Lush Desert Life by auntietk
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
What's your mental picture of the desert? If you imagine bleak sand and scrubby plants fighting for existence, the Sonoran Desert will surprise you.
This is not someone's fancy garden, not a formal botanical display. It's just the desert, doing what it does best. There's so much vegetation here! This afternoon we took a hike on a nature trail up the hill from our campground and took a bunch of pictures of the various types of desert plants that grow in this area.
We've been down here before, but not for any extended period of time. Camping in the desert has introduced us to an ecosystem neither of us was very familiar with before. What a beautiful place this has turned out to be!
Zoom is nice.

Comments (27)
Indeed, I think most folks have a mental image of miles of Sahara-like sand dunes and little else. You've captured the beauty of the American southwestern landscape beautifully, Tara!
I grew up in Phoenix and saw lots of this very kind of scene. When those cacti bloom in the spring, it's one of the most gorgeous sights in the world. This is a beautiful shot and you saw the beauty of the desert to very well.
It is great to see this amazing place so close up! Safer than a prickly encounter of my own, too.
I also spent some of my childhood years growing up in this area. I love it and still miss the sights and smells and feel of the desert. Thanks for sharing this lovely photo.
Very good shot !!
I used to have that same problem. Too many MGM re-runs on television when I was growing up. That's a beautiful Saguaro but they always look like they're giving the viewer the finger.
I also love deserts beginning with the first I saw which was in Nevada in the Fall, what a colorful place. Then the Sonoran Desert was as different again! Great stuff!
Nice shot!
Klasse shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
beautiful, and so unlike our landscape on this side of the pond
I have some idea after travelling across The desert on the way to Phoenix back in 2011 and this great shot is typical of my memories.
It's surprising how delicate the desert ecology is.
Brilliant photography....
Thanks for sharing all these great shots with commentary. Rick
It's a beautiful place I like deserts and scrubland and this is a lovely shot, I like the sunlight playing on the side of that Saguaro too :)
Nice side lighting in this one auntie!
WOW! This is such a lovely shot, Tara. I do love the rude cactus and all the other vegetation found in this desert. ;-)
I love these hardy plants; the saguaro in particular is so striking, especially when it's silhouetted against a sunrise or sunset. Wonderful capture!
Incredible lighting here. Superb shot!
Superb capture Tara. God bless.
Wonderful capture Tara! Yeah! the southwest has some very interesting and cool landscapes and plants
Perfect...composition, lighting and description.
Top notch capture of the desert flora, contrasted against the dark California sky.
looking at this remind me of those old westerns movies . wonderful looking
Nice shot but It shouldn't be called a desert it should be Arid lands.
Splendid photo .Thank you Tara
Beautifully taken shot Tara, this about sums up a desert shot for me.. Rob