Lizards, lizards everywhere!

Started the slow drive north back home, but seeing stuff along the way.  Went in a northeastern direction, stopping briefly in Indio, CA for lunch...and dates!  Dropped in at the world famous Shields Date Garden to check out their many varieties of dates...more than you would normally find in a grocery store. I ended up buying a sampler pack, but opted to skip the date shake. I like dates, but not THAT much!

I then spent the afternoon at Joshua Tree National Park.  I had visited the park before, but there were some places I hadn't seen.  I started things off my walking around the Cottonwood Spring area.  It was here that I saw two different types of lizards.  The first was a Mojave zebra-tailed lizard...it was wiggling the end of its tail at me.

Then, I spotted an even larger one among the rocks.  It was an immature common chuckwalla, and it was a good eight inches long.  The lizard didn't move much as I snapped some photos of it.  I think it was actually posing for the camera.

But, I didn't take only lizard photos.  Even though it was very dry, some wildflowers still managed to survive and bloom.  I don't know what kind of flowers these are, but they are pretty!

 

I also walked around the Split Rock picnic area.  It was here that I saw two more types of lizards.  A common side-blotched lizard and an eastern side-blotched lizard.  I was hoping to see a horned lizard, but alas, it was not to be.

 

Of course, my visit to Joshua Tree would not be complete without taking photos of the trees.  And, many of them were sporting buds and blossoms.  So beautiful!

Tomorrow, one state park then northward to Sequoia National Park the following day.  After all the sun, I'll be looking forward to cooler temperatures!