Saturday's Saunter

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus blooming on the west side of the mountain

It was fairly crowded when Becca and I got out to the west side of Tortugas Mountain about 7:20 this morning.  We ran into one gentleman right off the bat who said of Becca, "You have a lovely dog.  Beautiful."  I thanked him and moved on before Becca's head got too big.  We exchanged greetings at a distance with two women who were walking three dogs up the road to the mountaintop just before we descended on the single-track into the lower desert.  On the second leg of our trek we looped back into the high foothills because I wanted to photograph some of the Strawberry Hedgehog Cacti that are blooming all over the rocky limestone section of the west face just below the road.  I was not disappointed in the show.

Somebody ate the front petals off the flower at left

The shade this old Ocotillo is broadcasting . . .

. . . is what Becca is relaxing in here

Dandruff-like pollen falling out of a sideways-growing Cholla flower

Black-throated Sparrow

Singing into the abyss

More relaxing in Ocotillo shade

Soaptree Yuccas west of the mountain

Soaptree Yucca and the Tortugas Mountain Observatory

Hope I get to see these Pencil Cholla buds bloom out

Strawberry Hedgehog Cacti

Strawberry Pitaya flowers

Single blossom

Strawberry Hedgehog soon to be covered in flowers

Such a gorgeous color

Mounds of Strawberry Hedgehog

Closer

Closer still

White-winged Dove on Yucca bayonet

New and old