We spend the day out and about in Quartzsite and find some interesting stuff.

The Great Tree: a 1000+ year old Ironwood Tree.  It is beautiful and amazing in this arid place.  Did you know: throughout Arizona they have identified Centennial Witness Trees, those proven to have been alive since statehood in 1912?  This ironwood is, of course, among those mighty trees.

The Hi Holly Monument: check this out …..it commemorates a camel driver, Hadji Ali (mis-pronounced as Hi Jolly) brought to the US by the army back in 1855.  It was all part of a project designed to determine if camels could be effective in road building and handling freight in the desert Southwest.  No surprise, the camels were great at those tasks; but the Civil War interrupted and everyone lost interest in the project.  The camels roamed free for a time but eventually all perished.  Hi Jolly lived his last days in Quartzsite and his contributions to the camel project are commemorated here. 

Celia’s Rainbow Gardens: the garden has grown significantly since Kent and I visited years ago.  It is a community project where residents are encouraged to create a space in remembrance of loved ones.  Native plants are in bloom, hummingbirds perch about, and unique art dots the open space.  It is a nice place for a stroll.

Dairy Queen:  ok, not unique to Quartzsite but a great stop on and 85F afternoon!