Sounds~Sunday Stills Challenge 083009

This was a difficult challenge for me this week! I take lots of landscape photos, and my photos usually don't have people in them, let alone sounds. But, on this trip to Williams, AZ, the train to the Grand Canyon was at the station, getting ready to leave. People were boarding, after they heard the whistle. This is one of my husband's favorite sounds, a train. Both his father and grandfather worked for the railroad. Sunday Stills Challenge 083009.

Thunderheads over Bishop, CA~SkyWatch Friday 082809

On this afternoon hubby and I drove down to Bishop, CA because he needed a new lens cap for the camera that he dropped while we were on vacation near Mammoth Lakes. On our way back, I spotted this massive thunderhead over the nearby mountains. There were thunderstorms all over the valley and one developed over Mono Lake. SkyWatch Friday for August 28, 2009.

"F" is for Flagstaff~ABC Wednesday 082609

"F" is for Flagstaff. Hubby and I visited Flagstaff this summer. We love to explore the areas nearby and one evening we drove out past the ski training facility west of town. It was late afternoon and the sunlight turned everything a beautiful shade of yellow. ABC Wednesday for August 26, 2009.

Open road~Sunday Stills Challenge for 082309

As hubby and I were returning from our trip to Bishop to return to the camera store, we took a side road that paralleled Highway 395 north of town. It was bordered by beautiful, sweeping green fields. Thunderheads were developing overhead and hubby took this photo. I was too busy smooching with two horses in the field to even notice! Sunday Stills Challenge for 082409.

Late afternoon, Mono Lake, SkyWatch Friday 082109

Hubby and I drove out to Mono Lake late yesterday afternoon. There were some clouds developing over the lake and we wanted to see if they would be reflected in it. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing so much that the lake wasn't calm enough. But, the sun was reflecting on the tufa and I walked out to the edge of the lake to take some photos. SkyWatch Friday for August 21, 2009.

Bodie, CA

Hubby and I have always heard of Bodie and we have driven by the turnoff countless times, but yesterday was our first visit to the town. Bodie is an old mining town, a ghost town now, and it sits above 8,000 feet north of Mono Lake, CA. It is a 9 mile paved road, then a 4 mile unpaved one. It is operated by the California state parks department and is open daily, in summer, from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Then, everybody is hustled out and the gates are locked! I can see why photographers love Bodie! We were there in the late afternoon and the afternoon light and shadows were wonderful! So wonderful, we are return today, to get pics in the early morning light! Bodie lies in the high desert of California and the desert there is full of sage! In fact, when we get out of the car to take pics, we can smell it. Delightful!

vacation

Desertsouthwest is currently on vacation and will be back online soon!

Clouds over Zion National Park~Sunday Stills Challenge 081509

When we go to St. George, UT, we always take this little county road which travels up, high over the mountains of Zion National Park. The views up there are always gorgeous, especially at sunset. And, so are the clouds~ Sunday Stills Challenge for 081609

Monsoon weather~SkyWatch Friday, 081409

As I was watering out front yesterday morning, I realized that here it is, in the middle of August, and we haven't had our usual monsoon weather until today. I think we had a few sprinkles in June, when we took our vacation to Lake Tahoe and the Sierras. Usually July and August are our monsoon months and we stop and open up our doors and windows during these summer rains. This year, there hasn't been any rain, however. Today we had some humidity and some thunderheads developed over the valley, but no rain. We are driving back to the Sierras next week and the temps there have been in the 40's at night! This weekend we are supposed to be in the low 100's here in the desert and the mid-70's at night. What strange weather we are having! Skywatch Friday for August 14, 2009.

"D" is for...ABC Wednesday, August 12, 2009

desert. While we live in the desert, we also love to travel in the desert. Here are some pics from our desert travels!

Garner Ranch cattle~That's My World 081109

When we aren't eating lunch or dinner in Idywild, we are driving by the Garner Cattle Ranch in Garner Valley, CA. Sometimes the cattle are near the road, but often they aren't. On this day, they were, so we stopped to take some photos of them! Aren't they beautiful? That's My World for August 11, 2009.

Sunday Stills Challenge~4 elements 080909

Oh, boy! This week's challenge was a hard one for me as I just don't have any photos of fire except for one fire in the desert a year ago and I'm saving that for another blog. But, as I started going through my photos, I recalled a visit to Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen West. Hubby and I took the tour through the center and we were so impressed how he used natural things! I believe I do have photos of all 4 elements here: earth, water, air, and fire. Leave it to Frank Lloyd Wright!

On the bottom is earth, next 3 are water, then the next 3 are air, and the top two are fire. If you ever are in Scottsdale, take the time to go on the tour! It is well worth the price and you will remember it forever. All photos taken at Taliesen West by me!

Prarie dog-Camera Critters for 080809

Several years ago hubby and I visited the Living Desert near Tucson, AZ. This was the Living Desert that our Palm Desert one is modeled after and we wanted to see the original. Their exhibits are done in natural settings at both locations. I fell in love with this little prairie dog and spent quite a bit of time taking pics of him. Isn't he CUTE? Camera Critters for 080809.

Moon and yucca~SkyWatch Friday, August 7, 2009

There has been a beautiful full moon this week and one evening, as we were returning from the ranch where our horses are boarded, we saw this view from the road. Moon and yucca. SkyWatch Friday for August 7, 2009.

Moon over valley~That's My World 080309

The sunset and moon last night were absolutely beautiful above our local mountains, so hubby and I took a drive out to Lake Hemet. The air was crisp and cool and the moon was rising. That's My World for 080309.

Flagstaff area fence~Sunday Stills 080209

One morning of our Flagstaff trip, hubby decided he wanted to drive down to Walnut Canyon. Of course, he found a forest road to take and we spotted this fence along the national forest boundary. Sunday Stills Challenge for August 2, 2009.

Do you ever have a day like this? Camera Critters for 080109

I've had quite a few days like this lately. Must be the heat. This was one of the bobcats at the Living Desert Reserve in Palm Desert, CA. Camera Critters for August 1, 2009.