Sunday Love

Willow in ocotillo shadow

A lot hotter this morning as Dr. K, Willow and I did our regular hike.  We followed the usual route happy that a persistent strong breeze kept the temperature down.  We took an extra-long drive after our outing, appreciating the desert from the comfort of Whitey the CR-V (aka the "dogmobile").

Dr. K and Willow in the middle branch arroyo

This & next 2:  prickly pear flowers

Surprised to find a claret cup cactus flowering

Swainson's Hawk

Odd-shaped Soaptree Yucca flower stalk

Prickly pear color experiment

Same prickly pear as above (phone pic)

 

Saturday with Wils

The long, unwinding road

Just Willow and me on this morning's hike, which was noticeably hotter than yesterday's trek.  We're head for 93F this afternoon.  Just as we started off on the trailhead we had to alter our track because the Basset People and their hounds we're right in front of us.  Therefore we hiked westward on the upper flatland road until we reached LDR (long dirt road in pic #1); then we turned around and followed our regular route.

Upper flatland road

Soaptree Yucca flowers closeup

Soaptree Yuccas along a narrow trail

This & next:  Wils relaxing in the left branch arroyo

This & next 2:  Checkered White on spectacle pod

Yucca pasta

Black-throated Sparrow

 

The Regular

Expanse of desert

Definitely warmer this morning when Dr. K, Willow and I hit the trail.  We're supposed to reach a high of 88F this afternoon.  It was hot enough for Willow to take about ten shade breaks; she doesn't need much encouragement to plop down in the sand.  We saw the Basset People and their hounds today; Pickup-Truck-Lady's pickup was parked in the Tellbrook/Sonoma Ranch lot, but we never spotted her nor her dog.

Looking westward across the Mesilla Valley

House Finch

Yuccas with a pinch of moon

More Soaptree Yuccas

Stinging Serpent (Cevallia sinuata)

Young cactus wren in Faxon Yucca nest

On break, but alert

Odd-shaped Soaptree Yucca with new flowers & buds

Black-chinned Hummingbird

 

Past Midweek

Morning moon

Dr. K, Willow and I decided to alter our route this morning by bushwhacking north across the Tellbrook Arroyo to explore some of the many side arroyos southwest of Tortugas Mountain.  We did a lot of hiking, retracing our steps on the return trip and finishing up by heading south on the right branch arroyo and climbing out to the west over the steep hill just east of our waiting CR-V.

Yucca buds and flowers

Willow on one of many breaks

Bushwhacking west of the mountains

Soaptree Yucca

Willow and Dr. K

Soaptree Yucca with pinprick moon

This & next:  hedgehog cactus

Black-throated Sparrow

A female Scott's Oriole

 

Wednesday Trek

Black-throated Sparrow

A warmer morning for Dr. K, Willow and me on the daily hike.  Saw the Basset People on our drive to the trailhead, but never spotted them again.  We had a nice outing even though I wasn't much in the mood to take photos.

Willow leading the way

Mockingbird

Prickly Pear and its shadow

Curve-billed Thrasher on ocotillo branch

The rest:  Soaptree Yucca with and without moon