Brutal Day, Decent Finish

The last several days and month, it has been one deadline and fire after another. I have fallen behind on the basics of having a business, like getting design work done, invoicing clients to get paid for the above, and other tasks that help further your business. Or reap the benefits of having a business and relax and recharge, regularly. Not to mention that I have literally been under the gun since I left D/P/S in the last half of 2004...that is over 5 years straight with the constant weight of pressing things to do.

A nice break is the 3-1/2 hour drive to and from the occasional meeting and project in El Paso or Las Cruces.

A nice wintry scene in the desert along I-25, nearing San Acacia:

This is the location where people who do not understand climate or soils think the Chihuahuan Desert ends (see the olive-green line of creosote bush in distance?), and some esoteric "transition" begins just north of it and the Rio Salado (see the grayish clumping of Broom Dalea and Sand Sage?).

That is about 45 minutes S of Albuquerque. Never mind that the temperatures or precipitation are really no different in Socorro 20 miles south, at the "line", or 45 miles N in Abq. Annually, Socorro is about 1F warmer, and gets 1" of precip more, than Albuquerque, at most.

Check out the snow on the sides of the mountains, immediately above the valley. Amazing to see this kind of persistence, as this has been the case for about 2 months:


After I turned in my mark-ups for some submittals that were poorly written, missing the plans and specifications I prepared (they have to be resubmitted correctly), and some record drawings that were not even my own project (designed by someone else who is still around here), it was time for a workout...a mountain bike ride at sunset at the end of Redd Road in NW El Paso:

Soon this will be development of trophy homes with lots of gravel in each front yard, a Washingtonia palm, and a black Hummer or Lexus SUV in each driveway. Lucky us! But I say, "some people need killin' " - actually that was Evil Knievel.

I was not the only rider on this increasingly gloomy day, but there was mostly solitude within that frigid wind blowing out of the SE. And I brought my wind-proof pants I often wear in such weather, but I didn't put them on. Whoops....well, I also didn't work up a sweat!

I don't get to ride by the sillhouttes of Fouquiera splendens back home in Albuquerque, except planted in someone's yard. This is a nice treat.

A nice grouping of Echinocereus dasyacanthus ssp. dasyacanthus and Agave lechuguilla near the trail:



A nice, plump Echinocactus horizonthalonius:

Now, it is time to grab a relaxing pizza and chianti at Ardovinos on Cincinnati near UTEP, and finish out an article or two, plus one project in a series of many.

Buenos noches from the Borderland!

Desert Appreciation Beyond the Desert

I follow another garden blogger's excellent posts and photography. A recent post affected me with both enjoyment for her and sadness for us.

The blog's author, based in Austin TX and not the southwest by almost any definition - geographic, climatic or species, gets what makes OUR AREA great. I wish similar writing from here in Albuquerque was that way, as we do live in the southwest.

She tweeted her post by saying, "Loving the landscape I live in":
http://www.penick.net/digging/?p=6153

If I don't make sense, below is a geography crash course comparing Albuquerque NM and Austin TX:

1) Geographic Location of SW USA


2) Ecoregions


3) Geographic Location of the SW USA and Ecoregions


4) Koppen's Climate Type Graph


If you still disagree that Albuquerque should be even more in-tune with using southwest, arid-region native plants than Austin, I hope you will not contribute to others being lost, and find another vocation (or avocation).

An old saying in the west is "whiskey is for drinkin' and water is for fightin' "...hmmm!

Another Side of Nevada

I started Thursday by meeting with some Master Gardeners on a property - the Oliver Ranch - where they have been performing an inventory of all the plant species, native or extant. It is between Red Rock Canyon and the charming town of Blue Diamond, and the ultimate plan is to restore some of the structures onsite, and use it as an educational laboratory for the community and schools.

It is dilapidated, but many weeds have been removed; Siberian elms still remain:

A perched water table, and many nice Prosopis pubescens, Chilopsis linearis, and Anemopsis californica are found growing onsite:

Many of the "experts" in Nevada claim mesquites were not native to southern Nevada...oh no, those "experts" live...and they breed!

The uplands:

Even Quercus turbinella!

In the distance, I rode that trail back in August '07:

Basically, I have been here before and got little out of the visit except some plant talk. I had better things to do, considering there was no list or inventory provided to me, no master plan presented for the property's future, or really anything. Sure beat working on a deadline, though!

Limestone ledge and plants...inspiration again!

Eriogonum inflatum...very nice:

After lunch, M.L. and I went to the Gardens at the Springs Preserve in NW Las Vegas...I will not make comparisons to the RGBG...nicely done!

Those are CALICHE chunks above the seat wall:

Deneen Powell Atelier, Inc. from San Diego was the LA, using a similar, giant watering can, just like what they designed at Cuyamaca in San Diego...kitschy. But that was one of the few things I did not like about this place. And a killer Yucca rigida, underplanted with a golden barrel massing:

M.L. on left, Lynn Mills towering on the right:

Lynn is quite the character! He loves to hover over you, lurching like an eagle, unfettered by the conventions of personal space!!!

Even mulch and compost displays:

A demonstration lawn area that became the perfect place for weddings...so they turned it into that...nice to see a garden whose creators are more advanced than using just roses to symbolize weddings:

A rare shot of me, along with a cool, exposed concrete wall, Gaillardia spp. blooming, and the landscape below of Cylindropuntia biglovii, etc:

Just a few of the solar panels here. And the skyline of Vegas, baby!

M.L. being introspective between his goofiness! And solar panels and shade fabric shelter the vast parking area...one may as well do something with all that southwestern sun!

Apparently, all the PV (photo voltaic) panels onsite provide about 75% of the electrical needs of the Springs Preserves' buildings, etc. They have great plantings and hardscape design, plus, they are even opening a Design Lab soon, though I am not sure what that will offer for the public.

This is a garden visit that is HIGHLY recommended.