Feeling Monsoony

This & the next:  Frio and Willow

The most interesting feature of today's hike to First Arroyo and back was the Soaptree Yucca in bloom that I spotted on the inbound leg; it's the first I've seen flowering this season.

The second most interesting thing was the high humidity, making the desert feel as if it's on the brink of monsoon season.  We need rain more than I can say; it's a desperate need.

We were fortunate today in that the bugs bugging us the past few days seem mostly absent; this absence could be explained by the persistent--and at times strong--wind that pervaded our section of the northern Chihuahuan Desert this morning.

This & the next:  Soaptrees in First Arroyo

Smoke again

This & the next 3:  first Soaptree Yucca I've seen blooming

This & the next:  dead tree

First Soaptree Yucca in bloom