Xmas Eve Eve

Across the desert

Dr. K, Willow and I did our usual hike this morning; the weather was quite pleasant.  We saw Two-White-Dogs-Lady hiking with her pups along the east/west dirt road far north of us.  At the end of our trek, just as we crested the steep hill west of the right branch arroyo, we had a fairly close encounter with the Basset People and their hounds.  All canines--especially Willow--were well behaved.

What's over there?

Flank of Tortugas

Northwest

Not a turtle

Waning Gibbous rock

Willow at rest in right branch

 

Inversion

Looking west

The air wasn't as good this morning as yesterday; hot days and cool nights have created a temperature inversion, trapping smog down low.  I'm not sure, though, that the white patches we've observed against the distant mountains is the result of the inversion or of a factory producing smoke.

Wils and leg shadows

Across the Rio Grande

Are those clouds in front of the mountains?

Potrillos on the horizon

 

Sunday Service

Heading down the right branch arroyo

We spent Sunday morning in the desert rather than in church as is always the case.  The weather was incredibly nice:  sunny, warm, no wind.  Miraculously we came across Desert Marigolds that weren't just hangers-on, but had actually bloomed recently;  flowers blooming in late December?  We took a long drive after our outing before heading home.

This & next 2:  blooming Desert Marigolds 

Willow hearing Basset Hounds braying

Triple barrel cactus

Stingleaf

Daddy long legs

Artsy Organs

 

Nothing Extraordinary

Barrel cactus in there

Dr. K, Willow and I did our regular route this morning on a much warmer day; we're headed for the mid-70s this afternoon (mid-70s on December 20th!).  Despite there being nothing of extraordinary interest I was able to get a decent photo of what I believe to be a Brewer's Sparrow; if so, that's the first pic I've ever got of one.  We took a long drive after the hike before heading home.

Stinging Serpent reproductive stage

Brewer's Sparrow (I think)

Prickly Pear, barrel cactus, creosote bush and yuccas

Willow in the middle branch arroyo

Hills and mountains

Long-distance view of Tortugas and the Organs

 

Regular Route Redux

At the edge of the middle branch arroyo

I felt a bit back to normal on our outing this morning.  The weather was fine for Dr. K, Willow and me:  42F with lots of sunshine and no wind.  We heard Basset hounds braying several times during the hike, but it wasn't until we were about to head up the right branch arroyo did we see them descending the hill west of said arroyo.  No direct encounter with them today.

Willow on lead

View from the middle branch

This & next:  similar views of the Organs

Willow hears Basset Hounds

 

Still Under

Organ Mountains panorama

I'm still under the weather this morning, and I probably shouldn't have taken a hike with Dr. K and Willow, but I did.  At least the weather conditions were pleasant:  upper 40s, sunny with no wind.  Did our regular route.

Wils

Last 3:  inferior photos of an American Kestrel

 

Three Pics

That dark yucca was set on fire (probably by kids)

Posted no blog yesterday because I felt too crappy to take photos while Dr. K, Willow and I were hiking.  I was a bit less under the weather this morning so I took three pics.  Not much of a blog post I'm sorry to say.

The long view from LDR-A arroyo

Willow in the left branch arroyo

 

Grey Day

House fire

No wind nor breeze blew during our morning hike, but Dr. K, Willow and I felt the 40F chill because there was no sunshine.  We made a point of taking only short breaks while following our regular route due to the cold conditions.  A bit of unpleasantness ensued when we bumped into the Basset People and their hounds just as we were cresting the steep hill from the right branch arroyo.  No direct engagement of heeler on hound, but there was a lot of barking, braying and snarling, the latter coming from Willow who undoubtedly would have tangled with all five Bassets simultaneously.

Picacho and surroundings impacted by house fire smoke

Where's the sun?

This kind of morning in the desert

Stinging serpent plant (Cevallia sinuata) with dried flowers

Barrel cacti east of the left branch

Prickly pear cactus

Grey desert day

Willow in the right branch