Hello again, everyone. Well's it's been a while since my last entry, so I thought I'd entertain you with a few more shots from around the place. When last I wrote, we were getting kicked around pretty good by some thunderstorms, and it hasn't let up too much lately. While sitting at the computer one evening, I noticed a warm, golden glow coming in from the window behind the computer and looked out to see this billowing thunderhead looming off to the south, bathed in the warm rays of the sunset. I kept looking at it and looking at it, sure I'd seen it somewhere before but couldn't remember where. Then, the other day I was watching a movie put out by Columbia Tri-Star and there it was! It's the cloud in the background behind the woman. I knew I'd seen it!
And on the heels of that were these odd-looking clouds -- our old friends the mammutus clouds. Remember, I told you they were associated with violent weather? Well, these didn't have any teeth to them this time around, as they don't look too well-formed, but it definitely could've happened. We got hit pretty good, anyway, so someone else might've gotten hammered.
Moving on to the critter portion of our show, here's somebody I ran across as I opened the Open/Closed sign the other morning. Found himself a real cozy spot to sleep the night, he did. He was very agreeable to sit still while I ran in and got my camera and took a few shots of him.
He did, however, have some doubts as I attempted to add something in the shot for scale -- my finger. After I got through taking this shot, I thought I'd poke him and get him to raise up. (I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes.) All he did at that point was drop off the sign and scurry off into the bushes. Oh, well. Better than a poke in the finger with a stinger. I mean, really, Doug!
Here's another nasty-looking critter I came across the other day on a hike -- an Assassin Beetle, or Chinch Bug as my Grandpa used to call them. I'm not sure if they're really as nasty as they look, but I've never given them the opportunity to teach me, either. They do stink when squashed, I know that.
And here we have a couple of bugs doing it, right there in broad daylight. I don't know what kind of bugs these are, so I just call them Boinkin' Bugs. As I prepared to shoot another picture, they suddenly became self-conscious and disengaged and flew off. Well, if you're going to indulge in that kind of activity in public, you have to expect the paparazzi to show up some time or another. Just ask anyone in Hollywood.
All the rain we've been getting from these thunderstorm has really greened up the desert nicely these days. All the ocotillo -- which normally look dead and lifeless and very thorny -- have got leaves out all over the place. Once the rain stops and things begin to dry out again, they'll drop their leaves to conserve water.
Never having been out here in the desert in the summer before (okay, sometimes I am fairly sharp), I'd never seen the sotol blooms opened up. What a curious little cluster of what I can only assume are stamen used in pollenation. Very interesting. They remind me of eggs under the tail of a female lobster.
And here we have our last entry of this post -- the cenizo in bloom. They really are quite delicate and beautiful, a perfect match for their velvety leaves. The colors go well together, don't you think?Okay, I guess that'll just about catch us up for now. As always, thanks for tuning in.
