borrego's bounty

it's been several years since we've been out to anza borrego state park, but with the wildflowers putting on quite a show this spring we figured it was time to revisit. and after a short 90 minute scenic drive over the mountains via julian, there we were with what seemed like half of san diego, basking in the 84 degree temperatures and surrounding ourselves with a carpet of purple sand verbena, yellow little gold poppies, and white desert evening primrose. it felt like a mini-vacation since we were in such a different environment; here's a pic from the anza borrego start park visitor center area, which was completely overwhelmed with the influx of flower-seekers:


people outside of san diego often say they could never live here because they would be bored by our weather, that they need the four seasons - yet they don't consider the variety of landscapes we have in our county, from ocean to desert and a mountain moonscape full of scorched trees in between. so next time you read someone complaining about the endless winter up north, how many times it's snowed this year and how they can't wait for it to be over, just assume it couldn't be one of those four seasons advocates. btw, it appears to be a banner year for wildflowers throughout southern california, not just at borrego springs.