RESILIENT | WORDPRESS WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE
Only one tree grows naturally in the great Sonoran desert that fills much of Arizona and continues down into Mexico. The dominant site throughout the desert is, of course, the huge Saguaro cacti.
Now that they are protected, they are everywhere, including dominating well-tailored back and front yards of suburban homes in and around Phoenix. You can’t cut them down, so no matter how well you plan your garden, nothing prevents a cactus from decided to take root there.
The ironwood is not a cactus, but a tree. It can live in the hottest, driest possible growing condition. It is the only tree that will survive in that environment without human intervention.
An old, gnarled ironwood tree is a true symbol of the North American west. Resilient doesn’t cover it. This is ultimate survival.
I participate in WordPress’ Weekly Photo Challenge 2016
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Categories: #Photography, Arizona, Nature
SQUARE UP ARIZONA SUNSET – Marilyn Armstrong 
THE FORGOTTEN PHOTOS – GARRY ARMSTRONG 
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
Very nice! Happy New Year to you and Garry! 😀
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And to you too! It has been a while and I hope you are doing well as the year ends 🙂
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Happy New Year. 🙂
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And to you, too!
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You have to admire how adaptable nature is. Beautiful photos, Marilyn and such an interesting effect with the filters.
Leslie
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These are the first pictures of that I have liked because I got not only the “visual” but the “feeling.” Literal captures don’t always get the ambience.
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Good set of “ironwood” shots.., wonder where those were taken…?
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Aw, you know. You were right next to me, but I think you didn’t bring your camera. See? I told you to always bring a camera 🙂
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Lot of this looks like “Winchester ’73” territory..which I taped again. Jimmy Stewart’s good guy versus Waco Johnny Dean, Dutch Henry Brown and the gang.
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It IS Winchester 73 territory. That’s where they shot it.
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Everything growing there needs to be”ironwood ” I guess. I also like the cactuses
Happy new year!
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It is the only tree that can survive the very high temperatures and lack of rain. A lot of the ironwood — the ones out in the desert — look the worse for wear, but they hang on. They are very tough. The wood is so dense it doesn’t float. Heavy stuff!
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