Textures~Deserts and Beyond~Sunday Stills Challenge 013110

This was a difficult challenge. I finally settled on these three photos, all from the past week. The snow one I took up at the ranch in the mountains where I board my horses. I included it because we don't get snow down here in our desert. Yes, the high desert, up by Joshua Tree, got snow, but down here, in the valley floor, we didn't. And, I LOVED to walk in the snow...crunch, crunch, crunch! I also included one photo of a water-logged, wind-swept sand dune, which I did take in our desert. And, one of a rain-washed wash, up by Thousand Palms Canyon. Sunday Stills for January 31, 2010. Enjoy your day!

Golf course reflections~Weekend Reflections 013010

I had to drop my husband off at work for a few days this week because the battery on the RAV went out and we both were working long hours and didn't have the TIME to deal with it. One afternoon, I got to the Marriott early and he was in a meeting, so I wandered around, camera in hand. It was a clear day that day (the next was cloudy, again!) and I found these reflections around the hotel. Weekend Reflections for January 30, 2010. The battery has now been replaced and hubby is working all weekend, so I'm on my own! HEHehehehehehe!!! (evil laughter...)

Smoke tree~early morning~SkyWatch Friday 012910

I went for an early morning walk after our recent storms and saw the sun coming through this smoke tree, so I stopped to take a picture of it. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see the rain drops clinging to the smoke tree branches. The desert smelled like creosote and other desert plants after all our rain...delightful smells! SkyWatch Friday for January 29, 2010.

Mountain snow! ~ This Way Thursday 012810 and Outdoor Wednesday

Hubby and I drove up to Idyllwild, CA this past weekend, after our five days of storms passed. The roads were full of snow, but the plows were out, and so were tourists and the locals! It was a beautiful, clear Saturday morning in our local mountains and many people from the desert floor had driven up there with their kids to play in the snow! This Way Thursday and Outdoor Wednesday for January 28, 2010.

Bare trees~ABC Wednesday, January 27, 2010

"B" is for bare trees and we found these up in our local mountains this past weekend, on Saturday. It FINALLY stopped raining (and snowing), and hubby and I were eager to drive up into the mountains to see the snow. And, we certainly weren't disappointed! Our local mountains were COVERED with snow. In fact, snow was falling off the branches of the trees and one big PLOP hit me on the head! ABC Wednesday for January 27, 2010.

Problems at house...

Oops! It appears a circuit breaker went out last night and we have no power in the kitchen or 2 bedrooms. Of course, my desktop computer is in the kitchen, loaded with my most recent photos. Hubby jerryrigged his laptop using an extension cord, and, being Sunday, we can't get an electrician out and hubby doesn't mess with electrictical things! So, I have NO fridge, NO freezer, NO washer, NO dryer, NO automatic electronic start-up for the stove (I used a match to light it for coffee this morning)...you get the idea. I'll be back online as soon as we get things fixed around here! Thank goodness the furnace is on a different circuit breaker, as are the lights in our bedroom. HA! At least we can use half the house!...(sigh)...

Bougenvilla and palms~Weekend Reflections 012310

I went for a drive early yesterday morning during a break from the rain. Our desert has now had its yearly rainfall amount in the last 6 days. We've had over 4 inches! Our local mountains are COVERED with snow and it's still snowing up there! I found this large puddle of water and stopped to investigate and take these photos. Aren't the palms pretty? Weekend Reflections for January 23, 2010.

Mountains and fog~SkyWatch Friday 012210

Yesterday afternoon I drove back to the mountains where I took my header photo. It is on the way to where I board my horses and I drive this road every weekend and, during spring and fall, when there is still daylight after school, I also drive it at least one time during the week. Yesterday the mountains were covered with clouds, it was raining, and it was COLD! Icy rain was falling. I didn't drive up the road as our desert soils are saturated after five days of rain this week. Scattered showers are forecast today, but tomorrow should be sunny and clear again! I can't wait to see all the snow on these mountains tomorrow. I love these mountains. At times it seems like they are actually living, breathing things! Maybe it is because of the changes in weather and altitude? SkyWatch Friday for January 22, 2010.

Nature Notes~012110~broccoli fields

I took a short detour on Tuesday morning, since I didn't have an early-morning meeting at school and I had 15 minutes to take photos. These fields are near my school and I pulled off to investigate them. We had rain the previous day and our desert was covered with fog! That's VERY unusual! In the 36 years I've lived here, I can count on one hand the number of days here with fog. So, armed with my camera, I headed out Tuesday morning! This is a field of broccoli. Our local farmers are growing cool season crops such as broccoli right now and you can see it in these fields. I made the mistake of pulling all 4 wheels off the pavement when I did a U-turn, which is a dangerous mistake in our sandy soils and I should have known better! I made it back onto the road, but I saw where another car did not! When our sandy soil gets saturated, it turns to undriveable soft soil and many cars don't make it out of the sand! Phew! I realized my mistake, kept the wheels turning, and got back on the road and made it to school on time. Lesson learned. Nature Notes for January 21, 2010. For more interesting nature stories, please visit:

http://ramblingwoods.com/

"A" is for acacia~ABC Wednesday 012010

Once warm weather arrives, our sweet acacia trees in our yard burst into bloom! The blossoms have a very sweet smell, hence their name! A tiny bird likes to visit them, I'm sure to get the nectar. We have several of them that have naturalized on their own and now have about a dozen growing in our yard. The ones on the west provide a nice shade canopy for us in the summer. ABC Wednesday for January 20, 2010.

Hummingbird feeder~Ruby Tuesday 011910

The ranch owner, where I board my horses, is a bird lover. She has several hummingbird feeders around her ranch. This one was deserted Sunday afternoon, but, at times, several hummingbirds will vie for the sweet nectar. We ate dinner one evening at the outdoor table and were entertained by several hummingbirds stopping by the feeder. My! They are agressive little things! I have one who has claimed the tree right outside my computer desk. He is a fat little fellow and my black cat, Abby, likes to sit on the windowsill and cackle at it! Ruby Tuesday for January 19, 2010.

Around the ranch~Mellow Yellow Monday 011810

I wandered around the ranch with my camera this weekend. We've had two days of beautiful weather, but our first storm of a series hit today. I won't be able to drive up to see the horses as winds are forecast up to 60 mph! But, on Saturday, the sky was blue and clear and I found this sign. The ranch owner breeds exotic birds (to help finance her horses). Like so many other people with horses, she has another "hobby" which helps her afford her beautiful horses. Mellow Yellow Monday for January 18, 2010.

A Year Ago~Scenic Sunday 011710

This weekend, a year ago, began with fog moving into our local mountains. I board my horses up there as the desert is just too hot in the summer. And, we enjoy driving up through the mountains to see them. We go from 200 feet above sea level to 4,000 feet, and the contrast is amazing. We drive from the desert floor, through pinyon, past the Ponderosa pines, to the wide valley where we board them. These are some photos from a year ago, and our drive from the desert to the mountains. It snowed last year on this weekend and snow is forecast starting tonight again. Five days of rain is in our forecast, with snow coming, once again, to our local mountains.

Early morning light~SkyWatch Friday 011510

On my way to work one morning this week, I just couldn't resist stopping and taking some photos of the sky and early morning light. Sometimes you just have to stop and admire the morning's beauty! :-) SkyWatch Friday for January 15, 2010. No, I wasn't late, but I wasn't early either. But, it was worth it!

Garner Valley~This Way Thursday~011410

I enjoy taking the side roads in our local mountains and I took this road one day last spring. With rain and snow in the forecast for next week, I'm sure it will look very different soon! But, on this day, in this light, this is how the forest looked. This is only 30 minutes from our desert home. This Way Thursday for January 14, 2010.

Desert garden~Outdoor Wednesday and Watery Wednesday 011310

Yesterday I posted a few photos from the Palm Desert Visitor Center. These show some closeups from the same place. It is always a joy to find water in our desert southwest and there are two little pools here. I often walk here in the mornings, looking at the reflections and shadows! Outdoor Wednesday and Watery Wednesday for January 13, 2010. Enjoy your day! We have a couple of days of sunshine before a storm arrives early next week, on Monday, my day off! ACK! For other outdoor pics, please visit Outdoor Wednesday and Watery Wednesday.

Sunday morning~That's My World~January 12, 2010

Armed with my camera Sunday morning, I took a walk around town. There were lots of flowers blooming and morning shadows casting their forms across walkways. It was good to get out and about while the weather was still good. I hear that a storm front is moving in. I hope it waits until after my upcoming three day weekend, but we'll see! That's My World for Tuesday, January 12, 2010.