Seasons~apples~093016

LOTS of beautiful apples are coming into season now up in Oak Glen.  I bought a bag of the Spartan apples while we were there.  They are very sweet and juicy!  Hubby bought an apple pie.

Seasons for September 30, 2016.  To visit Seasons, please go to this site:

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Finishing up with Oak Glen

Since it is the end of another week, I wanted to finish up with my photos of Oak Glen.  Hopefully I'll get new photos of a different place this weekend!

 This horse had two goats for company!  He walked right over to the fence to see us.

 Riley's Farm, Oak Glen.  This is an authentic old farm, carefully preserved.  They grow apples, strawberries, and another berry there.  Oh, and they have sheep on display for the kids.  They also have a restaurant and bakery in the big house.

 I love this sign!

 Another view of Riley's Farm.  The barn with the open door is their gift shop.  PRICEY!   $$$$

 Authentic Revolutionary War British soldier uniforms inside the restaurant.  Wow!  They are still very brightly colored.  No wonder the American militias could see them!

The old farmhouse is still beautiful!

Oak Glen is a premium apple growing region here in Southern California.  It is about a 35 minute drive from Palm Springs, up above Yucaipa and Cherry Valley, in the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains.  There are a LOT of places to see.  Tomorrow I'll post photos from another apple ranch, Los Rios.

Oak Glen fences~Good Fences~October 1, 2016

Hubby and I returned to Oak Glen yesterday.  We had been there two weeks ago.  However, yesterday we left in the morning.  There were patchy clouds, with a few really dark ones over the mountains.

When we stopped at the Los Rios Ranches apple store, we walked out the trail at the Wildlands Conservacy.  If you go to Los Rios, be sure you wander through the trails there.  We had never explored them before.  They are only about a year old (the land was donated) and you get to see apple trees, sequoias, and cedars.  They have a large picnic area too.

 Walking down the shaded path...

Look at this beautiful arch!  Those are apple trees in the background.

Good Fences for Friday, October 1, 2016.  To visit Good Fences, please go to this link:     http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your weekend!
~Cheryl Ann~

Sierra Nevada trip~Our World Tuesday~September 27, 2016

Hubby and I (now that we are both retired) are planning a trip to the eastern Sierra in a couple of weeks.  While we were both working, it was nearly impossible for us to do this.  One year, 2011, I did take off 2 days from school and back those two days to a weekend, so we had 4 days to drive and explore the Sierra Nevada.  It is a 6 hour drive for us, so basically it is a day of driving, 2 days of exploring, and another day of driving home.  Then, going to work the next day.

But, this year, it will be different!  We both have NOTHING but time!  I've been watching the posts on Facebook from Mono County and the Eastern Sierra group and trees should be peaking mid-October, especially at the lower elevations.

These photos are ALL from our trip in 2011.

 This is on the June Lake loop road.

 Clouds moving into the June Lake loop.

 The June Lake loop road...

 I believe this is Grant Lake, on the June Lake loop.

 Lots of color that year!

More color!

Our World Tuesday for September 26, 2016.  If you wish to see other worlds, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

Whitewater Preserve shadows~Shadow Shot Sunday~092516

Now that hubby and I are both retired, we plan on visiting the Whitewater Preserve more often than just the two or three times a year that we could fit in when we were both working!  I've only a 35 minute drive from our home in the desert, but it is a completely different environment.  The preserve sits at the end of the whitewater exit, off Interstate 10, near Palm Springs.  You drive from a desert environment to a...well, I really don't know how to describe it!  It isn't mountain, but it backs up to the mountains.  And, there are palm trees there!  It is a short walk to part of the Pacific Crest Trail, too.

LOTS of shadows there!  Shadow Shot Sunday for September 25, 2016.    To visit SSS, please go to:   http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/

Chilli tonight!

Here in the desert southwest, temps are down into the 60's at night and yesterday it was only in the mid-80's.

That is downright CHILLY for us desert dwellers!

So, tonight hubby is going to fix his CHILI!  Now, this isn't ordinary chili.  He makes enough for Hannibal's army!  And, he uses panchetta!  He browns it thoroughly and then bosses it into his beans, beans, and more beans.  He lets it simmer all day!

I'll take photos of it this afternoon.  He's actually thinking about using his brand new Crock Pot!  :-)

YUM!

Fences and dunes~Good Fences~Friday, September 23, 2016

Hubby and I drove out through Bermuda Dunes yesterday afternoon, late.  The shadows were getting long, the clouds from our storm that day were passing through, and I wanted to go there and see the dunes.  They border the Coachella Valley Preserve and this is a road I frequently take, but hubby hadn't been on it.

We stayed about 1/2 hour and took photos.  The huge sand dunes there, at one point, covered over half the road.  It was interesting to observe them wet from 2 days of steady rainfall.

Don't you love all the ripples in the sand?

Good Fences for Friday, September 23, 2016.   To visit Good Fences, please go to:   http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Pelicans~Wild Bird Wednesday~092116

Hubby and I stopped by the Desert willow golf course yesterday afternoon.  The storm that hit our valley for 2 days was moving on and the sky was clearing.  I wanted to get out for a walk, and hubby tagged along.

As I was driving by one of the ponds, I noticed something white.  At first I though they were cattle egrets.  But, we parked the car and quietly approached and it was about a dozen white pelicans.  Now, there ARE pelicans down by the Salton Sea, but it is very unusual to see them 25 miles away!  We have, however, seen them fly by when we are at Keys Point, Joshua Tree National Park.

Anyway, we approached them and snapped some photos before they heard us and took off.

 Oops!  There they went!

Wild Bird Wednesday for September 21, 2016.  To visit WBW, please go to:      http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/

Whitewater Preserve Water~Water World Wednesday~ 092116

The Whitewater Preserve is closed today, due to flash flooding danger, but hubby and I drove up there about a week ago.  We enjoy the quiteness up there, especially on a weekday and now that we are both retired, we can go anytime.

 Looking out toward the big pond...

 Water flowing into the pond

 This is the pond by the ranger station

 Same pond

Water flowing over a log at the Whitewater Preserve.

Do go there if you ever have the chance!  It is located off Highway 10, west of Palm Springs.  Take the Whitewater exit and go to the end of the road.  The preserve is open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Water World Wednesday for September 21, 2016.  To visit WWW, please go here:
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More photos from Oak Glen, CA

Oak Glen is up in our local San Bernardino mountains and it is about an hour's drive from our house.  The growers grow their apples up there in the hills.  You don't see all the orchards because some are up high in the hills.  However, the results are DELICIOUS!  Apple cider, apple pie, apple butter....YUM!

There are several growers in the region.  We first stopped by Riley's Farm.  They have restored the buildings there to look like an Amish farm.  The kids love it, so go early!  They have a petting zoo with sheep, they grow strawberries too.  They have a nice gift shop (prices are $$$$) and a bakery, which closes at 4 p.m.

 This is the gift shop.  Yes, they do dress in old-fashioned clothes!

 The main building.

 Sheep were sleepy...

 More of the grounds...

 Beautiful archway covered with grape vines

 Wide angle view

 Picnic tables

Only a few strawberries this time of year.

Oak Glen apples~Our World Tuesday~ 09/19/16

Hubby surprised me last Friday and suggested that we drive up to Oak Glen.  I knew it was early for the apple season, which is usually during the month of October, but went anyway.

And, the apple trees were FULL of apples!

First we stopped at Riley's Farm.

Then we drove another 1/4 mile up the road to the Los Rios Ranch apple farm.  They have a nice gift shop, bakery, and restaurant.  They are also next to the Wildlands Conservacy.

Sunflowers at the Wildlands Conservacy:

It was a good day for a drive. Not many families were up there because it was a school day.  If you go up to Oak Glen on a weekend, get there before 10 a.m.

Our World Tuesday for September 19, 2016.  To visit OWT, please go to this link:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/