Chuck Caplinger designed a piece of public art in Twentynine Palms: two numbers and a piece of punctuation, 7 feet high, that reads “29!” It’s become a much-photographed town icon. There’s talk now of moving “29!” to a better location. I talk with Caplinger about his inspiration and love of the desert for my Friday column.

Whew, I interviewed him in April while in the desert for a long weekend off, but didn’t really have a chance to write it until now. I’m relieved to have this (as well as columns on Cal Jam, Sam Maloof’s protege, the LA County Fair art exhibit and a few other holdover items) finally done and out in the world, just as I’m taking a break for vacation. I can return with an almost clean slate.

I went to Twentynine Palms in late October for its book festival, enjoyed the place and have meant ever since to write a column about it. Well, here it is. (There’s nothing like the looming end of the year to get yourself in motion.)

I attended Saturday’s Desert Book Festival in Twentynine Palms, as did nearly 300 others, and write about it. It was fun. Also: other book-ish items, including a query about audiobooks, all in my Wednesday column.

Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree is a whimsically named store specializing in science fiction, but with a stock of westerns too. Also, fiction, poetry and more. I visited last month while in the area and interviewed owner Jean-Paul Garnier about science fiction, life in the desert and being a small-businessman during COVID. That story makes up my Sunday column. Finally, the third and final column from my vacation a month ago is done — whew. What can I tell you, local news kept intruding.

More about Joshua Tree, as the lauded restaurant La Copine secures its future by buying its building (a curious cat is involved) and the Noah Purifoy museum gets a $100,000 arts grant. Also, desert-scented soap is purchased and old-school country music is heard, all in my Friday column, my second of three dispatches from the desert. Look for Part 3 sometime soon.

I visited Joshua Tree for Easter weekend, after having postponed my expected mid-March visit due to our crummy weather. I offer my observations and experiences in my Sunday column. Expect two more desert columns in the near future. I like the change of pace and hope you as readers do too.

I visit the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Art Museum, the 10-acre site where the Black assemblage artist lived and worked from 1989 until his death in 2004. He created installations around the site out of castoffs. It’s curious, and free to visit. It’s the subject of my Sunday column.

I make a return visit to Joshua Tree and environs to hike, dine, shop and stargaze. It was another fun time, even if certain elements didn’t go perfectly. That just sets things up for a return visit, right? I write about my desert trip in Sunday’s column.

My latest column begins with an anecdote from my mini-vacation involving my car that I liked but that I’d cut from my first column for space reasons. Then we segue into reader comments on my columns about Joshua Tree, its national park and the bookstore in Twentynine Palms. It all ends with an item from Upland — that involves the desert. All that is in Sunday’s column.