...some people think the desert is boring...

...these photos might change your mind. This first picture is of prickly pear cactus flowers blooming. Once the flower has stopped blooming, the fruit appears. You can buy them in grocery stores around the country. They are egg-shaped. Peel them wearing leather gloves that you devote only to removing peeling from this fruit! The fruit is called "tuna." It doesn't taste ANYTHING like fish. The closest I can describe the flavor is like watermelon. The fruit is magenta color, and looks beautiful in a fruit salad. I just slice it up. You can put it through your blender and use it when you make Margaritas to impress your friends. You can cook it down with sugar and pectin and make jam.

These are saguaro flowers. They appear at the ends of the branches, and are usually way, way to high to pick to stick in some kind of floral arrangement. When the desert is in bloom, the variety of colors of the cactus flowers are stunning.

It is exciting to watch as storms appear in the desert and come toward you. The lightning appears wide, and with no buildings in the way, you can see it jump from the clouds to the ground unobstructed. You can feel the heat being blown away, and the cool breeze approaching. The wind kicks the dirt and sand up, and you can smell the wet earth and plants. I love listening to the sound of the rain hitting the hard ground and rocks. Those are the Santa Rita Mountains--my greatgrandparents, grandparents, and parents saw these beautiful mountains from their windows.

...sunrise in the desert is every bit as exciting as sunset. Imagine seeing this every day of your life! When we were in Arizona for our family reunion, we ran outside to watch it.

Watch for future photos!