I live near the edge of civilization. Sort of. At least, I like to think that I do. In reality, I live near the edge of the Gila River Indian Reservation which comprises 583,749 square miles of desert goodness.
The Gila River is an amazing string of water that branches off the Colorado River and flows gently through some of America’s harshest terrain. Indigenous peoples have lived along this river for at least 2,000 years and established complex agricultural societies long before Europeans arrived. The descendants of those native peoples still reside on their native lands, and the neighborhood I live in abuts the very edge of their community.
I love the beauty of the desert. There is something primal and serene about brown hills and blue skies. I take advantage of living nearby as often as I can and walk a 2-mile trail that winds through this wonderful terrain.
I made many New Years Resolutions to myself for 2023, and one of them was to really pay attention to the seasons as they change in the desert. I am going to make a little art project out of this goal and take pictures of the same spots throughout the year.
Above will be spot #1. When I walk this trail, this is the first hill that I see. What the viewer cannot see is the golf course hiding behind the massive wall of dirt. I know that it’s there, but I try to ignore it. What I like about this spot is the plethora of Four-Wing Saltbush in the foreground. I will enjoy documenting this vegetation as the seasons change.
Spot #2 will be the narrow path of mesquite trees that close in on the trail:
I’m not 100% sure when the mesquites get their leaves, so it will be interesting for me to pay close attention and watch them leaf out.
Another scene I would like to document throughout the year is this tightly packed spot:
Lots of areas on the trail look like this, so I am hoping now that I’ll remember where exactly I took this shot! I may or may not be able to replicate this exact same photo, but I will try to get the same view after a while.
Another good candidate for seasonal changes is this spot next to the river:
I am excited to see how the grasses change throughout the year. This is the favorite hiding spot for redwing blackbirds, and I’ve accidently startled them before and watched 1,000s of them escape to the sky.
Finally, I am interested in documenting the changes that occur on this little body of water:
I know that lily pads grow here, but again, I’m not sure when they come into season.
I got lucky with lots of clouds when I went for this walk yesterday, and I doubt that I’ll be able to replicate such incredible skies. Yet, the sky above the Sonoran Desert is typically a lovely shade of blue, and I’ll be happy to capture the sky in all its usual glory.
My book Memory Road Trip is available as e-book or paperback! Buy it either at Amazon or at most major retailers.
Krista Marson 