Nourishing Rain

The white spots are caused by Cochineal Insect infrestation

I guess I could have named this blog "Plumed Crinklemat Day" since I took so many photos of the flowering plant; instead I'm focused on the beneficial effects of all the precipitation we've received in the northern Chihuahuan Desert this season.  The man and woman hiking with their beautiful German Shepherd we ran into this morning even commented on how green the desert is.  We all agreed we've never seen it quite this lush before.  I even had the opportunity to photograph a Nipple Beehive Cactus flower blooming in the foothills.  It's one of the most beautiful blossoms I've ever seen.

If you use a stick to smear the bugs you see the bright red used for dye

Brown area just beyond the desert hills (foreground) is the Rio Grande

Plumed Crinklemat

Plumed Crinklemat flowers blooming due to recent rains

Becca spots someone on the road to the mountaintop

Now she's looking out toward the valley

Always keeping her eyes peeled

Plumed Crinklemat growing in limestone outcrops on the west side

Becca taking a shade break

Clouds over the Doña Ana Mountains

Nipple Beehive Cactus blossom

Nipple Beehive Cactus (Coryphantha macromeris)

Even more Plumed Crinklemat

Plume Crinklemat (Tiquilia greggii)