Spillover clouds~SkyWatch Friday 103009

I often look up at our local mountains. On some days, there are "spillover" clouds. The clouds seem to hang onto the mountains and spill into our desert valley. Here is an example. It was cloudy and cold up in the mountains, but sunny in the desert. This is a common sky feature in our valley. SkyWatch Friday for October 30, 2009.

Think Green Thursday~Fall Leaves

This "Think Green Thursday" post is about fall colors~the reds, browns, oranges, and yellows of the maple trees up at the ranch in the mountains. Aren't the colors pretty? Even the cottonwoods up there are turning yellow. There is a little one down in a gully that I pass every time I go there and this weekend I'll stop and take some photos of it. And, with our blast of cold air the last couple of days, it will be interesting to see the trees this weekend. The news just said it is 33 degrees up at the horse ranch this morning.

"O" is for ocotillo~ABC Wednesday 102809

"O" is for ocotillo. I took this photo one spring, at the Living Desert Reserve. Aren't the blossoms pretty? ABC Wednesday, October 28, 2009.

Last weekend~That's My World 102709

Just some pictures of our weekend, last weekend. It was clear, crisp, and cool up in our local mountains and the horses were glad to get out and have some attention and exercise, especially since I had some kind of flu virus last weekend and didn't even get OUT of my jammies! That's My World for October 27, 2009.

Fall color in our local mountains~Sunday Stills 102509

It is indeed difficult to find fall colors here in our desert or local mountains, but every once in a while, I have found a small pocket of color like this one. I spotted it about a week ago, driving down the mountains from a visit to my horses. I stopped and pulled over yesterday and took these pics. While it doesn't rival the fall colors in the eastern Sierras, it is our own little corner of color in my world. Sunday Stills Challenge for October 25, 2009.

Autumn sky~SkyWatch Friday 102309

Sometimes you don't have to go far to find something interesting to photograph. One afternoon, as I headed up to my horses, in the mountains, there were clouds in the sky. It was a late autumn afternoon, the sun was out, and some inteesting shadows formed. I stopped while driving up the hill and admired the sky and clouds. SkyWatch Friday for October 23, 2009.

Fall Planting~Think Green Thursday 102209

I'm planning my fall garden and I've been looking at Lowe's garden center for some ideas. I LOVE stocks! They are pretty and they smell so delicious! I have my sweet pea seeds and I'll soak them this weekend and plant them on Sunday, but I need something for my empty spot out front. Think Green Thursday for October 22, 2009.

"C"~Sunday Stills Challenge for October 18, 2009

"C" is for Cali. Cali is one of our little mustang fillies. She was born in Wyoming, brought in during a roundup with her mother when she was only a baby. She and Scout, our other mustang, were both transferred to the Riverton Correctional Facility for halter training. Then they, along with several other mustang yearlings, were then put up for adoption by the BLM. My husband was browsing the Internet and he found the two of them during one of the BLM's Internet adoptions. He fell in love with Scout, and saw Cali, who is a palomino. He bid on both of them and won. HOWEVER, they were in Wyoming and we live in California. That's a long way to transport two mustangs! He contacted another bidder from California who won two other horses from the same group (it turns out they were Cali's brother and a sister to Scout) and these kind folks agreed to pick up our mustangs as well as theirs (they now live in Mariposa, CA and are pack horses near Yosemite....what a life!) Anyway, Scout and Cali were delivered to us. From the moment Cali stepped off the trailer, she loved people! Scout...naw. Cali immediately came up to us, she followed us everywhere. She nibbled on my hair! They were both still babies (yearlings). Cali has always been very easy to train and she is totally unafraid (Scout, too, but she's always been more standoffish). Anyway, here are some pics of both Scout and Cali. Cali LOVES water and one time, when I emptied out her water trough, she got ALL DIRTY and splashed water all over! This summer, she even stepped in the water trough! She is a very curious, she is totally unafraid, and she eats tumbleweeds! That's my Cali!

Mustangs~Camera Critters for October 17, 2009

Did you know that only 3 hours away, in Ridgecrest, CA, is one of the largest BLM holding corrals for mustangs? Yes! We stopped by the corrals last weekend, just after the BLM completed its fall roundup. We love to bring carrots to the mustangs and look them over! The mares and pregnant mares were very friendly on this trip, but the geldings and stallions were not. NONE of them came up to the fences for carrots. Instead they eyed us warily from their feeding stations. And, of course, the mares with babies refused our carrots also. But, we did have a fun time with those who chose to come up to us! There are some beautiful mustangs up there, including some gray ones. I noticed a couple of palominos also. And, look at those mustang feet! SUPER! Camera Critters for Saturday, October 17, 2009

Sunset over the eastern Sierras~SkyWatch Friday 101609

As hubby and I headed back to Ridgecrest from our day in the Sierras, I saw these clouds over them and asked hubby to pull over so that I could snap a couple of pictures. It was the end of a long day and we were tired and hungry, but the view was so pretty I had to stop and admire it. SkyWatch Friday, October 16, 2009.

McDonalds and Mural~ABC Wednesday 101409

When hubby drove through Lone Pine last weekend after our day in Bishop looking for fall leaves, I spotted a couple of MOUNTED police in town. Two were at the post office, but these two were at the local McDonalds' drive through! And, see the MURAL on McDonalds? I snapped this from the car as we drove past them and waved to a couple more. They were out in force for the three-day Lone Pine film festival this past weekend. ABC Wednesday for October 14, 2009.

Kernville, CA~That's My World 101309

We stopped for lunch in Kernville on our way home Sunday from the Sierras. Kernville is a small town and they were having their annual old car show. We passed several old, restored cars on the road both coming and going from Kernville, which sits at the edge of the Kern River. This was our view during lunch.

Rocks~Alabama Hills~Scenic Sunday 101209

We arrived at the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine early one morning. I love the shadows on the rocks in the early morning light. Rocks, rocks, and more rocks! Oh, boy! Scenic Sunday for October 12, 2009.

Little Log Cabins~ABC Wednesday 100709

There are several little LOG cabins up in Garner Valley and you can view them right from the highway. Apparently one of the builders displays them on his property there. Aren't they cute? And, each one has its own little outhouse!~ABC Wednesday for October 7, 2009.

San Bernardino National Forest~That's My World 100609

I travel by this spot on my way to and from the horse ranch. I hadn't stopped here for several months. It was just too hot during the summer. But this past weekend, our first weekend of cooler weather, was just perfect and it was a cool morning. Aren't the shadows interesting? I love the pinyon trees, too! That's My World for Tuesday, October 6, 2009.