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

 

Return of the K

Flowering yucca

Dr. K was back at it with Willow and me this morning as we followed our regular route.  We saw some nature lovers bushwhacking in the desert far northwest of us, and, later, we spotted the Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog hiking northward along a ridge to the east.  After the trek we took a long drive before heading home.

Dr. K and Wils

Long way from here to the flank of Tortugas

Long dirt road

Variegated Meadowhawk

Claret Cups

This & next:  Feather Dalea

Wils starting up the steep hill

View from the trailhead