"Black"~Weekly Color for January 5, 2011

Across the valley from Deep Canyon is the Coachella Valley Preserve, out by Thousand Palms Canyon. Behind the preserve, along the Indio Hills, lies the San Andreas Fault and on this fault are a number of palm oases. One such oasis, the Willis Palms oasis, caught on fire in November. My husband and I were driving home one evening and I spotted it from the freeway (Interstate 10). I told him, "Something's on fire over there!" and (of course), he said, "Nah!" Turns out it was this palm oasis. I hiked out there a couple of weeks ago just to see what was left. The palms were still there, stark and black. It was a very sad sight to see, indeed. But, with all the rain we've had this fall and winter, I understand that these palms should grow back next spring. After all, fire doesn't usually kill these palms and they do grow back. By the way, the cause of this fire is still "under investigation"...Weekly Color~black~January 5, 2011. To view other participants, please visit: http://livingtakestalent.blogspot.com/