Downtime in Joshua Tree
Awoke to sun streaming in the window around 7, intense blue skies and glorious Joshua Trees everywhere . . . looking for all the world like those dancing inflatable ‘stick people’ outside car lots . . . just frozen in place. A cactus wren was wheezing loudly like a miniature car trying to start. Craig has lived in this location for 35 years . . . and it’s spectacular! Dry rock wall planters filled with every shape and size of cactus . . . vast clumps of prickly pears, tall, slow-growing saguaro (only six feet after 30 years) . . . fat, round Barrel Cactus with intricate swirls of spines . . . and soft, fuzzy-looking ones – which definitely aren’t! The fine spines break off easily and can get tracked indoors on your shoes . . . and into your feet. Good to be forewarned. Craig’s wife Ellie had been a superb photographer and the house is filled with her stunning photos.
Nice to have a few days downtime. Relaxing in the sun . . . chores around the trailer . . . laundry drying in the sun . . . and what a location to practice guitar – the altitude and clear air makes everything sound wonderful (even for dreadful amateurs like me!) The Californian quail didn’t seem to mind.
BTW . . those oranges were fresh off the tree, and peeling them posed a health and safety hazard. Zest squirted every which way into eyes and juice ran down our arms … just from the peel … but it was worth the watering eyes and sticky armpits.
An afternoon wander through the desert amid silvery-stemmed creosote bushes, angular Joshua trees and countless varieties of cacti . . . took care to avoid the millions of awaiting thorns at every turn. The ‘Washes’ like small dry river beds where run-off from sudden floods had eroded the sand. Mysterious holes . . . under shrubs or in open sand . . . wonder what sort of critters live there. Probably not wise to poke a finger down to see. A sudden movement – and off went a Jack Rabbit . . . long ears glowing red in the sun. Two ravens watched us curiously, hopping from tree to tree, careful to keep just ahead.
Late afternoon the wind picked up – light at first, but gusting strongly. I rescued my washing from being blown down the valley and folded it quickly – love the smell of line-dried clothes. Then we battened down the hatches as the wind increased . . . things rattled, clanked and shook till around 3 or 4am (thank goodness for earplugs), but had eased considerably by dawn. Our friend the cactus wren piped up shortly afterwards.
