A Sunday drive on Monday

It rained all Saturday morning. It was nice listening to the thunder and the rain on the roof. We got about an inch at our house on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, Skid and his family came over, so we spent Sunday morning and afternoon getting the house ready. It felt cool outside all day, but it was a Houston kind of cool. If you moved around much, you got soaked. I'm sure it wasn't nearly as humid as Houston, but I've really gotten used to the dry air out here. Anyway, after spending the weekend at the house, I was ready to get out in the desert Monday afternoon. It was still muggy so I wasn't too keen on hiking. I drove along a road I haven't been on before and stopped to take a few pictures. I also got out a few times and wandered around listening to the quiet.

There are still a few clouds around.

On several trips to Tucson, I've seen barrel cacti there that have orange flowers. All of them that I've seen near Phoenix have yellow flowers. I've wanted to get some pictures of the orange flowers for a few years, but I've always been driving by them when they're in the median of a busy road. It's hard to get good pictures under those circumstances. I saw some on my drive today. Since I was on a lightly traveled dirt road, I just pulled to the side of the road, got out, and took some pictures. Finally.

Tucson style barrel cactus.

I also got a picture of an Arizona style grasshopper. Lindsey says they are dirt-hoppers because there isn't any grass. They do look like dirt.

Dirt hopper.

Click below to see all of the pictures.

2009_09_07