After the Rain Trek

Rain again this morning

We got a late start on our hike this morning because it was raining again, but we finally got on the Grand View Trail at 9:30 for a trek in beautifully dynamic weather:  cool with partly cloudy skies.  We took our time, and I took 146 photographs--which is simply crazy!  Going through a large number of images and posting on this blog sometimes feels like work; most of the time, though, it's a real pleasure to share photos from our various treks.

Clearing at around 8:30

Becca looking for her buddies

Something's in the air

A bit more blue sky

Conditions are still soggy at the high country hacienda

Some of those clouds are still producing rain

A very wet forest

Northern Flicker?

Becca's buddy showed up, but it was a business trip for Champ

Quite a few of these still blooming in the high country

Tiny spider and raindrops of Mexican Barberry

We had to deal with patches of low clouds on the Grand View Traril

Leader of the pack

Four Wing Saltbush?

A watchful eye

Just another B&W experiment

Trees reflected in water on boulder

My two favorite hiking companions

Just shy of the midway point

The view from 7,000 feet

I believe this is Sulphurflower Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)

The view down canyon

Smooth Spreading Four O'Clock (Mirabilis Oxybaphoides)

Fendler's Globemallow

Fendler's Globemallow

Grand view on the Grand View

American Robin

Rain on Apache Plume

Soggy Apache Plumes

This way down the trail

Clouds and sun

Fall color on Three-leaf Sumac

Looking down toward the Tularosa Basin

Juniper country

Mesa or butte?

Feather Dalea

Smooth Spreading Four O'Clock

How many Turkey Vultures circling overhead?

I'm going with "Painted Lady"