The rainy days are in the past. It was time for a road trip to see what the moisture has done for the desert.
The morning was bright and sunny as we drove the Apache Trail (Hwy 88) to Tortilla Flat.
While it is not the California Superbloom it is still pretty spectacular.
Wildflower seeds wait and wait for the rain. This year the rains came.
When the rains fall each tiny little seed sprouts to life. Soon we can see the beauty they offer.
The adversity the flowers have gone through increases their beauty.
No controlling where they bloom. They grow where they choose.
Just a little lupine among the grasses.
Wildflowers are up against such high odds..........some years the rain comes some years it doesn't.
Despite the obstacles the blooms glow in the sun.
This was a much needed outing for me. Our stay in the Valley of the Sun this year has not been one of the best for me.
There hasn't been the sunshine I am used to. And I have felt so bad about what the terrible winter storms have done and the damage that has occurred and will be impacting some areas for a long while to come
There have been health concerns in the family.
The additional time spent working at the RV Park has cut into my fun time. I haven't read as many books as I wanted, we haven't gone to movies, and we have had hardly any outings. We have enjoyed the people we have worked with so that is the offset. Fun to get to know them and learn about the places they are from and their interesting lives.
We have enjoyed the time we have spent with our family. They always make us happy. We continually feel blessed that our children, their spouses and all the grandchildren are filled with such goodness. They are hardworking in their jobs, school, church, sports, and in parenting. Their time management skills are amazing. They are so busy but always "get it done" yet still have time for some fun.
I am really looking forward to Gypsy's wheels rolling on down the road. Two weeks to go!
Travel doesn't remove our cares and concerns but seeing the beauty of nature makes everything better.
One of my favorite quotes is........."Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert
I need to remember that more often because I frequently think that obstacles I have are monumental. Not so.
A day among the wildflowers can't help but lift spirits.
I know that I have a little share of DRD4 ( a dopamine receptor) that I have read leads to restlessness and the need to travel and always wanting to see or try something new. I come by it honestly.............my Dad loved moving on to something new frequently.
The road to Tortilla Flat is lined with wildflowers and if you are lucky enough to be in the area when the bloom happens it is the place to be.
Tortilla Flat is a real town with a few inhabitants. It has a restaurant and a store and people usually stop for a Prickly Pear ice cream cone.
This trip we turned around at Tortilla Flat but previously we have gone on past Roosevelt Dam circling around through Superior and back to the valley.
The paved road runs out a few miles past Tortilla Flat and the dirt road is full of hairpin turns and switchbacks but it is a magnificent drive.
The scenery in the desert landscape shows the true beauty of Arizona.
The magic of spring is touching the trees with leaves of green.
Thank you Walt for taking me on this sunshiny adventure.