We took a day hike in Big Bend. It was sunny but a cold wind was blowing. Once again, I'd love to come back when the desert is in bloom, but even this time of year it was beautiful. Later, we visited the McDonald Observatory near Ft. Davis and the astronomer went around the room and asked us the first thought we had when we heard the word "nature". I answered "patterns" and he seemed impressed. But he also seemed impressed when my 2-year-old niece answered "monkeys".

These views were pretty constant along the Old Mine Trail.

I just love these agaves. Here they're called "century plants".

They're called century plants because they bloom once every 15 to 25 years (not quite a century), and then die. They're sort of like the salmon of the plant world.

See what I mean about those planters at Wildseed being so natural?