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Sunday, December 12, 2010 - Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM

Ocatillo, Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM, January 22, 2009
Ocatillo, Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM, January 22, 2009

Ocatillo in a sea of creosote

Creosote has taken over vast areas of the desert out here in New Mexico. I understand it emits a chemical from its root system that is inhospitable to other plants. And to itself I guess - the creosote bushes seem to be spaced at regular intervals with generally bare soil between bushes. There is the occasional exception like this nice ocatillo.

That plant with the yellow flower sharing space with the ocatillo is a cholla. Ocatillo have a red flame shaped flower at the tips of the stems in the spring - they are quite striking.

Night camp

Site 9 - Leasburg Dam State Park, Radium Springs NM

Tools for Communicating

There is no one who can know everything anymore, because there is simply too much information for one lifetime. In the gaps, our tools grow (I choose the organic term carefully), and they allow people to unite and divide movements, to undermine leaders, to elect the unwilling to roles of leadership into which they might grow. No single person can dominate in this world for very long these days, because our tools for communicating link us like ants and we can move the world while undemocratic leaders try to hold it still. People peck the man on the big horse to death like hungry ducks if he leads them down the wrong path or takes too many liberties on the journey.

Mitch Ratcliffe, Februray 27 2003

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