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

 

Overcast

1st 2:  same Soaptree Yucca in LDR-A arroyo

Dr. K, Willow and I did a morning hike under a highly overcast sky.  The lack of sun and a consistent breeze made us glad we opted to wear our PreCip jackets.  Willow wore her standard coat.  We saw the Basset People heading down LDR-A just ahead of us when we started off; didn't see the hounds, but heard them as per usual.  After we returned from trekking along our regular route I left to do my weekly shopping at Albertsons.

This & next:  another yucca further down LDR-A arroyo

Prickly Pear flowers (camera pic)

Wils

Same prickly pear flowers as above (phone pic)

 Stinging Serpent (Cevallia sinuata)

 

Looked Like Rain

Sky early on

It looked as if it might rain when Willow and I started our hike this morning; in fact, it stayed the same for the entire duration of our outing.  We saw Mrs. Basset and heard her hounds below us in the Tellbrook Arroyo while we descended the middle branch arroyo.  Saw nor heard no one else during the trek.  The weather seemed rather strange:  cool yet warm with high humidity.

Soaptree Yucca and the Organ Mountains

Soaptree Yucca southwest of Tortuas Mountain and the Organs

Prickly Pear flowers

This & next:  Desert Cardinal

Tellbrook Arroyo

Prickly Pear flower

Wils in the left branch arroyo

Prickly Pear and barrel cacti

 

Prickly Pear blossoms and Willow

Last 3:  prickly pear flowers

Desert Surprise

1st 4:  Soaptree Yuccas in bloom

First lower desert hike in a week for Dr. K, Willow and me.  We were surprised to find so many more yuccas in bloom than we'd seen seven days ago.  It was cooler than we thought, the sun partially obscured by high clouds.  We had a nice outing this morning, followed by a drive to our local Circle K to put three-fourths of a tank of gas in Whitey, the CR-V:  $45!  Took a long ride afterwards.

Willow between arroyos

Willow and Dr. K

Soaptree Yucca southwest of Tortugas Mountain

This & next:  odd color for prickly pear blossoms

Last 2:  more Soaptree Yuccas in flower