I took my little camera this morning on our dog walk. Desert Peach has passed its bloom and Bitter Brush is now doing its thing. As you look across the landscape, it appears to be lime green. The blossoms are actually yellow, but they're really small so the eye blends the green and yellow at a distance.
I hope this shows the blossom colors better. We should start to see wild flowers soon. May is our month and the wildflower season goes quickly. Like Project Runway - One day you're in, the next you're out.
On our way back, I happened to notice this sneaker lupine between two rabbit-brush on the road bank. They won't bloom for another couple of months and will be bold gold. It is an awesome dye plant. Lupine are pretty but not dye fodder.
The risk of wildfire is so pernicious with the drying up out here in the West, that we paid to have a break cut on the south side of our house. It's ugly but after a lightening strike scare a couple years ago, this step was overdue. Sagebrush might appear to be a dry shrub but it burns scary hot, especially pushed by wind. Can you guess where the dogs walk?
This is the last detail that we have to address before I will feel better about wildfire risk. The firewood is just too close to the house and it will stay there for this year. We got a great deal last year and it's going to spill over into to next year. We'll move the stack to another place as we acquire it - a wood stash. We heat with wood so this is a love/hate picture. Love to know we'll be warm when we have to start heating again in September, a mere four months from now. Hate the risk of firewood by the house.
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7 comments:
Sharon,
I hear you about the fire risk in the west. It's amazing how quickly it dries out here after what seems forever of rain in the forest. We do fire breaks by limbing up trees and such, removing dry fuels around the house.
Build a little woodshed a piece away, makes itself handy for tool storage too. Congrats on the retirement! How exciting. I'll bet you have lots of plans.
Your area is much more dessert than ours. Of course it's been citified for the most part. Your landscape is beautiful and it sure is green this time of year.
Your pictures are beautiful. I am amazed at how green everything is. Can't blame you for being concerned about fires. With no trees were do you get your fire wood?
Len would be very jealous of all that wood! He starts stressing about firewood in about August, when it is about 90 degrees.
This was the first year I really noticed the fires in our area -- early spring was extra dry, I think. A couple of fields burned (and I don't think on purpose), but I doubt those fires pose nearly the dangers those in your area do.
I'm working on a 6 happy things post, but my brain is occupied with an unobtainable article, which is making me very *un*happy at the moment ;-)
Actually, Lupines are dye fodder - they make green (oddly enough). Can't attest to the light/washfastness, but they do dye. They're just starting to bloom here, and there are loads and loads on my way to and from work. I'm going to stop and pick some - maybe include them in the dye class at BSG...
Thanks for sharing pictures of what spring looks like in the high desert! So different from here. So open - you must get great light.
Sue
I just how the high desert looks in the spring. Thanks for sharing your photos.
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