Deep in the heart of the Sonoran Desert lies an oasis of ebony mountains, golden poppies, stately saguaros--and the organ pipe cactus, "a prickly octopus turned on its head." A terrain where one learns to pay attention to the details: the tracks of a sidewinder in the sand, the tiny eggs of a cactus wren, the flash of a vermilion flycatcher against the azure sky.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument lies in southwestern Arizona on the Mexican border. It is an isolated park that for Carol Ann Bassett has long
been a place of solitude--a silent refuge where she often camped
out alone to capture the natural rhythms of the desert. Photographer
Michael Hyatt hiked through Organ Pipe to visually document its
subtle beauty in the Ajo Mountains and the valley of the Ajo, and
at Quitobaquito, a rare desert oasis. Few visitors may brave Organ
Pipe during summer, when the temperature can reach 120 degrees,
but for Bassett and Hyatt the searing heat is but a harbinger of
rain, when normally dry arroyos surge with rust-colored water and
desert tarantulas come out to mate.
Bassett introduces readers
to Organ Pipe's cultural heritage as well: Spanish missionaries,
Anglo settlers, and the Tohono O'odham and the Hia Ced O'odham
people who still travel there to gather cactus fruit during Hasan
Bakmasad, "saguaro moon." She also considers the changes taking
place throughout the park, including the onrush of immigrants passing
through in search of better lives in the United States. This small,
lyrical book is a sensitive reflection on the heart of the Sonoran
Desert. It reminds us of the beauty to be found in unexpected places--and
of our intimate connection with the wild.
REVIEWS
"This is the monument's ultimate guide for nature lovers...it will
enhance your vision into the core of the desert's soul."
- Southwest Book View
"Sensitive scenic photography by Tucson lensman Michael Hyatt
and skillful text editing by series editor and noted travel writer
Gregory McNamee make these 90-some pages flow smoothly."
- Lee Allen, Tucson Weekly
"The Desert Places series has another hit. Anyone interested
in learning about the environment of this southwest desert area
can benefit from this book. Even those who have never visited the
area will enjoy the rich imagery, the poetry, and the diverse and
well-chosen black-and-white photographs."
- Robert D. Hook, Electronic Green Journal