Like a Rock Garden

On top of the mesa at Twistflower there is a limestone cap right under the soil, and near the cliffs there is little soil, just moss, fern and juniper growing from fissures in the rock. And a profusion of lechuguilla and cactus. Different varieties of cactus growing right next to each other like a rock garden.. But the whole ranch grows a profusion of cactus including the bottom lands. We went for the birds, but what was easiest to observe were the cacti and other plants. The birds were there, calling, off in the brush and mostly unseen right after the rains that soaked the area and diminshed the attraction of the oasis. Except for the vultures and zone-tailed hawks, that would ride air currents up to the mesa and seemingly coming within touching distance of us on the porches of the bunkhouses.

Posted on November 23, 2018 09:06 AM by thebark