Sunday Kind of Love

Blossoming yucca and Picacho Peak

Rather toasty this morning when Dr. K, Willow and I hit the trail, but a light, refreshing breeze kept conditions fairly pleasant.  Followed our regular route, noticing, along the way, Two-White-Dogs-Lady and her pups as well as Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog.  The desert is definitely "springing," filled with flowering plants, hungry insects and chattering birds.  After the trek we took a long drive around several different neighborhoods before heading home.

Desert Marigolds

This & next:  same Claret Cup Cactus

Yucca blossoms

Two heads, two flower stalks

Two-head yucca with Willow and Dr. K

Claret Cups

Queen on Desert Sumac

 

Return of the K

Flowering yucca

Dr. K was back at it with Willow and me this morning as we followed our regular route.  We saw some nature lovers bushwhacking in the desert far northwest of us, and, later, we spotted the Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog hiking northward along a ridge to the east.  After the trek we took a long drive before heading home.

Dr. K and Wils

Long way from here to the flank of Tortugas

Long dirt road

Variegated Meadowhawk

Claret Cups

This & next:  Feather Dalea

Wils starting up the steep hill

View from the trailhead

 

Getting Even Toastier

Wils

I didn't wear a jacket this morning, and I felt a bit chilly during the first part of the hike; Willow was perfectly warm with her regular coat.  We did our usual trek seeing no outdoor enthusiasts during our outing.  When we were done we spotted Mr. and Mrs. Basset and their hounds headed our way on the upper flatland road.  To avoid an awkward encounter we backed up and drove the CR-V back out the way we'd come in to the trailhead.

Ancient Soaptree Yucca in the left branch arroyo

Yuccas on a ridge

This yucca flowered a lot since yesterday

This & next 6:  same Claret Cup Cactus

 

On break

Distant blooming yucca

Desert Marigold and friend

Early Summer

The Wilster

Willow and I took a regular hike on a very warm Thursday morning, following the usual route until three-fourths of the way up the right branch arroyo when we bushwhacked eastward onto the high ridge beside it.  We did that in order to photograph a couple of blooming yuccas that now have their flowers on display.  We saw several other nature enthusiasts during our outing:  Mrs. Basset and her hounds, a guy hiking a ridge east of us with his dog, and a runner heading south on LDR.  There were many birds and White-lined Sphinx Moths zipping around the desert while we did our trek; seems they all got word about the early summer weather, aka "heatwave."

Not quite blossomed out

Claret Cup in the middle branch arroyo

Scorpionweed and Claret Cups

Same Claret Cup as above

House Finch

Brewer's Sparrow

The rest: flowering yuccas on the ridge above the right branch

 

Bushwhack Hybrid

A crowd of White-winged Doves

Today is exactly two years since Frio died, and I'm not over it at all.  In his memory Willow and I bushwhacked all the way up to First Arroyo where I often hiked with the "Os"--Frio and Willow.  On this fine morning Wils and I enjoyed ourselves seeing the old territory seem like new again.  Spring has sprung out there and I was able to get a few pics of pretty plants.

Velvety Nerisyrenia

Claret Cup Hedgehog in a side arroyo

Desert between here, Tortugas and the Organs

Do not go gentle into that good night

This & next:  same Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus

The long view of Tortugas and the Organs

Howdy to my old friend Y

Blossoming Faxon Yucca

 

This & next 2:  same flowering yucca

We hiked to First Arroyo where an asshat left his ATV tracks

Wils in First Arroyo