Stomping Grounds

1st 4:  Spectacle Pod (Dimorphocarpa wislizeni)

Back to the lower desert for Dr. K, Willow and me this morning.  We followed our regular route seeing only (we think) Two-White-Dogs-Lady in the far distance northwest of us.  48F felt a tad cool, but both Dr. K and I were overdressed.  We're supposed to reach 84F this afternoon--far too warm for late February.  I went shopping at Albertsons after the trek, and Dr. K went to Toucan Market after I got back.

Willow

Scorpionweed (Phacelia integrifolia)

Spectacle Pod (Dimorphocarpa wislizeni)

Willow, having balanced a stick on her nose

Wils on break

Scorpionweed (Phacelia integrifolia)

 

Mule Deer Browsing

1st 7:  mule deer does browsing on our property

When I took Willow out on her morning constitutional we climbed to the top of our road without realizing we were right in the middle of a small herd of mule deer.  They scattered when they saw us, but not in a panicky fashion.  I decided to go out a few minutes after we got back to the cabin to see if I could see and photograph any.  They were still on our property browsing, and I was able to get a few good images of them.  Dr. K, Willow and I did a nice forest hike afterward seeing only one cottontail along the way.  After the trek we packed for our trip down the mountain to the lower desert where we are now.

Sky during our forest hike

Cottontail that attracted Willow's interest

Willow relaxing in the back 40

 

Hike Three

Tree

Good hike in the forest for Dr. K, Willow and me; it was warmer and, overall, quite pleasant.  Stuck to our regular route.  Lots of construction going on in the valley below our mountain home.  After the hike Dr. K and I drove down to Alamogordo to do some shopping at our favorite store:  Lowe's Signature Market.  Why doesn't Las Cruces have one?

Willow on our road

At rest in the forest

Mountain Woman

Wils and me

Me

Willow sees something

This & next:  part of Haynes Canyon

Artsy tree

 

Trek Two

Sacramento Mountains vista

Good hike in the forest behind the cabin for Dr. K, Willow and me this morning; followed a regular route with a minor detour in order to photograph White Sands National Park.  The wind was down, and the sun, though shining through scattered high clouds, felt strong.  We weren't cold during our outing.

Wait

Mountain home

Mountain dog

This & next:  White Sands National Park from 7,000 feet

This & next:  looking into the Tularosa Basin

Willow in the back 40

We three

 

Forest Hike One

Sun edges over the mountain

Dr. K, Willow and I did the first forest hike this morning on our trip to the mountains; we got here yesterday.  It was cold out there:  32F with a frosty wind.  Fortunately the sun shone brightly and the trees (junipers and pines) provided shelter.  We all had a good trek, and Willow especially enjoyed herself.

Headed down our road

Pause for thought

Into the forest

Big tree

This & next:  long views

Haynes Canyon

Willow's intense stare

Back 40