Eastern Sierra

Eastern Sierra
Eastern Sierra snow October 2010

Monday, November 29, 2010

Snow~That's My World 113010




As I mentioned in yesterday's post, there was a dusting of snow up in our local Santa Rosa mountains. Many cars driving down the road had snow on their roofs and hoods. I stopped a couple of times along the drive to take pictures. And, yes, the road WAS icy in many places and I'm glad I saw the sign. I didn't slip or slide, and I'm glad I got home in one piece! We had near-record lows last night here in the desert and more are forecast for tonight. Brrrrr!!!!


Yellow leaves and SNOW!!~Mellow Yellow Monday 112910

I took this pic yesterday up at the horse ranch. That is the back of Thomas Mountain, near Idyllwild. Apparently Idyllwild got a dusting of snow Saturday night as I saw many cars with snow on them coming down the mountain. Most of the trees on the ranch have yellow leaves, but their maples have lost ALL their leaves and stand stark now. While it was nice to view the snow, it was too cold outside to really enjoy my visit with the horses as I'm recovering from another bout of bronchitis! Mellow Yellow Monday for November 29, 2010.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Another self-portrait

That's my self-portrait from noon, today (Sunday). I drove up our local mountains to stop by and give my horses an extra meal, since it has been so cold up in the mountains. Plus, I missed them! I hadn't been up at all over the Thanksgiving break, due to family obligations and my bronchitis. My z-pack seems to be working, although I'm still coughing all day. I waited until it was nice and warm here in the desert (last night it was 27 up where my horses are...) and headed up Highway 74. I had on 2 t-shirts and a sweatshirt and I always keep lots of extra jackets and sweaters in my car, knowing that the difference in temps between the desert and mountains can be severe. And, yup...once I saw that the wind was blowing, I knew I was in for it! I didn't wish to get a chill and end up sick (again), so I layered. I wrapped up my heavy Pendleton jacket around my middle (I had knee-high socks on beneath my jeans, but the wind cut right through them) and put on another hooded long sweater! I figured that, with the wind, I would lose body heat through my head. The horses were all fine and wooly and I'll post some pics of them this coming week. There was ice on the north side of all the corrals and I didn't bother making their shredded beet pulp, since it would only freeze as soon as I added the water. Instead, I gave them their sweet feed, Bermuda pellets, and CocoSoya oil. The oil gives them added calories to stay warm and believe me, they are going to need it tonight! Brrrrrrrr! It must have snowed up there last night because I saw a lot of cars with snow on their roofs and hoods coming down the mountain. There was snow along the side of the road, too! Ahhhh....winter!

Me revealed~Sunday stills Challenge 11/28/2010

Yup, that's me busy updating my blogs! And, yes, that is on Thanksgiving Day! My family and I were at our daughter's house, with our laptops lined up on her LONG kitchen counter. We were all busy doing various things on our laptops! That's our son Hal next to me, then hubby, then our son-in-law. I wanted my laptop that day because I still had some grades to input into our online computer program (see the green folder?) and I wanted to finish them without further agony and get them DONE! Our future daughter-in-law took this photo with my little Nikon Coolpix. That's the best you're going to get of me!!! I absolutely HATE having my photo taken, so this week's challenge has been a real one!!!! Sunday Stills Challenge for November 28, 2010.


Saturday, November 27, 2010

Palm oasis fire last night


Hubby and I were driving home last night from our daughter's home in Indio and off to the north, we both spotted what we believed was a fire. ACK! Actually, we spotted three of them. Now, from where we were on the freeway and where the fires appeared to be, we figured it must have been one of the palm oases up by Thousand Palms Canyon. Sure enough, this morning, the local paper and news both reported a fire up there. Here's a link to the story: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20101127/NEWS0806/11270306/Oasis+fire+s+smoke+seen+valleywide After my walk this morning, I may drive up there. I hope it is not the oasis near one of the turnouts, but I fear it might have been. That was a huge palm oasis and many people would park their cars and hike up to it. There are many palm oases up near Thousand Palms Canyon Road because that is where the San Andreas fault runs through our valley. I may take hubby with me, once we wakes up! HA! Photo taken where I take my morning walk. This area has man-made (planted) palms, which are not there naturally.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Urgent Care yesterday

Well, hubby had to drive me to urgent care yesterday afternoon. Once again, I have acute bronchitis. DUH! I've been coughing for a whole week and I figured if I didn't get on antibiotics, I would have no voice for parent conferences next week. I sounded like a frog anyway already. Fortunately, the office wasn't full of sick people and they asked me to put on a mask. I was given augmentin, which is different from my previous antibiotic, since doctors won't give you the same one twice in a row for bronchitis. Unfortunately, augmentin has an added ingredient to make it faster for the body to utilize it, and that added ingredient made me sick and I threw up. Apparently that is one of the side effects for 1/100 patients. Of course, I'm that 1/100! ...sigh...So, I have to call back to urgent care and get another antibiotic today. I have errands to run all day, including taking my dog Ripley to get her shots and a bunch of other short trips. Ahhhh....the holidays!

Pink clouds~SkyWatch Friday 112510


Sometimes if our desert has clouds in the morning and the sun hits them JUST right, I see pink clouds, like these. We don't have any clouds this morning and I'll head out for my morning walk in about 30 minutes, so who knows what I'll find! SkyWatch Friday for November 25, 2010.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving


Happy Thanksgiving to all my followers and fellow bloggers! May you have a joyful day with friends and family!

~~Cheryl Ann~~

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

"S" is for...ABC Wednesday 112410







SCORPION! ACK! Yes, can you believe it? I had to make an "emergency run" to the nearby Ralph's grocery store over the weekend while out on my walk (to use their bathroom!). As I stepped out of my car and started to walk to the store, I just happened to look down at the ground and see this fellow! He wasn't entirely SQUISHED, so I bent over to take a closer look (completely forgetting why I was there in the first place!) I was so intrigued, I grabbed my camera and took these photos of it. I put my foot out so that you could see how big it was! His STINGER was still intact, as were his "claws". I haven't seen a live SCORPION for about 30 years, since the late 1970's when one crawled across out living room floor and our German Shepherd went to investigate it! I screamed then and the dog backed off! I understand that the bigger ones are not as deadly as the smaller ones, but can anybody confirm that? I have no idea what SPECIES this one is either. "S" for SCORPION...ABC Wednesday for November 24, 2010. UPDATE: from my research this morning, apparently this is a desert gold scorpion, whose venom isn't particulary toxic, unless you are a cricket! Phew!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Morning walk Saturday~That's My World 112310





These are a few of the photos I took on my Satuday morning walk. A storm was moving in and you can see how the clouds hang on our local mountains. We have so many days of clear, blue sky that I really enjoy seeing the clouds. That's My World for Tuesday, November 23, 2010.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Morning walk Scenic Sunday 11/21/10




These were my views of the golf course yesterday morning during my walk. If you click on the bottom one, you can see a very faint rainbow up by the mountains. There were rainbows on and off all day yesterday. I was very pleased to see them, as well as the clouds here in the desert. We so infrequently get clouds that I'm always amazed to see them and I have to run out with my camera! I especially enjoyed watching the sprinklers go off and come on yesterday and I caught a couple of rainbows even in them! Scenic Sunday for November 21, 2010. For other partipants, please visit: http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/


High tech/Low tech/SSC 112110~Cameras




It has been interesting to watch, over the years, how photography has changed. That's one of the Konica cameras my dad bought for me when I was in high school next to my little NIKON Coolpix that I now keep with me at all times, in my purse. And, photographs, too have changed, from a film version which had to be printed off, to digital photos. Finally, even photo albums have changed, from my old leather photo album (shown) to my digital photo album. Sunday Stills Challenge for November 21, 2010.


Saturday, November 20, 2010

Sprinklers and reflections~Weekend Reflections 112010







I never know what I'll see on my morning walk and yesteday morning, I was later than usual because I had to drop hubby off at work. So, I was about 30 minutes later than my usual time. The sprinklers were on at the golf course and I stopped to take these photos. I like the ones where they are messing up the reflection! Weekend Reflections for November 20, 2010.



Friday, November 19, 2010

Sunrise~SkyWatch Friday 111910

This was the sunrise one morning. This is where I take my morning walks. We should have some clouds again this weekend when a storm front moves in, so I'll be up and around with my camera. SkyWatch Friday for November 19, 2010.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Red Mountain~ABC Wednesday 111710






This is Red Mountain, near Flagstaff, AZ. Hubby and I like to stop here when we take the ROAD to the aspen near Flagstaff. And, yes, the ROAD is RED! ABC Wednesday for November 17, 2010.



Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Morning light~That's My World 111610







These are some of the views that I have during my morning walks. I love to greet the day when the sun rises and hits Mt. San Jacinto, off in the distance. I am greeted by various jackrabbits and cottontails and an occasional hawk. On this morning, some firetrucks drove down a nearby street and their sirens were answered by a pack of coyotes. They were in some nearby palm trees, about 100 yards away. That's My World for Tuesday, November 16, 2010.



Monday, November 15, 2010

My jackrabbit friend!


As I went for my morning walk yesterday (hubby was sleeping in), I counted 10 jackrabbits and cottontails and 1 unidentified hawk. There is one jackrabbit who is quite "people friendly". I had to shoosh him away yesterday! He just wouldn't move (a BAD habit for a prey animal!) and I'm concerned that he will become "coyote meat"! The jackrabbits have HUGE ears (to help them during the summer and get rid of their body heat) and they are HUGE!!! The cottontails have a little white "cottonball" tail and are much smaller and swifter. Speaking of coyotes, while I was on my walk, a fire truck went down the nearby street and 3 coyotes howled to answer the siren! They were up in the palms above where I was walking. I never did see them, but they were close. People walk their dogs frequently up there and coyotes in our desert, in Palm Springs, have been known to attack and drag off small dogs, but the only ones I've seen have been lab-sized dogs or larger, so they should be safe, but still...I wouldn't take my dog up there! And, especially off-leash, like some dog owners do!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Coffee mugs~Sunday Stills Challenge~111410



When our son (and daughter) graduated from college, their aunt paid for each of them to travel to France for a month and stay with her. Our daughter stayed only in France, but our son took his long-time friend (since kindergarten), Aaron, with him. The two boys stayed with Aunt Cathie for a week in southern France, then took the train to Florence and visited the city. Then, they spent several days in Munich, near the great Beer Hall...THAT's a whole other story! Then they took the train to Amsterdam and finally Berlin, then back to Paris. Along the way, they stopped at the Brandenberg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie and our son brought me back two coffee mugs. Unfortunately, at the airport, he lost his art prints from Italy, but the two coffee mugs did make it home! I am so thankful that they had this wonderful opportunity and I will be forever grateful to my sister-in-law!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Morning walk~Weekend Reflections 111310







I have a new place to walk for my morning walk and now that the time has changed, I actually have an hour to do so! I'm so thrilled! A fellow photographer told me about this place in town, which is actually a golf course. I see people out with their dogs early in the morning as well as other walkers. There is an oasis in the middle of the golf course and it attracks cattle egrets as well as some small water birds. This is a good way to begin the day! Weekend Reflections for November 13, 2010.



Friday, November 12, 2010

Morning clouds~SkyWatch Friday 111210

On my way to school one morning, I saw this beautiful sky and I pulled off Interstate 10 to take some photos of it before it disappeared. SkyWatch Friday 111210.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Oatman, AZ window~Window Views and Doors, Too 11/11/10

This colorful window is in Oatman, Arizona. It's such a fun town to visit! Window Views and Doors, Too for November 11, 2010. Enjoy your day!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Colorado River Bridge~Watery Wednesday 111010




Last weekend hubby and I took an extra day off work and drove up the Colorado River toward Parker and Lake Havasu City. Neither one of us had driven up that road before. I'd been up the California side, but never the Arizona one. Since the farmers here in the Coachella Valley get their water from the Colorado River, I was interested to see how much water was at this point. I'm glad we both had this opportunity to see the river that gives life to our desert! Watery Wednesday for November 10, 2010.


Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Outside Oatman, AZ~Outdoor Wednesday 111010



Driving on our way to Oatman, AZ last weekend, hubby and I stopped to admire this volcanic chute outside of Oatman, AZ. Some riders were in the area and, of course, I just HAD to take a photo of them! Isn't the chute impressive? On our way home, along Interstate 10, we could view it off in the distance. Outdoor Wednesday for November 11, 2010. For other participants, please visit: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/



Monday, November 8, 2010

Oak leaves in Oak Creek Canyon, AZ~Mellow Yellow Monday 110810

Hubby and I drove through Oak Creek Canyon, in Arizona, on Saturday. It was full of beautiful yellow leaves, like on this tree. There were a lot of other people enjoying autumn's show! Mellow Yellow Monday for November 8, 2010.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Barren aspen~Straight Out of the Camera Sunday 110710


The aspens' leaves were all gone when we drove through the stands of them near Flagstaff, AZ yesterday. But, I still enjoyed seeing their white bark against the sky. SOOC for November 7, 2010.

My breakfast~Sunday stills Challenge 110710




At 5:45 a.m., this was my breakfast this morning from the hotel. I don't like to eat a big breakfast, just cereal and yogurt. Hubby skips breakfast, except for the mornings we are on the road. Then, he wants a huge one! (ugh...) I'm content with my everyday one. I don't eat eggs, so that limits what I do eat on the road. I'll usually just order some toast. But, since the Springhill Suites has a fine breakfast layout, I headed down there about 5:30, thinking it was 6:30 and everyone would be up. NOPE! The breakfast area was deserted, except for me! I gathered up my yogurt, Cheerios with raisins and cranberries, and milk and cranberry juice and headed back to our room. Ahhh...peace and quiet! Sunday Stills Challenge 110710~~meals.