1.   Any day now, the hillsides will be bursting forth with wildflower blooms.

2.   Despite the harsh conditions, a rainbow of wildflowers bloom regularly in the desert, sometimes carpeting the ground with detailed blossoms after a rain storm.

3.   In the East Bay, huge tracts of wildlands appear to be on the verge of awesome wildflower blooms.

4.   Like many visitors here, the Johnstons follow the wildflower bloom to Texas, where they fix things at Guadalupe River State Park, north of San Antonio.

5.   The park Web site, www.anzaborrego.statepark.org, includes regular updates on the annual wildflower bloom.

6.   The spring wildflower bloom usually peaks between late February and April, with cactuses and some trees and shrubs flowering into early summer.

7.   There is plenty of water, little ice and, as a bonus, early wildflower blooms.

8.   Wildflower blooms are decent here, including golden poppies, blue-eyed grass and lupine.