Unexpected Beauty

Mountains, palm trees, and alternative energy, Palm Springs, CA

Okay, the foreground is not that attractive, but I love the background, the combination of palm trees and snow-capped mountains. My first winter in Phoenix I witnessed such a phenomenon. One evening, there was a snowstorm in the surrounding mountains. The next morning, I walked out of my residence surprised to see what I regarded as a jarring juxtaposition (being the Midwestern boy that I am). But now I find such a scene to be beautiful. Sometimes we need to give time before the beauty of a thing makes itself evident to us. That's often the case when it comes to the unexpected and the unfamiliar. This photo was taken just outside of Palm Springs, when I visited friends in California several years ago. As you can see, California makes alternative energy a priority. What a beautiful idea!