There is much to be said for flexibility. As we admired the early morning light Thursday (note the several feet of snow on the mountains), Marty suggested that we take a day off from the usual home school schedule and head for Joshua Tree National Park. So off we went to experience the high desert.

Many of the washes – the rivers of sand that become creek beds during rains—still had traces water and the cactus is starting to bloom. The park encompasses two distinct ecosystems representing both Mojave and Colorado desert; most of it is above 3,000 feet. So we took along warm clothes.