Caught in flight~little hummers~Fabulous Friday~093011

These little hummers were up at the ranch last weekend.  Aren't they adorable? Fabulous Friday for September 30, 2011.  To visit FF, please go to:  http://mcdougallphotography.blogspot.com/

Oak Grove sycarmores~LEM Photo Challenge~092811

Hubby and I stopped at the Oak Grove Forest Service station on Sunday on our way back from San Diego.This is on Highway 78,  just a few miles from Warner Springs.  I wandered around the forest service grounds and was intrigued by the sycamores.  There were some early yellow leaves on a few of them, but it's really too early for many.  I just enjoyed walking out among the trees and listening to the blue jays in them.  LEM Photo Challenge for September 28, 2011.  To visit the LEM photo challenge, please go to:  http://liveeverymom.blogspot.com/2011/09/live-every-moment-photo-challenge_27.html

Signs of fall~Lone Pine~Sunday Stills Challenge~092411

When hubby and I traveled up to the Sierra last weekend, we didn't expect to see this huge pasture full of wild sunflowers.  However, it was FULL!  This is on Lubkin Canyon Road, which is just before you arrive in Lone Pine.  There's a trailer park on the corner and you turn toward the Horseshoe Meadows Road.  We always take this road when we near Lone Pine because it has beautiful views of the Sierra.  But, this time, it was the wild flowers that got our attention!  They were EVERYWHERE!  I've never seen a field so full of them.  Signs of fall for Sunday Stills Challenge, September 24, 2011. To see other Sunday Stills Challenges, please go to:  http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Silver Lake reflections~Weekend Reflections~092411

I went out early the last morning at the Silver Lake Resort, camera in hand.  The lake was calm and all was quiet except for some thugs who swam through my photo and messed it all up!  I also found a small stream which emptied into the lake and I liked the effect of the water entering it.  It was a cool, peaceful morning.  I always enjoy mornings like this, don't you?  Weekend Reflections for September 24, 2011.

Trees and sky at Minaret Vista~~SkyWatch Friday~~092211

Another find in my search for bare trees!  These were up at the Minaret Vista, above Mammoth Mountain.  We arrived there late in the afternoon and the view of the Minarets was awful, so I turned around and found these trees!  SkyWatch Friday for September 22, 2011. To visit SkyWatch Friday, please go to:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Trees north of Mono Lake~Nature Notes~092211

One afternoon hubby and I drove out toward Mono Lake.  He wanted to take a road out toward Nevada, but I saw a side road called "Cemetery Road" and we decided to take that instead.  I knew that this road wandered above Mono Lake and had spectacular views of it.  We'd been out on part of it on a previous visit and I was anxious to see the bare trees on it again.  I must say, I wasn't disappointed.  This is the road that has the county park (I don't recall its name...), but if you look for the sign which says "county park", that's it.  We also stopped at the park and walked down to the shore of the lake (there's a boardwalk which you have to take), but it was so dark, we didn't get any good photos.  Instead, I concentrated on the trees.  I've always been fascinated by trees and we have about 40 of them in our yard here in the desert.  We would love to retire up in the mountains where we could enjoy the trees, birds, and wildlife, but for now, we travel and search for nature's beauty wherever we can find it. That's Mono Lake in the late afternoon on the bottom photo and the Mono Lake Cemetery on the top.    Nature Notes for September 22, 2011. To view Nature Notes, please go to:  http://ramblingwoods.com/

"J" is for June Lake~ABC Wednesday~092111

We drove back through the town of June Lake one afternoon and caught some thunderheads overhead.  It didn't rain and they soon scattered.  But, we did get a great view of the lake.  ABC Wednesday for September 21, 2011.  To visit ABC Wednesday, please go to:  http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Sierra views~Our World Tuesday~092011

Can you see why we so love the Sierra?  ...sigh...Unfortunately, we both have to go back to work tomorrow.  We spent 3 days in the Sierra, from Lone Pine (these photos) to June Lake and Silver Lake, which I'll post later this week.  We went looking for fall colors, didn't find any yet, but instead we found these beautiful, incredible views.  Our World Tuesday for September 20, 2011. To visit Our World Tuesday, please go to:  http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

Lone Pine Road~Sunday Stills Challenge~091811

We stopped in Lone Pine early yesterday morning after staying in Ridgecrest overnight and drove out along our favorite road there, Lubeken Road.  It's right next to a trailer park and heads up toward the Sierra and isn't traveled much.  In fact, there's a huge cattle ranch there and we sometimes see the cattle either on the road or alongside it.  But, yesterday, they were all in a pasture out yonder.  And, we had the road all to ourselves!  We were surprised to see the meadow there and the roadside FULL of wild sunflowers.  I don't know the name of these sunflowers, but we have them down in the desert, too.  There were EVERYWHERE!!! Sunday Stills Challenge for September 18, 2011.

Hubby's Joshua Tree National Park pics

I have to admit something.  These aren't my photos.  Nope.  These are hubby's.  We stayed in Ridgecrest overnight as we are heading up to the Sierra for the next 3 days and I was going through his Joshua Tree folder and his laptop last night and I really liked these three photos.  He actually takes the time to stand somewhere and COMPOSE his photos, where I usually just point and shoot...sigh...He's also very spatial and is a graphics designer.  Sometimes I get lucky and get a really well composed photo, but not like these.  Anyway, since my laptop is still put away, I though I'd share these with you!  :-)  Enjoy your day.  We are heading up to Lone Pine this morning.

Running Springs and home~SkyWatch Friday~091611

 The afternoon we came back from Big Bear, we drove down through Running Springs and then through Highland.  I honestly don't remember the last time I'd been on that road.  I think it was when the kids were in high school, over 14 years ago~ Anyway, the San Bernardino/Highland area is always full of smog and on this afternoon, yup, there was smog, but I think it added a surreal layer to the view. And, it wasn't that much, just a touch. What do you think?  SkyWatch Friday for September 16, 2011. To see other views, please go to:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

More flamingo photos!

Sometimes I just have no ideas for posting, so when hubby went out with his camera this week, he came back with these photos of the flamingos at the Desert Springs Marriott.  I've been so busy with school that I haven't seen my horses in nearly two weeks.  And, this weekend, we are heading back to the Sierra for a change of pace and scenery.  So, enjoy these colorful birds!  Aren't their feathers interesting?

Quiet porch Temecula

I don't remember which building had this quiet porch, but I SURE would like to be there today!  Yesterday we had wild weather here in the valley...rain, lightning, thunder.  The kids at school were WACKO!  And, we had no recess at lunch due to the nearby lightning.  It was still storming at my house in the late afternoon, but the clouds have moved on this morning.

More views of Temecula

You know, it really was fun walking up and down the streets in Temecula on Saturday.  Old Town has such a variety of shops and restaurants.  We ate at Mad Madelaine's Burgers where you can sit and watch the street traffic.  And, on fall afternoon....ahhhhhhhh~the long shadows on a porch...

Lake Elsinore

Lake Elsinore certainly looked different when we traveled the Ortega Highway Saturday afternoon.  It was FULL!  Last time we were there, about 5 years ago, it wasn't.  It was low, low, low.  But, with all the rain we had here last fall, it is now full.  That was good to see.  Like Big Bear Lake, this one is back to normal.  :-)

Old Town Temecula

Old town Temecula was built in 1882.  The Spanish first came through the Temecula Valley in 1797 and the Indians who lived there became part of Mission San Luis Rey, which I think is one of the most impressive of the California missions.  When I went to UC Riverside, back in the 1970's, I did a survey for the county in Rancho California.  There was nothing there except Old Town and a few wealthy horse ranches.  Today, it is a bustling and crowded area, but Old Town still retains its charm, as you can see.  Hubby and I stopped for a burger yesteday afternoon on our way back to the desert from Costa Mesa, where we stayed overnight and sat in on a camera class Saturday morning.  We awoke to....HAIL...yes, hail at 6:30 a.m., which was followed by a terrific thunderstorm.  It was cloudy at the beach city and clouds followed us all the way home.  We were treated to a huge lightning storm over Joshua Tree last night.