“Soon it got dusk, a grapy dusk, a purple dusk over tangerine groves and long melon fields; the sun the color of pressed grapes, slashed with burgandy red, the fields the color of love and Spanish mysteries.”

Jack Kerouac, On The Road

Against A Terlingua Sunset Sky This evening. 032913

Whew! I think the economy is looking up. The spring crowd visiting Big Bend National Park and this area is up versus the last four years. I didn't pause once this evening between greeting the guests. In a way, the early spring showers and the one small snow that we received seem to be a good portent to the year. The weather forecasters are predicting another prolonging of the drought for this year but there are more wildflowers this year than I have seen in the five years I have lived here in the Big Bend area.  This morning I ate a quick breakfast and dashed outside to take photos of a couple of wildflowers that I discovered two days ago.

One of the flowers is so tiny that when I view it from where I stand, the blooms appear as tiny white dots in a green carpet of tiny leaves spreading along the ground. This morning I was determined to get as close as I could to them and photograph them to see what kind of detail I could obtain. I think I took some pretty good photos of them but I want to get even closer. The blooms are unusual. I placed a penny coin next to them to show the scale of their tiny proportions.

Have a fantastic evening.

Charlton

A Bright Spot of Yellow

Yesterday as I was beginning my very short journey of 100 yards and returning from photographing last night's beautiful Terlingua sunset, the available daylight was waning. I drove the golf cart on the road leading to Indian Head and I noticed a yellow spot of color on the side of the road. The bank was descending slightly so I stopped to investigate. There were a few beautiful yellow blooms just sitting there and seeming to glow in the dimming light. So I got down on the ground with my face just a few inches from the soil and began taking photos. There was a slight evening breeze so it was a bit difficult to get a good shot without too much blurring.

I took some more close up shots of the few flowers that appeared just a few feet from the front door of our house. It's difficult to obtain a good shot without the color being washed out. The petals have a very, very, slight shade of pink. I can't seem to capture the color since the flowers only open in the middle of the day and then close up in the evening.

Have a great day!

Charlton

Big Bend Resort & Adventures

This is the view which greets guests residing for a stay at the Big Bend Resort & Adventures. In the background is Maverick  Mountain and Tule Butte in Big Bend National Park. Big Bend National Park in the background is only a short three miles to the entrance from the RV Park.

The RV Park has full hook up amenities and 120 RV sites with both 30 and 50 amp sites. My own property is off the main Terlingua Ranch Rd which would be 50 miles round trip so I live on the BBRA property in my own RV which is much easier on my truck. Grocery and Convenience stores are close by with the gas station a stones throw away. Restaurants are also nearby. I love living here in this area.

Big Bend Resort & Adventures, Terlingua, TX

Have a great day!

Charlton

Winter is still hanging around and wearing out the welcome really fast.

This evening's Terlingua Sunset however, more than made up for the chilly day. The sun made a spectacular exit as usual.

Terlingua Sunset, evening of 032513

Have a great day!

Charlton

Springtime's Wrestle with Winter

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March.

Robert Frost (1874–1963)

It was a beautiful warm day today and by warm, I mean high 80's. I love it. I can tell that the warm days of summer are here. I can smell it in the air. Yesterday and this evening there was another magnificent sunset. The last of the Bluebonnets are producing their seed pods and their beautiful blue will soon be gone.

I'm hoping that Gil will finish with my truck soon so that I can go looking for more wildflowers and blooms. I'm curious as to what is blooming on my property off the main ranch road. Yesterday, Raoul pointed out some very interesting blooms I had never seen before. They remind me of violets or phlox. Pinkish blooms on a very low growing clump of thin long leaves.

Terlingua Sunset, Friday Evening, 032213

Terlingua Sunset, Thursday E3vening 03211

A Cold Front is forecast for this coming week. These photos will have to get me through those. I will not be sad to see the last of the cold days of winter.

Have a great day!

Charlton

Blooms and Karaoke in Terlingua

Hola!

Terlingua Desert Living

La Kiva Restaurant & Bar, Terlingua, TX

My friend Mary talked us into going to karaoke night yesterday evening at one of the very unique watering holes and restaurant here in Terlingua. La Kiva. It is what the name implies. It is made of rock and half buried in the ground. The front door is counter-weighted since the door opens upwards. I've never been to a karaoke night much less to the one at La Kiva.  It was alot of fun and a chance to get out of the house for something different. Mary urged me to sing the popular number, Wild Thang. So....I did.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Tim Reveille was behind the bar fixing our drinks. Tim also sings and plays the guitar every other Wednesday. I enjoy his style of music. It's sort of Appalachian style folksongs. Tim has an album out which Mary and I purchased awhile back last August right before we departed on our roadtrip to my hometown of Galax, Va to visit my family and attend the Annual Fiddler's Convention. Tim is from Tennessee and was familiar with the Convention. Check out Tim's Album online.

Claret Cup Blooms spotted this evening!

Such beautiful vibrant color in a Claret Cup bloom

This evening, my friend Mary of Mary Paloma (Diesel) fame, had dinner at our friend Lauren's place. I took my camera just in case I spotted any flowers etc,. I was not disappointed. It just so happened that I have been searching for five years now for the cactus blooms of the Claret Cup Cactus. This evening I saw one. The blooms were as spectacular as I had heard. There were also the usual wildflower blooms showing themselves as well all through the desert.

Big Bend Desert Dreams come alive out here.

Have a great day!

Charlton

A beautiful warm and welcome Terlingua sunset

A warm spring night tonight to bid adieu to a setting Terlingua sun.

Spring Break crush is over yesterday and we have survived. It was rather pleasant and almost fun this year. I don't know if it's because this is my fifth year of doing this or if it is because the crowd has changed. Perhaps it is due to the fact that spring with all of it's blooms and green leaf buds has made a showy arrival but I am appreciating it thoroughly.  The weather is great and the temps are in the eighties now and I love it that the evening's are warm after the sunsets. One of my favorite feathered friends has returned, the Cactus Wren along with it's noisy and fun chatter. The skies have also been clear of clouds for the most part which means a sunset of a glow on the horizon instead of the grand display of color. But I enjoy it just the same.

The bluebonnets are still in bloom for a few more days

Manana I will contact Gil to see what the status is on my truck and if I will have my truck back soon. Oh I hope so.

Happy Spring Ya'll!

Charlton