Friday, February 20, 2009

The Natural Beauty of the Las Vegas Area

This is inviting Crystal Springs at the Ash Mountain National Wildlife Refuge, west of Las Vegas near the town of Parump, NV. Ash Mountain NWR was created to preserve the 30 or so springs that generate 10,000 gallons of water per minute. This helped preserve the environment that houses the tiny and magical pupfish. The sign on the boardwalk said "No Swimming" but the beautiful blue 87 degree water was mighty inviting.




There's a blue pupfish in the lower center of this photo. I was mesmerized by these tiny fish chasing each other through the algae in Point of Rocks Springs.

Cacti on the mountainside above Point of Rocks Springs. The pink barrel cacti were especially plump and beautiful.



Nearing sunset at Ash Mountain NWR. This was a lovely day. Although we've received quite a bit of rain and mountain snow recently, wildflowers were not yet blooming here, although the ranger told me that some are blooming just up the road in Death Valley National Park. I ran out of time today, but will make it to Death Valley before we head home next month.

I hope you enjoy this brief overview. I also found that in the absolute quietude of a landscape where most of the time all I could hear was my own footsteps, I was able to hear my soul speak. May these lands always be present and even more, may there always be people who love them.

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