It got quite steamy in the hot house…

It got quite steamy in the hot house…

Howdi!
Thanks for popping in.
What a jam packed day we have had today!

This is a wall hanging in the zoo we visited which  I fell in love with :

We started out with a long walk around the Living Desert Zoo.
First thing I saw was a great quote on the wall:

In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks,
– John Muir


We strolled around the park in the hot desert sunshine. Saw so much, from wolves, mountain lions, bobcats and black bears
to bison, elk and prairie dogs.

They are so funny!

The vistas were breathtaking, but the heat! 

I was ready to join the turtles in amongst the water lilies!

We learned a valuable lesson about comparison.
There was a greenhouse-type building for the world’s succulents,
and I did warn Steve before we went in that it might be hot. 
“Hot??” he responded, “It’s 92 degrees fahrenheit out here!”

I kid you not. When we opened the door and entered it hit us like a hot towel. 120˚ and humid.
The cacti were the largest I have ever seen!
Steve couldn’t see anything because his glasses steamed up as soon as we entered!

It was so hot you could hardly breathe.
But we dragged our sorry limp selves round the amazing plants
with true British stoicism.

 

We were the only peeps in there too, 
which should have been an indicator…

Steve was waiting at the exit for me.
“Come on!” he called,  “we need to have this experience together.”

When we opened the escape hatch, and lept out, it was 
FREEZING OUTSIDE !!!!

Suddenly, 92˚ seemed really cold!

It’s like driving 120 miles an hour and then slowing down to 80.
80 mph suddenly seems sluggish. 
(Don’t worry, I only drove that speed in Germany!)

So yeah. It’s all relative, isn’t it. 
Everything.

I was really feeling my age climbing down into Carlsbad Cavern later in the afternoon. The elevator was broken, so we had to walk back up to the surface too.
But then I saw an elderly Mexican lady 
who must have been 80 if she was a day! 
And she was coping just fine! I mean, she wasn’t skipping or doing cartwheels! But she was getting there, one step at a time.
Then I saw people much younger than us barely able to make it back up to the surface. So you see, it’s all relative.

Best to just have the experience and not worry about what others are doing, eh. 
I will tell you all about Carlsbad Caverns another day. 
It is spectacular.  

P.S. 18,490 steps today.
And 66 floors.
No wonder I’m cream-crackered and Steve is snoring !!

Love & hugs,
Barb
xxx

34 thoughts on “It got quite steamy in the hot house…

  1. Morning Barb, sounds like some really amazing things to see, those Cacti are huge, wouldn't like to be the person to replant them. And that wall hanging reminds me of one of your brayered landscapes. Glad you are having such a great time. Take care. Bx

  2. Oh my word – I felt like that when we went to Eden but I doubt it was hot at all in comparison to the heat where you are! Nice long beer in an AC room me thinks. 😉😉

  3. Hope it's not that hot in Fuerta Ventura! Sat at Gatwick ready to fly off for a week! Enjoy the rest of your break. I won't be walking as far as you !! Xx

  4. Sounds like an experience but way too hot for me, i really don't like it much hotter than a warm spring day, which doesn't bode well for our trip to California later in the year but if I want to see the area i will have to manage

  5. Hi Barbara
    Blimey that's hot! Yes typical Brit, it's not hot enough outside so let's go in a hot house haha, still the others didn't get the joy of seeing the cactus or to feel how 'cold' it is outside. That's a wonderful picture, very you. Hope you have a good nights sleep after all those steps, your feet must be killing you! Have fun.
    Love Diane xxx

  6. Hi Barbara, well you had a fabulous day. Yes the cataus were brilliant, my friend has two greenhouses full of them and they are big when he goes to shows it takes three people to carry them from car to show stand he would love to see these.
    the wall hanging looks like one of your art works if you had said this is what I did today we would have to ask you for a step by step so we could have a go at that one.
    Your blog today was amazing,sweet dreams.
    Lynn xx

  7. Hi Barbara and Steve,
    enjoy the incredible heat and stay as long as you can…
    Here (in Germany) it´s incredible cold with rain, snow and graupel.
    You had a good timing for your trip to New Mexico.
    Have wonderful days in N.M.
    Rolf xxx

  8. I have laughed out loud every time I have logged on here to see what you are both up to. Thank you so much for sharing. Beautiful wall hanging, I agree x

  9. Phew! That's hot and then some Barbara, and I would have wilted long before you and Steve did, but what a fun zoo and the enormous cacti are incredible. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. x

  10. Brilliant Barbara. Thank you for sharing. It's highly unlikely I'll ever get to experience the world. But the way you share your experiences means I can get the closest I can without actually experiencing it for myself. Sounds like you're having the perfect holiday, and break from work. Hope you both have another brilliant day today. And well done on the steps. With all that exercise and hot houses, you'll come back a skinny rake! Love Brenda xx

  11. What a jam packed full on day you have both had, an experience of a life time too. Sounds amazing! Those cacti are awesome and love the wall hanging and quote.
    Hugs
    Linda xxx

  12. We need some cacti stamps and/or Groovi plates please Barbara. Do you remember (of course you do), those amazing Native American portrait stamps that you sold back in time? Please could you add cactus drawings to the to-do lists for your artists? They would be great on our landscapes, and a reminder to yourself and Dave of a wonderful, if slightly warm, holiday. Enjoy the rest of your trip and thank you for the daily postcards. They are great reminders of our own holidays to the US west coast states in times past. Stay safe please xx

  13. Thanks for all the photos and the continuing blog Barb, much appreciated though heat ain't for me! Glad you're having such a great time. Xx

  14. I'm really enjoying your blogs. You sound as though you are having a great time. My husband and I once went for a walk up Golden Cap in Dorset. We were both in our 40's at the time and struggling to get to the top when we were overtaken by a lady who must have been in her 60's with a bandaged knee! Slightly embarrassing to say the least!
    Enjoy the rest of your holiday.
    Gayle x

  15. Hi Barb,
    Brilliant blog today! Sounds like you are having a fantastic time and as Brenda said, if you keep going at this rate you'll be down to a size 6!!!!! Well done though for doing all the steps and stairs. I certainly couldn't cope with the heat outside and wouldn't be able to breathe in the glasshouses! Love and hugs Alison xxx

  16. Hot, hot, hot! My sister and I went to the zoo in Atlanta on a scorching hot day, we thought the zoo was very quiet until the heat drove us into the reptile and insect house. Well, it was packed inside! How strange, never thought this many people would want to see snakes and spiders…nope, it was the air conditioning, families were sitting in there eating their lunches! We stayed in there long enough to feel recovered but like you said, it felt like walking into an oven coming back out again! Did see the pandas though so it was worth it. Xx

  17. that sounds so interesting. yes i get the relative bit. that happens at home all the time too. as temperatures tend to be hot they always say it is freezing when it is about 19C but in the UK that seems warm. so when we are going round in our summer attire they think we have lost the plot, enjoy the rest of your stay, hugs xx

  18. The quilt/hanging is stunning! The prairie dogs are so cute too lol! Your ought to get yourself the quilt Barbara and stay out of green houses in future xx

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