Pinyon view~SkyWatch Friday 052110

Sometimes I just need to drive up to the mountains and sit and enjoy the view. SkyWatch Friday for May 21, 2010.

"R" is for rattlesnake~~ABC Wednesday 051910

I haven't seen a rattlesnake on the trail yet in the mornings, but one morning I did hear one. It was under a bush, right past where I walked. There is a warning sign at the visitor center and I stop and read it VERY CAREFULLY often! The morning I heard one, I instantly, instinctively FROZE and then, after moving my head and locating the source of the sound, I moved slowly away from it. READ the RATTLESNAKE sign!

ABC Wednesday for May 19, 2010.

Morning shadows~Outdoor Wednesday 052010

I love the early morning light and shadows. This is where I walk in the mornings and I'm finding that every morning brings something new for me to see. Sometimes it is a cottontail rabbit. Sometimes it is a cactus wren with nesting material in its mouth. Sometimes it is just a beautiful view of the desert. Outdoor Wednesday for May 20, 2010.

Morning walk~That's My World 051810

I grabbed my Olympus camera last week when I went out for my daily morning walk. It's interesting to see how I see things differently with different cameras. I stopped to view the desert grass growing and a half-filled hummingbird feeder. I liked the morning shadows on the side of the building and the soft morning shadows on the trail. I'll have to stop by here one afternoon and see these things in afternoon light sometime. That's My World for Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

Saguaro blossoms~Cactus Monday 051710

Our local saguaros are beginning to bloom. While saguaros are NOT native to my desert, there are many of them planted near Palm Desert. They are brought in and planted in some developments and along some roadways. Saguaro theft is a big problem in some of our areas, but this one hasn't been disturbed. Cactus Monday for April 17, 2010.

Desert and mountain wildflowers~Sunday Stills Challenge 051610

Our local mountains are currently ablaze with wildflowers. I actually took these a couple of weekends ago, but they are still blooming. Not for long, however, as our desert temperatures will push 100 degrees this week and they will soon fade. I have enjoyed their beauty and...there's always next year! Sunday Stills Challenge for May 16, 2010

Weekend Reflections 051510

The weekend is FINALLY here and I can FINALLY take a nice, long, leisurely walk this morning! Phew! For those of you who visit this blog and don't know, I'm a third grade teacher. That means, during the week, if I get up and get ready soon enough, I have time for a quick 20 minute walk in the morning before heading out to school and 20 nine-year-olds! I'm finding that I NEED my morning walks for a couple of reasons: first, walking helps my legs and my back. I was injured (permanently) in a horse fall back in August of 2008 while riding a friend's horse. Walking helps my back and leg muscles so that the muscles don't cramp up at night. It is especially helpful to walk through the soft sand and really get my legs moving! If I don't walk for a week, I FEEL IT in my legs! Second, I LOVE the sights and sounds and smells of the desert in the mornings. As I walk, I go through pockets of cool air. I see and hear quail. Sometimes I spook a cottontail or jackrabbit. I see cactus wrens go in and out of their nests. I enjoy the quiet and openness of the desert in the very early morning. Once in a while I run into another human on my walk and this disturbs the tranquility of my morning since most mornings, I am alone. I love to stop and take photos of the morning's reflections on the tinted windows of the visitor center. Weekend Reflections for May 15, 2010.