Prickly Pear Blossoms et al.

Elderly Prickly Pear getting ready to flower

Becca and I did a long hike in the outback region west of Tortugas Mountain this morning.  Even though it's supposed to be hot today, the morning was quite bearable.  We had one encounter with another outdoorsperson--the woman who rides a mountain bike in the company of her two dogs.  One dog is a beagle that trails way behind.  I couldn't treat a dog like that, even though beagles are notorious for picking up a scent and tracking it.  Lots of lovely flowers in bloom in the desert.

Just-opening blossoms of the Soaptree Yucca

Sometimes Prickly Pear flowers have an orangish cast

At times the flowers are pinkish-orange

Flower of the desert



Prickly Pear flowers can even be tinged with red



Bee working an Ocotillo blossom

To bee or not to bee

Becca way ahead on the trail back to Tortugas