Wednesday Waffling

Looks like autumn has arrived

We had a good hike this morning; although it felt rather warm the temperature wasn't too high.  We're headed for 91F this afternoon.  We followed our regular route seeing no one else out and about in this section of desert.  Dr. K, Willow and I were happy to get our daily exercise in while appreciating the stark beauty of our arid environment.

Distant male house finch

Willow the sand potato

This & next 3:  supermodel cactus wren

This & next:  barrel cactus

Willow and Dr. K in the middle branch arroyo

 

Wils and Me on Monday

Ocotillo and cloud

Dr. K had a meeting this morning so it was Willow and me on the daily hike.  We saw evidence of the Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog--footprints and paw prints--but we didn't see them.  Nobody else seemed to be out and about in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.

An ocotillo yellowing out already

Ripe fruit

Willow in the right branch arroyo

Old and new

Right branch arroyo

Worst angle for butterfly photo

Sleepy Orange on Slimlobe Globeberry flower

 

Suitable Sunday

1st 2:  sky to the west

It was cooler out there this morning with a slight breeze; Dr. K, Willow and I appreciated the weather conditions.  We saw several other outdoor enthusiast during the trek:  Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog and a woman runner on LDR.  We followed our regular route, stopping a few times for shade and water.  After the trek we took a ride through several different neighborhoods.  On one street we hadn't driven on before we came upon a T-Rex sculpture (made of metal) and I stopped to photograph it.

Sky to the east

Ridge west of the Organs

Willow and Dr. K

Black-throated Sparrow

Sky to the south

Ripe prickly pear fruit

Above the right branch arroyo

Spotted on the way home

 

Saturday's Desert Trek

Tortugas and the Organs

It was pretty hot out there this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me; humidity was fairly low, though, so it didn't feel brutally warm.  We followed our regular route stopping several times for shade and water breaks.  After the hike we took a long drive through several nearby neighborhoods.  Once  home I climbed onto the roof to check our evaporative cooler, which seemed to have overflowed recently, and, while up there, to trim mesquite tree branches that were hanging over and brushing the top of the house.  After that I cut my hair; so I'm a pretty tired camper right now.

Willow in her favorite ocotillo shadow

Looking up the middle branch arroyo

View from the middle branch arroyo

Barrel cactus and Tortugas Mountain

Barrel cactus flowers

Really ripe prickly pear cactus fruit

Sleepy Orange (?) on Slimlobe Globeberry flower

 

Less Humid

Just west of LDR-A

Hot out there this morning, but not as humid.  Dr. K, Willow and I followed the regular route seeing no one else hiking in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.  Who can blame them for staying out of the heat?

This & next 2:  barrel cacti

Willow on break yet again

Say's Phoebe

This & next:  same barrel cactus

Mourning Dove on ocotillo branch

 

Could've Used a Breeze

1st 2:  arroyos near the Tellbrook

Rather brutal out there for Dr. K, Willow and me this morning; hazy, high humidity, relentless sunshine and only a puff of breeze when we first started off.  After five minutes it felt as if there was no air circulation at all.  Instead of our regular route we crossed the Tellbrook Arroyo heading north to explore side arroyos we've explored in the past.  Much too hazy to get any decent photos, though.  After the exploration we recrossed the Tellbrook and headed up the right branch arroyo, exiting over the steep hill to the west.  Even Willow seemed glad to have the hike over with today.

Between-arroyos breather for Willow

There are at least nine barrel cacti in this photo

Bigger barrel

This & next:  barrel with hedgehog companion

Long view toward the southern Organs

Last 2:  find the cactus wren