Never saw the "lay of the land" outside the Chicago area until I married, when we headed west per my new wife's request, leaving the Chicago area where I had spent my youth, and early adulthood. We were headed for my uncle's place in Sylmar, CA, north of LA. Knew absolutely nothing of what lay between those flat, endless miles of Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska plains. My first view of mountains, west of Denver, must have forever bore into my mind, for then I decided, I would someday, somehow, live amongst the mountains. To hell with one's corrupt birthplace. I was 30 when I left Chicago for good. Except for work stints in Indiana for a year (where I acquired a new wife!), and Colorado, the other 43 years of my existence has been spent in the Southwest Desert. The Desert is a "harsh master". Many animals and plants have learned to adapt to it: meager water supplies, unrelenting dessicating winds which "suck away" water, predatory animals such as snakes, scorpions, coyotes. Yet, our little Quail friends show up outside our house seeking food daily. How these birds have managed to proliferate here over the long haul, I cannot imagine. Anyhow, once annually, mostly in March, the thousands of tiny miniscule desert plants, many nothing more than a stick protruding from the ground, having spent 11 months of deprivation certain to kill most conventional plants, these come alive providing some of the most incredible displays of flowering to be seen anywhere. We feel very fortunate to be able to live here during our final years, knowing full-well that the tribulations of Desert Living are not for the "Hoitie-Toities". Within the next 60 days, temperatures will reach 100`. Then, summer, humid, rainy, wonderful if the Midwestern-equalled heat and humidity do not drive you away, but given the absence of sub-freezing winters, it's good. Frank
Frank, thank you so much for your post Your description was fab I love to see America in film and photos - such a beautiful country