to 8¼ feet (90-260 cm) long. Quite variable in color, it can be tan, gray, pink, black, reddish-brown, or any combination of these colors. Broad crossbars may be present. The scales are smooth and the eyes large; the head is distinct from the body. Unlike the adults, young may have obvious dark brown or black blotches or bands on a light brown background. This snake receives its name from the braided appearance of its scales which resemble the whip used by stagecoach drivers in earlier days. Quote courtesy of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Read More About the Coachwhip:

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Reptiles of Arizona


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If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band* – Agaves

Jeff

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The huge agave spikes that towered over our front landscaping since late last year (see photo above) eventually peaked and then withered by mid-2015. These once proud giants made our yard look oddly majestic; but by late summer, the 20 foot poles started to lean dangerously into other plantings. The party was over. With monsoon winds in mind; we proactively cut the poles and then gave the remaining plant bases some additional time to weather and lose water weight to aid in disposal.

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First step in removing an agave is to cut off the spike as it will only get in the way. We save the spikes and use them for decorative purposes.

For the most part, these plants did not “go gracefully into that good night”. Agave “leaves” are fibrous, thick, pointy-ended weapons that require gloves to handle (and protective eyewear); and frequently must be removed with a saw.

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The next step is to remove the sharp-edged leaves. Yes, do wear eye protection and gloves.

And then there is the “root” itself …typically buried deep into the desert soil requiring (on occasion) ropes, a pick-ax, crowbar (and once) the horse power of a Subaru Forrester!

Once the agave is removed, disposal is no easy issue. The side of our home has become an “agave graveyard” where plant detritus continues to dry in the sun so they can subtly make their way into the weekly trash pick-up.

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This is how the side of our house looks while the agaves are weathering.

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The plants dry out and then they head for the trash bin.
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This is how the house now looks without all those spikes.

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We aren’t home free yet, as you can see above we still have several younger agaves which will spike in the future.

But there is an upside to all this destruction. Several agave spikes have been promised to friends; who will hopefully dress them in twinkling holiday lights and enjoy them as much as we still treasure the one that adorns our patio (see images below)!!

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*Stanley L. Gray

Desert Water Dump – Tucson, Arizona

Jeff

As most readers of JBRish know, I live in the desert southwest. We don’t get much rain, less than twelve inches per year, at our Sonoran Desert home. When it rains, however (especially during “Monsoon Season”), it seems like the heavens open up and pour water onto the land. Photographer Bryan Snider captured a time-lapse of this microburst phenomenon and as you can see, the rain is “dumped” on to the land as though someone has tipped a bucket over it.



You can see more of Bryan Snider’s Work here.

Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei)

Jeff

When we first moved to Phoenix more than six years ago, all of our northeastern gardening experience was rendered moot. What we knew did not fit to the Sonoran Desert environment. We needed to be re-educated regarding desert gardening.

I quickly enrolled in the Maricopa County Master Gardener program. Until then, however, I needed to have some plants to care for. After having so many gardens and plants to nurture in New Jersey, it was in my DNA.

One of the first plants we obtained was a Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei) which technically is not a palm tree at all. This is how it looked during its growing season shortly after I first purchased it:

Madagascar Palm First Purchased

One thing about the Madagascar Palm, which I didn’t know, was that during the desert winter, it drops all of its leaves and can easily be mistaken for dead. This is how it looks once the cold weather has set in:

Madagascar Palm Without Leaves

Those stickers keep the pesky critters at bay!

When we first purchased the plant it was between seven and eight inches high. It was a small plant and it was in a relatively, i.e. 4 to 6-inch, clay pot.

This is how our plant looked this spring (nearly six feet tall):

Madagascar Palm Spring 2015

Until this year our palm had only leaves which dropped during the winter and then reappeared each succeeding growing season. This year, however, there was a surprise in store:

Madagascar Palm Spring 2015 with Flowers

There was a cluster of flower buds. They are very pretty white flowers with a yellow center. I am not sure where they go from here (what kind of seed pod, etc.). The flowers last more than one day which is nice. What kind of fruit they will yield or if they will be pollinated at all is yet to be determined.

The flower pictures are not the best because the ladder I used to take them was not set on a stable surface and it was a bit tricky. I think you will still be able to appreciate the plant even with these less-than-perfect shots.

Madagascar Palm Spring 2015 with Flowers

Read more about the Madagascar Palm here and here.

Birds at the Gilbert Water Ranch – 20150412 – Part 3

Jeff

For those who have been following my blog for a while, you might recall that I wrote about a bird walk I took on April . You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

This is the final installment in the series.

If you want more information about the “Water Ranch” more formally named the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, Arizona, you can visit their website at the link below:

Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch

You can view a map of the preserve here:

The bird walk I took was an offering of the Desert Rivers Audubon Society – Read About them here.

While we were on our walk we were able to identify several more birds not described previously. A common bird is the Great Tailed Grackle that can sometimes be found in local parking lots. Notice the yellow eyes.

Great-tailed Grackle

A bird that I hadn’t identified before was the Long-billed Dowitcher which enjoyed wading through the water and exploring as it walked. Every now and then, the group would take off as a unit and fly around before alighting once again.

Long-billed Dowitcher

As one would expect at a place with all of this water, there were many ducks and of course cute ducklings:
Duckling

Duckling

As I might have noted in previous writings, I am relatively new to the hobby of bird watching or bird identification so I was somewhat surprised to hear the term “mutt duck” used in describing some of the ducks that are apparently of mixed parentage.

While I knew that a mutt, when referring to dogs, was a mixed breed, I didn’t know this term was used elsewhere in the animal kingdom.

Here are two pictures of what our fellow birders thought were mutt ducks:

Mutt Duck

Mutt Duck

Who you calling a mutt?!

If you happen to be in the Phoenix, Arizona area, and you enjoy birding, I would recommend a stop at the Gilbert Water Ranch. It might be wise to contact them for information about the best months to visit. During the heat of the summer, the number of birds drops dramatically along with the number of visitors.