A Respite Already

"Red Head" rising in a Torrey Yucca

Becca and I got a fairly early start out at the mountain this morning, and we did a longer hike--bushwhacking into one of our favorite arroyos west of Tortugas.  There weren't many people out and about this morning, but we did bump into an acquaintance named Heather, who spends part of the year in this section of the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  She's from the north of England, but works in Canada.  She said she hopes to see more of the desert in bloom before heading north in late April.  Not long after talking with her I discovered that the mound of Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus I've been monitoring for a few days has blossomed with a few flowers.

Sending up its flower stalk

Torrey Yucca near the Crosscut Trail

The Beckster enjoying her hike

Guess who got up on the wrong side of the nest

Barrel Cactus, Torrey Yucca and the Organ Mountains

Yucca and mountains

Barrel Cactus fruit left over from last season

What is this?

Starting to look like pimiento-stuffed olives

Ocotillo flowers

Some Ocotillos are beginning to leaf out

Been keeping an eye on this

Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus flowers

Closeup of one blossom

Closeup of another

Mormon Tea

Cactus Wren

Same Cactus Wren

Torrey Yucca in flower

Closer look at those flowers