The Dance of Life

This morning I was pretty excited by the prospect of hiking the Dodson, a hike I've not yet done, with Mike and Nancy. Dennis from the visitor center was going to drop us off at the Homer Wilson Ranch. Mother Nature had other ideas and ushered in 50 mph winds so we scuttled those plans. I should never question that there might be something good come of a day, though!

We don't have too many people in the backcountry right now so I started out on what I expected to be a boring, routine day. Despite the winds and visibility cut significantly by the blowing dust, the day was somehow bright and interesting. Perhaps I am getting melancholy as the time nears for me to leave Big Bend, but I drove along enjoying the great memories that each point along the road elicited . . . staying out all night helping the visitors with the broken down truck . . . helping a snake cross the road at twilight before a jeep caravan came along and squished it . . .the many ephemeral snakes that glide quickly across the road like so many pieces of wind-blown strings of cassette tape . . .the sun-warmed winds blowing through the open windows of the truck . . . the blind, steep hill with the roller-coaster like drop where I saw this year's first Big Bend Bluebonnets . . . two glossy black ravens sauntering through a field of bi-colored mustard, picking at bugs & enjoying being in each others company . . . the big fox that darted across the road a sunset chasing dinner . . . the comical way the roadrunners stick their necks out straight and flat to run hell-bent across the road. . . .  the acrobatics of the vultures singly and in choreographed  flocks enjoying soaring on these winds . . . so many wonderful things that I wouldn't have seen had I not decided to strike out on my own like this.

So just when I was thinking these memories were the only one's I'd have the day was so gorgeous I wanted somehow to share it with anyone who would listen! The dust today had made Elephant Tusk and the Chisos barely discernible muddy red phantom outlines. But enough sunlight was peeking through to make close-by scenery colorful and vivid. Everything changes almost daily, certainly weekly, in Big Bend.

Palo Verde in bloom

Close-up

This beautiful red & golden bush growing in a wash was a show stopper! I had to see it up close.

This yucca was in the same wash and I'd never seen one quite like it - fully bushed out from the ground up.

Lechugilla flowers up close.

We had some very sparse and spotty showers yesterday. This small area along Glenn Springs Road must have gotten just enough to cause some of the ocotillo to leaf out. Nice!

Prickly pear and cane cholla

Close-up of the cane cholla. It looks like an alien being growing out of the place where the flower was I'm guessing.

A Havard Agave sending up its flower stalk! I forgot that they can grow the stalk at a rate of about 1" per hour! I should have stayed to watch for an hour or so! (These are sometimes called "century plants" because they bloom only once and it takes them 30-40 years to get around to doing so!)

The top of the Havard Agave flower stalk just beginning to flower. These magnificent flowers feed hummingbirds, bees and all kinds of creatures as well as providing a nesting place for birds.

An angry bull snake! He did NOT want me to help him to cross the road safely! I've got the greatest video of this snake puffing up to half again his size, hissing both as he puffs up and deflates. He convinced me I should not pick him up to move him off the road! (Afterwards I realized I had my long-sleeved jacket and work gloves and could have easily moved him to safety. I hope he survives. :-( )