Yellow snow on the San Francisco Peaks

The Snow Bowl Ski Resort on the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona didn’t have enough snow a few winters in a row. They decided, and it was approved by the municipal council, to turn the sewage effluent into snow. They sell 1,5 million  gallons of waste water per day. The environmental impact assessment pointed out several problems: scaring of the landscape, noise from the snow making machine, the changes in the soils’ chemistry and thus the destruction of wildlife habitat. The area concerned is one where herbalists, Native American healers from several nations as far away as the Zuni from New Mexico. The area is used for finding medicinal herbs, is part of a pilgrimage and is the home of the Hopi Katsinam. Sacred land should not be soiled, defiled. Declarations by elders and healers in court and massive protest by environmentalist and Sierra Club hasn’t helped. Gathering herbs is sacred,it is also a service to the members of one’s community. Sadly all bad things came to pass and the snow made from the waste water to their 'astonishment' turned yellow. Virginia Tech indicated that the snow from the sewage could be a breading ground for antibiotic-resistant genes. So what ever you do, don’t get into making a snowman or a snow angel in the wider area around the ski resort...

From art deco to Hollywood nature

The art deco in Hollywood is incredible, many buildings are worthwhile closer inspection. It speaks of lighthearted fun and quality of life for those who could and can afford it and who exit theaters with security screening the surroundings. Yes men in black, but no Johnny Cash.

The street musician, unperturbed was great blowing his trumpet and singing. Some passers by putting something in his trumpet case. With the lights of the Hard Rock Café on the shiny sidewalk we leave the boulevard to go look for the Hollywood sign.

 We tried Mulholland drive and ended up in narrow private streets with lots of security and signs stating "armed response". Quite the opulent serie noire athmosphere.

We never got to the sign but found a nice spot with a tree tunnel cave.

Wild tobacco grows there and a band of crows circle and call to you.
Peaceful in the warm California spring sunshine. A two and a half hour hike would have been too much under this sun on exposed hills.
Maybe one day in other season...

The Mojave Desert in Bloom

 The winter was long and harsh in the Mojave Desert. Late frost squashed many blooms and the flowering is late.

From prickly pear cactus to hierba buena was flowering today

 Here half  of the plant dried up during winter yet the other half is alive and kicking. That to me is the lesson of the desert: life is precious and worth caring for.

 Walking through the foothills of the Cerbats, I am at once grounded in the here and now and enjoying and seeing the beauty and frailty of it all.

Old rusted plates from the old mining days have their function here. A quail thought it was the perfect protection for her covey of chicks.

 My eyes feasted on all the colors, from gentle to vibrant. Yet i thread carefully, since Arizona is known for its poisonous creatures: the most poisonous snake: the Mojave green rattlesnake, Gila monsters, scorpions... And also majestic birds of prey: Ravens, falcons, Hawks and  the sanitary service of the desert: the Turkey buzzards.

Hierba Buena is a powerful plant with healing properties for body and soul. If something is wrong with you, take a slow walk through the desert and you'll feel your strength return.

If you click on the pictures they open up for you.