The West Mesa. Almost.

Almost from the day we arrived at Sevilleta we’d heard tales of the West Mesa.  Reportedly it holds views like no other.  So, one day we decided why not make a run for it.  Well, actually it was a drive but still we thought we’d give it a shot.

We’re not going to drag this out for you.  We didn’t make it.  There were several reasons.  1)  We hadn’t brought our cell phone.  2)  We forgot to pack a lunch.  3)  We forgot the bring a shovel - driving in the wash.  4)  It looked like it was going to rain.  5)  We got lost for about two hours trying to find the right road and by the time we’d found it we realized 1, 2 & 3.  Then 4 just made it seem a bit more risky than we were into on that particular day considering 1, 2 & 3.

None the less... we had a wonderful day out.  That is until we both started getting cranky because of #2. 

To be honest though, we didn’t feel like we missed much because we had a great day in a beautiful place.  We’ll share a little of it with you now.

                                                        Indian Blanket

                                   Stephanomeria Pauciflora

                                            Wire-lettuce

                                     

                                         Milkvetch Flowers

                     They’re in the pea family.

                                       Ipomopsis Longiflora

                                        Pale Trumpet Flower

                  Our first Loggerhead Shrike sighting in New Mexico.

So you see, although we did not see the West Mesa we sure did see a lot of other things and that is more than fine with us.

Random Photos... Catching Up

We’re still working our way through October.  So, not too much storytelling in this post.

Heading down to the wetlands one afternoon, this Bull Snake beauty had decided to play speed bump.

We were sure that she wouldn’t have been too successful and so after a bit of time appreciating her we encouraged her off of the road with a shovel.

                                This fella had Nicole seriously distracted one day.

It kept doing this thing where it would get up high on its tip toes.  We’ve since
learned that this is called ballooning and it is used as a means of travel.  The goal
is that their silk and eventually the spider itself will be caught by a good air current.
They can travel for days and extensive lengths (900 miles or so) like this and it is
how many of them invade islands and mountaintops.

Nicole spent many minutes attempting to get a shot of this cool behavior.  What
she didn’t expect to get a shot of was the shooting of silk.  That just sort of happened.

Start at the spider’s abdomen and follow the faint white ‘line’ toward the upper left corner.

Around the end of October our Waterfowl Management Area
started filling up with its annual water.

                At that point the trees were still just turning so it was quite pretty.

         The fuzzy stuff is Baccharis.  Which second name this one holds, we have no idea.

It is the female variant though.  The male is more flower-like.

      The female flower looks like little paintbrushes.

This Prairie Clover was blooming in front of the Visitor Center.

A little story for you...

In three years on the road and living in the van we’ve heard of many folks who have experienced problems with rats or mice.   Before we hit the road we stripped the van down to its shell and filled all unused openings to the outside.  It seemed to have been the answer for us as we have remained squeak free.

That is until Nicole started working on the engine one day and left the doghouse off for a bit while inside doing some research.  A few days later she noticed that the paper label on our cocoa was in shreds.  Further investigation confirmed that although our newest visitor had left a mark, he had not been able to establish residency because Nicole closed the doghouse one day while he was out.

That does not mean he did not have intentions of moving in for good.  After all, he had discovered a bag of dehydrated broccoli that we had forgotten about and had been carrying it one piece at a time to the storage location of our climbing gear.  There he had found his way into a plastic bag that held Darlene’s climbing shoes and ...

was creating a tasty little cache for the winter.  The ones in the shoes have an
extra special flavor!

Well, that’s all for now.  Next time we’ll attempt to make it to West Mesa.

Going Out of Bounds... a.k.a East Sevilleta Page 2

As we continued our tour of places otherwise off limits we finally came to the bulk of the Cibola Spring flow.

              It flows from here into the slot ahead.

                But first it makes this little drop.

                                              Then it takes a larger drop.

                 The trickling was quite peaceful.

                          Eventually it wanders off into the distance and so did we.

We saw a few things walking back to the car.  It’s funny how you see certain things going one way on a trail and others going the reverse.

                                            Rayless Daisy

                                       Shadows on the wall.

                                               Shadows on the water.

                       Bordered Plant Bug - Largus Californicus

Fornicating Californicuses with Reduction Sphere Backdrop

                          After Cibola Spring we headed off into

                                                            Pino Canyon.

                                          Mallow - it is in the Hibiscus Family.

             Can you see why?  And do you see anything else leering at you?

                   The Thorn Apple was a unique (to us) sighting.

             The “apple” opens up to reveal the ‘future’ of the plant.

          How can something so pretty be poisonous?

Hiking up Pino gave us a chance to see one of the many watering holes that remain on the refuge. 

                        This one has been modified and enlarged.

When the land was owned by the Campbell family wells and drinkers were put in place for their animals.  Although the refuge has a goal to return the land to its original state, the natural flow of water sources has been augmented via human intervention.  A decision had to be made about removing or keeping the drinkers and so cameras were set up at them to log their usage by refuge inhabitants.

                                We’re pretty sure they are happy to have them!
                                        (Photo borrowed from Sevilleta NWR)

The conclusion of the study besides the fact that we have some very clean bears is that the drinkers are heavily relied upon and thus they shall remained on the property.

                                        We stopped near here to have lunch.

Bordered Plant Bug Nymph on neat looking unidentified plant.

                    Remains of old building (possibly line shack).

           This cactus looked like it had just melted.

              It left behind some beautiful patterns.

                              Nature creates even as it destroys.

     Did not get a great shot of this one but thinking Four O’Clock family.

     This Pine Leaf Penstemon was a surprise to see.

           A hold-out bloomer, only one flower had begun to open up.

                                           This is not just any ole trash...

                                      It’s Government Trash!

                                              Bindweed

                        Glandularia Bipinnatifida - Prairie Verbena

                           Wild Buckwheat

                                                     Buckeye Butterfly

                                                     Creeping Zinnia

                                                  Until we meet again....

    “Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair and let us huddle together as
   darkness takes over. We are at home amidst the birds and the trees, for we are children
                                            of nature.” - Susan Polis Schutz