Last of the Summer Nectar

Heading up the foothills trail on Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain

Recently our friend, Jimmy, photographed some Deer-apples in the desert, so Becca and I set off this morning in search of this unique desert vine.  Truthfully, though, Becca had zero interest in finding the specimen.  We followed the loop road around Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain for a few miles before striking west into the desert flatland.  Fortunately we found the plant not far off the main trail.  We also found two late-blooming Ocotillos and were lucky enough to photograph a hummingbird feeding on one.

Plume Coldenia (Tiquilia greggii) flower

Plume Coldenia is also called Plumed Crinklemat

The western flank of Tortugas and the distant Organ Mountains

Chihuahuan Desert floor

Three sisters?  No, a single Hedgehog Cactus

Loop road that circles the mountain

Deer-apples, aka Cutleaf Globe Berry (Ibervillea tenuisecta)

Unripe Deer-apples

Marble-sized red melons on a vine that attaches itself to other plants

Late-blooming Ocotillo (pronounced o-co-TEA-yo)

Serendipity

A beak made for this type of trumpet flower

Posing for the nature shot

Can't get enough of this stuff

Hummingbirds beat their wings between 70 and 200 times per second

Trying another side of the flower

Sunbeams breaking through the cloud cover

Clouds blanketing the Organ Mountains

A sandy arroyo bottom (desert stream bed)

Chinchweed still carpets the desert floor

Flower of the Stingleaf plant

Prickly Pear Cactus (left), Ocotillo and Barrel Cactus