High Desert Blooms

It's that month in the high desert when we get wildflowers. It's a harsh environment and not many plants are hearty enough to produce a show. This is balsamroot, not to be confused with mule ear. Mule ear will bloom in another week. They are not solitary plants like this and make will make the hills appear golden from a distance.





We have a small spring above us, so this is an arnica, not really a desert plant. It sure is pretty though and it has a companion. Like most high desert plants, the flowers are small and easy to miss. If you look, you can see the tiny violet heads of the other plant.





And here is a penstemon. We have few and they don't last long. I was pretty excited to see this one - enough to go back home from my walk and get the camera.





There is absolutely nothing pretty about tumble mustard. I took this picture because it's a favorite of the mormon crickets, which have made an appearance a couple of valleys east of us. We have tried to eliminate this plant from around our house and are armed with cricket bait in the event they do come this way. We are in prime cricket season, right now. We have been through one intense encounter in the past and hope we're ready in the event they make it here again this year.

We babysat last night. Papa has Kiernan and the dogs loaded up. They are going to take a drive to see the wild horses which are still here at the spring east of us. They are so excited to go, if only Papa would lose the silly camera and drive.