Desert Beauty

Sunrise in the desert behind my house

If you plan to visit the desert, the best month is April when all the wildflowers and cactus are blooming.  The temperature will also be great, but this situation won’t last long.  By the end of May, it’s already too hot to stay outside for extended periods.  You certainly wouldn’t want to be hiking at that time of year, or through the summer months, unless you have plenty of water on hand and can stand 115° temperatures.

 The western sky at sunset

The cliffs behind my house at sunset

 

The desert is a drastic place of extremes.  Carved rocky cliffs are here year round and have their own beauty caused by the wind and rain that have carved them into giant sentinels over the centuries.  They stand guard over the desert floor where wild sage and other drought tolerant plants grow in abundance.

 April flowers

April flowers in the desert behind my house

 

I’m always surprised at the beauty that displays itself every year.  Nothing beats the wildflowers that add a splash of dazzling color to the bleak landscape of sand, shrubs and rocks.  An assortment of bright pinks, purples, blues, yellows and whites, in varying shades, makes the desert softer and not so desolate.

More April flowers

Enjoy pictures from my backyard and areas nearby.

April flowers

October flowers are like a carpet among the lava rock

A New Home for the Holidays

My Home

Tired of shoveling snow and months of cold weather?  If you’ve ever thought about desert living, check out this house in the high desert of southwest Utah.

http://www.redmountain307.com/

This home is near several national parks and about two miles away from a beautiful state park.  You’ll love living here if you love the outdoors and watching wildlife.  This is especially true for hikers, campers, rock climbers, and photographers and artists.  There’s something magnificent to see everywhere you look from the scenic red rocks, to petrified sand dunes, to old black lava flows.

If you’re not into outdoor physical activities, you might enjoy plays from Broadway that are acted out using the backdrop of the unique red rock amphitheater only two miles away.  Enjoy a performance of an array of plays, bands, and comedians throughout the year.

 Tuachan Amphitheater

My home is large enough to accommodate a big family, or a retired couple that want space and a place to entertain relatives and friends.  The landscaping is low maintenance with just enough grass to make it desirable, yet easy to take care of.  Barbecue and watch all the wildlife you want from your own backyard.  At night view stars all the way to the horizon because we don’t have all the big city lights. 

This home sits on a large lot in the picturesque community of Ivins.  It backs up to the desert where you’ll find hiking and horseback riding trails, making it also the perfect place for walking your canine friend.

One of many hiking trails behind my house

Ivins is a small community of about 7400 people located minutes from St George where you’ll find all the shopping and restaurants you could ever want.  There are two Walmart supercenters in the area, as well as a Costco and all the chain stores and restaurants.

We get over 300 days of sunshine a year here.  Summers can be quite warm, but winters are mild and short when you consider the northern and central United States, December and January being the coldest months here.  As surprising as it sounds when you think of Utah, we get very little snow, if any, every winter.  It’s usually melted in a day or two.

We’re also only two and a half hours north of Las Vegas, or thirty minutes from Mesquite, Nevada where you’ll find fabulous buffets and gambling activities.

I must warn you, we have very little humidity here year round.  I love this house with its spacious open floor plan and so much storage.  I wish I could transport it closer to my family, but as my husband reminds me, we do need to downsize a tad at our age.  And of course it’s impossible to transport a house unless you’re Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

We’ve enjoyed a great ten and a half years here.  Now it’s someone else’s turn.  Please take a look at the website, enjoy the pictures, and ask questions if you have any.  All inquiries will be answered.