"T" is for trail~ABC Wednesday~June 1, 2011

This TRAIL is in the Superstition Mountains, one of our favorite places in Arizona. We love to stop and admire them whenever we go to Arizona. We stopped there on Saturday and ate lunch in the daytime use area. ABC Wednesday for June 1, 2011. To see other participants, please go to: http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Fort Apache, Arizona

Hubby and I stopped by Fort Apache again Saturday. This is our third visit to the fort and it always seems eerie to me...the wind whistling through the cottonwoods, leaves swirling...lots of spirits there. Anyway, we got a good look at some of the cabins there and saw the ruins of the barracks. If you ever have a chance, DO stop by and visit the fort. You will need to check in at the museum and pay a small fee. But, then you'll get a map of the fort, although each cabin is labeled and you can read about its history. I was interested to read that the commanding officer's house was actually larger than General Crook's. And, did you know that the fort was never attacked? Interesting, eh? Fort Apache is down from Show Low and Lakeview and up the road from Globe, Arizona.

Weeds and Grasses~Sunday Stills Challenge~052911

I don't know what these are, but they were all along the road through the Salt River canyon yesterday. I shot the close-up and you can see how delicate they are. Sunday Stills Challenge, "Weeds and Grasses", for May 29, 2011.

Salt River Canyon~SOOC Sunday~052911

Hubby and I are over in Arizona for the weekend and this afternoon we drove through the Salt River Canyon. We love all of the interesting formations in this canyon, which is like a miniature Grand Canyon! Unfortunately there aren't that many turnouts, so we had to stop when we could, run out of the car in the wind, and snap photos! So, here they are! SOOC Sunday for May 29, 2011. To see other participants, please visit: http://www.murrieta365.com/

Looking down

I know that this is SkyWatch Friday day, but honestly, I spend more time looking DOWN than up! I do this especially when I am on my morning walks. I'm always intrigued by the footprints in the sand from the night before and with all of our windy days, the dirt roads are cleared every night by the winds and they are a canvas upon which I try to figure out what went on the previous night. Here are some examples!

Troubles with BLOGGER! ARGH!

I haven't been able to post for two days because I wasn't able to sign out of my main account and get over here. I restarted my computer, I shut it down for a day...I tried posting on the Blogger "help" section. Nothing. I was still signed in with my main blogger account. AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Finally, this morning, I switched from Firefox to Google Chrome and here I am! I'm so excited to have a 3 day weekend coming up! Here are some pics of a yucca bloom which I found on my morning walk. There are just so many interesting things to see when I'm out walking!

Morning walk~That's My World~052411

I never know what I'll find on my morning walks, which is why I love them so! Sometimes I see wildlife. Sometimes I just find footprints from the previous night. I headed out yesterday morning for my walk, but it was so darn windy that I quit! And, winds are forecast here in the desert again today, but I don't think they'll be as bad as yesterday's. There was also a thick marine layer in the pass, so it was chilly! It's supposed to be "breezy" and "gusty" here for the rest of the week, but at least the temps aren't in triple digits! That's My World for Tuesday, May 24, 2011. To see other worlds, please go to: http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

A different view of cholla cactus~Cactus Monday~052311

I can't believe that I got down and took this pic looking up a cholla cactus! We were over at the Superstition Mountains and I wanted to get a different view. Good thing I didn't get any cholla on my legs! HA! Cactus Monday for May 22, 2011.

Went for my walk and ran into PEOPLE!!!

I ran into not only 1 person on my morning walk, but 3 this morning. That's a new record. Actually, I love my morning walks because I DO have solitude. Solitude and acres and acres of rabbits, coyotes, ravens, ducks, and open sky. So, I was surprised to run into 3 people today. First, I was down at the edge of one of the water courses (from the back side) where it is covered with palms. You can walk through them down to the pond and see ducks and cattle egrets. Suddenly, I heard a crashing and out from the palms came a little old woman! We said our introductions and she told me she's been walking along the path for years. I believed her...she was in really good shape! She was collecting golf balls. I have no idea what she does with them...As I turned back to return to my car, I spied several jackrabbits the size of German Shepherds (or so it seemed). I mean, they were HUGE! Then, I heard the sound of voices and a little old couple approaching with their Schnauzer. She had headphones and I could hear classical music! They sure were a cute couple. They told me they'd seen some coyotes further down. Now, remember, this is a golf course in the MIDDLE of town...but it is close to the freeway and then open desert. I saw a coyote myself on Saturday. I flushed it out near the pond, where apparently it was observing the ducks! And, I've heard a pack of them several times. I'm glad I met some fellow walkers and I hope to see them again! I walked for an hour on Saturday and 45 minutes on Sunday. Next week, I'll be back to my 20 minute walk before school.

"Things in the Sky"~Sunday stills Challenge~052211

I went for my morning walk yesterday morning and the moon was setting behind this yucca blossom, so I snapped this pic. It was a beautiful Spring morning here in the desert, but by the end of my walk, I was sweating! Sunday stills Challenge for May 22, 2011.

Morning walk~SOOC Sunday~052211

I haven't been on my morning walk for quite some time, due to my laziness in getting up early enough in the morning. But, this week, I started walking again. I didn't take my camera with me until this morning, when I had all morning to discover new things along the walkway. I found 7 ducks on the pond, then flushed out a coyote who apparently was stalking them. I saw a cattle egret, but then scared it off when it saw me creeping along the waterway. I'm glad I had a chance to get out and walk and I'll walk again tomorrow morning. I don't know if they are all manning their nests, but it was awfully quiet without them! These are all SOOC. SOOC Sunday for May 22, 2011. To see other participants, please go to: http://www.murrieta365.com/

Early morning light~SkyWatch Friday~May 20, 2011

Very early one morning last weekend, I went for a walk and in Scottsdale, the sun was just coming up over the horizon. I found an ocotillo to photograph in the morning light. SkyWatch Friday for May 20, 2011. To see other skywatchers, please go to: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Coachella Valley grape crop~Nature Notes~May 19, 2011

The Coachella Valley grape crop is nearly ready for harvest, or is it? We've gone from unseasonably high daytime temperatures to recent below-normal temps. These below-normal temps are not helping the table grape crop. I stopped by some of the vineyards a couple of weeks ago and took these photos. Unfortunately, since then, our temps have dropped 20 degrees during the daytime! ACK! The Desert Sun ran an article today saying that the grapes need warm days to set their sugar. And, unlike many other crops, they do NOT ripen after they've been picked...they have to be picked at the peak of their perfection. So, growers here are holding their breath and hoping for warmer weather, which is forecast for this weekend. Nature Notes for May 19, 2011. To see other Nature Notes, please go to: http://ramblingwoods.com/

spring in the desert~Pullingmymaskoff~May 18, 2011

Spring in the desert is in full bloom right now and the desert plants are showing off all of their colors. From flowers to lavendar to the saguaro, they are all opening up and revealing their beauty. Shortly, however, they will do dormant until next year, when they will open up again. "Spring" challenge, Pulling My Mask Off, for May 18, 2011. To view other participants, please go to: http://pullingmymaskoff.blogspot.com/2011/05/photo-challenge-11-spring.html

Work break~That's My World~May 17, 2011

Hubby and I BOTH needed a break from home and work, so last weekend we drove to Scottsdale, AZ. We were able to get a good rate at the Desert Ridge villas, so hubby picked me up after school Friday afternoon and away we went. I woke up early Saturday morning and took a long walk (over an hour). The sun was rising, the quail were out, the woodpeckers were flying about...what a beautiful morning~That's My World for Tuesday, May 17, 2011. To view other worlds, please go to: http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Cactus blossoms~Superstition Mountains~Cactus Monday 051611

Hubby and I stopped once we came around the corner in the Superstition Mountains, on our way to Roosevelt Lake on Saturday. The mountains were a golden color and so we pulled over to take some photos. I spotted this barrel cactus with its blossoms just starting to open. Cactus Monday 051611

In flight~SOOC Sunday~051511

I spent yesterday morning watching a mother woodpecker deal with her hungry babies in a huge saguaro over by Desert Ridge Villas, in Scottsdale, AZ. Hubby decided he wanted to get out of town for the weekend, so here we are! Anyway, I was taking photos of her and when I uploaded them, I saw this one. I nearly deleted it, but then decided I liked it because it showed her in action. She was moving so quickly from the saguaro to somewhere else to get food for the hungry ones, I watched her for quite a while! What a busy mom she is! SOOC Sunday for May 15, 2011. To view other participants in SOOC Sunday, please go to: http://www.murrieta365.com/

Coachella Valley corn

Well, it isn't as "high as a elephant's eye" yet, but this Coachella Valley corn is on its way! These fields are down by my school and the farmers here get two crops of corn every year! Do you know the Coachella Valley has a 365 day growing season? Further down the road, one field had already been harvested! I'll keep an eye on these fields and watch the corn grow!