Where the Wild Things Are
Borrego Springs, California: A terrible storm is slamming
our home town with torrential rain and 45 mph winds. Snow is falling by the foot
in the Cascade mountains. In Borrego Springs, we enjoyed sunny skies, no wind,
no clouds and temperatures nearing 80 degrees. Do I feel guilty? No I do not.
This morning, I laced up my Nike Lunar Trainers, took a right at the RV park
entrance and ran nearly two miles down the road (and nearly two miles back!). It
is a flat road, with little traffic, through agricultural land. Imagine my
surprise when I noticed metal sculptures out in the middle of a field!
Artist Ricardo Breceda has recreated a scene of workers in a vineyard -
harvesting grapes and stringing wire between fence posts. Not something
you see every day on your jog. After returning from my run, showering
(and moving campsites!), DT and I grabbed our cameras and headed out to
inspect this art up-close and personal.
If you have never been to Borrego Springs (or are a new reader to this
website) you may not know that the surrounding deserts are filled with
fabulous metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda. Nearly every sculpture
represents a long-extinct prehistoric animal. Very interesting concept.
This is the first time we had seen Brecada's "human" concept - and we
just loved the design! (Click
here to
learn more about this project.)
Each farm worker has a distinct face, build, clothing and expression.
After poking around and photographing the "vineyard" scene, DT happened
to look up to notice even more extinct animals at the far end of the
field! We hopped back in the Honda and went to explore.
It was a prehistoric camel - out in the middle of the
desert!
And some sort of dinosaur creature with a baby on her
back! Again, is this something you encounter every day? Crazy, eh? I
just love it - art in the middle of nowhere!
The detail is simply fascinating. Every "hair" on these
creatures is a piece of curled metal.
I was nearly eaten alive by this Wild Thing!
But this relative of
Packy was much friendlier.
If you ever have the chance to visit Borrego Springs - please take time
to visit the two sculpture areas on the north and south sides of town.
The ocotillo cactus are crazy-beautiful and in full bloom all
over the desert - especially around Ocotillo Wells - so we headed over to
Ocotillo Wells (about ten miles from Borrego Springs).
This is what the desert surrounding Borrego Springs
looks like when the Ocotillo (fouquieria
splendens) is in bloom!
Wow!
Here is a close-up of an Ocotillo bloom.
This flower has yet to blossom.
The unopened blooms look like lipsticks!
We were so lucky to see
this majestic plant in such prolific bloom!
Many other flowers are blooming in the desert now.
Of course, lupines line the
roadsides.
Bristly Gilia - growing virtually
out of the rocks in the desert.
Brittle Bush grows all over the southwest. It was not blooming when we were in Death Valley
only
a few weeks ago, but is in full bloom now.
Close-up of a blooming Brittle Bush flower.
Desert Chicory.
The Cholla Cactus are also starting
to bloom. Watch out for this little terrorist. The
needles seem to jump right off the plant and into
your foot!
This is a good example of a bloom,
with several buds, on a cholla cactus.
This cholla flower has a helper - a
beetle. Look at all the pollen the bug has gathered
on his/her legs!
DT snapped this photo of a red bug
on a cholla bloom.
Getting ready to bloom!
Well, that is enough Wild Things for today. Until my next update, I
remain, your desert correspondent.
RV Park:
The Springs at Borrego. Full-service, luxury
resort with a regulation 9-hole golf course.
Naturally-fed hot spring hot tubs, pool, exercise
room, party room, activities, fabulous pet-run,
lake-side fire pits with community gatherings. Just
a great place to spend a few days... or weeks... in
the sleepy village of Borrego Springs. We highly
recommend this park.