Tag: Arizona

Copy, Desert Joy

The saguaro I call The Green Elephant has fruit at the ends of her arms as the sun rises on the Latigo Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on June 25, 2023. Original: _Z726574.NEF
The saguaro I call The Green Elephant has fruit at the ends of her arms as the sun rises on the Latigo Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on June 25, 2023. Original: _Z726574.NEF

My favorite time to be in the desert is sunrise but I haven’t managed it much the past handful of years. A few years ago I was up early and made a beeline to my favorite saguaro, catching her with arms full of fruit, before hoofing it back to the car so I could get Bear for a hike before the heat rose up.

I’m off for the week and was hoping for some early hikes with Bear but my sleep has been dreadful so I haven’t managed it yet. With retirement looming this summer, looking forward to more opportunities for hikes as a night owl in an early bird’s world.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
🗓️: June 25, 2023

My Favorite Hiking Companion

Our dog Bear at the overlook on the Marcus Landslide Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 18, 2026. Original: _A671234.ARW

One of the nice things about hiking with Bear is how comfortable people are talking to me compared to when I’m alone. You would not believe how many times I’ve been told that I’m so handsome and well-behaved. Thankfully they also complement Bear, particularly the horse riders who appreciate his gentleness around their nervous steeds.

Our dog Bear at the overlook on the Brown’s Mountain Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 25, 2026. Original: _A671501.ARW

First picture:
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: January 18, 2026

Second picture:
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: January 25, 2026

Hallelujah Jordan

A scenic view of a broken old saguaro with two of its arms lifted high, taken in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona. Taken on December 30, 2023. Original: _A673198.ARW

The 118th Street Trail is a service road out to the electrical towers that also links two of my favorite trails into a loop. It has charms all its own, Bear & I have seen four of his favorite creatures on this short stretch: mule deer, coyotes, cottontails, and even a Gila monster. Kestrels are here too though the pup doesn’t care about those.

We also get Hallelujah Jordan, arms raised in permanent praise to the glory that is the Sonoran Desert. I’ve thought about renaming him as one of his arms has fallen off and he reminds me more of the Statue of Liberty these days. I decided against it as though he has changed, his joy is everlasting. Both pictures taken on dog walks.

1st Photo:
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: December 30, 2023

2nd Photo:
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: December 14, 2025

scenic view of a broken old saguaro with one of its arms lifted high, taken in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona. Taken on December 14, 2025. Original: _A671177.ARW

Elegant Bush Katydid

A female elegant bush katydid on a lantana bush in our yard in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 5, 2022. Original: _ZFC4233.NEF

A few years back I was delighted to find a katydid sampling the wares in our yard. It brought back fond memories of the katydids in Oregon, once I found they loved eating our rose petals it not only changed how I pruned the roses but changed my opinion of roses altogether. This one is an elegant bush katydid, the dramatic white-striping is quite different than the green of the fork-tailed bush katydids in Oregon.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 105mm macro
🗓️: November 5, 2022

500

Our dog Bear sits on a large boulder on the Balanced Rock Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 26, 2025. Original: _Z727068.NEF

If my notes are correct I recently made my 500th visit to our local preserve. To celebrate I took Bear up to the spot that became so meaningful during my leave of absence a couple of years ago. Almost all the visits the past few years have been with Bear, I love his enthusiasm for our hikes and let him set a fast pace, even though I prefer to go slowly and revel in the details. Sometime next year I’ll have time to both take him and go out on my own, but for now my priority is enjoying our time together.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
🗓️: November 26, 2025

Life & Death, Intertwined

A snake (possibly a western patch-nosed snake) is wrapped around a common side-blotched lizard on the Balanced Rock Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 9, 2025. Original: _A670891.ARW

Bear and I came across this snake wrapped around a lizard, one life ending so another can continue. The lizard is a common side-blotched lizard, one of many we saw that day and one of my favorite desert residents. We didn’t have a good vantage point to identify the snake but my best guess is a western patch-nosed snake, though a young one as it was much smaller than the others I’ve seen.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm+1.4X
🗓️: November 9, 2025