Lots of pretty clouds are coming through the area lately, which makes for spectacular sunsets again!
I think it's a first though to have one hanging over the mesa like that. Quite a picture it made!

I also like the soft purples when the show is almost over ....

The clouds brought a little bit of rain, which of course turned every trail around into nasty mud again. 
I went hiking the next day, and really ought to know better by now, but I ventured of the beaten path and got thoroughly stuck in the muck.
Barely made it out without leaving my shoe in it!

 

The reason I went 'off the road' was to try to take an artsy cactus shot. 
So pretty (and only than) with the water drops still hanging from it's thorns ...

More signs of an early desert Spring are popping up!

                                 

And on a otherwise gloomy, foggy morning earlier this week, this beautiful, downright 'sunny' looking girl, showed up!

She's my first Golden Fronted Woodpecker! Considered 'stable' as far as the population goes but in North America only to be found in Central or Southern Texas!

I almost didn't take the shot when I heard the 'kek-kek' while passing by the restaurant, presuming it was 'just' a Ladderback. 
So glad that I did! Definitely brightened up my day! (Although, secretly, I quite like gloomy days).

Another bright color caught my eye that morning, right next to the bakery (note to self; do NOT pass the bakery when hungry). (Or .. whenever ..)

                  

This rose has flowered stubbornly all through the winter. 
When it comes down to it, there's really nothing like a rose, don't you agree? 
And this one smells too! (or maybe it's the cinnamon rolls from the bakery)

I knew, vaguely, that we had some old ruins around the resort and made an effort to look them up the other day.

Remnants of the wild, wild west....

There's not much left of the few adobe buildings from the small Cavalry Post that used to stand here.

And the following picture at the end is quite fitting for what is definitely going to be 'the end' of me!
I can't stay away from these 'special-K bars I made! 
I swear I can here them whisper from the cupboard every time I walk by ..... "come to me ...  just one more ... I know you want to ...!"

Seriously! Do NOT make these!