No Whacking of Bushes

Claret Cup Cactus west of Tortugas

At Dr. K's request we did some moderate bushwhacking this Sunday morning; it wasn't strenuous because we chose routes crisscrossed by animal trails.  The sandy arroyos we followed at times showed footprints that indicated coyotes had passed this way before.  When we were about a half mile from our car on the return hike we ran into a woman who had a brown-and-white Border Collie named Celia.  Celia picked up a stick and then dropped it for me to retrieve.  After I threw it for her she returned it immediately.  Celia's mom said Celia would do that for hours, and we had no doubt it was true.

Pick at your peril

Tres hermanas:  Caroline, Kate, Liz

A pretty vast expanse of Chihuahuan Desert

Claret Cup and baby Barrel growing side-by-side

Up a broad arroyo west of the Tortoise

Soaptree Yucca and other flora in a sandy arroyo bottom

A small Mesquite tree beginning to leaf out

Yucca with flower stalk