Rumination Tuesday

Starting off

I spent a good portion of this morning's hike composing in my head the cover letter I'm going to write to a publisher.  Even though the pre-planning makes the task easier when I eventually get to it I hate wasting desert time like that.  Fortunately, my trusty "in-the-here-and-now" dog, Becca, keeps me grounded, alerting me to all manner of desert fauna.  Today it was two different mammals, a Desert Cottontail and a Black-Tailed Jackrabbit.  Not to split hares here, but the latter isn't really a rabbit.

Becca spots something



At first I can't see what she's looking at



I zoom in to discover a Desert Cottontail

Simultaneously we see a Jackrabbit dashing for safety

After putting distance between us it's still leery

It stops

Eats a little bite of Prickly Pear Cactus pad



Then scampers away



The buds on the ends of Ocotillo wands are starting to flower

The Ocotillo always flowers before leafing out when there's enough rain