Today Ed and I drove up the mountain, and found that last Sunday morning’s rain in Tucson was snow up on the mountain. In this picture you can see the patches alternating between snow and dry ground as the trees cast their shadows on the landscape.

The earliest Spring flowers have come and gone, but there is still plenty to see. Right now the Blue and Foothills Paloverde trees are loaded with blooms, though a little past their prime.

Walking along the sidewalk near our home I noticed a plant I had not seen before. “Too bad it is not in bloom” I thought to myself. A common error. I was able to get a photograph of the plant, lying flat on the desert, and was amazed to see that it was in bloom with tiny flowers. It is called Downy Prairie Clover, (Dalea neomexicana).

Looking straight down at the plant

The plant against the black velvet, The flowers are scarcely visible at the tips of the fuzzy white things

A typical leaf

Side view of a flower

Bottom view of a flower

Hiking with Dave in Sabino Canyon we came across this beautiful flower. As far as I know I have not seen it before. It is very attractive growing among the green foliage by the intermittent stream. It is called Arizona Centaury (Centaurium arizonicum).

A plant with several flowers

Close up of one of the flowers

Thinking of invisible flowers, I caught one of the most interesting ones just near the end of its flowering period. It is called Glandular Threadplant (Nemacladus glanduliferus). If I ever get around to publishing a book on “Invisible Flowers” this would make a nice cover. The penny gives you some idea of how small it is.

From the penny you can judge how small the plant is, and how very small the flower is

A close-up of this little beauty

We are now in late Spring or early Summer. Today Ed and I saw our first orchid. (Spring Coral Root). We look forward to seeing all kinds of flowers as the year progresses.