In December 2013 I took a break and gave myself a three week trip to Joshua Tree—the town and the National Park. On one of my hikes, I came upon this stately Live Oak tree in the middle of a Californian Mojave/Coloradan desert. This location was more Coloradan than Mojave, but still, a Live Oak? Flourishing. Tans, tans and tans. With snippets of greens. Near the center of this image, in a boulder field, is a rather live Live Oak. I was not prepared for that. I'm still a little bit astonished at this tree's presence in Joshua Tree National Park. I'm glad it was there though, as it provided for a much needed nap in the shade, for on that one day, the winter cold abated and everything became pretty damned hot.

"Live Oak at Joshua" #TomOgburn #DigitalPhoto
#Stunday 🦋 #EastCoastKin #Landscape #Photograph
#BlueskyPhotography #PhotographersOfBlueSky
#Skyart #BlueskyArt #Art #JoshuaTreeNP #Woodlands
#MojaveDesert #ColoradanDesert #California
For my NPS/OPN work: @parkwaysprojects.bsky.social