Nuns on the Mountain

Soaptree Yucca in bloom

Our skies are very hazy this morning with smoke from the Signal Fire ten miles north of Silver City, New Mexico--about 115 miles northwest of Las Cruces.  The fire has burned 6,000 acres, has 700 firefighters on the lines, and is only 35% contained.  Things become critical this weekend as temperatures rise and the wind picks up again.

It was very crowded on and around Tortugas Mountain when Becca and I were out there.  We had quite a few encounters with other outdoor enthusiasts, including one with James and his dog, Bear, who we've run into several times before.  While Becca and Bear got into some serious play, running like maniacs through the desert (Bear was running circles around Becca because he's a tad over two and she's seven) James and I chatted.  He's a grad student at the university studying biochemistry/agriculture, and we got to talking about climate change.  When I shook my head and said I wasn't sure what we could do about some of these irreversible events--like the recent breaking off of the ice shelf in Antarctica--he said, "i guess it will be up to my generation to do something about it."  He was a very earnest and personable young man, and all I could do was wonder what kind of world we're leaving to the young.

Was it some kind of holy day today?  There were quite a few nuns striking for the top of the mountain--a sight I've never seen before.

Same Soaptree Yucca, different angle

Something on the mountain road interests Becca

You can barely see the Robeldo Mountains because of smoke

Nuns headed for the mountaintop

At least one nun (red dot) is heading up the steepest road to the top

Half of the cars in the Sunset Parking lot