Don’t look too closely at the sharpness – which is to say the lack thereof – of this image of Temple. The sun was down, I was leaving the basin, the horses were RIGHT along the road. … What was I supposed to do, NOT take pix? 🙂
Temple looks a bit like an ethereal ghost horse, running through a dream space … complete with prince’s plume blooms.
So think dreamy, and it’ll look just fine. 🙂
Heading TO Spring Creek Basin, I found the prince’s plume plants in full, crazy bloom. Why is this crazy, I hear you asking? Because they don’t usually bloom until May. IN Spring Creek Basin, the prince’s plumes I saw were a little behind these along Road K20E toward the basin, which makes sense as the basin is a bit higher elevation than along this road.
Heading OUT of Spring Creek Basin, the grey sky exploded with color at and post-sunset! Wowza. The weather wizards are giving us a whopping NINETY PERCENT chance of rain Wednesday. Do you know what Wednesday is? Wednesday is April 1, otherwise known as April Fools’ Day. Call me a fool a million times over, and please, please, PLEASE, let it RAINRAINRAIN!!!
In all my excitement about the rainbow over the mustangs that came at the end (nearly) of my visit in Spring Creek Basin a few days ago, I nearly forgot about this busy little buzzer that I spent a fair time focused on (trying, anyway) as it buzzed around some rain-reinvigorated prince’s plume in the northern part of the basin. There were big ants on several of the plumes, along with much tinier little bugs (dreaded gnats?).
There were several smallish plumes growing from this one plant, and the bee diligently visited them all.
If you’re not a fan of bees on pretty spring desert flowers, I assure you that mustangs will return tomorrow. … I was quite fascinated with this little bee, and (to nerd out for a minute) I’m stoked at how well my camera and lens captured all its little details! I mean … NATURE! Am I right?! 🙂
Speaking of prince’s plume … !
Just between Sunday and Tuesday, the number of plants I saw probably doubled (which isn’t saying much as I didn’t see many on Sunday). But they’re definitely budding and blooming and raising their blossoms (I don’t really know the nomenclature for blooming or blossoming plants?), and the bees (and ants) are taking notice.
Proudest moment about the above pic? I think I actually have a catchlight in the bee’s eye. 🙂
The bee, by the way, was huge, probably at least the size of my middle finger’s middle knuckle.
It MUST be spring – the prince’s plume is flowering. 🙂
And the bees also are very happy about that:
And … drum roll, please … WE GOT RAIN LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The first actual rain – and yes, the ground got more-than-damp wet – since April 6. It will put some water in the catchments and give the vegetation a nice, lovely drink of moisture.
*Relief*. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 