Friday, March 3, 2017
My location: Eight miles West of Bouse, Arizona just off Plomosa Road
This morning, I woke up still stiff and sore from yesterday’s hike up and around Palm Canyon. The sun was having a hard time peaking through the clouds, but there was blue in there too.
Looking to the West a little later on, there was definitely blue skies coming this way.
Slowly made it through the morning and Yuma and I decided to stay near camp today.
While burning trash, I heard a chirping and looked up and there were two Gila Woodpeckers, a female and male in a cactus not far from my MH.
On my trips into Quartzsite on Plomosa Road, I’ve seen several roads leading off into the mountains South of my site, so we decided to do a little exploring to see where they led. Took off in the Jeep and turned South on a dirt road about a mile from the site.
It wasn’t long before we dropped down into a wash used mostly by ATVs.
Kind of tight for the Jeep.
It wasn’t long before we popped up out of the wash into a valley. And the valley was pock marked with mines. Some of them dropped right down into the ground. Others went into the side of the hill and some went into the side of the hill and then dropped down into the ground.
The ground was filled with purple flowers with little yellow ones splashed in.
We had to stop walking to the mines because there were so many Cholla Cactus, Yuma was having a fit. Here he is trying to pull them out with his teeth. He and I had a battle trying to get them all out.
When we popped out of the wash, we could see the RVs dotting the countryside. Ours is out there nearby and that’s where we’re headed. I promised Yuma no long bumpy rides today, so we called it an early day. Home by 3 o’clock.
Time for dinner and get ready for Gold Rush tonight.
See you later.
Fantastic pictures of the cactus wrens! What a happy couple! Some of those mines looked like you could fall right into, we're you adventurous to go down the ladder?? The beautiful flowers looked like a carpet on the desert floo. So pretty... Poor little Yuma! Just can't stay out of the chollas.
ReplyDeleteThat ladder didn't look too safe. Those wrens have a home in that cactus.
ReplyDeleteI tried to leave Yuma in the Jeep but he cried, so that stopped the walking for the day. Too many Chollas.
Love the beautiful wrens. The mines look eerie to me, you are braver than I am to get that close. I agree with Dolly, the purple flowers are so plentiful they look like a carpet.
ReplyDeleteThank you Patsy. Was neat to catch Mama and Papa together. They have a home there. Wonder if there are babies inside.
DeleteWe took a short ride closer in to the Plomosa Mountains today. (We were pretty sure we could see Bouse in the distance and Plomosa Road then we came to a wash we felt would win and backtracked. Still a beautiful though bumpy ride.) Those little purple flowers are beautiful on the mountainsides and the green is amazing. Great pictures.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of ATV roads back in there. Some not conducive to Jeep travel. I was afraid of getting lost if I made too many turns. So, we didn't go too far, but did run into a lot of mines back there.
DeleteSuch wonderful areas to explore and all those mines look interesting, be careful not to fall on one.
ReplyDeleteI was wary, but Yuma made me nervous a few times, but he is pretty careful.
DeleteYou have been having some really exciting adventures and getting some fantastic photos to share with all your readers. Especially like those of Palm Canyon, green grass and purple flower carpets, and of course Blogstar Yuma.
ReplyDeleteThank you Moonfly. If it wasn't for Yuma, I wouldn't have many followers, so I make sure he is prominent in my photos.
DeleteDoug, long time reader but have never commented. Enjoy your pictures and the good times you have with Yuma. Look up Gila Woodpecker and see if that isn't the birds you saw. I live in Florida, so haven't seen that bird before but know they are not wrens. Keep up the great posts!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, Joyce. I was so set on Cactus Wren because I see so many on the cacti, but the red spot on the head should have alerted me.
DeleteThank you. I will correct my post. Thank you for reading my blog.
Your photos of the desert really show the green this year. I can never remember it being this green.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Jan. Sometimes I forget the green, so I'm trying to make sure I get pictures, so I can go back and see all the green.
DeleteI never get tired of taking pictures of this country. Everywhere I look is beautiful. Thank goodness, I have these pictures because my memory has gotten so bad, I forget what I have seen each day.