Wildflowers #20 + Drought

Because of the impending heat, Blue and I walked this morning before the sun rose from behind the mountain.


Here's what we saw:

the valley gets light before we do

mullein, Verbascum thapsus (the grosbeaks have been picking at the flowers)

arrowleaf balsam root makes for noisy walking now that it is drying

Wildflowers #12, Plus Birds

First penstemon is blooming this morning. A towhee and a blackheaded grosbeak and a lazuli bunting singing. A hummingbird on his favorite perch (between sittings for the photo he performed a death defying "J" for a lady friend).

blue penstemon, Penstemon cyan's

rufous-sided or spotted towhee

a better storks bill photo than i had in an earlier post

lazuli bunting, before i saw him i heard the pretty, quick, high-pitched song

goat's beard, western salsify, Tragopogon dubious

blackheaded grosbeak