Desert warmth ~New Year's Eve

Our local mountains still have snow on them, but today should be 70 degrees here in the desert. Clear, sunny, and warm! Ahhhhhh....no wonder so many people travel to the desert for the winter! After seeing photos of snow, ice, and icicles, maybe this will provide some relief! Have a happy and safe New Year!

eXcited! ABC Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Yesterday afternoon I went to visit my good friend, Molly, and her little mare, Bella. This GORGEOUS quarter horse mare was eXcited to get out into the arena and run. Isn't she beautiful? After she ran, her handler, Steve, whistled to her and she calmly walked alongside him. It was beautiful to watch. Man and horse working together...ABC Wednesday for December 30, 2009. If 'ya all don't come back here before the new year, have a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR'S! Don't get too eXcited!

Red berries~Ruby Tuesday December 29, 2009

I found these red berries up in our local mountains. I have no idea what they are, but I stopped to take pictures of them. Ruby Tuesday for December 29, 2009. For other ruby posts, please visit: http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Rocks~Macro Monday 122809

Hubby and I stopped at the Whitewater Rock Supply last spring. It's always an interesting place to visit, especially if you are rockhounds like us! We found these blue glass samples and stopped to admire them. Macro Monday for December 28, 2009.

Odds & Ends~Sunday Stills Challenge 122709

Odds & ends around the desert...hubby took a jeep ride one time up to an old, restored mining town here in our desert southwest and took these pics. It is actually only about 20 miles from our home, near Indio, CA! I also liked the photo of the dates hanging from the palm tree. Odds & ends...Sunday Stills Challenge 122709

Merry Christmas from me, hubby, and "The Herd"

I took some antlers up to the horse ranch where I board my horses yesterday to see which one of my 5 horses would wear them. We have five horses, all rescues, that we board up in our local mountains, away from the desert heat. I already knew that Cali would! She's one of our two mustangs from Wyoming. Her herd sister, Scout, would have NONE of that nonsense! Scout was too busy chasing off her neighbors to participate! Gigondas, our rescued chestnut thoroughbred, refused to wear them (she's much too dignified), and Quad, our rescued off-the-track thoroughbred, is too much of a gentleman to wear them! How childish! My rescued PMU gelding, Sunni, was curious, but...sigh... also refused. So, I put them on and he was curious and wanted a sniff! So, Happy Holiday Greetings from all of us to all of you! Enjoy your holiday!

"W" is for...ABC Wednesday 122309

wheel. I found these wheels at the Palm Desert Historical Society, next to the firetruck that I posted yesterday. ABC Wednesday, December 23, 2009. Yes, these were the WHEELS that the firemen used to wind their hoses! I forgot to mention that!

Fire Truck~Ruby Tuesday 122209

I grabbed my camera early Sunday morning and went out and around town. The Palm Desert Historical Society has an old fire truck and so I wandered over to take a look at it. Ruby Tuesday for December 22, 2009. For other Ruby Tuesday entries, please visit: http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Desert Christmas decorations~Sunday Stills Challenge 122009

We in the desert also decorate for Christmas. Some people are quite creative! Hubby and I took a walk around our daughter's neighborhood late yesterday, in the early evening. My own neighborhood, because there aren't many young children here, doesn't have many lights and I need to pour through our garage to find ours, but I did find these houses decorated with lights. Our son's neighborhood also has MANY, MANY homes decorated, so I'll have to drive over there tonight. Enjoy the lights! Sunday Stills Challenge for December 20, 2009

Tahquitz Peak~Scenic Sunday 122009

If you drive up to Idyllwild, CA, you can stop at the base of Tahquitz Peak. There is a county park there and you can park and hike up the trail. We didn't stop there yesterday, as we were on our way down the north side of the mountain, but I did stop and get this glimpse of it. Tahquitz Peak is a local landmark and has been photographed and painted many times. I have other photos of it on my desktop, which is still in the shop (...sigh...). I SHOULD get it back after Christmas and hopefully ALL my photos have been recovered. For those of you who don't know the story, I came out one morning at 5:00 a.m. to update my blogs and my desktop was working. I went to the bathroom and when I came back, I had NO screen! Nothing! Nada! Our son thought he got it fixed and installed a new video card, but, alas, the same thing happened. Now it is in the shop ($$$). Oh, well. Scenic Sunday for December 20, 2009.

Mountain rain~SkyWatch Friday 121809

I came upon these clouds and rain as I was driving back to the desert after feeding my horses up in the mountains last weekend. I stopped to view the rain coming down right above the STOP sign! This is in the pinyon area of our local mountains, which is the intermediate zone, between the desert and the pines. SkyWatch Friday, December 18, 2009.

Mountain, snow, and road~This Way Thursday

Our local mountains got a dusting of snow a couple of weekends ago and I was out and about when I came upon these mailboxes and mountain and snow. This Way Thursday for December 17, 2009.

Golf resort lake~Watery Wednesday 121609

Sometimes, on my way to school, I have time to stop at a nearby resort and look around. If I have time to hop out and take a couple of photos, and the sunrise is just right, I'll do that. This golf resort lake is high up on a plateau and gives a good view of our surrounding mountains and desert terrain. There were Canadian geese at the edges of it a couple of weeks ago. I like the silence there, except for the gardners, if they are out mowing the greens! Watery Wednesday for December 16, 2009

Horses and Hawk~That's My World 121509

That's my two bachelor horses, my quarter horse Sunni, and my rescue thoroughbred, Quad, after a dusting of snow on our local mountains a couple of weekends ago. I took a drive later and found this hawk resting on a fence post. Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the hawk in flight. From horses to hawks~That's My World for Tuesday, December 15, 2009.

Cactus blossoms~Cactus Monday 121409

Back to the archives for this one! I found this cactus at the Living Desert Reserve one spring. May is always a good time to visit if you want to see cacti in bloom! Cactus Monday for ecember 14, 2009.

Desert wash~Scenic Sunday 121309

I went for a drive yesterday morning and stopped along the way to take some photos. Another car also stopped behind me at the turnout next to this rocky area. I begin my journey to visit the horse ranch where I board my horses in our local mountains at 200 feet above sea level. The road climbs to over 4,000 feet. This is about 1,000 feet above sea level and it is a very rocky area. You can see a large wash in one photo. At the base of the wash is an area for people to park and hike. HOWEVER, I never hike here alone as mountain lions live in these mountains! From this area, the road runs through pinyon pines and then at the summit there are large pine trees and a nice restaurant to stop and have some breakfast or lunch. I enjoy driving from the desert to the pines. Scenic Sunday for December 14, 2009.

Reflection on Lake~Weekend Reflections~121209

On my way to school early one morning, I stopped by this lake at a local resort to admire the sunrise. I also saw this reflection on the lake. Our desert has many lakes on its country clubs, golf courses, and parks. I took a walk yesterday at the local park and will return this morning to take more pics. Weekend Reflections for December 12, 2009.

Geese in the morning~SkyWatch Friday 121109

I had no Internet at home this morning, so I left early to go to school. On my way, I noticed a nice sunrise, so I pulled over at the Shadow Ridge timeshares in Rancho Mirage. I stopped and saw two groups of geese on opposite sides of the lake there. The group nearest me didn't spook, but the one on the opposite side of the lake spooked and took off. Unfortunately, I didn't have any of my big camers with me, but I dug into my purse for my little Nikon and captured this flock taking off toward the sunrise. SkyWatch Friday for December 11, 2009.

"U" is for...ABC Wednesday 120909

UNDER!
A few weekends ago I went out driving, looking for fall color. Here, I not only found some beautiful yellow-leafed cottonwoods, but against the blue sky, their colors really stood out. I was UNDER the trees, looking up! ABC Wednesday for December 9, 2009.

The Coming Storm~That's My World 120809

The first of three winter storms headed our way Sunday. I was out and about after giving the horses copious amounts of extra feed. I drove through our local mountains. This storm has now dropped snow over most of our Southern California mountains, closed roads, and is now heading east to Arizona and New Mexico. LOOK OUT! This is a big one. I was stuck inside all day with 20 third graders, so we got out the checkers and Monopoly during a rainy lunch "recess". They were actually pretty good. Another teacher came into my room after school much more stressed out than I was!

Cottonwoods~Scenic Sunday 120609

After driving to Bishop and Lone Pine in October to find fall colors, I found these trees last weekend in our local mountains, just an hour away. Go figure! Scenic Sunday for December 6, 2009.

"Signs" ~ 5th of December

These clouds built up last weekend at sunrise and I stopped to photograph the results. "Signs" of nature at work. "Five on the Fifth". For other participants, please visit: http://thestateofthenationuk.blogspot.com/