I took this photo eight years ago, on the edge of Taliesin West property, looking toward the McDowell Mountains.
This one was one of a handful of incredible sunrises I experienced that January. And I was fortunate enough to be working at Taliesin West at the time, arriving for work at dawn.
Taliesin West is known as a historic landmark, as the winter home and architecture studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. But it also acts as a one-square mile private nature preserve.
I almost always rolled into work early, in part because I always gave myself extra time in case of heavy rush hour traffic in Scottsdale. So most days I had twenty or thirty minutes to enjoy the desert.
On this particular morning, I photographed this trio of teddy bear cholla under a pastel sunrise sky. Other days I’d simply take a walk and enjoy the company of the cactus and the creosote and the rocky mountain tops.
I always seemed to start my work day centered and at peace, ready to approach the world with positivity. Funny how a daily dose of nature can do that.
And that’s one of the reasons why I started Daily Dose of the Southwest. Not all of us have the opportunity to go on a nature walk each morning — myself included, these days. But getting that dose in your email inbox or in your social media feed or by logging onto this website ain’t a bad substitute either. Better than nothing, I’d say.
With that, I hope you come away from this Daily Dose a little more centered and peaceful.
-Jake
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