Less Heat, More Humidity

Twinleaf Senna (Senna bauhinioides)

The temperature was down a tad when Becca and I started off this morning, but the humidity was high; and there was little wind to ameliorate the discomfort level.  As we were returning through the grounds of the Lineworker school we came across an interesting plant we'd never seen before; at first I thought it was a huge batch of Rain Lilies growing amidst a Unicorn Plant.  But it turned out to be Melon Loco, a member of the cucumber family.  I took plenty of photos of it while trying to decide what it was.  After we left the Lineworker grounds and started heading east on Geothermal Road we ran into our pal Jimmy with whom we stopped and chatted a while.  Jimmy and I chatted, that is.  He talked about the Viking Cruise Line trip he and his wife returned from recently, and it sounded like quite a marvelous river journey.

Pichacho Peak

Almost at a crossroads

Sandy area west of Tortugas Mountain

Looking back at the mountain from the sandy area

The view looking out of an arroyo

Said arroyo (and Becca)

My visits to this Barrel Cactus haven't paid off yet

Closeup of same Barrel Cactus buds

A different Barrel Cactus

Buds in a different stage of blooming

On the road again

We've seen this balancing act plenty of times before

Looking south

At first I thought this was the largest patch of Rain Lilies I'd ever seen

Sure had the form of a Rain Lily

Rain Lilies growing amidst a Unicorn Plant?

But no--here's a nearby Unicorn Plant (aka "Devil's Claw")

Several patches of this growing in sandy soil near the Lineworker school

Then I saw the gourds

One of several gourds

Not Rain Lilies at all

Turns out it's Melon Loco (Apodanthera undulata) of the cucumber family

Electrical Lineworker grounds, where we found the Melon Loco

Geothermal Road

Blackfoot Daisies just opening