Thursday Trekking

This & next:  old-timer barrel cactus leaning severely

Not as cool this morning due to humidity flowing into the area; chance of rain today, tonight and into tomorrow.  Dr. K was, as usual, a bit cold, but Willow and I didn't mind the weather.  We followed our regular route, seeing, while we ascended the left branch arroyo, the Basset People and their hounds heading northward on LDR.  When we went up the right branch arroyo and scaled the steep hill just to the west we saw several vehicles parked in the Tellbrook/Sonoma Ranch lot, but we didn't spot any of the occupants.

Bicolor Fanmustard (Velvety Nerisyrenia)

Soaptree Yucca

Western flank of Tortugas Mountain

Barrel cactus and the long view

Blackfoot Daisies, Ragleaf Bahia, blue Dayflower and yucca

 

Nice Day

From LDR-A arroyo

Dr. K, Willow and I had a nice hike this morning, following our regular route from start to finish.  We didn't see any other nature lovers out there today.  As far as precipitation goes our area is over 5 inches above normal; the "lush" desert shows signs of its appreciation:  flowers are still in bloom everywhere.

This & next:  Desert Globemallow

Wils!

Slimlobe Globeberry growing across prickly pear

Long, thin cloud

Amaranth

4210 hill and the flank of Tortugas Mountain

Slope of 4210 hill, Organ Mountains behind

 

Warmer

I am a Ladder-back for the county

The morning was significantly warmer for our hike today, sunny, though no less humid.  Dr. K, Willow and I followed our regular route, seeing the Basset People and their hounds when we were ascending the left branch arroyo.  No other nature enthusiasts seemed to be out and about.  After the trek we returned home and I left twenty minutes or so later for my weekly shopping stint at Albertsons.

Waning Gibbous 97% illuminated

View from LDR-A

This & next:  Willow on break in the sandbox

Dainty Sulphur

Blackfoot Daisies

Last 2:  Feather Dalea blooming in late October

 

Chilled Hikers

1st 3:  views from the upper highland road

Definitely more chilly this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me, though Willow was oblivious to the temperature.  The wind made conditions feel worse than they were.  We did our regular hike nonetheless, seeing no one else while we were out there.  Clouds provided some interesting light, and a few photos I took during the trek were slightly interesting.

East side of LDR-A

Clouds over the Organs

Bicolor Fanmustard (aka Nerisyrenia Camporum)

Desert Unicorn-plant

Willow and Dr. K

Clouds over the Organs

Wils on lead

 

We Two

1st 2:  slightly different perspectives

Dr. K had a brunch engagement with a friend so it was just Willow and me on the morning trek.  Cooler out there today owing to lower temperatures and higher wind.  Felt a bit chilly at times.  The sun appeared sporadically keeping us warm enough to enjoy the outing.  As we were ascending the right branch arroyo we heard, and then saw, the Basset People and their hounds heading northward across the ridge on 4210 hill.  They were the only nature enthusiasts we spotted today.

Distant partial rainbow

More yellow

Find the barrel cactus

My partner this morning

Sky later

Last 2:  Tortugas and the Organs

 

Lightning Bolt

Morning light

The lightning bolt referred to is the one that hit on or very nearly on our property late afternoon yesterday, which knocked our power out immediately.  Fortunately it came back on about thirty minutes later.  We didn't get as much rain as predicted, but parts of West Texas and New Mexico were pummeled by bad weather.  Flooding in our state was at emergency levels.  You'd have never guessed that down here this morning as Dr. K, Willow and I took a regular hike followed by a long drive afterward.

Cotton clouds

Doña Ana Mountains

Accumulating

Willow ruminating

Southwest of 4210 hill and Tortugas

This & next 2:  White-crowned Sparrows

Roadrunner-esque cloud