Each spring, I used to drive to Palm Springs with a group of girlfriends. I thought of the desert as a place to lounge by the pool, go clubbing, enjoy the balmy nights.
Then, 18 years ago, when I started dating my husband William, my experience of the desert changed. His parents live in Twentynine Palms in the California high desert, close to Joshua Tree National Park. I got of the car. We took walks. Walks turned into hikes. I noticed the perfect silence. Then the wind through a spray of creosote, the flap of an eagle's wing. Mountains 20 miles off felt near enough to touch.
Walking in the desert my senses sharpened, maybe from the absence of noise. I saw coyotes, canyon wrens, and packrats. Thousands of plants and shrubs sent up sharp, weedy smells. Ink black nights filled with stars. Mirages shimmered in pools on the asphalt road. Now, day or night--the vastness of the desert inspires me.
I started this blog to share the sights, history, events, and people of the desert--families, tourists, artists, and wanderers. One day, when you stop on a desert road, get out of your car, walk around and experience the landscape up close. The desert will get under your skin. Maybe into your soul...
(photos: Joshua Tree National Park 2005)
Then, 18 years ago, when I started dating my husband William, my experience of the desert changed. His parents live in Twentynine Palms in the California high desert, close to Joshua Tree National Park. I got of the car. We took walks. Walks turned into hikes. I noticed the perfect silence. Then the wind through a spray of creosote, the flap of an eagle's wing. Mountains 20 miles off felt near enough to touch.
Walking in the desert my senses sharpened, maybe from the absence of noise. I saw coyotes, canyon wrens, and packrats. Thousands of plants and shrubs sent up sharp, weedy smells. Ink black nights filled with stars. Mirages shimmered in pools on the asphalt road. Now, day or night--the vastness of the desert inspires me.
I started this blog to share the sights, history, events, and people of the desert--families, tourists, artists, and wanderers. One day, when you stop on a desert road, get out of your car, walk around and experience the landscape up close. The desert will get under your skin. Maybe into your soul...
(photos: Joshua Tree National Park 2005)
5 comments:
Beautiful website!!!
What a great idea! I am going to begin a blog just because of this. It looks fabulous.
Carolne Leavitt
So glad you started this!
Barbara
Joshua Tree IS amazing. I'm so lucky to have gotten to enjoy it since I was a little girl. I have pictures of Robyn and I climbing on the rocks from the time we were 3 and 7 years old. It hasn't changed a bit.. except for the acres that were devastated by fire. But the regrowth happened so fast! I'm really looking forward to taking my husband there in the near future.
Nice Allison. Good luck. God bless. Love you, Stephanie (your seeester)... XOXO
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