1. The Central Valley looks very stressed to dying. I noticed several dead and pushed out orchards, probably almond trees, while going both ways on Interstate 5. I wonder if our orchards will look like that if our friend, El Niño, does not visit again, as expected this year. What I think are pistachio orchards seemed to be doing very well.

2. This is the absolute truth. There is a portion of freeway heading out of Bakersfield toward Needles called "Weedpatch Highway". Really. I thought it appropriately named as it was nothing but tumbleweed for miles. I imagined the project managers sitting around a pizza (with a number of empty beer bottles nearby) laughing about potential names for the nearly completed stretch of freeway. 

3. The desert foliage is unique and beautiful in its own way. I am amazed the anything can grow in the Mojave. Yet, there are many different plants. I wish I knew more about the desert plants. I am still looking at pictures of plants trying to figure out what a couple of them are. 

4. Having never been to Sedona, AZ before all that I knew to expect was that there is red rock and it is beautiful no matter the time of year that one visits. At first, leaving the desert and going into the mountains was like heading to Tahoe, then I noticed that the trees are different from our area.   The pines are shorter. The first branches are very close to the ground. 

5. There are no words that have not been said about the Grand Canyon. Even the most beautiful pictures that I have seen do not do it justice. All that I can say is this, if you haven't ever been there (like me), you must make it a bucket list priority.