Plans gone awry

We were all psyched up to ride 70 miles this morning, but we woke up to rain. A wonderful, gentle, pitterpat-type rain. So what else to do but open the windows, feed the horses, let out the chickens, and go back to bed? Of course by the time we did get up, before 7, it was too late/hot to start a 4 hour ride. So we had a leisurely breakfast and took a little hike out back, around Blacktail Hill.

The rain has greened up the plants and gave them a second wind. One of the most obvious ones is the ocotillo, whose branches are bare most of the year, but will leaf out in 72 hours, given enough moisture. This plant is one of my favorites on this walk, it must be old, and is beautiful in, and out, of "velvet". Make no mistake, in each little cluster of leaves is a wicked spine.

Now perhaps a little reading, a naplet ...