Mexican Gold Poppy (Eschscholzia californica ssp. Mexicana)
I just got back from walking the Nature Trail at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. In the fourteen years that I have been back in El Paso, there has never been a profusion of poppies as there is this year. There were plenty of people parked on the side of Transmountain taking pics with their smart phones. A number of people were walking along the Nature Trail. All of us were minding our social distance during this time of COVID-19. A few times on the pathways, I would come about three feet from someone, but I was unconcerned. The only people walking close together were families and novias y novios. Everyone had a smile on his face.
Swimming in a sea of warm sunshine and refulgent poppies cheer the soul.
For the botanically-minded, these poppies are Mexican Gold Poppy (Eschscholzia californica ssp. Mexicana). Bees like these inedible flowers which emit what some have described as a “spicy fragrance”.
As I write this, I see that the City and County have issued a Stay Home Work Safe order with punishments up to a $1,000 fines. But there are lots of exceptions: buying groceries or petfood, going to the doctor, etc. Another exception is hiking or walking, keeping in mind social distancing however. I’ve got to believe that staying active, getting sunshine and beholding beauty, such as you can with our mountains and poppies, promote good health and happiness.
Go HERE for a copy of the stay home order. (Pay no attention to the 2 “Attention” come-ons.)
Celebrate our Mountains and our poppies. Even if you don’t get out of your car, go see the poppies!