Signs of (Palm) Spring(s)

I just returned from Palm Springs for a short R&R break and quality time with my Chicago-snowbird parents.

Spring comes early in the Coachella Valley desert with natural beauty all around. Hummingbirds, also known as flying jewels, are busy sipping nectar from flowering plants, such as aloe, yucca,  lantana, cape honeysuckle, grevillea, and arbutus with more blossoms to come as spring deepens into summer. The happy rumbles of bumblebees and honeybees can be heard while standing near the backyard grapefruit trees. Fragrant citrus blossoms permeate the air and instantly remind me, “I smell Palm Springs,” as my kids would say. Stone walls are draped with cascading vines bougainvillea vines, which are exploding with eye-catching, vibrant, raspberry red flowers. The rugged silhouettes of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains stand against a clear and deep blue sky. Perfectly manicured green fairways come alive with flying golf balls to complete my postcard-perfect getaway to Palm Springs.