"Trees"~ABC Wednesday 120110

Hubby and I love aspen and we'll drive an hour out of our way sometimes to view them. These are all northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona. We traveled there during October to view the colors on the aspen, but we were too late for this area. But, they have a certain bare, stark quality about them, don't you think? I love to stand among aspen and close my eyes and just listen to the wind move through them. I think they are beautiful, even when they are bare! "Trees"...ABC Wednesday for December 1, 2010.

Red leaves~Ruby Tuesday 113010

When hubby and I drove through Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona, a few weeks ago, the oak trees were in their full fall splendor! I zoomed in on the tree in the bottom photo and caught hubby walking along the road at one point. We enjoyed our short stop there and would like to return next fall. Ruby Tuesday for November 30, 2010. It is another frosty morning here today in our desert!

Oak Creek Canyon~Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday 112810

I took these photos when hubby and I drove through Oak Creek Canyon, during our last trip to Arizona. The leaves on the oaks were turning colors and we hit the canyon at their peak. Aren't the colors gorgeous? We are returning to Arizona during the Christmas break (for a few days) and they will all be gone by then. Scenic Sunday and Straight Out of the Camera Sunday for November 28, 2010. Be sure to visit SOOC: http://www.murrieta365.com/2010/11/straight-out-of-camera-sunday_27.html and Scenic Sunday: http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/ for other participants' photos!

Profile picture~Sunday stills Challenge 112810

That's me and my gelding, Sunni. I actually took this photo with my little NIKON Coolpix by holding it arms' length out and praying that I was actually taking a picture of something besides blue sky! HA! IT WORKED! (sort of...) I very rarely have anybody else with me when I work my horses (unless a friend offers to come along and help!), so it's usually just me and the horses. I have 5, all rescues. I fell off a friend's horse in the summer of 2008 and I haven't been back on a horse since then. My orthopedic surgeon said I would never ride a horse again. I now have permanent nerve damage in both legs and I get horrible leg cramps, and I haven't been back on a horse, so we'll see. My cousin has offered to let me ride one of her Tennessee Walkers and I plan on doing that this winter, while she is here in the desert. Sunni is still young and skittish and would NOT be a good horse for me to ride right now. Frankly, none of mine are really rideable for me right now, but I do have two of them in training. Sunni was my first horse and I adopted him from United Pegasus Foundation when they were in Hemet, CA. I had been going there, looking at their horses, and giving them carrots. Little did I know that Sunni was one of the horses in the yearling pen, along with several others that I was feeding. He is a PMU gelding, which means his mother was bred for her urine, which was used to PREMARIN. PMU stands for pregnant mare urine. I also have two thoroughbreds and two mustang fillies. I never had a horse as a child and once our children were out of the house and FINALLY on their own, I adopted Sunni and then the others. Sunday Stills Challenge for November 28, 2010.

"S" is for sprinklers...ABC Wednesday 112410

If I take my morning walk after 7:00 a.m., the SPRINKLERS are on at the golf course where I walk. I've become fascinated by them! They are so interesting and often create little mini-rainbows if I catch them just right in the SUNLIGHT! I have to be careful, however...one morning, I nearly got SOAKED by one! ABC Wednesday for November 24, 2010.

Mt. San Jacinto~Scenic Sunday for 11/21/10

As I took my morning walk yesterday morning, the storm clouds were moving in and they partially hid Mt. San Jacinto. The desert is just so much more interesting when we get a storm rolling through! There is a snow forecast down to 4,500 feet, so this mountain should have some snow on it by this morning or during one of the next two storms forecast to roll over our desert. Scenic Sunday for November 21, 2010. I wonder what this morning will bring?

High tech vs. Low tech~SSC for 11/21/10

We have two can openers in our house...an old fashioned one and an electric one. I notice that when hubby makes his infamous "turkey chili", the electric one comes out because there are various cans of tomato sauce and beans to open! Of course, I get to clean up the kitchen when he is done! High tech/low tech...SSC for 11/21/10.

"Riders" ABC Wednesday 111710

These two RIDERS RODE RIGHT by us when we stopped at Williams, AZ for breakfast at the Pine Country RESTAURANT. There was a little girl watching them and this one blew her a kiss! ABC Wednesday for November 17, 2010.

Coffee mug~Sunday Stills Challenge 111410

Hubby and I love to stop in Williams, AZ whenever we are headed to Flagstaff and we ALWAYS stop at the Pine Country Restaurant, which is right across the street from the visitor center and the Grand Canyon Railway. If you want a good, hot meal, this is the place to come! Oh, and their pies are great, too! I bought a coffee mug one time we stopped there and I use it quite frequently at home. It brings back wonderful memories! Sunday Stills Challenge for November 14, 2010.

Palms and sunrise~Skywatch Friday 111210

I'm out walking again in the mornings at a new spot, one that isn't in the shadow of our nearby mountains. This was the view yesterday morning. There was a slight breeze and it was chilly here in the desert southwest. SkyWatch Friday for November 12, 2010.

Old building~Window Views and Doors, Too~ 11/11/10

I wonder what stories this old building could tell? We found it outside of Oatman, AZ. Hubby wandered off and was taking his own photos and received a friendly warning from a rattlesnake! Of course, he heeded the warning and backed off. Window Views and Doors, Too for November 11, 2010.

Quiet river~ABC Wednesday and Watery Wednesday 111010

Hubby and I stopped along the Colorado River last weekend to take in these views of the Bill Williams River. There were 9 kayakers quietly going up the river and we stopped to watch them. They silently moved by the reeds and if you click on the top photo, you can see them. We enjoyed this moment of QUIET tranQuility! ABC Wednesday and Watery Wednesday for November 10, 2010.

Tree stump~Outdoor Wednesday 111010

Sometimes a simple object can be the focus of a photo, like this tree stump near Flagstaff, AZ. There's a lot going on in the photo, like the new pine trees growing by it, and the tree branch next to it. I like to just sit and look at it and wish I were outside in the forest. Outdoor Wednesday for November 10, 2010.

Aspen leaves~Mellow Yellow Monday 110810

There were just a few aspen with leaves still clinging to them at Sunset Crater this past weekend. I zoomed in on this one! I like the clouds in the sky, too! Mellow Yellow for Monday, November 8, 2010.

Oak Creek Canyon~Scenic Sunday 110710

Hubby and I drove over to Arizona for the weekend. We both took a day off work (and a day away from stress!) to drive up along the Colorado River on the Arizona side. We are staying in Kingman, AZ and yesterday we got up early and drove to Williams for breakfast. Then, we drove through the aspen forest outside of Flagstaff and out to Sunset Crater. The aspen near Flagstaff were pretty much gone, but there were still some out at the crater. Then hubby suggested we drive down through Oak Creek Canyon. Oh, my! While the aspen were past their prime, the oaks and other trees in the canyon were in full glory! We spent over two hours there and enjoyed every minute of it! There were a lot of people out enjoying the last burst of color, too! I'm glad we visited the canyon while we were in Arizona. We were there a few summers ago, long before the leaves turned, so this was indeed a feast for the eyes! Scenic Sunday for November 7, 2010. For other participants, please visit: http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

Meal~Sunday Stills Challenge 110710

Hubby and I are in Arizona for the weekend. Yesterday we drove from Kingman, AZ to Flagstaff, and then down through Oak Creek Canyon. After that, we stopped at our favorite place to eat in Flagstaff, which is Brandy's Bakery and Restaurant. I ordered the turkey melt, which had sliced turkey, green chilis, and muenster cheese and hubby ordered the southwest melt, which had sliced roast beef, swiss cheese, and a poblano tomato chutney. Both sandwiches came with a side of pesto mayo. We split an order of fries. Here is our late lunch (3:30 p.m.). That's hubby's sandwich. My photo of mine is too blurry to post! Sunday Stills Challenge for November 7, 2010. Fortunately, we have Internet in our hotel this trip, unlike our trip to the Sierras a couple of weeks ago!!!

Colorado River bridge

Hubby and I both took a day off work Friday and this weekend we headed over to Kingman, AZ. Along the way, we stopped at the Colorado River and took these photos. We headed up the Arizona side and stopped at Parker and then Lake Havasu City. We drove up the Vidal Junction road, which we hadn't been on for 37 years!