Arizona trip, Part 1~ to Payson

Hubby and I just returned home from 9 days in Arizona~3 in Scottsdale and 5 nights up on the Mogollon Rim.  For those of you not familiar with Arizona, the Mogollon Rim, at one time, was below sea level.  It was gradually pushed up and is now over 7,000 high.  This is one of Arizona's forest areas, with huge ponderosa pines and squirrels and elk and deer.This area extends from Payson to the New Mexico border.  And, yes, unfortunately, this summer's Wallow fire was right in this area~down by Springerville, Alpine, and Hannigan Meadows.  Acres and acres of thick forest were burned and one day, hubby and I took a drive down that way.  It was depressing. But, back to the beginning!  We drove up Highway 260, which runs from Payson across the Mogollon Rim.  At this ranger station (we ALWAYS stop here...), you can park and walk out and see the view from the rim.  You can literally see for miles and miles and miles...nothing but pine trees.  We always like this little station because they have very informative items there.  Unfortunately, somebody broke in during the spring and stole some items, so they don't have much right now.  They did have this collection of bird skeletons and bones and feathers.  Oh, and this beautiful poster of Arizona's rattlesnakes (I've yet to see one of them, thank goodness!)  We did see several logging trucks, which we don't see here in Southern California, and hubby shot this photo right out of the car windshield.  While we were there, we saw a sign which announced the Payson rodeo over the weekend.  Unfortunately, we left yesterday, but we did drive by it and I've NEVER seen such huge horse trailers!  My goodness!  Hubby saw the Wells Fargo coach and team while I was pumping gas.  We did drive by it as they were loading the coach into an 18-wheeler.  So, part 1 of our trip was from Scottsdale to Payson.  Payson is at about 5,000 feet.  There were thunderstorms every day we were there and, on this first day, thunderheads were overhead.

Forests and wildfires~Nature Notes~081811

Yesterday hubby and I drove down by Alpine, Arizona, scene of this July's massive Wallow fire.  We had previously been to Alpine and Hannigan Meadows and Springerville back in 2000, when I first bought my Honda Accord.  We enjoyed seeing all the lush forests and green meadows.  This trip, however, was depressing.  Much of the area off the highway down to Hannigan Meadows had been burned.  Tall, stark, black trees lined the road.  There was a road crew working to remove dead trees and debris and as I sat there waiting for the road to open up again, I wondered, "Why are people so darn STUPID?"  If I remember correctly, both the Rodeo and Chedeski fires were human-caused...one by a motorist who was stranded, the other by an arsonist.  These two fires then merged to become Arizona's largest wildfire...that is, until this July's Wallow fire.  We saw so many beautiful animals yesterday~gray squirrels, chipmunks, elk, deer, eagles, osprey...what happens to their homes after a fire?  How do little chipmunks outrun one?  It just boggles my mind even thinking about that.  Most (nearly ALL) of the forest roads were closed, due to the fire.  Hubby even saw one cabin which was burned.  All that was left was the fireplace...so sad.  Someone lived there~that was someone's HOME.  As I sit here this morning, in our rented cabin for the week, I hear the cries of a Cooper's hawk.  What would become of its home, its territory?  I'm sharing a photo this morning and I hope that it isn't too depressing...while fire IS a natural part of a forest, certainly HUMAN caused ones are another story. Nature Notes for August 18, 2011. ** The cause of the Wallow fire is currently under investigation, but it is believed to be human-caused.*** To read other Nature Notes, please go to:  http://ramblingwoods.com/

Saturday sunrise~SOOC Sunday~081411

Hubby woke me up yesterday morning at...4:40 a.m. because we were having a terrific thunderstorm.  So, we just sat and watched the light show and listened to the thunder.  It finally moved to the west, toward the California border and at dawn I headed out around the villas for a morning walk.  And, this is what greeted me!  Ahhhh.....Arizona sunrises and sunsets!  We just don't get colors like this in my Southern California desert!  This is SOOC Sunday for August 14, 2011.  To visit SOOC Sunday, please go to:  http://www.murrieta365.com/

Playing with Picnik

Now, I don't have PHOTOSHOP and I've never used it.  Hubby uses it all the time at work and he has it on his laptop, but I don't.  So, I was playing around with Picnik (part of Picasa) this morning.  I've done some sepia scenes with Picnik, but I wanted to try some other effects.  This one is the matte effect.  Just go up to the "effects" heading and scroll down the sidebar.  Some of the effects are only available if you are a premium member, but I've read so many complaints about their paid programs, that I just use the free ones like matte.  Do you use Picnik?  Are you a premium member?  What is your opinion of it?  I'm dying to know...If you want to see the sepia ones, please go here:  http://desertsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2011/07/playing-with-sepia.html

Palms and sky~SkyWatch Friday~081211

A view of palm trees and our sky today.  It was so nice to have some clouds!  We've had over a week of clear, blue skies, but now some monsoon moisture is moving into the Coachella Valley, bringing clouds with it.  SkyWatch Friday for August 12, 2011.  To visit SkyWatch Friday, please go to:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Egret and flamingo~Watery Wednesday~081011

A cattle egret and a flamingo at the Desert Springs Marriott in Palm Desert, CA.  Egrets frequently land at the lakes there, along with gray herons, Canadian geese, and various ducks.  The resort has 4 black swans and they were out by the golf course the other morning.  The Marriott is a designated bird sanctuary and because they have so many water courses, all kinds of migrating birds visit it during the year.  In fact, the other afternoon, when I was picking up hubby after work, a flock of SOMETHING flew overhead.  I was driving and I didn't get a good look, but I believe they were cormorants. I can't wait to see the flocks return this fall! Watery Wednesday for August 10, 2011.  To visit Watery Wednesday, please visit:  http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

A view in the morning~That's My World~080911

I usually drive by the resort in the afternoons, but I've recently been dropping hubby off in the mornings, and on this morning, I wandered around, camera in hand.  There were no clouds, and there was a beautiful reflection in the lake out by the golf course.  That's My World for Tuesday, August 9, 2011.  To see other worlds, please go to:  http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/