Desert to Forest

In the shadow of Tortugas Mountain on the high foothills trail

Becca and I did an abbreviated hike west of Tortugas Mountain this morning so we could get home, finish packing (me not her), load the CRV and, along with Dr. K, head to our place in the Sacramento Mountains.  It's 10 or 15 degrees cooler here since the lower Chihuahuan Desert seems stuck in the summer season; high today in Las Cruces is supposed to be a near-record 94F.  It won't be much cooler up here tonight, though, slated to be 60F.  We've been as low as 62F in Las Cruces a few nights this week. 

Tortugas (left) and the Organs

Ant-powered flower

Industriousness

It's either food or a bouquet for the Queen

Clinchweed

Clammyweed

Clammyweed

Devil's Claw

Tiny pineapples?  No--fruit of the Barrel Cactus

Becca enjoying the mountain air

Our driveway in High Rolls

Becca stopping to smell the Turpentine Bush

Our place in the high country