Standing strong is the answer

Paloverde tree - broken limb is to the side

That means survival in the desert.  The conditions are harsh most of the time and the wind is fierce.  It blows at hurricane force a few times a year.  We’ve had our heavy patio chairs thrown like sticks onto the lawn and the wind sent the grill sailing right off the patio once.  I was cooking inside at the time and was flabbergasted to see it fly by the kitchen window.

This time our grill cover was ripped off so we tied it down with heavy twine.  The rope we had on it was broken by the wind.  Two chairs ended up lying on their sides in the lawn and a big limb broke off the Paloverde tree, reducing it in size by about one third.  I’ve never lived in a place where the wind blows this hard.  Sometimes it reminds me of living on the farm as a child when a hurricane was coming.

 Broken Paloverde limb

 

We used to stand at the door and watch things blow by in the wind.  Once we held the screen door open to get a better look and it slammed back against the house with a bang.  Mama had a fit and yelled for us kids to get away from the door.

People should fear the wind as much as the ocean.  It packs a lot of power.

The Paloverde limb is too heavy to move.  I have no idea how much it weighs.  We’ll have to chop it up on the spot and haul it to the trashcan in pieces.  Luckily the tree isn’t phased by losing a third of itself. 

 This broken limb is huge and very heavy

 

I think these trees are hardy as they grow fast.  We’ve had to cut them to the ground when they freeze.  And look at this tree now.  It’s astonishing to see how it survives and even thrives in these conditions.

Here is the Paloverde tree in May loaded with yellow blooms