my magical adventures with my camera...

Crazy Weather and Amazing Skies

2012-01-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

Over the last few days the weather here has been crazy and erratic. Huge clouds have been scudding across the sky creating spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and when I've been quick enough to get out there with my camera, I've collected some amazing shots. The downside has been that the accompanying wind has been tremendous, so maintaining a stable posture while taking the picture hasn't always been do-able.

Looking south towards to the Coachella Valley, CA.

At one point today the electricity was out for a couple of hours. I wasn't too concerned until I realized the water was out, too. We have well water and evidently the pump supplying it is electric also. Ooops! It wasn't long after I'd had that disconcerting thought that the power came back on again. I quickly made sure there is enough water stored in case the power goes out again.

Last night's sunset.

This morning there was a perfect rainbow across the sky to the north. I almost missed it as I was watching the valley to the south where most of the action was.

A vibrant rainbow.

Tomorrow is supposed to bring calmer weather, which will give me time to document storm damage before the next one hits on Monday......

I'm so grateful that we are all safe tonight.

I'm linking this to Straight Out of the Camera Sunday.
Please follow the link over for some more interesting entries to this meme.

Hot Winter Days

2012-01-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

It has been a very mild winter here this year and it seems as though at least two thirds of the United States are also enjoying an amazing winter. I'm choosing not to think of the ramifications of this.

New Year's Day found me sitting enjoying the warm sun streaming onto my patio, with my camera on my lap, inviting the wild birds to come an visit. They didn't need a second invitation.

First up was this Scott's Oriole:

Scott's Oriole

I'd only seen this bird for the first time a few days earlier and I haven't seen it since, but since New Year I've been very busy so I may have missed it. Anyway, it wasn't too confident with me nearby, but my next two visitors have no problem with boundary issues.

Cactus Wren with Prickly Pear juice on it's beak.

California Thrasher

The cactus wren is very bold. It will barely hesitate when it sees me or the dogs. The Thrasher, on the other hand, prefers to be in deep cover at all times, and if it does have to cross open ground it seems to prefer to hop very quickly rather than fly. That beak can really shift through the debris around the base of plants. I'm sure it does a great job of aerating the soil while it forages for bugs.

My last visitor was this scrub jay. I see it around quite often but doesn't hang around if it thinks I've seen it.

Scrub Jay

We'd thrown some pink grapefruit remnants out and it seems that the Jay, the Wren and the Oriole all like fruit.

Linked to : Natures Notes at the Rambling Woods blog.

Click on the link to see what's going on in nature around the world. Better yet, why not tell us what's going on in your neighbourhood?

Yucca Valley and Joshua Trees

2012-01-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

The view from Eureka Peak in Joshua Tree National Park

As I am close to the Joshua Tree National Park entrance in the Yucca Valley area, so I thought it would be interesting to comment on the Joshua tree itself.

Back in the 19th century explorer John Fremont labeled the Joshua tree as 'the most repulsive member of the vegetable kingdom' and yet the 1930's desert ecologist Edmund Jaegar described it at as 'the most spectacular and most characteristic tree of the Mojave Desert'. So just what is this controversial tree?

A flower from another variety of Yucca

The Yucca brevifolia is not actually a tree, it is a member of the lily family and was given the name Joshua tree by the Mormon explorers as the up stretched branches reminded them of Joshua, from the Old Testament, with his arms raised in prayer. It's sole form of pollination comes from the Pronuba, aka Yucca, Moth. The Joshua tree isn't the only yucca in Yucca Valley or Joshua Tree National Park but it is the largest and most easily distinguished. Many of the smaller yuccas are very similar to agaves. In fact, yuccas weren't differentiated from agaves until fairly recently.

Linked to:
Nature Notes at Ramblingwoods
ABC Wednesday

Sunsets and Joshua trees from my patio

A Most EXcellent Xmas

2011-12-25T19:50:00.000-08:00

Like most of us, I have been super busy getting ready for Christmas. Now that it is Christmas night it is time to reflect.

Even the dogs enjoyed this mellow Christmas.

After all the mad rushing around my Christmas was lovely and relaXing. The weather was particularly beautiful, a welcome change from the horrendous winds that have been whipping past my ears for the last week or so. I was able just to sit out on my patio, enjoying the warm sun, ponder the meaning of the season and be grateful for all that I have.....

Ahhh.....my kind of Christmas....

I hope anyone who reads this was able to celebrate in a way that was meaningful to them.

ABC Wednesday for this week. Please click on the link to visit more -and more imaginative - ABC entries.

After the Burn - Nature Notes 12/17/2011

2011-12-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

The uncannily human shapes of the burned yuccas and nolinas in my area fascinate me.

As far as I can tell the last fire raged through here back in the summer of 2005. The desert succulents survive the hot summers by retaining as much water as they can during the rainy season, so when the fires sweep through the water evaporates and the plant folds in half or simply collapses. The resulting eerie forms, usually with the dried foliage still intact, remind me of women weeping.

As we know Nature abhors a vacuum so new growth begins coming up from the bottom and will eventually replace the plant, probably using the minerals from the decaying parent to nourish the new baby.

Naturally, it wasn't only the Yuccas the succumbed to the raging flames. All the vegetation took a hit and so anyone who's interested in abstract photography there is plenty of subject material in this "empty" desert.

I'm linking this to Rambling Woods Nature Notes of the week. Click on the link to see more Nature Notes from around the globe.

Changing Seasons in the Desert - Nature Notes 12/7/2011

2011-12-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

The desert is less dramatic in the changing of the seasons but change it does. Of course, it is very hot in the summer and quite cool in the winter, but usually although the temperatures drop there isn't much moisture so we don't have to deal with snow or rain too much. It's never muddy. When we do have rain it can really pour and flash floods are very real, but then its gone again as the sand drains quickly. Sadly there are those that misjudge the intensity of the rain and flooding. It doesn't happen too often but when it does the vehicles, and often the bodies, can usually be found in the Salton Sea within a year or two. When I first heard that I thought there was some leg-pulling going on, but not so. It happens.

So far this year we've had very high winds, and colder than usual frosts. I found this snake skin attached to a creosote bush after last weekends windstorm. Isn't it eerie and beautiful?

Snake Skin

The mockingbird in the picture below is feasting on the last of the prickly pear fruit of the season.

The juniper berries are ripe for the picking.

Last night we had this gorgeous sunset with amazing colors and the promise of a very chilly morning.

Joshua Tree and desert sunset.

Yep, it was a cold one but today is a beautiful day.
Nature Notes this week. Visit Rambling Woods for more postings.

A Study in Giraffe, the tallest Ungulate

2011-12-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

I was at the Living Desert animal park over the weekend and was just delighted by the giraffes. Zoo goers are given the opportunity to hand feed these gentle creatures which gave me the opportunity to take lots of pictures of them as they took the offerings from quivering hands.

I'm linking this to: Lisa's Chaos, Macro Monday.

ABC Wednesday

Click on the link and jaunt on over to see some more fun close ups and unusual interpretations of the letter U.

The giraffe, being a hoofed animal, is an ungulate.

This little baby is only 3 weeks old and was 5'9" at birth. The zoo is currently running a competition to name this beautiful girl.

Sparrows, Chats and Peregrine Falcons

2011-11-23T22:55:00.000-08:00

There was lots of interesting wildlife around here this week and I love it. I was able to get pictures of several birds that were new to me, but the bobcat others had seen wasn't feeling photogenic this week. It stayed well out of my sight. It was probably ticked off with me for spooking all the birds it had planned on having for lunch.

White-crowned Sparrow

The little sparrow and the Thrasher were in the back yard, and the Chat was at a local nature preserve. I actually took the picture of the Chat a while ago but didn't know what it was until this week. I'm quite impressed with the Thrasher's beak. My research shows that they are mostly ground dwelling birds so I'm sure they put it to good use digging up bugs.

Yellow-breasted Chat (top) & California Thrasher (above)

The Peregrine Falcon wasn't exactly flying freely over my place. I have to fess up and say that it was being flown at a function I was at over the weekend. Hector is his name, and what a beautiful and fierce looking bird he is. Originally a wild bird, Hector had been injured and now isn't able to take care of himself like he used to so he's a member of a raptor rehab group.

Hector, the Peregrine Falcon.

I'm linking this to Rambling Woods, Nature Notes of the week, and to ABC Wednesday,

Please click on the links above to seem more great entries.

Spectacular Seed Pods

2011-11-20T23:09:00.000-08:00

I'm fascinated by the diversity of the desert. When driving through at 70mph it looks like there is nothing there but endless sand and a few scruffy bushes, however, I'm always making serendipitous discoveries.

This brilliant red and orange seed pod caught my attention as it was glowing like a fire stone in the late afternoon sun. I think it is a species of acacia, quite a common plant, but the color and symmetry of the pods caught my eye. I kept watch for more of them and soon enough this next one appeared.

This one reminds me of the Celtic Triskelion symbol.

Whilst these shots aren't macros, they are close ups so I'm adding them to the Lisa's Chaos Macro Monday blog,

Full Moon Halo

2011-11-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

We had a very large and powerful full moon here a couple of days ago. The night was mild but the moon had a large halo around it. This means, apparently, that rain is on its way. The moisture in the air crystallizes creating a surface for the moonlight to reflect off. I was impressed with the sight enough to drag out my tripod, mount the camera on it and take a 'proper' photo of it. I'm glad I did.

You may need to click on the picture to better see the details.

These are my Nature Notes for this week. Please click on the link to see what's going on in other parts of the world.

Bold, Beautiful Buckwheat

2011-11-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

I can't help but notice the profusion of large bushes with rich rust colored seed heads reaching up into the sky, thriving in the dry cactus garden that is my new neighborhood. It took me a while to figure out that they are a species of Buckwheat, Eriogomum fasciculatum foliolosum, aka California Buckwheat. They are very photogenic, especially today after we had a little rain to saturate the colors.

It is a very prominent plant around here and I rightfully guessed it has many beneficial uses. Ethnobotanists and the local Native American tribes consider it a mainstay in medicine cabinet and the food pantry, and I'm sure many a florist has found a use for it, too.

I'm linking this to Macro Monday over at Lisa's Chaos.
Click on the link for some fun and creative macro shots.

American Coot Relationships

2011-11-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help noticing the similarities in the relationship between a pair of American Coots (Fulica americana) and a typical human couple. I spent an hour or two at the Whitewater Preserve this week observing the wildlife, totally intrigued by these two coots.

Good companions....

Lovers.....

Fighters......

'Up yours!!'

Friends again.

Like all good comedies its the element of truth that holds the audience captive. I'm linking this to Michelle's Nature Notes entry at Rambling Woods.

How may I stick you?

2011-10-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

Let me count the ways:

1. In the front (above) is the Bristly Prickly Pear Cactus with
2. the Ocotillo to it's right.
3. Behind is the Agave with it's wicked point on the end of the leaves.

4. Here, for a little variety, is the Cow Tongue Prickly Pear, the grey green cactus on the left, with more Bristly Prickly Cactus behind.

5. Here above is the worst one of them all, the Teddy Bear Cholla. Notice Roxy is giving it a serious sideways glance as she is carefully circling around it? She knows. Poor Roxy has learned the hard way. Pieces of that stuff break off very easily and stick into the flesh in big globs. However, not all the critters are intimidated by these assertive plants. Below is the nest of Cactus Wren entwined in the Cholla. Not too many predators would bother raiding this nest.

This is my new home. Yes, another new home, but one which I'm hoping I'll be able to settle into for a while to come. All these pics were taken on the wild and very beautiful 2.5 acre property, still close to the Palm Springs, California area where I have lived for the past few years. I have plenty of places to wander with my camera and my dogs, where the views are fantastic and the wild life abundant. My one adjustment I've had to make to my routine is to always carry needle nosed pliers when out and about. One of us always needs them.

I'm linking this to the Rambling Woods Nature Notes meme for this week.

There are some very weird plants out there

2011-10-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

I was helping my friend with some yard work recently and, well, she didn't get much work out of me. You see, I spotted this flower opening and had to run to get my camera. It went from a closed but to fully open by noon.

And then the vile odor hit me! This particular plant, it turns out it called the Carrion Plant, aka Stapelia gigantea. The smell of dead mouse is attractive to various bugs which then pollinate it. It is an attractive succulent with minimal water requirements so it deserves it's place in the landscaping as long as it it far from the doors and windows.

I'm linking this to Macro Monday. There are more great entries over there so click on over.

Assorted Critters

2011-08-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just love the desert.

I can glance around at this barren seeming landscape and know that I only have to sit quietly and wait a while for all manner of little creatures to make their presence known. Taking their pictures, however, isn't always that easy so bear with me here:

This little Burrowing Owl has such a curious demeanor. I've seen the family a few times now and they seem to realize I'm no danger to them so they allow very close access. They don't even mind the dogs getting close and, when they do succumb to their nerves, they only fly a short distance.

I believe these are baby dragonflies. I found them at a trout farm nearby where I went up their one day last week to get a bit of a reprieve from the almost unbearable heat we've been having here lately.

This shiny black crow wasn't being too trusting of me. Anyone who takes a lot of photos will understand what a challenge it is to get a decent picture of a black bird or animal. The details just don't pop so I was thrilled that this picture came out as well as it did. I was equally thrilled that the bird even waited long enough for me to practice on.

I walked past one of the many creosote bushes and noticed something flicker. It took me quite a while to see this grasshopper in the twigs. I was quite surprised that it let me take a few pictures of it with my little point and shoot. Its face is in the shadow, though, which is a bit disappointing.

I'm linking this to this week's Nature Notes blog.

Rosy Dawn and Red Racers

2011-08-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

I was up bright and early for my walk this morning and was rewarded by this little beauty sunning itself on the black top. This is a Red Racer, aka Red Coachwhip, or, for the more technical among us, Coluber flagellum piceus.

The Red Racer is a very fast snake found in the southwestern desert regions. Apparently it quite a common and desirable snake to have around as it preys on small rodents. It's not considered venomous but can be quite aggressive if attacked. When I found this out during the research I wondered if it had been run over as it was very placid during the photo shoot. My little point and shoot camera doesn't zoom in too much so I had to get quite close to it, and it didn't move. However its tongue was very active sensing what was going on. I went out later to check on it and it had gone, so, possibly it was injured and a crow got it, or, as I'm hoping happened, it warmed up and went on its way.

I'm linking this to the Rambling Woods, Nature Notes blog.

Eggs for ABC Wednesday.

2011-08-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Walking in the desert is pretty normal behaviour for me. It happens every day, usually twice a day, and I never get too surprised at what I come across from time to time. So on Sunday morning when I see a cute little unbroken bird's egg on the trail in front of me I think, how peculiar! It's late summer, all the birds have finished with these domestic duties of baby raising. Oh well, there must have been a nest here somewhere and this egg didn't hatch.

Fast forward to this morning and I'm out wandering through that vast desert again, this time in the dry wash, and I see what looks like a ping pong ball. Nope, it's another egg!! This time it's quite a large one, about the size of a small hen's egg, or perhaps a large bantam egg. I'm still wondering what laid it and why. Crow? Raven? Burrowing Owl? This time I had my little camera in my pocket and now you all get to share the most egg-citing "E" entry for the week. Enjoy!

And this is the end of my story for this week:

Or perhaps I should say the "rear end".

Check out other ABC Wednesday entries here.

I Found a Pumpkin Patch!

2011-08-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

Well, not really, it's a patch of wild gourds down in the wash. I walked in different area to my usual wanderings yesterday, and was rewarded with these lovely gourds ripening in the sun. Those cheery yellow flowers and rich green-grey leaves make quite a change from the other desert plants so these are my Nature Notes for this week.

I looked up some info on the internet about these gourds and in this area they were used by the local Native American tribes as rattles. Every indigenous tribe throughout the country had different uses for gourds, from ceremonial to medicinal. They weren't used as a food source, though, from what I noted. These particular ones have dried out very quickly when separated from the vine. That probably has a lot to do with 110.F sun pouring down on them daily then refracting back off the sand underneath them. As they dried out they became very light and buoyant, ready to be taken down stream with first flash flood of the season, thus spreading the seeds for the next season. Except for the couple I took home with me.

For more Nature Notes click this link.

Desert Dawn, Desert Dusk and Desert Dogs - ABC Wednesday

2011-08-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

I was up extra early this morning and was out walking before the sun came up. When it did it was spectacular! As the first rays hit the San Jacinto Mountain behind Palm Springs the mountain turned rose pink.

A few minutes later the sun had hit the San Gorgonio mountains to the north and as I looked up a swarm of birds were circling looking to land on the power lines. All the wind turbines generate power from the wind as it is channeled through the Banning Pass between the two mountain ranges.

The early morning walk was invigorating as it was still cool but I wasn't the only one out enjoying the dawn. I almost stumbled on these two feral dogs roaming the desert! Fortunately, with the sun behind me they didn't see me or my canine companions. These feral dogs can be quite nasty so I quickly turned down another trail. This pic is a little blurry as I wasn't going to take the chance of getting any closer for that Kodak moment!

Of course, no desert day is complete without the gorgeous desert dusk.

I'm linking this to ABC Wednesday. Hope on over and see more "D" entries for the week.

Where the wild things are...

2011-07-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

I've found an unexpectedly large difference in the wild life in the area where I now live, even though I'm only about 20 miles north west of where I used to live. Even the species that habitat both places look different here. Like this raven, for example. It is one lean scrawny bird, most unlike the fat glossy characters I used to see. Perhaps it has babies somewhere that need constant feeding and most of the food is going in that direction.

These jackrabbits were right outside my window and they definitely look like a good meal would not go amiss. There weren't many jack rabbits in the old area but lots of little cottontails, and there is quite a difference in the look of these lean rangy fellas.

I've also noticed a difference in some of the lizards. This big healthy looking white reptile is apparently a desert iguana. I had never seen one before until my recent move. He/she is one specimen that seems to be thriving in the slightly cooler but much windier and dryer part of the Coachella Valley. Quite a cute, brazen little creature it is, too. Expedia tells me that this is quite a shy lizard but I guess it hadn't read the memo. Either that, or it was simply too hot to expend much energy running away.

I'm linking the to the Nature Notes Meme at Rambling Woods blog.

Back in the Groove

2011-07-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

My hiking buddies.

It's been a hectic first half of the year for me and my blogging seems to have gone by the wayside.

I've moved 4 times in nearly as many months and I'm finally starting to settle down again. I now have a lovely peaceful home where my dogs and I can kick back and relax before moving forward again. In fact, I've even 'borrowed' another dog so my morning walks are even more fun than before. Barbi is my friend and room mate's dog, and she is thrilled to have doggy company and long walks with her new friends.

We have hundreds of acres of raw desert to wander through so here are a few images from our daily strolls.

The dry wash in the Californian low desert.


Another of the washes. Notice the owl on the branch on the left keeping an eye on us.

Here are my hiking team members. Roxy, my black lab mix; Fuzzy the Aussie Shepherd and Barbi, the pit mix. We're working on our 'sit-stay' here as gate crashing before I get the gate open gets old fast!!

I'm linking this to Theme Thursday. The theme over there is 'country' this week. Please click on the link to see more entries.

Lavender Festival

2011-06-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Can there be anything more relaxing than wandering through lavender fields, inhaling the glorious scent from acres of various varieties of flowering specimens, while listening to classical music played on grande piano? It gets even better: the piano music is augmented by the jingle from the harness and the soft thud from the hooves of the huge glossy horses as they patiently pull wagons of sightseers through the gently waving blooms.

I could go on and on - actually I already have!

Here's the 411: Highland Springs Lavender Festival 2011.

Highland Springs is a historical location near Beaumont, California. In the wild and woolly days of the state's history it used to be a Butterfield Stage Station, then railway station, and in the 1920's it became a health spa. The health spa part of it went into decline for many years and is trying to make a come back, this time as a resort and an organic farm. I do hope it makes it.

I'll be there tomorrow to get my fix of lavender lemonade and lavender ice cream for the year.

Not Your Everyday Weekend

2011-05-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those weekends that has you on Monday morning shaking your head gently and smiling quietly to yourself? I'm not talking about anything major like getting a last minute reprieve from the rapture. No, just unexpected whimsical little events that aren't much in themselves but add up to that nice warm feeling of everything being right in the world, at least for now.

On Saturday morning I saw my first snake for the season. It wasn't a dangerous variety and it wasn't particularly afraid of me. It started to disappear down a hole but then paused and let me admire it's beautiful coloring and even take a couple of pictures of it, before I left it to enjoy it's own company again.

I drove on to a small mountain town nearby for lunch. There was a nice looking Greek Restaurant I hadn't eaten at before and was thinking to try it. I wasn't expecting to find Aristotle's (?) head lying in the garden! The patio diners were chuckling as the passers by - me included - were doing double takes when they spotted it. The rest of the statue wasn't on the property that I could see.

The other little piece of whimsy I'll mention was at the mountain clothing store. Who'd have thought someone would have installed a vintage refrigerator door as the door to the changing room!! Quirky creativity. I love it!

Changing room door

Mmmm.....what does this say about the food here?

Snake head first into a hole

Linking to Macro Monday at http://lisaschaos.com/

The Beauty of Stargazer Lilies

2011-05-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

I find these particular lilies irresistible! Long after I want to stop taking pics the fragrance keeps me there. Today's post is quite the cliche but - well, I was bewitched by a lily.

Linked to Macro Monday.

Welcome Warmer Weather!

2011-05-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

Though it's not yet summer we've had our share of blistering hot sunny days here and what better way to cool down than strip off and jump under the sprinkler. I love the innocence of this age and I especially love the new Easter bonnet.

Macro Monday 20110509

" Find a Pattern...

2011-05-01T23:50:00.000-07:00

then break it" was the advice given to me years ago when I first began my photography classes. For some reason that expression came back to me today as I was sitting on a park bench, camera in hand, watching the beautiful light as the sun slid slowly toward the western horizon. With all the golden light flickering through the green leaves and leaving dappled shadows all around me all I found to inspire me was monochrome. This common little moth sharing the bench beside me.

I had some fun playing with the patterns and angles with my patient companion and offer this as my
Macro Monday entry for this week. Click on the link for more entries.

Avian Camo Colouring - Nature Notes 20110428

2011-04-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

I eventually spotted this cute little bird in the Ocotillo bush after hearing he/she chortle for a while. I'm guessing it is some sort of finch. The colouring was so similar to that of the Ocotillo flowers that I really had to look to find it, and when I finally saw it the beak was filled with orange blossoms. Nature does a great job with camouflage colouring doesn't she?

Linked to Nature Notes

The Outdoor Lifestyle - ABC Wednesday.

2011-04-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hiking in the Santa Rosa Basin Preserve - notice the orange backpack.

Since I've moved to a different area the landscape is quite different to the harshly beautiful desert I've grown to love.

I snapped this picture while I was out exploring the outdoors where I now live. It's on the Santa Rosa Basin Preserve which it used to be a thriving cattle ranch of many thousands of acres. It still looks like cattle country to me and I can easily imagine the Cartwright boys driving the herd through here. The original old adobe structures that housed the cowboys are still standing and are in great shape, thanks to the tender loving care of the folks at the Preserve.

Some of the many Oaks on the Preserve.

To experience the great outdoors be it on foot, on a bike or even on a horse this is a fine place to visit.

This is my ABC Wednesday's 'O' entry for this week. Click on the link to see more entries.

Day Spa for Sheep

2011-04-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what you can find right under your nose in your own neighborhood if you keep your eyes open and have a smidgen of luck. Last week I stumbled across the sheep at the end of my street being shorn. I quickly asked if I could grab some photos and then ran home to swap my dogs, who'd been enjoying a leisurely walk, for my cameras.

Overnight the yards were erected, the machines installed, and the contract shearing crew were half way through the 500 ewes by the time I saw them in mid morning. Those huge old sheep were clipped down in no time at all. 10 shearers were flying through them, 2 shed hands were hauling the fleeces up to one man who was pressing the wool into large bales. Two others with their energetic dogs were driving the sheep up to the shearers, and one more helper was counting the shorn sheep. Before the last sheep was shorn the yards were already being dismantled.

By midday all the sheep were sporting their summer dos and were back out in their field. I talked to some of the boys afterward and they told me they had 4 days work in the area then were heading back up to Sacramento for another days work. That's a long drive when they have to haul all their equipment with them, but that's their life and they seem to enjoy it, but the work is very hard.
F

Taking a moment to refresh

Wool bales

Linking to: macro Monday at Lisa's Chaos

'N' is for Noses - ABC Wednesday

2011-04-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

As I was going through some of my recent pictures I noticed a lot of noses. I have the nares and nostrils from sheep, alpacas, horses, dogs and more. Just as well I've stayed with the animals. I really don't want to appear too nosy and get on someone's nerves.
ABC Wednesday Click the link to see more creative entries.

Alpaca Comings and Goings

2011-04-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Avatar at 5 months old

It was somewhat of a sad day here yesterday. It was time for Avatar, the beautiful little cria, to leave us. He was born just too beautiful and now he is going be doing the show circuit for the next few months. He and little Moki were the best of friends so they will miss each other.

Moki won't be lonely for long, though. In exchange for Avatar we have Sam, another gentle baby boy. Sam was born handsome, too, and with excellent fiber, but he has a big brown patch on his pert little nose which makes his unsuitable for showing. I personally think it makes him even more special, however I may be the only one that thinks so!

l-r: Sam, Moki and Avatar, with Avatar's mom on the far right just before Avatar and mom left us.

I'm looking forward to Sam and Moki kicking up their heels together soon.
This is linked to Farm Friend Friday. It's my first posting there and probably not my last - I love most things country.

Walking the Fault Line - Nature Notes 20110414

2011-04-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was back out in the low desert of the Palm Springs area when my drive was interrupted by a road block. Instead of waiting it out I took a detour which took me past the Coachella Valley Preserve at 1000 Palms. That's where I detoured a second time :) - I was getting the hang of it by then!

1000 Palms is an oasis in the desert caused by subterranean water seeping up through the cracks in the rock below, providing a year round water source. To me this particular fault line is the infamous San Andreas Fault. To the original inhabitants of the area it was an important food and water source to sustain them through the incredibly hot summers here. Beneath these massive fan palms the temperatures are up to 15.F lower than in the blazing sun just 100 yards away.

A little palm tree sustained by the permanent spring caused by the rock fissure

One of the hiking trails through the huge shaggy palms.

Nowadays it is a lovely serene preserve where there are plenty of hiking trails and ranger lead interpretive hikes. In fact, I couldn't resist taking this photo below. After all it isn't that often I see a 'Mr Leggett' and a 'Mr Walker' leading hikes! I guess Ms Furlong and Ms Steptoe had the day off.

Nature Notes for this week. Click on this link to see more.

Menifee Harvest Market!

2011-04-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

I'm still enjoying exploring my new area. This new shopping center intrigued me with it's country farm style landscaping. After wandering around snapping a few pics I bought a coffee and sat down to enjoy it by the water feature. Right there in front of me was this huge 'M' and, of course, my imagination took me straight to this weeks ABC Wednesday. The M stands for Market, the Menifee Harvest Market, the name of the center.

Here's another look at it.

Enter Jemina Puddleduck

2011-04-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

I spent a glorious afternoon yesterday visiting one of my most favorite places in the whole western world - the Whitewater Preserve near Palm Springs, California. They were facilitating an art show there on the lawn with an auction of art work to follow. It was a promotion and fund raising venture for the conservancy.

I was so excited to get out in nature, meet some creative people and, of course, invite some beautiful birds and animals to pose for me. I had a great time but at the end of the day Ms Jemina Puddleduck and her handsome partner were my best pictures. They arrived late in the day and used all their combined mooching experience to entertain us - and attempt to get fed naturally!

I'm linking this to macro Monday

Spring has Sprung!

2011-03-31T23:00:00.000-07:00

All the animals and birds around seem to jumping for the joy of spring in the air. The baby alpacas just couldn't contain their high spirits as they cavorted around the corral.

The sparrow...well...not sure what to say about her antics. I had a cute little 2 year old girl on my lap when I saw these sparrows (originally there were two) on the wall. I tried to grab a picture however my camera had found it's way to some setting I've never be able to find in the 300+ page manual! Mmm, those dexterous little fingers.

I quickly got the camera sorted and grabbed this shot as my little friend's dad equally quickly diverted those little fingers as they grabbed for the lens when I clicked. I had one very sticky camera when I got home, and some very odd pictures, so I think these would qualify for Theme Thursday's "Silly" topic of the week.

Chocolate Lilies and such... Nature Notes 03302011

2011-03-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Lily Fritillaria biflora

I found my way to the Santa Rosa Basin Preserve recently. It's thousands of acres of ranch land in the Ortega Mountains that have been made into a nature preserve with many hiking trails through wildlife impregnated scenery.

With guide map in one hand and camera in the other I picked a trail to hike. I eventually stumbled across a photographer stretched out on the ground. He had one of those fancy tripods that set close to the ground, and mounted on it was enough camera equipment to to keep me fed and clothed for a year, so I figured he was on to something good. I was right. When I looked where his lens was pointing there was a beautiful dainty little rich brown flower. I chatted with him for a few moments and learned that the flower was the relatively rare Chocolate Lily, aka Mission Bells. I thought it a little rude to hijack his flower patch - though I did think about it, shame on me - so I wandered on keeping an eye out for Chocolate Lilies. I didn't have to go far.

California Poppies

I also found some vibrant California Poppies (above) which weren't fully open as the day was a little dull.

There was also a flourishing patch of wild lupine and, last but not least, many of these little black and gold caterpillars, below.

These are my Nature Notes for this week. Click here to see more.

A Late Burst of Gold

2011-03-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

We've been having some pretty rainy weather here in Southern California and it seems never ending. Cold front after cold front has washed across the plains where I live, and when some late afternoon started peeking through a couple of days ago I had to run out and grab some pics just in case I forget what sun looks like!

My neighbors' little pony was as happy to feel the sun on his skin as I was.

The new high school across the field was just glowing in the damp air. The bright red paint work made the structure very attractive in the golden light.

I'm linking this to the Scenic Sunday meme. Hop on over and see some more beautiful scenes from around the world.

Happy St Patrick's Day!!

2011-03-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

May you all experience happy surprises and have the luck of the Irish on your side.

Desert Observations - ABC Wednesday

2011-01-04T23:16:00.000-08:00

Yellow Brittlebush flowers in Joshua Tree National Park, California

I've only lived in the desert five years but during that time I've noticed so many of the most common plants here have yellow flowers. Or lavender. Yes, there are other colors and yet yellow and lavender are the most predominant colors. I wonder why that may be?

So while I'm still researching this phenomenom I'll post some of the glorious yellow flowers from my garden and surrounding area. For more ABC Wednesday entries head on over to http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/ and see what other creative 'Y' entries there are.

Brittlebush

Lantana

Instead of Hitting the post-Christmas Sales...

2010-12-31T13:04:00.000-08:00

I went for a stroll in the park with my camera. It was the first fine day we'd had in a while and I just couldn't rake up any enthusiasm for buying another gadget I didn't need, so I took a detour to the civic center park nearby.

Mother Nature affirmed my decision with this glorious flower from the Hong Kong Orchid Tree. Very soon the whole tree will be covered, I caught the early blooms.

When I got home this little fellow presented it's self. I was actually trying to snap a picture of my dogs and this bird was in the tree right above me.....

I think it's a Black Phoebe but not sure. It has a way of popping a feathery crest up on the top of it's head. There are quite a few of them around here and they seem to enjoy dining on flying insects which they catch mid flight.

As I was downloading these picture the little Quail decided he wanted to pose and get his Christmas picture taken, too! I took this through the window from my office. I'm sure he knew I was there but for a quail he wasn't too nervous.

This is my Nature Notes entry for the week.

Xeriscaping

2010-12-28T22:06:00.000-08:00

Also known as Xerogardening , Xeriscaping is an eco-friendly way of gardening which is becoming very popular as more home owners are understanding the necessity of harboring what's left of our natural resources.

By making use of plants native to the area for landscaping, then taking a thoughtful look at the placement of these plants, many benefits can be passed to the home owner or the people lucky enough to be living in the home.

Less maintenance required is one big reward from my point of view at least. The native plants don't tend to get out of control so much when the conditions are good, and neither do they required 'babying' or other particular care to coerce them into growing. Less maintenance is also a factor with the gardeners not having to bust out hedge trimmers to tame the rampant growth, or take out dead material for that matter, which leads to another couple of benefits: less fossil fuel used and therefore less pollution caused.

By their very nature native plants have adapted to the local area and consequently don't need fertilizing or pesticides. Now those are two biggies for me! The less chemicals I have around me the better I like it. When the soil needs amending I add mulch to it then sprinkle the sand back over top. Adding large rocks around the base of the trees helps keep moisture in and prevents the blistering hot sun from cooking the roots of the plants. I've been quite surprised to learn how such simple remedies can make such a big difference to the health of the plants.

Watering is always a major concern here in my little corner of the desert. I want to use a little as possible, of course, but some of the older trees aren't natives although they do have quite frugal water requirements for the most part. As they die out I'm having them replaced with natives.

This beautiful Smoke Tree is a native which usually only grows in dry washes which may get rain once a year. It's a case of when it rains it pours in the desert, so the Smoke Tree has adapted by sucking up enough water to last it a year during one good storm.

Here, above, there is a combination of imported and native. The Chinese Elm on the left, also known as the Lacebark Elm, is a lovely tree but not a local. Next is the lemon tree. It isn't local either but does very well in the desert conditions, so it'll probably get to stay. It requires a lot of water but only once or twice a week, so it's welled around the roots to hold the water and not have it run off and be wasted. Next to the lemon tree on the right is the tough native, the Palo Verde. It doesn't require any supplemental watering as long as it can access some of the lemon tree's stash.

This combination above looks lush but really requires very little water. The Palo Verde creates a light shade canopy which enables more delicate plants to flourish (though most of them are not native is this case - we're a work in progress!) and at the same time provides good cover for the wildlife.

As this is my ABC Wednesday entry I had to include my Chinese native, the Xylosma. I don't think it was ever intended to be a tree, only a shrub, but has great texture to its bark so I couldn't resist taking it's picture.

I'd also like to acknowledge EarthEasy.com for the information on Xeriscaping. It's a great blog and website so take a peek.

Simple Sunday

2010-12-26T09:33:00.000-08:00

After all the flurry of activity leading up to Christmas it's nice just to kick back, do nothing in particular and eat delicious leftovers. A perfect day! Even the weather is encouraging "sloth" mode. It's very still, quite chilly and looks as though I'll get more rain before the day is done.

The sun was beautiful when I got up, though. Golden and filtered so I took this shot from my bedroom door. It was taken on my point and shoot; if I'd taken the time to pull out my other camera I may have got a nicer picture or simply missed it altogether as it quickly slid behind the high hazy clouds.

Yesterday I was out walking for a little while and snapped these next two at the golf course just down the street from me. It was Christmas Day and I loved that one of the golfers had his festive sweater on.

Winters in the desert can be absolutely spectacular. It wasn't by chance that Palm Springs, California, quickly became the 'go-to' place for the rich and famous Hollywood crowd. Back in the days of early to mid century Palm Springs was at it's heyday. Yes, it had glorious weather, but, equally important, it was also exactly 100 miles from Los Angeles. When the stars were under contract with a movie company they were forbidden to travel more than 100 miles from the studio so Palm Springs quickly became to place to come to to unwind for the weekend. It is still popular but now more accessible to wider demographic.

This is my first entry in the Scenic Sunday blog. Hop on over to see some more great pictures.

What a Wonderful Day.

2010-12-25T20:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Season's Greeting and blessings to all.

Christmas Bull?

I took a long grounding walk around my neighborhood early in the afternoon partly to fire up the metabolism for upcoming Christmas dinner assault. I couldn't help being in gratitude. The sun was shining, the temperatures were balmy and it was so peaceful. My heart goes out to those stuck in airports around the world, trapped by ferocious weather, to those whose families have suffered hardship and loss through the year, to those who've born the brunt of natural disasters and I truly hope that 2011 brings some peace.

Christmas dinner - no doggy bag required.

Followed by a nice relaxing stroll


Unused doggy bags get filled with fresh fruit....

then wander back home again.

"Water, Water Everywhere...

2010-12-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

and not a drop to drink", so goes the line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner".

Well, I can certainly relate as my lovely dry low desert has been raining non-stop now since Saturday, a constant steady rain that is causing washouts, surface flooding and creating plenty of work for the local auto body shops, as I have first hand experience of. My car was rear-ended by a distracted driver at a red light yesterday. No injuries and little damage to my vehicle but more serious damage to the front of the car which tagged me. Fortunately good will prevailed and neither of us got too upset.

So, today for ABC Wednesday, instead of some lovely pics I intended to take at the White Water Preserve on Sunday where I'd hoped to have a picnic with friends, I'll skip the "White" and just settle for the Water! The Preserve was rained out and the rangers are still holed up up there in the canyon as the White Water River is still too dangerous to cross. Don't be concerned for the rangers, though, as they are loving every minute of it - it's a huge adventure for them, lol!!!

Game interrupted!

Water droplets on the shade cloth of the plant nursery yesterday.

Of course, a roof leak is always fun to deal with - if it ever stops raining, naturally.

I'm beginning to think I'll be needing the Ancient Mariner's boat. It's a pity he sank it.

You may also want to check http://rav4adventures.blogspot.com/2010/12/w-is-for-weatherabc-wednesday-122210.html for more watery weather on Wednesday in the desert. That's my W entry for this week.

Spot the Difference

2010-12-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

I just love humor and whimsy and I just had to share this with you.

Earlier this year Little Hawk made a dive for a quail and missed. I saw the commotion outside my kitchen window and by the time I got out there with my camera he was up a palm tree shaking of his frustrations. He allowed me to snap a couple of nice pics before leaving.

Does anyone know what hawk he is? I've been trying to find out for a while now. He's definitely comfortable in the low desert of Southern California.

Moving forward in time to yesterday evening I spotted these two independent chickens of mine attempting to spend the night on the wild side. Couldn't resist posting the comparison.

I was able to rescue the girls, silly things.

This is my first posting linked to Nature Notes, at the http://ramblingwoods.com/ blog. Thanks Michelle.

ABC Wednesday.... V is for Vegetables

2010-12-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

This morning I was stumped as to what I could use for "V" in today's ABC Wednesday's 'V' entry. I was running around doing my chores, drawing a blank, and as I pulled into the parking lot where our weekly Farmers Market is held I had one of those forehead slapping moments: duh...vegetables!!! And just what parking lot was I in??? None other than that of the local Visitors Center. I even noticed several of the vendors had Visa Card symbols posted. It all seems so easy now, lol.

I only had my little point and shoot camera with me so I snapped some shots of the variety of goodies for sale and had a little fun putting them into a collage.
.

Some Days are Just Too Much Fun!!

2010-12-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Every so often I get out and do somethings that I've never done before, like today. I got up close and literally in the face of my first Alpaca!!!

A little date with a toothbrush is warranted perhaps?

My friend, a consummate animal lover, has bought herself a property which she is setting up as a dog grooming and animal boarding establishment. It's my personal opinion that this is just a cover story! I think this is going to be a home for every lost, abandoned or injured animal - or bird or reptile - that ever found itself in dire straights.

Her first guests are these four alpacas. What beautiful gentle creatures they are. I've never been near one before and was able to mingle with them and get to know them a little. After I'd shot a bunch of pictures me friend handed me a bowl of food for them and told me to take it quickly into their smaller pen and divide amongst the 3 bowls. Well, surprise! I was being mugged by all three of them! Thank goodness I'm not the nervous type but I did scurry with the food before I was trampled half to death. Actually, I was in no danger, but it was a little disconcerting as I have had nothing to with them before, as I mentioned.

Little Avatar (below) is only four weeks old and was running his little legs off around the corral. His pent up energy was being dispersed in awkward leaps and bounds. He was not the most graceful little fellow but filled the joy of living. So delightful.

Whilst these aren't exactly macro shots I hope at least one of them is close enough to qualify for my Macro Monday entry.

The Test of Time

2010-12-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

This bold skeleton of a once majestic Palo Verde Tree dominates the landscape in the back of my yard. It couldn't stand the test of time as few living things do, but even in it's declining days I love it's raw beauty.

Every time I walk past it I marvel at it's unique curving of it's branches and the way the light is hitting it just so, and usually end up photographing it again and again. Today I noticed the lantana growing at it's base had pushed it's way up under the bark.

The lantana is testing the tree. For ever action there's an equal and opposite reaction, I was taught is my physics classes years ago. The old tree decays and the new lantana thrives.

And I observe.

That's is for this week's Theme Thursday posting.

"U" is for a Unique and Unusual Unicorn

2010-12-07T20:37:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend, Gala, is a very talented artist and, with her permission, I have used the Unicorn from one of her murals as my inspiration for this week's ABC Wednesday entry. Gala painted this Unicorn as part of a mural on a wall of a spiritual center near here. Here are a few more views of this mural:

Here's a shot of the entire wall.

Thanks Gala for the use of your delightful art.

Drop by Gala's website at Palm Springs Breathwork to see what other talents this woman has.

Check out some of the other ABC Wednesday entries.

'T' is for Teaching - in 1915!

2010-11-30T20:19:00.001-08:00

Last week I had some time on my hands so I wandered through the Coachella Valley Museum in Indio, an old town not far from here. The wonderful little museum bases itself in the old doctor's residence and right next door in the first school in the area, which is now part of the museum.

As I know a few teachers, I was immensely tickled with the rules posted which the teacher had to follow back in 1915, and just had to share! This lends itself beautifully to this week's ABC Wednesdays 'T' theme.

Below the picture I've included the translation if this is difficult to read - my little point and shoot camera isn't too effective against shiny surfaces so I had to work the angle a little.

1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.

2. You are not to keep company with men.

3. You must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function.

4. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.

5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board.

6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.

7. You may not smoke cigarettes.

8. You may not dress in bright colors.

9. You may under no circumstances dye your hair.

10. You must wear at least two petticoats.

11. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankles.

12. To keep the school room neat and clean, you must: sweep the floor at least once daily, scrub the floor at least once a week with hot, soapy water, clean the blackboards at least once a day, and start the fire by 7am so that the room will be warm by 8am.

Now, are we clear about the rules? Does no loitering in ice cream parlors mean you can hang out in bars? Up til 8pm only, of course. The other thing that gives me pause for thought is that I don't think deodorant was invented back then and the poor teacher had to wear not one, but two, petticoats in the summer. Indio gets way over 100.F even in the late spring and early fall, so that must have been pleasant for all concerned.

Here's another couple of pictures of the school room:

For some more fun "T' themes click on over to http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

A Tough Week....

2010-11-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

...but perhaps things will be ok afterall. Fuzzy, the handsome, laid-back, good natured furr ball who's chosen me as his person, has had a very rough week. Finally yesterday morning there was a spark back in his eye and this morning, for the first time in more than a week, I felt the familar 'ankle wrap' as I walked across the lawn. The 'ankle wrap' is Fuzzy's signature move - loosely wrapping his large hairy paws around my ankle as I attempt to walk. This is a typical puppy trick, usually accompanied by pin sharp teeth; but Fuzz never did this as a pup, - and never bites, either.

Fuzzy shredding a wind blown palm frond.

"Yep, I have it under control now!"

Fuzzy started showing signs of internal distress more than a week ago and we visited the vet which didn't seem to help much. Back to vet again on Saturday morning before Thanksgiving, more treatments, more medicine, but this time the vet felt there was some improvement and was very reluctant to offer surgery as a solution. Using both allopathic and holistic measures we gradually pulled Fuzzy back to good health. Fingers crossed for a complete recovery.

Thank you, Dr Kevin Fenton, of All Creatures Veterinary Care, for caring enough about Fuzzy to call me for a progress report on Thanksgiving morning!!

"R" is for ...... Well, all sorts of things!

2010-11-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

My blogging has had a bit of a hiatus lately with extra work loads and a new computer to try to find my way around. However, it's Wednesday today and I've been looking at a few of the ABC Wednesday entries and gotten myself all inspired again.

I was chatting to a friend on the phone and saw this bold little guy destroying one of my plants right out my window. I was attempting to move him along when I occurred to me that 'rabbit begins with R, just grab your camera and take a photo!!' So here is the slightly peeved expression of a rabbit who was enjoying his morning meal before I so rudely interrupted him!

Ravenous Rabbit

In this beautiful mostly wilderness area in which I live I have collected a lot of wildlife pictures over the summer so here is a selection of some of my "R" pictures.

Reptiles - Garter Snake and Lizard

Rodent - Rat Momma and Baby

Raven

The first picture below the Ravenous Rabbit is of two reptiles, a snake hoping to make a meal out of the lizard. The lizard survived the encounter on this occasion but not by much.

Next I have a momma Rat moving her new born babies from under the roof of the house, where evidently it got too hot for her, down the olive tree to a new location of her choice - far from the house, I hope.

The last of the trio is one of a pair of Ravens who live in the neigbourhood. They often visit but I find them quite difficult to photograph, perhaps because they're so black it's hard to pick up the detail on them.

Last but most definitely not least, is the diva Roxy. She is very much part of the environment here and, in her opinion, the reigning Queen of the estate!

Roxy

Q is for Quail - ABC Wednesday

2010-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

I am fortunate to have several families of Gambel's Quail living in my yard and the surrounding brush, which I can find endless enjoyment from watching. Photographing them isn't easy, especially as I have a little hawk also in the area. This little hawk seems to consider quail a particular delicacy so as long as he is around the quail are a whole lot more jittery than usual.

'Q' was the ABC Wednesday letter this week so I just had to post some pictures of my neighbourhood quail I've managed to aquire over the summer. As I mentioned above Little Hawk is also a resident so it just didn't seem fair to leave him out.


"Are you *sure* the coast is clear, honey?"

A scruffy teenager.

The boldness of youth!

Not too far away Little Hawk is waiting for one of the Quail kids to succumb to a moment of inattention.

Anyone know what hawk he is? I'm thinking a Cooper's Hawk but I'm really only guessing. He is smaller then the Red Tailed Hawk I sometimes see.

Nature is endlessly fascinating. When all the critters have gotten used to me being around they relax into their usual patterns of behaviour. That is when I can simply spend hours watching and learning.

Palm Tree Trimming

2010-11-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

Each year in the early summer there is a movement afoot here in the desert to get the old growth trimmed off the palm trees. There are reasons both for and against this procedure. It certainly does tidy the trees up and make the property appear more manicured. On the other hand and untrimmed tree provides homes for various otherwise homeless critters. Now, I'm not quite convinced I need to provide a home for a rat family this close to my house, so my palms get trimmed. Besides, all the flowers and seeds from the palms are notorious for clogging up swimming pool filters.


The tree in the center is trimmed, the one to the right untrimmed.

These palms are Mexican Fan Palms and are among the tallest varieties. The ladder leaning on the tree above is 30 feet fully extended. The tree trimmer climbs to the top of the ladder then scales the rest of the tree by wrapping a wire rope around the tree, attaching it to a harness he's wearing, then scrambling up the tree with the aid of steel spikes strapped to his boots.

Boots, hat and harness.

Tree trimming is most definitely a young man's game and a dangerous one at that. Especially when done this way.


These spikes on the boots help with his traction.

Very nonchalant for 55-60 feet in the air!

The older and more cautious tree trimmers have a boom to raise them up there. Of course, this only works if the trees are in an area where the boom can reach the tree. In the pictures below the trees are being trimmed on another property using the boom. I'm always impressed with the precision these guys have and the speed at which the task is completed. Within 10 minutes these boys will have a tree manicured to perfection and all the debris put through the mulcher for future use.

I'm linking this post to ABC Wednesday's Blog Spot featuring the letter 'P'. Click on the link to see more entries.

"I just wanna piece of you! .... Now!!"

2010-10-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

This seriously agitated Vinegaroon Spider was rounded up in my house over the summer. The live capture was made by a kind-hearted guest who didn't want to see the spider hurt, which I appreciated, too. Although the wine glass looks to be regular sized it is in fact a very large one and the spider was around 4 inches long!! My uninvited guest was not in the mood for picture taking - or much else, actually - so after a few quick shots we released him outside. Far outside.

My Macro Monday shot for this week. Check in and see more great pics here.

Some of you have expressed interest in see a few more pics of my unhappy guest so here they are.

Happy Halloween!!!

2010-10-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Cereus Peruvianus Monstrosus!

This is a cactus from my garden. It really is called Monstrosus and for good reason. It is the oddest shape of any cactus I've seen. Another name for it is the Curiosity Plant.

Here are another couple of looks at it:

I'm linking this to the Theme Thursday blog as my monster of the week. Click on this link to see other Halloween Monsters and have yourself a howling good Halloween!

Ocotillo, Oleander, Owls and Others

2010-10-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm continuing my ongoing project of documenting all the plants in the yard and their specific needs. It's quite a fun project and definitely a learning experience. When I reached the "O" section this morning I was quite surprised with the number of plants and trees that qualified.

First up and one of the most striking and unusual plants is the Ocotillo. For most of the year it looks like a bunch of very thorny 10 feet tall (or taller) sticks poking out of the ground, but with the merest hint of rain it has little green leaves pop out along it's full length. In spring it has the most glorious orange blossom extend from the end of it's branches.

The Oleander (below) is quite a well-known tree and for good reason. It's fast growing, has beautiful flowers and really is quite uncomplicated provided it's got the space. Apparently it's a little on the toxic side too, but as I'm not intending eating it, or feeding it to anyone for that matter, we should be ok.

Then there is the robust Olive tree and the Orchid Tree with it's delicate heart shaped leaves. Each year there is a blanket of spectacular, highly scented pink orchid flowers in the spring and bountiful crop of black olives in the fall.

I think my favourite tree of all in the "Owl Tree". It's the remnants of a huge old Palo Verde tree which a Great Horned Owl lived in for a few days one summer. It just sat up there and surveyed it's surrounding for no apparent reason. It was totally unconcerned with construction going on, dogs around or me taking endless pictures. Since then the tree has died and but I like to keep it around still. I'd love to see another owl up there but in the meantime I'm happy that the little woodpeckers are finding it a nice hangout.

I'm linking this to ABC Wednesday, http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

All Thorns are not Cacti

2010-10-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun putting together a catalogue of all the plants growing on the property. Kind of a nursery folder to help identify them and a personal care package for them. It's turning into quite an education for me. Before I came to the desert I thought all there was was cactus and sage bushes with the odd tumbleweed thrown in for variety. I believe I grew up watching too many westerns.

Neither of these two specimens below are cacti but both have wicked thorns none the less. The Dasylirion Wheeleri below has such a cool name it qualifies as my Theme Thursday entry for this week. Below it is what's known as Crown of Thorns, a variety of Euphorbia, Euphorbia Milii.

These next two are cacti. The first one is one of my favorites. It's called the Curiosity Plant. Every so often it throws out a huge creamy coloured flower with a deep pink edge. Just beautiful.

I think this variety below, which I haven't identified yet, is really sweet - it keeps it's delicate new spines covered til they're mature enough to really stick me! So thoughtful, isn't it?

There are so many varieties and species of vegetation here that I'm finding it quite fascinating how they can all survive in this harsh environment. Of course, putting this book together with all their TLC notes will help.

Joshua Tree Inspiration

2010-10-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

I was recently visited Joshua Tree National Park, near Palm Springs, California, with my camera. I was hoping to find some inspiration to get my creative juices flowing again. This little fellow did it. It's a baby Desert Horned Lizard and it was so obliging for me. I'm amazed I even noticed it as it was so tiny, probably less than 3 inches long and the same colour as the sand. Maybe it just wanted it's picture taken. Ok, little fellow, you can be my Monday Macro entry at Lisa's Chaos Blog.

Weekend Reflections 2010-10-15

2010-10-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

There had been a few days of unsettled weather here in my corner of the desert. Usually we can count on endless days of crystal clear skies so I got quite a shock as I was returning to my truck with an arm full of supplies, clear blue skies in front of me and I was this reflection in my window! Whoa! Before I had driven the 8 miles home again I was caught in a torrential downpour!

I had my little point and shoot camera with me so I snapped this shot. Later that day it was all clear again and as I backed my truck up to wash it I caught the reflections of this sunset in the opposite window. It's just a pity the sun didn't hang around til after I washed the truck!

Check out other reflections here.

"Knots in my hair, soap in my eyes....

2010-10-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

I am not impressed!"

Over the summer I watched this beautiful little horse work out in an arena going through his paces. What a sight! I was mesmerized as he showed off his high-stepping gaits. At the end of a short but fairly intensive work out he was given cooling hose down which he seemed to enjoy. However, I tickled to see the look on his face when his mane and forelock got a good shampooing. He was a tangled knotted mess there for a while which he suffered with immense dignity. What a great shot for this week's Theme Thursday entry.

Mystery Bug

2010-10-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

I'm never quite sure what I'm going to see in my yard these days. This handsome fellow doesn't have a stinger so I'm guessing it's not a bee.

Anyone know what it may be?

I'm linking this to the Macro Monday blog. This will be my first posting there.

Let the Games Begin...

2010-10-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

I just love when the dogs start feeling frisky and I have my camera handy...

My Uh "Cute" Little Visitor

2010-10-05T01:06:00.000-07:00

This really seems to have been my year for unorthodox visitors from the Great Outdoors! Usually my furry, feathered, hairy or, oh my!, scaly critters have been outside at the window looking in, but not always. I've had scorpions and seriously large spiders in the house this summer and they aren't good for my blood pressure. I've had misguided hummingbirds fluttering around, a little lizard and even a bat. Today, however, reached a whole new level of "oh, sh----udder!!".

Today's special guest was a, drum roll please, little baby King Snake!

My diminutive, but very feisty guest had taken advantage of my open door policy and was making itself at home. I had to be very patient encouraging it to leave. The snake had attitude to spare and it was just a tiny baby so my usual method of a quick flick with the broom out the door again seemed too harsh. I didn't want to injure it's beautiful glossy body so I kept flicking it's little rear end with a towel til I got it outside - but, of course, I had to take some pictures first ....

Distractions, Distractions!!

2010-10-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous evening here. My work was done for the day and the sun was beginning to go down. The lighting was perfect for some fun with my camera. I've been experimenting with ways of getting the best exposure when the sun is very bright and the shadows very dark ie typical desert lighting.

Ok, got the first one. Not great, but somewhere to start. I'm lying on my stomach on the lovely cool grass propping the camera on my elbows trying to hold it steady enough, but it's still a little soft. Try again...

Oh oh, I have 3 little walk-ins. The girls have gotten curious. Ok, Annie, you do make a lovely model. I took a couple more pics, tweaked the camera some more as the girls moved on. Not to worry I have more models waiting in the wings...

One large fuzzy rump presented itself up close and personal! Well, fella, you may think you're a fine model but I'd like to point out that, yes, that does make your butt look big!

Ah well, just as well I don't mind the distractions too much. By now the light wasn't too good any more so I got one last shot of Miss Roxy enjoying herself before heading in...

I didn't want anyone feeling left out on this perfect balmy evening.

I've found some more cows!!

2010-09-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

Meet "Cowlamity Jane"...

Isn't she just adorable!

I recently heard about a weekend swapmeet in a country town about 45 minutes away which was supposedly quite interesting and fun. Saturday morning rolled around and with our pockets full of stray pennies a friend and I hit it. The info was correct, this place was FUN!!! "Cowlamity Jane", complete with six-gun on her hip and stetson on her head immediately got my attention - well, how could she not? On closer inspection I was tickled even more to note she was elegantly staged on a sheriff's department trailer.

Miss Cowlamity wasn't alone, though. She was accompanied by her beautiful Holstein sister. The un-named sis was relegated to pulling a buggy but she was no wall flower. Looking just a little worse for the wear she still posed proudly in all her fiberglass (or was it plastic?) glory.

If you're ever in the treasure hunting mode and live in Southern California take a trip to the Yucca Valley swapmeet.

Bovine Adventures

2010-09-15T01:22:00.000-07:00

I love cows. Always have. I love most animals but the bovine sort have always been special favorites and there are very few, if any, where I live. Last weekend when I driving home through the valley in the mountains above my place I spotted some of these beautiful creatures near the road. I just had to turn around and go back for a visit. As I did I couldn't help but notice that although the girls were a variety of colors they were almost perfectly camouflaged in the dappled shade. That must have made the cowboys work a lot more difficult finding them in the days of the open range.

These cows were fairly wild and not used to people being too close, especially on foot and waving a camera, so I had to be a little careful as to not upset them too much. Mission accomplished! They allowed me to hang out for a while without freaking out and bolting into the trees, and I got some bovine time. I'm happy now.

Goodwill Hunting Sunday

2010-09-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

Actually it was more like antique shopping, either way I find it so much fun meandering through massive amounts of preloved treasures looking for the curious. Like this parking meter below .... ?? Huh?? I wonder what stories it could tell? And I wonder if I placed it in my favorite parking spot would it deter others from snaking that spot for themselves. Or perhaps I'd simply make enough money from it to buy myself the odd cup of coffee?

Oh, and what's with those eggs? Did someone throw their chicken out with the junk?

Whoa baby!! What the heck is that? Kinda freaky here. It was facing the door almost deterred me from entering this store. I skirted timidly around it and got right back into my excavating grubby corners mode. So much to see and so many stories that have been told and long forgotten as time past.

This imperious looking gent below made quite a contrast to the plastic indian in the barbershop chair. I am always amazed at the variety of merchandise these places have and, of course, that's why
I have so much fun meandering through these places.
That's my magic camera ride for today.

The "Girls"

2010-09-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

For the last 10 years I've had a few chickens hanging out. This morning I treated the girls to one of their favourite snacks, corn on the cob. Actually I was using it as a distraction as the girls had noticed I was feeding the dogs. There is nothing more humiliating to the dogs than to be driven from their food by a bold chook and Annie, the brown leghorn in the middle is most definitely a bold chook! Nothing much bothers her including the dogs.

As we can see here Annie has by passed the various (sparkling clean) outdoor water bowls to drink from the inside bowl! Who ever thinks chickens are stupid really doesn't know chickens too well.

Aha! Gotcha this time!

2010-08-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

I love my little quail buddies.

When I first moved here 5 years ago if I was extremely lucky I'd catch a glimpse of one as it, as all it's family, burst into the sky whenever they saw me. I've been quietly working with them ever since and gradually the frenzied flight from danger has progressed to a mad dash on foot to cover when they saw me.

Patience has been rewarded and to the best of my knowledge at least 5 families call this place home. They are still quite jittery but this morning, finally, they allowed me to take some nice pictures of them. From that point it was as though they'd made a collective decision that I am ok as this afternoon there must have been 30 of them from at least 3 different families, all around my back patio and in no particular hurry to get out of sight.

I hope they stay as long as they want - and let me take more pictures.

Storm Coming?

2010-08-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

We've had some tumultuous weather here lately. Extreme heat, extreme humidity and lightening storms causing bush fires. I've been enjoying photographing the clouds as they mill around, take shape, then dissipate again without ever raining. As I was going through my cloud pictures this one caused me to pause. That huge ominous mass is hovering right over my casita, my little house. I can't help but wonder if there isn't a metaphor there?

I Slipped My Leash Today

2010-08-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

I got sent on a errand today to a distant town about 45 minutes away. I deliberately put off leaving til mid afternoon and quietly slipped my camera bag behind the seat as I prepared to depart. You see, there is this beautiful nature reserve that I had to pass on my return trip, and I figured the light would be perfect for some lovely pictures by then....

With impeccable timing I finished my errand and pulled into the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve for the last golden hour of sunlight. I'd 'inadvertently' left my cell phone in my car and by the time I 'remembered' it, well it just didn't seem worth it to walk all the way back to get it, so this one of the trails I wandered along in absolute peace and tranquility.

Just a little further along the trail I saw these butterflies all over some flowers and as I tried to invite one to slow down enough to get it's picture a bee came into the frame, too.

The Preserve gets locked every evening at sundown so I meandered my way home before I was forced to spend the night, keeping my eyes open for any other photo ops. I hadn't realized it was a full moon tonight until I saw it above Desert Hot Springs. I found a rough little goat track off the highway that I could drive up to get some elevation for a moon shot. This is the best I could manage.

Do you think the office has figured out that they should remove my cameras from me before sending on another errand? Hope not ;)

All This Before My Morning Coffee

2010-08-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Living in the Southern Californian Desert has an endless amount of charm. While my morning coffee was brewing and the sun was still dragging itself out of bed I snapped these shots out the (uh hum, none too clean) windows.

Ok, so I can't lounge around the windows all day taking photos and drinking coffee, although that thought is a tough one to shake off. Time to get to work. I know, let's start with cleaning bathrooms......

ARGGG!!!!

And then there is the less charming side of the desert, and now I need a shot of something much stiffer than coffee!

This seriously unhappy camper is a Vinegaroon aka Sun Spider. They are usually large, always fast and quite aggressive. Although their bite isn't considered poisonous they have a set of 4 wicked teeth and aren't afraid to use them. This smallish fellow (the biggest I've seen was 4" long) and I eye-balled each other for several minutes while I tried to think of ways to remove him without hurting either of us. The basin was too smooth for him to get himself out - which is fine by me cos I prefer him outside - far outside. With a pair of leather gloves, a large paint brush, an empty quart yogurt container and, amazingly enough, co-operation from the stranded arachnid, mission was accomplished with ease. Who knew!

Teasing Thunderheads

2010-08-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness it's a hot one today! Those big ol' thunderheads are lurking around the mountains bringing in the humidity and playing with me.

"Are you ready for some rain yet?"

"Yes, please!"

"Mmmm...nah, I'm not ready yet.

But don't you think I'm pretty?"

"Yes, but you asked if I was ready for rain and this place needs to be cooled down..."

"Well, you'll just have to wait until I'm good and ready - and maybe I never will be!"

That is what if feels like outside today. No, it isn't really 118.F, but it sure feels like it. It's probably only around 107.F, which is typical for a desert summer. I think we'll just all stay inside and enjoy a cool drink.

The Lead Characters

2010-08-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

Roxy, the lurcher, aka the Norwegian Racing Sardine, because she's sleek, shiny, very fast and doesn't gain weight. At 10 years and still has her lovely youthful figure. Roxy is also the diva, the princess and will get her brother is trouble any which way she can. Even now, that angelic face is pleading "look, Mom, I've been out there hunting and driving the rabbits off the lawn, working my tail off while he has been sleeping as usual!"

Fuzzy, the kindly, genial, good natured Aussie Shepherd. Nothing much bothers him, not even his recent blindness, and he puts up with his lifelong sister with class and dignity. With a smile on his face and wriggle in his butt he takes his world by charm.

"I heard that! And I wasn't sleeping, I was meditating!"