Quest for the Calypso Orchid

After Dominic went back to Australia, and now with no children remaining in the US, Ian took me to Butano State Park to heal for Mother's Day (sob!) and we found a mystery ...

Our camp at Butano State Park. Site number 1, again. Number 3 is also very good.

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Angus, and Teddy in the background, guarding our tent.

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Misky and Ang - doing a preliminary scout along the coastal range for this elusive flower.

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Only to find: a preponderence of irises.

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Angus and Ian on alert.

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Misk taking a breather.

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Tafoni sandstone backdrop.

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Yep! It is still cold on the West coast in May.

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Handsome iris dog.

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So we left the coast for the hinterland to find the orchid.

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The hinterland was hot.

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So is Ian!!!!

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Misk with the spanish moss scarf he made me.

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Ian's wonderful early morning coffee ritual

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Yemen Sanani, nearly as good as a Parrot on the shoulder!

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provokes a tad of morning madness.

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Angus is not amused.

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Gazing ahead, hopeful, on the Calypso trail

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Somewhere in there is our prized orchid.

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The happy wanderer

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y dos compadres..

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Are there bears in there, Ian?

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At the top of the Olmo Fire Road is an abandoned airstrip.

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Jumbo coming in for landing!

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Anyway, at the end of the day, God smiled on the happy campers

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And we saw Calypso.

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