Flowers of the Chihuahuan Desert

Various stages of disrepair

Becca and I did a fairly long hike this morning during which we spotted quite a few interesting flowers; okay, I spotted the flowers.  Becca was too busy sniffing everything.  When we got home Dr. K and I stowed our defunct Samsung TV, an old computer monitor and printer in the back of her CR-V and drove to the solid waste disposal site on the city's west side to drop off the equipment at the electronic recycle center.  It cost us $5.25 to dump the items.  We decided to head over to La Llorona Park to see how heavily the Rio Grande was flowing since the release of water upstream from the Caballo Reservoir.  The entire riverbed was full of fast-moving water.  Quite a sight to see.

Parry's Agave flower stalk is about 5 feet tall now

Young Parry's Agave

Parry's Agave from a different perspective

Soon the Strawberry Pitayas will be covered in flowers

Strawberry Pitaya Cactus

One single Strawberry Pitaya blossom

Intrepid explorer

Through here to the top of the mountain

Losing one's head

White Zinnia

New growth

White Zinnia (aka "Desert Zinnia")

Pale Evening Primrose

Closeup of Pale Evening Primrose

Dried leaves of the Wild Rhubarb

Break time!

Yellow Evening Primrose closing shop for the day

Claret Cup

Claret Cups

Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus

Evidently "the spot"

Rio Grande from La Llorona Park

Rio Grande passing under the Picacho Bridge

Red-winged Blackbird?

Greater Roadrunner

How to puff yourself up

Wouldn't want to be this hunter's prey

Rio Grande from the Picacho Bridge (La Llorona Park at left)

Boat-tailed Grackle

Rio Grande (looking north from the Picacho Bridge)

Looking north up the Rio Grande from ground level

Looking north along the Rio Grande