The Sunday Garden Section

I've been watching spring come to the desert. Sonora is very green and generally the wettest desert in the world. Not this year as la niña has arrived. It's fire, fearful, dry.

Somehow that does not concern the Arizona ash tree that was planted outside the eight foot sliding glass door in my work room. It really should be closer to the river. We're three or four blocks up and the Santa Cruz River here is a wide, dry, swale for most of every year. This ash tree seems to continue it's life in spite of the difficulties. Much like most people, truth be told.

So, today, I'll give you five images of a native, Arizona ash tree taken several days apart over the span of a couple of weeks. We really don't look but we should; day by day our surroundings give us hints that spring is coming. As you can see, this morning mother nature is teasing us with a buttermilk sky, we hope for rain but will probably be disappointed as usual.Have you noticed how much your surroundings affect the colors, tones, and tints you use in your work? Do you pick and choose from what is around you or do you pick bright, joyous, saturated colors to offset the short, gloomy days of winter? The equinox is coming. Persevere.