The Mojave: Not Refreshing at the Moment

Remember last post when I said I would give you something more refreshing than smog?  I suppose I miscalculated the potency of winter flu.  In the spirit of that which does not refresh, here is a Mojave desert scene, complete with creosote bushes everywhere, a nice sparse grove of Joshua trees, and some sort of blurred cholla cactus in the left-center foreground.

This is off of I-15, about 20 miles west of Mesquite, Nevada.  These Joshua trees are the first large gathering of the tree one can find traveling on the interstate from the north, although individuals and couples can be found as far back as around Hurricane, Utah.  Apparently they can take a lot more cold than their habitat would indicate, as people have cultivated them in gardens as far away as Idaho.  Two summers ago, I planted a handful of seeds in Detroit.  They sprouted, endured a cold winter, and grew around an inch in six months.  Sadly, they also got uprooted and disposed of, probably because they looked like weeds.  There is currently one growing in a seed tray beside me, which seems to be doing well.

The Mojave is actually far more inviting than I make it out to sound here, and is worth a visit, especially if you like interesting plant life.  Tomorrow, we leave the desert for something far more refreshing for sure.