Early morning walk

I woke up at 6:15 this morning (normal for a day off, but late if this were a work day) and went for a walk around the perimeter of the ranch. Lucky you, I have photos!

Summer is our dormant (as in, hide from the heat) season, but there's still some beauty. This is probably a prickly pear cactus and I like the color of the spines.

Our native yucca is probably the most dominant plant on the PPR and also the largest, with the exception of the trees.

I also found a native agave that's exactly like the one in our friends' yard from my post a few days ago. I love the shapes and shadows.

From the southeast corner of our property I could see our new little abode.

Near our northeast corner is a small grove of mesquite trees, one of several on the ranch. The county calls it a "riparian area" and says we have to leave it natural and not build too close, which is fine with us.

A couple of other plants are creosote, which smells pungent after a rain, and the remnants of this ground cover, another bit of color in the dry season.

Finally, I ran across our decorative yard art that's been languishing in the grasses over 10 years. We should bring it down to the yard now. On a ranch, you never know when someone might need a hitching post!