Xmas Eve

Sky this morning

The weather was nice for our hike this morning; partly sunny, no wind.  Dr. K, Willow and I saw no other outdoor enthusiasts while we followed our regular route.

Willow leading the way

You gotta have heart

View from the middle branch

Picacho and surroundings

Willow

Javelina have been rooting around

 

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