Saturday Sauce

Sun highlighting an ocotillo

Pleasant hike this morning; weather was warm, little breeze.  Heard and then saw the Basset people and their hounds on the ridge east of us.  No chance of an encounter.  Didn't seem to be anybody else out in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.  After the trek we took a long ride.  At home I've been setting a few clocks back every once in a while because DST is ending.  Wish we didn't have to do this; wish we didn't have so many clocks.

Heading northward down a long arroyo

Western flank of Tortugas Mountain

Willow looking attentive

Tortugas Mountain Observatory

 

Vax Day

White-winged Dove

Not as cold this morning when Dr. K, Willow and I started the daily hike.  We saw the Basset people their hounds both before and after our trek; before they were all headed eastward up Tellbrook Road, and after they were headed down LDR-A just when we were finishing up.  We saw no one else while we were out there today.  After the outing Dr. K and I went to Walgreens for our Covid-19 booster and flu shots.

4200 hill, Tortugas and the Organs

Last of the Golden Crownbeards

All the leaves are brown . . .

This & next:  Willow looking this way and that

Northwest from the middle branch

Fall arrives in the desert

Barrel with fruit

 

October Cold Snap

1st 2:  different treatments of the same scene

About 35F when Dr. K, Willow and I set off on our morning hike.  At least there was no wind to make a cold start frigid.  We saw the Basset people hiking on the south side of Tellbrook when we were driving out of the upper flatland on the way home.  After we got home we decided to drive over to the government services building to cast ballots before the early voting period ends.

Prickly pear cactus and barrel cactus friends

Wils keeping watch

Willow and her shadow

Prickly pear, barrel and the flank of Tortugas

 

Wednesday's Willow

Chinchweed still in bloom

Almost cold this morning when Dr. K, Willow and I took our daily hike.  The breeze that was present at first took a break while we were out there.  Once we got into the sunshine the chill dissipated.  We did our regular route, seeing the Basset people and hearing their hounds who were barking up a storm.  After we returned home Dr. K got ready and left for her weekly shopping appointment at Target.

Willow taking the lead

Willow on break

Looking northward from the right branch arroyo

Willow's head shot

This & next:  Tortugas and the Organs

Walking Stick

 

Pocas Fotos Hoy

Ten miles of desert between here and the Organs

Usual hike this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me.  We saw the Basset people and four hounds walking east up Tellbrook Road when we were driving to the trailhead, but we never saw them out in the desert.  No other nature lovers seemed to be around.  After the trek we returned home and I got ready to leave for my weekly shopping trip to Albertsons.

View from LDR-A arroyo

From the right branch arroyo

Willow having a rest

 

First Off

Needles

Same old same old hike as yesterday.  We saw and heard the Basset people and their hounds in the desert north of us.  Followed the regular route.  Despite the sameness Dr. K, Willow and I enjoyed our desert sojourn.

Willow in the left branch

This & next 3:  Desert Marigolds

Hill east of the left branch arroyo

Prickly Pear and hedgehogs

 

Hike, Fill-Up, Ride

1st 2:  long-distance views of the Organs

Even though the temperature was 48F when Dr. K, Willow and I set off on our morning hike it felt much warmer due to the absence of wind.  The bright sunshine helped immensely.  We followed our normal route, spotting the Basset people (and hearing the hounds) in the Tellbrook Arroyo as we descended LDR-A arroyo.  After the trek we drove over to the local Circle-K to fuel up Whitey the CR-V before taking a semi-long ride around different neighborhoods.  Best part of the drive was listening to Matt and Myron on their Sunday Morning show; we got some good laughs from them today.

Barrel cactus, Soaptree Yucca, desert broom

Desert-Unicorn Plant flower hanging on

Barrel cacti

San Augustin Peak

Prickly Pear Cactus