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White Sands

What we have on this blog post is an amalgam of photos from the past three days' hikes; I wasn't able to do a blog previous to this one because my Gateway laptop gave up the ghost on Thursday, and I wasn't able to use Dr. K's Mac AirBook with any confidence.

So I've included here images from outings on the Grand View trail (2 treks) and one hike on the Bridal Veil Falls Trail.  The images of the spectacular Mourning Cloak butterfly (called Camberwell Beauty in the UK) on the butterfly bush (Buddleja alternifolia)--a native of China--is from our property.  The butterfly spent hours on that bush getting its surfeit of pollen, no doubt.

Grand View Trail

Tall Yellow Evening Primrose

Common Whitetail Skimmer female?

Cactus in rock

Chihuahuan Flax

New cones

No ID on this little bird

What's that expression?

Sotol with new flower stalk

High Rolls/Mountain Park area

One of our neighbor's horses

This and the next 4:  Mourning Cloak butterfly on butterfly bush

The Mourning Cloak is called the Camberwell Beauty in Britain

View from the Bridal Veil Falls Trail

Becca leading the way on the Bridal Veil Falls Trail

Rayless Shaggy Fleabane?

How to relax in the dirt

Dr. K taking a break

View from the Bridal Veil Falls Trail

Becca and Dr. K on shade break

Spotted Towhee

Ash-throated Flycatcher

High-desert dog

Prickly Rose

Crazy clouds this morning on the Grand View Trail

Across the Tularosa Basin

White Sands on the far horizon

Another look into the Tularosa Basin

Aurora Borealis-type clouds

Leading the way up the Grand View

Not tiny cobs of corn, but budding Sotol flowers

Down canyon to White Sands

Midway ramada

This and the next:  Indian Paintbrush