March 14, 2017, Superior-  I was invigorated, despite it being an afternoon during the Fast, once the High Trail came into view.  This fairly easy trail first led down into Queen Creek Canyon, and past an old, abandoned Pump House.

The energetic and happy family ahead of me were already planning to bounce along the bridge that crossed Queen Creek and take on the ridge, which gives High Trail its name.  I was more than glad to follow suit.  As they bounced up and down, in unison, I lingered behind, to take in the fragrance of some Texas Scarlet, and view upwards, at the rhyolite which Queen Creek seems to have thrust upwards.

Then, it was time to do a bit of jumping of my own.

Queen Creek was still, on this gorgeous afternoon.

The views eastward, however, were an extra delight- the rugged edges of a particular heaven.

I was able to get one more, long-distance view of Picket Post House, before heading back down into the canyon.

Obsidian accompanies rhyolite, as one heads towards the Australian exhibit.

After one last look at the rhyolite “castles”, for today, I headed back towards the Arboretum.

There are two greenhouses, on the western edge of the park.  These house plants that are still delicate, primarily from the “cone” of South America and from southern and eastern Africa.

Mammilaria are the main feature of Green House 1.

Euphorbia, and aloe, dominate Green House 2.  The first shows plants from Madagascar, which, like the U.S. has a rugged desert Southwest.

These plants are from the equally rugged southwest of the Arabian Peninsula.

With that, I exited Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  My return,  in the first days of April, will be in no small part due to  a special soul, working in this little bit of heaven.  

Nature and friendship are what keep me going, as many in Prescott, and elsewhere, know.