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

 

Lizard, Spiny

East toward the Organs

Hot and humid this morning with loads of ants.  Neither Dr. K nor I enjoyed the outing much today, but for Willow it was a different story; she loves to get out on the trail regardless of the weather conditions.

Tortugas and the Organs

Wils

The rest:  Desert Spiny Lizard

 

Roadrunner and Snake

Roadrunner in creosote

Hot and humid this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me during our daily outing.  We didn't see anybody else during the trek, but we know Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog were out there because we saw the pickup truck.  No other nature enthusiasts; or, as we refer to them, "nuts."  After we got home I got ready to do my weekly shopping stint at Albertsons, which I did.

Willow posing for photo

Barrel cactus buds and flower

Last 3:  Sonoran Gopher Snake