Alfalfa field and snow!

Hubby and I returned home Sunday ... sigh... back to the desert's heat of 80 degrees! What a change! Yesterday it was 79 degrees here in the desert! It was good to see the Sierras covered with snow. They looked so different! And, we really enjoyed our break. We hadn't gone anywhere since our last trip there, in August, so it was a good vacation for both of us. Now, back to family and work! On our way home, outside of Lone Pine, I spied this alfalfa field and the snow-covered Sierras. While the Sierra's alfalfa fields are dormant, those near Brawley, Blythe, and the Imperial Valley are in full swing! I pass many trucks full of alfalfa every morning, on Interstate 10. Somebody has to feed the horses and cows and the farmers in the Coachella Valley have a 365 day growing season.

Snow, Snow, and MORE SNOW~The Sierras~Scenic Sunday 021410

Hubby planned this trip to the Sierras for my birthday (which is today). We were last in the Sierras in August of 2009. We had also visited them in June. What a difference a couple of months makes! In June, there were plenty of waterfalls. In August, most had dried up (in Yosemite). August was also much more crowded. So, the day after school is over this June, we will be heading BACK to the Sierras! Here are some pics of our trip this weekend. Highway 395 was completely open to Reno. No problems there. Side roads into the mountains were mostly plowed, although we couldn't always get as far in as we wanted. The road to North Lake and South Lake, outside of Bishop, was open...to a point. Even the roads down to Mono Lake were closed and the visitor center there was closed, too. Smaller side roads, of course, weren't plowed, but many people had stopped on them to go sledding. The road to Mammoth was open, up to Mammoth Village, but closed after that. The scenic route (the loop) at Mammoth was open and we took that road back to 395. It was a good weekend, a good getaway from work and school, but we are heading back today for a family dinner. We'll both need tomorrow to recouperate! Happy Valentine's Day and enjoy your family. Scenic Sunday for February 14, 2010. Yes, that's me in the bottom photo. You know I just can't stay away from horses! And, we stopped at Nicely's in Lee Vining. The BBQ restaurant next door, however, was closed for the season...you can see why!

Sierras~ and they have SNOW~

Yesterday we drove through the Alabama Hills and Lone Pine and then on to Bishop, CA. Since we arrived about 2:00 p.m. and there was still good daylight, we decided to drive up the road which goes to the North and South Lakes outside of town. This road goes about 14 miles out of Bishop, way up into the Sierras (7,000 feet). Here are a few pics from yesterday afternoon. Snow in the Sierras!

Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, CA

Yesterday afternoon we stopped at the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest, CA. It was just down the street from our hotel and since the sky was gray and overcast, we decided to stay close to town. We had never visited the museum before. From the museum, in spring and fall, guided tours go out to the actual Indian petroglyphs. So, we took a brochure and decided to come back in the spring and go on one of them. In the meantime, I wandered around outside the museum and took these photos. What an interesting place!

Blossom and blue sky!~SkyWatch Friday 021210

This has nothing to do with the Sierras, but I found a photo file on the laptop that I hadn't seen in almost a year and I liked this photo showing BLUE SKY and a cactus blossom. Sigh...I'm so tired of rain and clouds! If you click on the photo and see it enlarged, you will see a bee flying around the blossom! SkyWatch Friday for February 12, 2010. Tomorrow we head out to Lone Pine and the Sierras.

Back to the Sierras!!!

We are heading back to the Sierras this morning. Highway 395 is open until just north of Bishop, and, of course, roads into the Sierras are closed. We have our chains and we are hoping to get lots of photos! I'll be posting as we go, so please stop by and check in!

"D" is for dune~ABC Wednesday 021010

After our rain this weekend, I took a drive around the desert and found these sand dunes in, of course, Bermuda Dunes. There is one street that parallels the freeway that has these dunes and it doesn't have much traffic. ABC Wednesday for February 10, 2010. Have a great day!