The Birds & the Bees, Etcetera

Spanish Daggers on Tortugas's west side

Nothing like an early-morning hike to appreciate spring in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  The spring winds hadn't picked up yet, so Becca and I enjoyed our trek without having to breathe dusty air.  On our way back to the Sunset Area parking lot we ran into our good buddy, Jimmy.  While Becca stood trying to catch flies, Jimmy and I talked about the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, which was just released.  The report was so dire that both Jimmy and I were depressed by its findings.  Becca, fortunately, isn't troubled by such things.

Scott's Oriole

Don't sit here

A honeybee about to sample a Velvety Nerisyrenia flower

Rolling in pollen

In-coming

Curve-billed Thrasher

The sands of Mars

Far west of Tortugas Mountain

Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus flowers

Claret Cup Cactus blossoms at the base of Tortugas Mountain

Flowering all over

Southeast flank of Tortugas Mountain (left) and the Organ Mountains