We haven't had a blog post since February. 

Dennis was diagnosed with multiple blood clots in early March. He is doing well, although still going through a world of medical tests to make sure everything really is okay. 

But our traveling/camping has been disrupted since then. We had to cancel all of our BIG plans for the summer and will just be doing smaller (local) trips for the next few months. To that end, we went out to Aguirre Springs (about 20 miles from home) for 2 nights a week ago and visited Cloudcroft (about 90 miles) this week. 

They were both good outings. And here are a few pictures. 

(FAIR WARNNG: Both of us have begun to get more creative with our photographs, so some of these will look more like paintings. Most of those are by Mike, but Dennis has gotten into this as well.)

Bird of Paradise bloom in Buena Vida Park, across the street from our house. 

Aguirre Springs Campground

The Drive into the Campground

Dennis with Sotol Blooms and the Organ Mountains 

Sotol blooms were everywhere

Young Mule Deer Buck

Lizards

Cholla Cactus Blooms

A neighboring campsite

The view from our campsite

Cloudcroft and the Sleepy Grass Campground

Aspen trees

Sunny Afternoon in the Lincoln National Forest

Starwort

Wild Iris Blooms

Yellow Evening Primrose

Wild Stallion from the Mescalero Apache Reservation

Father and Son

Mule Deer

Elk

Mike on the Osha Trail looking out upon White Sands National Park

The Lodge at Cloudcroft - Lobby

The Lodge at Cloudcroft - Inside the Tower

The view from the Tower of the Lodge at Cloudcroft

I always knew that "The Crying of Lot 49" was true

Calla Lily

Campfire at Sleepy Grass Campground

A Day-Trip to Cloudcroft, NM

 

 Over the weekend we took a short camping trip to Truth or Consequences, NM,  Elephant Butte Lake, and the  South Monticello Campground. From there we did a day trip to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and up into the Black Mountains and the Gila National Forest. Hope you enjoy a few pictures. 

Sunrise over Elephant Butte Lake. 

Moonset from South Monticello Campground. 

Sharp-Shinned Hawks at Bosque del Apache. 

Ducks on a pond in the early morning.

Bosque del Apache. 

Mule Deer buck in the brush. 

Snow Goose.

Another Mule Deer buck.

Redhead ducks. 

At the eastern edge of the Gila National Forest, looking towards the Black Range and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness.

Looking eastward from the foothills of the Black Range, near Winston, NM.

Snow and ice in the Gila NF.

Dennis in the Gila NF.

An Elk skull and wild Indian gourds hung on a Ponderosa Pine tree.

In his retirement, Mike has been thinking of stopping rustlers for a little extra income.

An abandoned washing machine outside of the Winston General Store. 

An old, weathered cowboy at the Charles Motel and Hot Springs, Truth or Consequences, NM. (One of our regular getaway spots.)

Moonrise over Truth or Consequences, NM.