Beauty in the Desert

My camera is full of beautiful pictures, so it was hard to select just a few to post. We began our day with a tour of Taliesin West, the winter camp and school of Frank Lloyd Wright. Our guide was entertaining and informative as we learned the history and work of the man and the place. The beautiful structures were surrounded by lovely grounds and a spectacular natural desert setting. We had a hard time resisting treasures in the gift shop. We left Taliesin West at noon, and located lunch at a wonderful deli called The Kitchen in Scottsdale. It was huge, with way too many choices. Then we navigated our way to our next stop, The Desert Botanical Garden. This botanical delight is 145 acres of desert plant museum. And to add an unexpected treat, the garden was hosting an installation of Chihuly glass! The wild flower garden was blooming and adorned with butterflies and humming birds as well as glass. I found huggable saguaros. The wonderful architectural quality of the cactus was enhanced by spines of glass. We decided to stick around for the evening show. We founds eats at the garden cafe, and then the lights came on. All those glass installations, and many of the plants, were lit up. Wow! It was a beautiful day full of beauty.