It was a beautiful, cool morning at the Desert Botanical Garden.

On December 12, 2021, eight of us met at 8:30 AM at DBG: Carl, Deirdre, Li, Lin, Jim, Nicole, Tamar and Wendy. After a quick greeting, we stopped at the colorful Fiori Boat at the front entrance for a group picture.

After the group picture, we started our walk on the main trail to see the Chihluy in the Desert exhibits. There are many short trails in the garden. We stayed on the Desert Discovery Loop trail, then we walked the Center for Desert Living Trail, the Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail, the Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail, and the Desert Wildflower Loop Trail. At the end, we visited Chihluy in the Desert Galley, which is located at Ottosen Gallery Hall.

Chihuly in the Desert showcases Dale Chihuly’s stunning, large-scale installations nestled among the Garden’s world-class collection of desert plants. Featuring installations on the Garden’s trails complemented by a major indoor gallery in Dorrance Hall, the dynamic exhibition includes never-before-seen installations and is a must-see throughout the seasons.

After 2½ hours, we did more than 3 miles. Lunch at Gertrude’s was a great hit. We sat outdoors. The sun was shining, the heater was on, and the food was delicious. What a relaxing and enjoyable day!