A Day of Contrasts

Today was my first venture back from the High Desert to the more commercial plane below. On my way out, I took a picture of the flowers blooming now in the higher elevations of Joshua Tree.



I had to run an errand in Palm Springs and was amazed how fast and easy the journey was. Along the way, there is an amazing crossing through a post apocalyptic field of wind turbines set in the desert sand.Greenery, air conditioning and chain restaurants of every description soon surrounded me. There is a certain beauty in the contrast between the architecture and development in the town and the dramatic setting up against the San Jacinto mountains.



On the way back, I had more errands to run in Yucca Valley. By the time I got back to the cabin, I was in need of a good grounding. I ventured straight out my front door and climbed the hills ahead. After scrambling on the rocks and negotiating a fairly steep climb for 15 minutes, I was soon hidden away from all development and surrounded by boulders, scrub, flowering aloe and the cool sense of sunset.





I thought about the wonderful way in which the eye adjusts with time in the desert. My very first time here, I saw only a sea of bleached out sand, stones and dry vegetation. With time, the wonderful details of the surrounding environment have begun to pop and my eye is constantly caught by some new focus in the landscape. The mis en scene changes dramatically with the light; grass seeming flat in the day, suddenly grows in stark contrast to the ground in the early evenings rays. The layering of mountain ranges unfolds as the early morning light increases. And all around, something alive makes itself known in the stillness and I look forward to seeing even further into its workings.