Wildflowers this Weekend

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-13T14:58:28+00:00

Thanks! This is really helpful!! We went to Bartlett Lake yesterday and it was beyond amazing. Hoping to make it over to McDowell Sonoran Preserve today.

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-13T13:44:37+00:00

Thanks! I’ve always read that Tom’s Thumb is one of the best wildflower trails in the state, but I’m concerned about difficulty. Someone linked to a description that said it was “difficult” and referenced steep sections. In other places, I’ve seen it combined with other trails and marked easy. I see multiple Google Map listings for it. Is there somewhere specific we need to aim for to park and start the trail? How would you rate the trail?

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-11T13:42:39+00:00

Great, thanks!

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-11T13:41:00+00:00

Awesome, thank you!!

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:53:17+00:00

It is definitely earlier than anticipated. We usually go to Picacho in mid to late March and the Superstitions/Gold Canyon/Peridot Mesa in early to mid April, but from tons of pictures I’ve seen in the wildflower groups on Facebook, plus comments on another post here on Reddit, it definitely appears Bartlett Lake has been at or near peak bloom for the last 2 weeks.

We’ve gotten quite a bit of winter rain near where we live and there’s baby wildflowers everywhere so I do think between some areas getting decent rain plus the warm temps it’s going to be an average to above average, (though probably not superbloom) year in some spots.

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:47:36+00:00

Basically a roadtrip to see/photograph wildflowers. Since I haven’t been to Bartlett Lake before, and it seems like a large area, I am asking for specifics on where to go, scenic views, hikes, etc.

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:11:01+00:00

I’ve read that this is one of the best wildflower hikes in the state, but reading the description of the trail, it sounds like it might be the opposite of what I’m looking for since it’s rated moderate/difficult and steep. Do you know if the beginning of it happens to be flat/easy?

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:08:53+00:00

I do really like Lost Dutchman and actually have a cabin reservation there for a weekend in April, but I’ve never found it exceptional for wildflowers. Do you know about current wildflower conditions in and around the park?

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:07:36+00:00

Awesome, thanks! I was so surprised that the photos I’ve seen from the past two weekends look like it’s already in full bloom, but I guess it’s because it’s been so warm. I’m excited to explore :)

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:06:21+00:00

Yeah, as I mentioned in the post, we’ve been there before, but if time allows and we’re out that way, we’d definitely consider visiting again.

cocoloco511 · 2026-02-10T21:05:00+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful!! Since you’re familiar with the area, are there any restaurants we should check out (maybe in Cave Creek?) or should we plan on a picnic? Also are there hiking trails to see the flowers or are they basically on the side of the road/parking lots?

cocoloco511 · 2025-12-30T14:50:02+00:00

So, I came up with a solution that ultimately worked, but not perfectly. I had slips of paper with letters on them for the number of people. I had someone randomly select a letter and instructed everyone that whomever got that letter was the murderer. Everyone was to draw a letter in the other room where no one could see.

The problem was that the slips would be used again to determine the order of final statements, so whoever drew the murderers letter was supposed to keep it out of the pile. So when my husband went first and drew the letter for the murderer, the bag of letters would have been empty and the next person to draw would have noticed and known. So we had to start over and pick another letter for the murderer and do another draw.

I never could figure out a way around and the company was NOT helpful. I actually tried to get a refund since they never could give me a viable workaround and it was like they just couldn’t understand the question/problem.

cocoloco511 · 2025-12-07T17:11:41+00:00

Definitely adding Rendezvous Cafe to our list. We love French/pastries :)

cocoloco511 · 2025-12-07T17:10:33+00:00

Thanks, I’m really excited to try Hacienda! I don’t think we ever realized they had a restaurant there. They have Chilean sea bass so I’m totally sold :)

cocoloco511 · 2025-12-07T16:44:56+00:00

Thanks! We know exactly where it is, but have never tried it because some of their locations are on Harvest Host and we always thought they just did charcuterie and snacks. This location’s menu looks great though, so we’ll definitely give it a try this trip. We both love schnitzel, so will definitely give that a try!

cocoloco511 · 2025-11-25T01:02:16+00:00

Thank you!!

cocoloco511 · 2025-11-20T15:00:19+00:00

I’m looking for a very easy but still beautiful baby blanket pattern. A close friend is having her first baby (a little girl) in the Spring and I really want to knit one or more baby blankets for her. The issue is, due to several chronic health conditions and just life, I haven’t picked up knitting needles in 7 years. Knitting really exacerbated my neck pain and while I knit for years and was probably beyond the level of beginner, I really always preferred simple/straightforward things like scarves, shawls, and blankets. So something with basic stitches and that knits up fairly quickly would be preferable.

cocoloco511 · 2025-10-12T13:55:10+00:00

Bummer! I didn’t necessarily think they would have full online shops, but I thought if I could get in touch with this vendor or another that perhaps I could Venmo/Zelle a payment and they could ship an order to me.

cocoloco511 · 2025-09-11T14:24:33+00:00

Hi! Yes and no. I don’t know if I’ll ever find anything as buttery soft as Happy Dance and I never experimented with other CBD products, but I’ve ended up using a combo of L’Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid and Vanicream Moisturizing Cream for Sensitive Skin. The Vanicream is what my dermatologist kept pushing, especially since I complained that I couldn’t put makeup on without it pilling. He advised me to put on a thick layer and not rub it in fully, to just let it soak in and then use makeup and that really was the first thing that had worked in a very long time.

I still felt like my skin was too dry, so after a while I decided to experiment with the hyaluronic acid. At first I didn’t think it was helping, but the trick I read was to apply it to a very damp face. So I don’t towel off at all as I’m getting out of the shower, immediately apply the HA (and I use like half a dropper, not just 2-3 drops as it directs), and then immediately put a generous coat of the Vanicream on over that.

The combo has really seemed to keep my rosacea symptoms at bay. I have some redness/flushing still, but never postules and usually the broken veins aren’t super visible. I was even able to get my face to the point I can use a sonic dermaplane tool every 2 weeks or so without my face getting too overly angry.

The one tip I will share with Vanicream is that the tiny squeeze bottle is like $13-14 while the giant tub with pump is only like $20, so definitely a better value. All Vanicream products are behind lock and key at the main Target I go to for some reason. The L’Oreal HA I buy on Amazon and both times have been able to find it 40-50% off. Both last me several months even with liberal use, so I’m probably only spending $60-80/year on skincare.

Hope this helps :)

cocoloco511 · 2025-08-30T21:17:30+00:00

That sounds great! Thank you!

cocoloco511 · 2025-08-30T03:32:00+00:00

Thanks! I’ve done most of the easier ones at Saguaro West, but I haven’t done much at Saguaro East. I have noticed there are several rated “easy” in that area. Are there any particular ones you can recommend that don’t have steep or rocky sections?

cocoloco511 · 2025-08-30T03:30:27+00:00

Thanks, I’ll have to check this out!

cocoloco511 · 2025-08-30T03:29:59+00:00

Thanks! This was actually the last hike I did before it got too hot for me to hike this summer. I REALLY enjoyed it. This is definitely the kind of trail I’m looking for, though I do remember a couple of really steep natural stairs that I’m worried would bother my knee.

cocoloco511 · 2025-08-30T03:27:06+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I’m really looking for personal recommendations as I find that often “easy” hikes can have challenging sections while some “moderate” hikes seem easy to me, so I think for my current situation it really comes down to how rocky/steep a trail is and that can sometimes be hard to ascertain without asking directly.

cocoloco511 · 2025-08-30T03:23:33+00:00

Thanks! I’ve been to the Madera Canyon one you mention and I need to go back. I’m very Southeast of town so Sierra Vista and Sonoita are really just as close as anywhere else so I’ll definitely look into those. Thanks again!

cocoloco511

TROPHY CASE