New pics from the Date Festival:

<img src=" " width="500" height="420" alt="110223-Excellent_Adventure-Indio_Date_Festival-600" />

<img src=" " width="500" height="468" alt="110223-Indio_Date_Festival1-600" />

<img src=" " width="500" height="455" alt="110222-Excellent_Adventure-Downtown_Palm_Springs-600" /><

And, drumroll, ta da.....
<img src=" " width="500" height="375" alt="110222-Excellent_Adventure-Palm_Canyon-600" />

Had I known how cold it was going to get here at end of February, I would've stowed aboard their RV... 😉
Barb

This farm was featured at the fair:

Cool...camels in California.
http://www.cameldairy.com/

Barb

Nice pics Barb. 😀

Latest pic from RV-ing friends, laQuinta CA

<img src=" " width="500" height="375" alt="110304-Excellent_Adventure-La_Quinta-600" />

ID -- Washy filifera?
Trunks too thick to be W.robusta?

Nice to see a youngster in the foreground.
That's what occurs to me in most of these desert photos...shouldn't there be seedlings and juveniles?

Barb

I wonder about that, too.
When I was down in McCurtain county last month, the striking thing (for the good) was that most of the Sabal minor populations were made up of strap-leaved juveniles. I see the same in Belize: most palms are young.
Maybe the "kids" just aren't considered photo-worthy? --Erik

Maybe the "kids" just aren't considered photo-worthy?

Could be, Erik.
Might also indicate changes to underground streams.

I felt the same way as you when I saw your McCurtain county pics...good to see youngsters growing so densely.
Bodes well for the future.

Barb

Latest pic from RV-ing friends, laQuinta CA

ID -- Washy filifera?
Trunks too thick to be W.robusta?

Nice to see a youngster in the foreground.
That's what occurs to me in most of these desert photos...shouldn't there be seedlings and juveniles?

Barb

You are right they are filiferas 😀

Very hard for a seedling to start in those conditions, also has competion from the adults and rabbits in the desert love palm seedlings. Saguaros seedlings also very hard to find. 😉

they are filiferas

About time 50/50 chances went my way 😆 😆

Presumably, though, there were rabbits when the big boys were starting too.
Probably an indication that coyotes (predators) have been hunted (by ranchers?) to the point where rabbit population exploded.

Barb

they are filiferas

About time 50/50 chances went my way 😆 😆

Presumably, though, there were rabbits when the big boys were starting too.
Probably an indication that coyotes (predators) have been hunted (by ranchers?) to the point where rabbit population exploded.

Barb

Could be, but there is most likely other factors as well. There may not be much water source out of the grove? If I was to do a survey I would set up a grid and some record keeping and ground water test etc... The brush may have been thicker in the past and growing over the water hole, when the first palm seeds dropped they could have been protected by the brush that is no longer there do to shade from the now adult palms etc... 😀

That's likely the best explanation.

Brush may also have been removed by native peoples for fuel.