Near Side Sunday

Just getting started

Dr. K, Becca and I got a fairly early start on a morning with deteriorating weather conditions; in fact, it looked so bad as we were driving east--intending to do the lower Sierra Vista Trail--we decided on the Sunset side of Tortugas Mountain instead.  For a while it seemed rain was imminent, but then things cleared up, the sun took the chill out of the air, and the three of us were able to enjoy a moderately long trek in the desert west of the mountain.

We continue to see the results of a fairly abundant winter rainfall here as countless flowers continue to bloom; especially noteworthy are the myriad of Soaptree Yuccas blossoming all around the mountain, their flower stalks pointing skyward like the high masts of tall ships.

An arroyo west of the mountain

This and the next:  Soaptree Yucca flowers

#2

Wooly Paperflower

Across the desert to the Organs

Picacho Peak

A yellow Prickly Pear flower

An orange Prickly Pear flower

Long view

Stingleaf starting to flower

Trying to capture the changing conditions  . . .

. . . of light

Bicolor Fanmustard

Little green vistor

Old-timer Ocotillo just getting its leaves

Love letters in the sand

What to do after yesterday's bath

Phacelia seed propagation

Ike and Mike

Chihuahuan Desert west of Tortugas

This and the next 2:  Soaptree Yucca flowers

Cumulus clouds over the rim of Tortugas Mountain