yellow lights~Mellow Yellow 011110

When I was out and about yesterday (notice the clear, blue sky!) I found these lights on a local restaurant and stopped to view them. Mellow Yellow for Monday, January 11, 2010.

Sunday Stills Challenge~Best Photos 2009

These two photos, while they may not be my best, are among my favorites from 2009. And, they were both from our first trip to the Sierras, in June of 2009. The bottom one is near Bridgeport, CA. I like it because there were flowers in the fields, perfect weather, and it is so different from our desert southwest! The top one was taken on the road to Kennedy Meadows, below Lone Pine. I like the starkness of the tree against the blue sky and the moon in the photo. Hubby and I took that road one Sunday during our second trip to the Sierras. Two different trips...two very different photos! Maybe not my best, but these two are among my favorites. Sunday Stills Challenge for January 10, 2010.

Weekend Reflections~Palm Trees Desert Springs

While the rest of the nation is in a deep freeze, we are enjoying above-average temperatures and clear skies! Enjoy the photos and thaw out for a while! Weekend Reflections for January 9, 2010.

Desert warmth~SkyWatch Friday 010810

We've been having days like this for over a week now. No wonder people from all over the country are coming here! Picture perfect days.....ahhhhhhh! It was 74 degrees here yesterday and more perfect weather is forecast for next week. SkyWatch Friday for January 8, 2010. Photos taken at Palm Desert's Desert Springs Marriott Resort.

Just stuff...morning walk

I love to wake up early and drive up Highway 74 to the Santa Rosa Mountains Visitor Center, which is located at the base of Highway 74 in my home town of Palm Desert, CA. While the center doesn't officially open until about 9:00 a.m., I often walk its trails, camera in hand. On New Year's Day, before the start of the Rose Parade, I headed up there with my camera. It was a good occasion to be there as there were very few cars on the highway and I was the only person walking the grounds. There are all sorts of things to see! Here are a few.

Desert shadows~That's My World 010510

I love morning light and shadows and one morning, during vacation, I headed out to a nearby wash. I wasn't the only person out at that early hour. There were several groups of hikers already out and about! I love the patterns of water on the sand. I was hoping to see some animal tracks, but I didn't see any on this trip. Maybe next time! That's My World for Tuesday, January 5, 2010.

Palm tree fronds~Macro Monday 010410

Over the weekend, I awoke early and took a little walk through the desert. These palm trees had not been trimmed (naturally growing ones aren't). The date palms are trimmed every winter. I'm still experimenting with the macro setting on my camera, but I took these photos of the fronds. Don't they look like long hair? Macro Monday for January 4, 2010. Back to school today!