Arizona in Spring

Consider the wonder of the delicate beauty of flowers emerging all over southern Arizona, such an unforgiving environment, in Spring.

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This is where prickly pear jelly comes from. 

This tree smells for all the world like honeysuckle.

"The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness."

I think the ocotillo blooms were the inspiration for International Caution Orange. 

The mighty Saguaro.

"Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal, and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, would become like messengers from another realm, like a bridge between the word of physical forms and the formless." Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth

The palo verde is beautifully green all year, but in spring it blooms brilliant yellow.

Joshua trees.

Even the severe organ pipe cactus makes dainty little blossoms. 

Different species of barrel cactus.

Don't let the fuzzy appearance fool you!