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I figured I would let the photos do the talking
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Can you feel the magic of this amazing place? Being in Joshua Tree National Park was a little slice of heaven. Peaceful with amazing sights are every turn in the road. Kris and I were just in awe of this foreign landscape. Neither one of us had spent that much time in a desert environment; and Joshua Tree is even a different class of desert. Between the trees and the rock formations, we were clicking hundreds of photos. As you can see, the day was *perfect* with stunning blue skies as a backdrop for the white, red, brown, and occasional greens of the desert.
The Park is the intersection of two deserts – the Mojave in the north, where the Joshua Trees are, and the Colorado/Sonoran desert in the southeast of the Park. The two deserts are distinctively different, and when you cross over into the next one, the landscape really changes. We spent the day in the Park enjoying every minute of the hikes. We saw so much beauty. We traveled from North to South through the Park and ended the day in the otherworldly landscape of the Colorado Desert, distinguished by the unique chullo cactus and the rugged mountains.
… and perhaps the best treat of all…
Was ending the day with an absolutely stunning moon rise. Kris and I pulled our car off the road, walked into the nearby field, set up the tripod, and just enjoyed every minute of the moon rising above the mountains. The bats were coming out, but there was not a single sound. It was a stunning silence. One of the most peaceful moments I have ever experienced.
– All Joshua Tree photos here –
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Do a birthday girl a favor, and tell me about the last place where you felt absolute peace -
I would love to hear.
Happy Birthday! I hope it was wonderful. That moon rise sounds perfect. Like a moment you’ll remember for a very long time. A new Zen for your yoga classes.
The last time I had absolute peace was when the doctor told me that it was a healthy baby boy and put him in my arms. For just a moment, the delivery room faded, I couldn’t hear anyone else talking, just my little boy looking at me, me looking at him and both of us breathing together, but separate for the first time.
The moment of absolute peace before that was with Girly. She was a few hours old before I was able to hold her without shaking or feeling so tired I was afraid she would fall out of numb arms. We were in my room in the hospital and just like with Boyo, sounds faded and it was just the two of us looking at each other and breathing.
I think your photos made my heart break a little. I grew up in Las Vegas and adore the Mojave and the Sonoran Deserts. I miss them so much. I am in Milwaukee now. The moon rise. That is breathtaking and it makes my heart ache..just ache for the desert. Thank you for sharing and happy birthday.
I haven’t been out to Joshua Tree in ages. I think I will need to make a trip out there soon. These are gorgeous pictures.
The last time I felt total at peace was when I went to Lower Twin Lakes in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Its just so quiet. I have so many good memories there over the years. The trip I took in September was extremely stressfull but I went to this spot before I went home and everything was right for that moment in time. Here is a link to the spot I was at:
Picture of Lower Twin Lake
That sky, that moonrise, wow. I’m sure it was even more breakthtaking in person. What a gift to be able to see that.
Happiest of happy birthdays, lady. I can’t remember off hand the last time I felt peaceful, which means I need to get some relaxation time in state! Thanks for the reminder
Wow! Stunning photos – and I can almost feel the peace of that moon rise just looking at the last ones. Peace for me is often found in a quite armchair knitting in hand.
Happy Birthday!
Me again…about the last time I felt totally peaceful. Being in AL this past weekend, I had a couple of times that come to mind. Being out in the forest, the stars were breath-taking because the weather was so nice there. I haven’t seen so many since AZ and I do love to look at them.
The most recent was the morning we left…I opened the door at 7:00 and was greeted by the most spectacular morning! The birds were singing, the sun had just risen and there was a heavy dew, so it looked like diamonds sparkling everywhere. Oh, and you know what? It was the same day I greeted my first into the world, 29 years before! XXOO
Happy birthday.
Wow, your Joshua Tree pictures are amazing. I’ve never been there; someday, I hope!
Hmmm, calm place, calm place. Well, my grandparents’ farm is one of my favorite places. They have several ponds, lovely little goats, and not a soul around for miles. It’s very calming, just walking the land, listening to the wind, and enjoying my surroundings. I get to do that very thing next week for Thanksgiving, and I can’t wait.
Happy Birthday! Your pictures are so awesome. Thanks for sharing. I remember being very awed and at peace in Havasu Canyon many years ago. The colors, the silence, the grandeur…
On a trip to Greece. Sitting outside at night at a restaurant on a hill overlooking the Acropolis. Was with my husband, a brother and sister in law and it was such a special moment and even though it’s been 8 years, I will never forget.
Happy, happy birthday! These photos are amazing—not at all surprised about that, though!
Hmmm…absolute peace? In January the Tailor and I spent a few days in Arches National Park, and the feeling of peace was just overwhelming. It was very cold (5 degrees!), there was a layer of snow on everything, and we were pretty much the only people there. We hiked up the slickrock face (normally packed like Times Square in the summer) to the secluded cliff from whence you could see Delicate Arch, and the sun slanted in to create an amazing shadow that seemed to belong to us alone. I could have sat there forever, and the peace and beauty made me completely forget the cold. There’s something about the desert that really strikes a chord with me…
Thank you for triggering the memory, and have a perfect birthday!
Wonderful ! I understand why you felt so peaceful there !
Absolute peace for me used to be in my grandmother’s garden, in Britanny. She lived in a tiny village, not far from the sea. Everything was very quiet. Sometimes a car. Sometimes a tractor. And the bell of the church to rythm the day. My grandmother and her sister used to live there, doing things old ladies do : gardening, cooking, walking, reading papers, making crosswords… I always remember these times when I need some peace of mind.
I am late but I wish you the happiest birthday !
So do you think it’s a travesty that I live in So Cal and have never been to Joshua Tree?
I think it’s *because* I live here that I am not terribly interested in the desert landscape. I am much more drawn to lush greenery. That being said, I am loving your pics. Especially the moon rise. So gorgeous.
I think the last time I experienced such peace was when R and I were camping in Sequoia. We hiked up to Tokopah Falls and it was just amazing. So quiet, so much nature surrounding us and it felt so grand to look down at the valley below.
Happy (belated) birthday! The greatest peace I have ever felt is in a little park in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. A beautiful place, especially in the rain.
oh man… i spend a lot of time climbing in JTree and I’ve been lucky on occasion to see moonrises like those but never have I seen one so wonderfully captured in photos – they’re stunning!!
[...] animals. Just days after reading this essay, I had the experience of being in the open desert (Joshua Tree National Park in southern California) and witnessed the Mexican Free-Tailed bats coming out to feed at dusk… just me, my husband, [...]