The desert in bloom is a terrestrial Milky Way, the bright blossoms standing in sharp contrast to the dry vacuum surrounding them. Across the Southwest, last winter’s consistent rains have created one of the best wild flower seasons in years. And while flower sniffing has always seemed a soft pursuit to me, it makes one heck of a good reason to throw on a backpack and get out there. So, last weekend, we did. I picked the spot (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in eastern San Diego County), my son, Jackson, picked the date, and we aimed for Sheep Canyon at the northern end of the lower 48’s largest state park.