cactus | Close to the Ground: Living Inductively

When we were hiking back in Zion in 1970, my friend Pat noted that–even with the technicolor, in-your-face canyon vistas surrounding us–I spent a certain amount of time looking down at the ground. I still do that. Below are some plant photos from the Grand Staircase and environs.

cyanobacteria with flowers, Canyonlands National Park

columbine, Cedar Canyon Campground, Dixie National Forest

bluebell, Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest

roundleaf buffaloberry, Natural Bridges National Monument

Indian paintbrush, Kolob, Zion National Park

cliff rose, Cape Royal, North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park

cactus, Pine Valley, Dixie National Forest

juniper, Needles Overlook

pine cones, Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest

pinyon pine, Canyonlands National Park

cottonwood near Canyonlands National Park

Note: My next post will be mostly words, not photos. I wonder if I can help convince Secretary Zinke, Senator Hatch, Congressman Bishop, and others to preserve our beautiful land.

It’s true that I slipped on the ice walking on the Thumb Butte Trail (http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=67469&actid=50) yesterday, but mostly the weather has been mild here in central Arizona. I have had to retrieve my hiking hat from my suitcase and I am going to dig out the sunscreen. On our hikes–more like little walks–I have been working on desert plant and geologic formation identification, However, it has come to my attention that our family and friends in the East and Midwest are freezing. Here are some flowers for January, with love: