Eye Candy

Ocotillo buds and Black-throated Sparrow

55F at start of hike this morning.  The air was noticeably clearer today, but we're expecting big wind tomorrow; that ought to smudge up the atmosphere.  We followed our regular route, marveling at all the beautiful plants blooming in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.  Saw a few other hikers with dogs:  the Basset People and Pickup-Truck-Lady.  We spotted one other person with a dog bushwhacking far northwest of us; we think we might know who it is, but we can't say for certain.

This & next:  Willow on the crossover trail

This & next:  Northern Mockingbird

Adonis Blazingstar not fully open for business

Claret Cups and prickly pear

Claret Cup (phone pic)

Feather Dalea (phone pic)

 

Midweek Muscle Memory

Sky at start

At first it didn't feel very hot when Dr. K, Willow and I started off on the morning hike; but it quickly warmed up.  We're headed for a high of 94F this afternoon.  In addition to the bounty of blooming plants we encountered during our outing we spotted Two-White-Dogs-Lady plus one, the Basset People and their five hounds, and the Pickup-Truck-Lady and her pooch.  After we got home Dr. K left for her weekly shopping trip to Target.

Desert between here and the  Doña Ana Mountains

Claret Cup adding new blossoms every day

Desert Marigold

Willow and Dr. K in the left branch arroyo

This & next:  same prize-winning Claret Cup Cactus

On break between arroyos

Glad we hiked over to photograph this yucca

White Tackstem

 

Tuesday Groove

Cottontail

About 55F when Dr. K, Willow and I began our morning hike; we're headed for a high of 90F this afternoon.  While we headed down LDR-A at the start we spotted the Basset People and their hounds as well as two other hikers who were bushwhacking westward on the northern side of the Tellbrook Arroyo.  We noticed Pickup-Truck-Lady's truck, but never saw her or her pup.  After the outing we returned home and I left for the weekly shopping stint at Albertsons.

This & next:  same Claret Cup

This & next:  same Claret Cup

Willow and Dr. K

Black-throated Sparrow

Desert Evening-primrose

This & next:  same Claret Cup

 

Willow surveying her domain

This & next:  same cactus wren

Beauty and the Beast

Last 2:  Desert Sumac

Flores de Primavera

Scorpionweed

All phone photos from a regular hike this morning.  The weather conditions felt a bit cooler today; we're headed for a high of 84F this afternoon.  Only real thing to note from our outing was the near encounter with Pickup-Truck-Lady's dog as Dr. K, Willow and I were headed up the left branch arroyo.  PTL's dog turned around and headed back to her after scoping us out a bit; Willow had once chased her dog across the desert, and I think the curious hound remembered that occasion.

Creosote

The rest:  Claret Cup Cactus

 

Sunday Kind of Love

Blossoming yucca and Picacho Peak

Rather toasty this morning when Dr. K, Willow and I hit the trail, but a light, refreshing breeze kept conditions fairly pleasant.  Followed our regular route, noticing, along the way, Two-White-Dogs-Lady and her pups as well as Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog.  The desert is definitely "springing," filled with flowering plants, hungry insects and chattering birds.  After the trek we took a long drive around several different neighborhoods before heading home.

Desert Marigolds

This & next:  same Claret Cup Cactus

Yucca blossoms

Two heads, two flower stalks

Two-head yucca with Willow and Dr. K

Claret Cups

Queen on Desert Sumac