Ironwood Trees in the Sonoran Desert

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

 
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STATUS QUOtes — Picture Quote — 20160117

 

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School Time for Orangutans – Picture

Not quite a barrel of monkeys, but close!

Baby orangutans on the way to school

Picture courtesy of the Mirror, UK – www.mirror.co.uk

These baby orangutans were recently rescued from captivity according to a story in Mirror – UK. Once rescued, these apes need to be taught, well…how to be apes. They receive training in climbing and fending for themselves before being released into the wild.

Read the entire story and see the picture gallery at the link below:

Orangutan orphanage: Baby apes go to ‘forest school’ in wheelbarrow after being rescued from captivity