Well I'm here to publicly announce that the desert is, in fact, quite magical and that I fell in love with the high desert of southern California.
We stayed in Joshua Tree, just a little ways outside of the National Park. Every morning I would wake up early to watch the sun rise and every evening I watched it set and there was something therapeutic and circadian about that. You don't get that in the piedmont of the southeast, really. The desert sun is a thing all on its own, just like the prairie and the tropics have their own unique sun. I liked that.
I always thought of the desert as desolate and therefore less interesting but I found that it's impossible not to be in awe of the organisms that have adapted to such a harsh environment. Desert species are resilient and bold. The ravens are charismatic and the cholla cactus leave behind woody skeletons that look like artwork.
The desert biota have a deeper appreciation for water than I ever could and can thrive with even the smallest inputs. We were fortunate to arrive just after a meager snowfall, so the wildflowers were bursting from the ground and the Joshua Trees were filled with creamy white flowers (something that only occurs when water conditions are just right). Palm trees and song birds flourish in the small oases that are scattered sparsely across the landscape and you can actually trace the watershed through the unique patterns that have shaped the topography of the Mojave.
I don't typically write this much but I was just really taken by this place. I'll include a list of my favorite spots at the end and if you haven't made your way to this corner of the globe yet, I hope you'll consider it!
