Cooler With Color

Since arriving over a month ago, my every other day hikes into the hills behind the park have been a pleasure. With the sun lower on the southern horizon each day and cooler nights, I've been noticing the changes in flora and fauna.

On those hikes a month ago, this about two inch long grasshopper and all his species could be found on the trails. Many times they were found in a compromising position. On my most recent hikes, I have not seen one. The lizards I've seen were too small to catch -- and swallow -- these large grasshoppers. Guessing they mated, laid the eggs and then died.

Not sure what this bush was that could be found along the washes, but they were covered with small butterflies. For size comparison, in this photo there is a honey bee on the left and the butterfly is on the right. Both small insects. However, many times these bushes were covered with the butterflies as they harvested some nectar. Those same bushes have now gone to seed and produce a cotton covered seed that covers the edge of the wash.

Changes are everywhere this past month including the cottonwoods changing from green to gold.

Change. Story of my wandering nomadic life. Tomorrow morning, I hitch up to head to Tucson and settle in at Justin's Diamond J. There I will stay until I decide to begin my 2013 travels in April or May.