The mountain views here are always changing and to me, fascinating. Today for instance, we were coming back from grocery shopping in Marana when we observed this severe looking view of our peak here in Picacho. It’s because it was cloudy and the other side of the highway’s mountain was shrouded in rain. This created an almost cartoonish view of the mountain. The picture doesn’t do it justice, it was a purplish-black that was most creepy looking. The rain on the opposing mountain was coming down in a curtain that’s edge was clearly visible. I wish I had taken a picture of it.

The other day, the sun was shining but there were puffy little clouds around giving the mountains a beautiful, mottled look that highlighted the greens, tans, and purples of the mountain side. They constantly fascinate me, as do the cactus. The closer we got to Marana, the more lush the desert became. It was a virtual jungle of cacti, trees, bushes, and grasses. Teddy bear cholla were everywhere, and the saguaro were thick. Yesterday, we were walking the dogs and met another lady in the park who stopped to chat and give our girls a treat. She spoke with us quite a while, eventually inviting us to go see something called a crested saguaro on a particular walking trail she knows of. I will have to take her up on that…when it stops raining.

I never tire of the beautiful landscape here, and I’m dying to explore new places to search for rocks and/or gems (if I’m that lucky)! I could see coming back to this area year after year, maybe in a different place each time so we would have new views each time. So much to discover and explore in the great southwest, from canyons, to caverns, mountains covered in cactus to rock covered mountains and lush vegetation to beautiful lakes. Rock formations that will blow your mind to white sands as far as the eye can see. All somewhere in Arizona and New Mexico! I wish we had the gas and the money to explore a new town every day or even once a week, but soaring gas and grocery prices make that impossible at the moment.

What we do discover I will gladly share! Let me share a few pics in a simple gallery of photos I may not have shared yet.

I can’t wait to see what the new area will provide when we change locations in couple of weeks!