The Bloomin' Desert

For my Special Project Day last Thursday, I decided to beat the bloomin' idiots heading here for Spring Break and roam around down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive looking for bloomin' plant life. My first stop was the Homer Wilson Ranch (actually, it's the ranch foreman's place) for a hike up the Blue Creek trail and into the Red Rock Canyon I've always heard about. I found these little guys on the back porch steps of the house. I don't know what they are.


Along the trail toward the canyon, I came across this newly-bloomed yucca and sampled one of its petals. It's still a little early for that, as it tasted just a little bitter. Maybe in a week or so. They still taste like health food even when they're ripe, but decidedly better.


And here's the pride and joy of any true Texan's heart -- the bluebonnet. This is not the actual variety that is considered the State Flower, but it's still the State Flower for all intents and purposes. This is the West Texas variety, which can grow to four feet tall! I measured one at over three feet last year.


In macro mode, I moved in to get a closer shot, which was a tad difficult due to the wind. This one came out all right, I thought. These really are beautiful flowers, aren't they? So stately.


And last but not least, we have the ever-present creosote bush in bloom, this one being visited by one of the gazillions of honeybees we have here in the park. Last year, we had a swarm of these little guys that decided to take up residence at Persimmon Gap, but luckily they decided to dwell elsewhere this year. They're pretty benign, really, but they do create a nuisance for the uninitiated or for those allergic to stings. I had to send some folks on to Panther Junction to pay their Entrance Fee, as they refused to roll down their window, there were so many flying around.

Anyway, that's just a glimpse of the beginning of our wildflower season here. I've notice more and more different flowers cropping up here and there, particularly our bi-colored mustard we have growing between our housing and the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center. Hopefully, the 2" of rain we got back in January did the trick and we'll have another desert full of color and aroma soon. Stay tuned!