Osha Trail

We took an evening walk on the Osha trail with Colter and Alli.  I used to walk this trail a lot when I lived in Cloudcroft, so it brought back sweet memories.  You can look back and see how Cloudcroft is a little village perched up on a mountain.

Further along, you get a good view of the Tularosa Basin below.  The air was hazy from dust and smoke, but you can still see a white layer, which is the White Sands area.

Lovebirds

I thought this following sight would be amusing to my Montana followers:  Yucca plant in the forest along with the scrubby oak trees, and Ponderosa pines!

This gooseberry bush was the only color we saw.  It is SO dry and not a flower one on this trail!

But we did see some wildlife--Horny-toads!  In the forest!

How to calm down a horny-toad--rub his belly!

Can't quite tell if he is a satisfied customer or not...

But he did like to rock climb!

I've gotten off-track!  I asked Warren what "Osha" was; there is an Osha Canyon as well as Osha Trail.  We found out it is the Spanish name for a plant!

Osha is also called Porter's Lovage, Licoriceroot, or Wild Parsley and is similar to Water Hemlock.  Its botanical name is ligusticum porteri.  We've been seeing it in bloom along the road up to Cloudcroft, and in the woods behind the Lanes' house.