Sorry I've been AWOL

My gosh!  I didn't realize how LONG it has been since I've been over here!  TOO LONG!

I've been so busy with my craft projects that I honestly haven't taken many photos.  We are heading to the Living Desert Reserve Saturday with our daughter and her 4 year old and 1 year old, so I'll take my camera with me.

Other than that, I went up to the horses Saturday and Gigondas, my big red thoroughbred mare, stepped on my right foot and wouldn't MOVE!  I was screaming and waving my arms to get her off and she finally sighed and moved!  And, yes, I had my steel toed boots on and it still HURT!  OY!  My foot is now completely black and blue!!!!   NO BUENO!

We've had fairly nice temps here lately, in the low 90's, but last weekend we had triple digits and they are forecast AGAIN this coming weekend!

I pulled out my autumn decorations and I'm busy decorating the front porch.  I LOVE autumn.  I do believe it is my favorite time of the year.

Finally, I visited our local nursery (NOT a chain store) and bought 3 plants yesterday and 6 packets of seeds:  sweet peas, hollyhocks, and nasturtiums.  I need to go out back and weed along the fence.  I won't plant them with this heat coming this weekend, but after that, I will!  YAY!

Take care.
~Cheryl Ann~

A couple of new items!

I made this poster of one of the photos I took up in the Valley of Fire, Nevada.  It's from several years ago.  I was struck by the tenacity of this little grass in the middle of the sea of red sand.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/515029347/look-deep-into-nature-quote-valley-of?ref=shop_home_active_1

It's a quote from Albert Einstein!  I never realized how much he appreciated nature!

Cheers!
~Cheryl Ann~

ETSY shop started! Please come visit!

I've been busy lately trying to get my ETSY shop going.  It isn't easy going through thousands (Yes!  literally THOUSANDS) of photos!  Phew!  I only have these up so far!  Some are framed and some are just photos (5x7).  It has taken me a FULL WEEK to just get this much done!

Between babysitting, running errands, getting stuff to Goodwill, babysitting, getting the car fixed, babysitting  (do you notice a pattern here?)...I haven't had much time to just SIT DOWN and post more photos!  I have some I want to post...maybe this weekend.

Anyway, here's the link to my shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DesertsandBeyond?ref=search_shop_redirect

I wanted a name that reflected my love of the desert, mountains, and all areas in between.  So, I used the name of this blog!

PLEASE do stop by and take a look!
Thanks!
Cheryl Ann

Shadows on water~Shadow Shot Sunday2

Pretty tree shadows and reflections on the water.  SSS2 for January 29, 2017.  To visit SSS2, please go to:   http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/.  This would be a nice spot in the summer, don't you think?

Visit to Sunnylands, Rancho Mirage

Gosh, I haven't posted here since Thanksgiving!!!!  It's hard keeping up with 3 blogs and Facebook!

However, yesterday I went to Sunnylands with two of my now-retired colleagues from my school.  We try to get together a couple times each month, even if we just meet for coffee.  

Sunnylands is the "playground of presidents" and is located in Rancho Mirage, CA.  It is a 15 acre estate.  I think every president since Eisenhower has stayed there at one point and played golf there.

So, off we went!  We bypassed the $21 tour of the house (too sterile for us!) and instead we walked around the gardens (free!).  It was a beautiful but cool day here in the desert, especially with views of the snow-covered San Jacinto mountains!

Here are some of the photos I took yesterday:

 Beautiful snow-covered mountains!

 One of the two water fountains

 Nice lawn...in the middle of the drought?  Of course, Mr. Annenberg owned his OWN water company!

 The house.  Too stark and sterile to take the $21 tour!  (ripoff)

 This bench was donated by President Obama for the leader of China.

 Lots of cacti

Beautiful Mt. San Jacinto