It runs without warning, this love of mine. Carving its way as it goes. Thundering falls, then quiet. I chase it but cannot see it. View of Elephant Mountain andCalamity Creek. Alpine, Texas The mountains and desert of far west Texas are forbidding terrain. Yet perfect for the Desert Bighorn Sheep. Almost lost forever byContinueContinue reading “In the arms of Elephant Mountain”
Category Archives: Chihuahuan Desert
Lean into Big Bend National Park: Desert Horseback Riding
Arriving at camp, time slows to a trickle. I sit in the desert waiting for the sun to lower and cool the air. Dog snapping at flies, the sound of my horse munching on hay –a Sergio Leone western comes to mind. Views of the Chisos and Dead Horse Mountains frame Hannold Draw. Pens withContinueContinue reading “Lean into Big Bend National Park: Desert Horseback Riding”
Art of the Desert
Chihuahuan Desert Views travel beyond imagination. Studies have shown that most people look at artwork in a museum for somewhere between 15-30 seconds. I invite you into my world. To wander. Visually explore every curve, texture, and color. Stare. Listen. Engage in the dialogue. And mostly, to surrender. Watercolors of sunrise reflect on the mountainsContinueContinue reading “Art of the Desert”
Myths and Facts about Wild Horses and Burros
Article from: https://awionline.org/content/myths-and-facts-about-wild-horses-and-burros Myth: There are too many wild horses and burros on public lands and their numbers must be reduced. Fact: The opposite is true—there are too few wild horses and burros on our public lands, and unless their numbers grow, the survival of these special animals is in jeopardy. During the 1800’s, it is estimatedContinueContinue reading “Myths and Facts about Wild Horses and Burros”
Desert Beauty: Living Rock Cactus
Look closely at her secrets. Buffers of creosote between thorny arms of mesquite and the spines of ocotillo. Plants intertwine but like an iceberg, there is much more beneath the surface. There is beauty here. In the fall, glimpses of fuscia mark my path. Gone as quickly as they appear. A flower appears from rock. ContinueContinue reading “Desert Beauty: Living Rock Cactus”
Desert Treasure
Caballo Lake State Park, Caballo Mountains, New Mexico The land here in southern New Mexico is harsh and gentle at the same time. You see this most clearly if you follow the Rio Grande north from Texas. A ribbon of green snaking along the valley, flanked by desert mountains. Mountains which look soft from aContinueContinue reading “Desert Treasure”
The Return: Great news for the Bolson Tortoise
The Turner Endangered Species Fund with the help from partners including the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens recently made conservation history by releasing captive-born Bolson Tortoises in the Chihuahuan Desert grasslands of New Mexico. Thirty years ago, I was very fortunate to join a team of scientists and National Park managers on a trip toContinueContinue reading “The Return: Great news for the Bolson Tortoise”
Word for the Day: Sky Island
Sometimes I lock the gate. Sometimes I leave it locked. Protecting the space in which I see and hear myself most clearly. Validation coming only from within. My thoughts an island. Madera Canyon Overlook Not the only “island” in west Texas, however, there are others. Three others in fact: the Guadalupe, Chisos, and Davis Mountains. ContinueContinue reading “Word for the Day: Sky Island”
Footprints in the Sand: Horseback Riding White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Blinding white in all directions. Footprints erased by wind. Every route the same. Driving south from Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico the land greets us with open arms. Ranges and ranches go on for miles. I can breathe. I can see. The chaos of Alamogordo gives way to White Sands National Park, sitting pristine atContinueContinue reading “Footprints in the Sand: Horseback Riding White Sands National Park, New Mexico”
CDEC renewal underway
by Rick LoBello, Chair With our 15th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta just around the corner I am happy to report that the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition is experiencing an encouraging period of renewal. Our board is meeting monthly working on new smart goals and more people are signing up as members. Membership is now FREEContinueContinue reading “CDEC renewal underway”