I recently came back from the desert- my third trip out this year.
Most people think of desert as a dead, colorless, barren place- while nothing could be further from the truth. If you allow yourself to slow down, and watch quietly- it quickly becomes apparent that the desert is teeming with life, color, and texture.
One of my favorite things to do in the desert is just walk (don't worry, I always bring plenty of water and stick pretty much to the trails) and take in the beauty. I saw quail, roadrunners, jackrabbits, lizards, all manner of rodents, and of course the plant life pictured here.