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

 

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