Earlier this month, we enjoyed sunny days and moderate temperatures while we celebrated the Lantern Festival and the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations. We spent relaxing cool evenings, sitting outside stargazing while the Full Worm Moon brilliantly lit up our Airstream Safari trailer and the surrounding Anza-Borrego Desert.
I enjoyed rich coffee, cake and reading material in the mornings before going on hikes. I was hoping to photograph once more the elusive bighorn sheep, especially since this is the Year of the Sheep.*
As I started my hike, the first flower that I saw was nearby our campsite.
Beavertail Cactus, Opuntia basilaris
I then got on the Moonlight Canyon Trail where I had photographed bighorn sheep last December.
That morning, the granite walls were still cold from the chilly, desert night air and I was greeted by soothing, cool air as I entered the trail from the east.
As I hiked over the trail’s saddle, I spotted a blooming barrel cactus in front of ocotillo (Whale Mountain is seen in the background).
California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus
The next morning, I hiked up the Desert Overlook Trail to get current photos of Agua Caliente County Park.
I was especially interested in getting an updated, overhead view of the camping loop where our original, favorite campsite and eleven other RV sites were displaced by seven cabins, which I documented in “Cabinization of our parks.” Each cabin has an array of solar panels and the camping fee is currently $70 per night. They are typically all occupied on weekends.
Each evening Larry prepared gustatory delights, such as deep-fried Szechuan pepper-salt calamari rings, Japanese eggplant and Mexican zucchini.
The desert is also cooking up, with temperatures currently 90°, so we won’t be back here until next fall.
We are currently enjoying our garden near the coast, while preparing for our return to the mountains next month. See our garden blooms in my post, “Spring flowers, leaves and end of life options,” in my new blog, History Safari Expresso, while enjoying a rich cup of coffee or espresso.*
*This is a YouTube video.