A Redrock Walk With Roadrunners Through The Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Phoenix Desert Botanic Garden Plant Sale

My sister and I arrived very early Saturday at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. The bi-annual plant sale was under way. By the time we left, a couple hours later, that throng of plant hunters had swelled far beyond the number you see in the picture.

Phoenicians seem to be early risers who like to be out and about, hiking, biking, walking and plant hunting, looking, for the most part, like people who have had the air let out of them, unlike most of the people I see at my regular location on the planet.

I can not remember the last time I enjoyed something as much as I did the walk through the Desert Botanical Garden.

I've long had an affection for redrock, developed long ago from my first exposure in Utah.

A Red Cardinal Standing Cactus Guard

The redrock in the Phoenix zone is like the Utah redrock on a small, yet very scenic scale. The Utah redrock has no saguaro cactus, that I am aware of. The Phoenix redrock, with its cactus, adds a real nice element to the basic redrock.

I saw several Roadrunners, aka Paisanos, running about today. I think the Paisanos may have been chasing the dozens of jackrabbits who scurried about chasing the dozens of quails.

Nothing seemed to be chasing the red cardinal you see in the picture perched on a cactus in front of a big mound of redrock.

The Desert Botanical Garden has around 65 acres of desert flora under cultivation, with over 50,000 plants.

When we first entered the garden my sister and I had the place, for the most part, to ourselves. That did not last long.

I don't remember if I've mentioned previously my interest in Native American culture.

Today I got to grind mesquite seeds in the Apache way. I do not know what I was supposed to make with my supply of ground up mesquite seeds. Maybe bread.

The above is an example of an Apache domicile. To me it looks as if this abode would be a bit of a fire hazard.

This particular Saguaro silhouetted against the Phoenix sky looks as if it may be making an obscene gesture. A lot of the Saguaros seem to be of a similar mind. I won't share the description my sister used for many of the various cactus shapes. Suffice to say it was a male oriented description. Maybe that would be better worded to say it was a description with a male orientation.

Let's leave the Desert Botanical Garden and go to another part of Papago Park to walk through a hole in the redrock in another blogging.

Getting Lost In Arizona With Giant Saguaro Cactus & Tall Palm Trees While Being Late For Dinner

A Big Sun Lakes Saguaro

Well.

I am enjoying my first evening in Arizona. For the most part.

Around 5 I indicated I wanted to go for a walk to check out the local flora. My mom gave me the directions to get to the green belt where I would find lakes, cactus and palm trees.

It was fairly easy to find my way to the green belt via my mom's directions.

I walked around Sun Lake #4. I think there are 5 lakes in Sun Lakes.

After walking the green belt for a distance I decided it was time to retrace my steps.

Somehow I managed to get lost. My mom and dad live on Olive Lane East North. I somehow got on Olive Lane East South. Olive Lane East North and South do not at anytime meet.

Sun Lake #4 With A Tall Palm Tree

So, no wonder someone easily confused, such as myself, might get lost. That and the roads in Sun Lakes are a confusing maze of twists and turns.

When I took off to take a walk my mom asked if I had my phone with me in case I got lost.

When I realized I was lost I called. But I got a wrong number. I thought it was Tootsie Tonasket, but it turned out it was my sister I accidentally called. My sister was able to tell me I needed to find Olive Way East North.

I walked north on Olive Way East South all the way to its northern end. I was totally bum puzzled.

Bum puzzled is a new term I recently learned on Survivor.

Just as I was being my most bum puzzled my dad called to tell me it was time for dinner and that I was late. I told my dad I'd gotten lost, but my sister had pointed me in the right direction. At that point in time I thought my sister had pointed me in the right direction.

A few minutes later I realized I had no idea how to find Olive Way East North, so I called my mom's 24 hour help line. When I told my mom what intersection I was at she was able to direct me back to my starting point.

Where I had dinner.

Have I ever mentioned before that I don't usually eat dinner?