Though I have visited Joshua Tree NP numerous times in the past, it was especially striking today. Photo conditions were excellent. The sky was crystal clear, thanks to a cold wind; the sun was fairly low in the sky on this midwinter afternoon, creating good light; and there were a few clouds dappling the sky for contrast. Even though nothing was in bloom, it was still gorgeous. It was my first time in the park with a digital camera; I took three dozen pictures in a few hours and could have taken hundreds, given the fine light and the myriad of shapes and contours created by the vegetation and the landscape.

Look at this fine Joshua Tree! It's one of the larger ones around, close to thirty feet high and quite massive. Yes, as a dues paying member of the Sierra Club I hugged it, and came a good two feet short from touching my hands together. Like the Saguaro cactus, each Joshua Tree has its own shape and personality.