Happy Thanksgiving!

This will be our first "real" holiday on the road and away from family. I sure will be missing everyone today more than usual! On the plus side, I have the distraction of watching the Packer game today (10 a.m. here)! The other night I had bought a small ham for dinner, but, boy oh boy, did I ever stare for a long time at the turkeys! Of course, with our itty bitty oven, that is out of the question! Oh well, Packers and Ham is not a horrible Thanksgiving.

We did drive out to Joshua Tree yesterday. We had our first sighting of the actual tree about 15 miles before even getting there...

The Joshua Tree

They are very beautiful, a cross between a palm and a cactus. The park itself was absolutely stunning. I now understand why people write songs and poems about Joshua Tree. And why a lot of people find it the perfect place to meditate, reflect or just think!

Almost the entire park is surrounded by what appears to be great mounds of boulders. Like they were stacked here and there, or spewed from above. In addition to the Joshua tree there are tons of Yucca, Prickly Pear and Sage Brush. We first hiked in an area called Hidden Valley. As it's name implies, hidden by a surround of rock, the cattle rustlers use to hide their stolen cows in this valley.

This was a nice little one mile loop through the valley. A little too easy and the rock mounds alittle to tempting so Jeff and I did some ORH (Off Road Hiking). Up and over some rock crops we went. Nothing like getting off the beaten path!

Again, the colors of the desert in "fall" are really spectacular. This area had these deep burgundy bushes that had dried red flowers. You can see them sprinkled here and there in the photo above. The Yucca's had these huge pod branches that were very spiny, very tall and full of pods that looked just like popcorn.

After completing our walk and picnic lunch we finished our drive though the main part of the park and went to our next hike destination, 49 Palms. This is a pal grove that is located on the other side of the park and down a "1.5 mile" path that was suppose to be "momoderately strenuous". Uh Huh!!! 1.5 miles my ass...maybe as the crow flies but not actual path. This sucker went up and down and up and down for at least 2.5 miles. There was no easy part..you were either going up, or down. Very rocky, lots of "stairs, lots of rests (for me!). But we, of course, made it and there was indeed a Palm Grove.

I love Palms. But either I am becoming jaded (staying currently in the Palm Desert we have an abundance of Palms), or I was just too exhausted to care but I was like....Unh. More Palms.

Made our way back with an abnormal amount of grunting and groaning (again, all me). On our way home we drove by a "greenhouse" that was all succulents and cactus and we had to stop.Collected a selection of plants and a nice cactus pot for the "patio". We'll get them potted today. Probably as we watch the game...outside...in the sun!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!