Smoke trees and sky~SkyWatch Friday 031210

As I take my morning walk, I have been noticing the smoke trees. By May, they will have tiny purple flowers on them, giving them that smoky look. But, now they are gray and barren of flowers. Still, they have a certain beauty about them, don't you think? SkyWatch Friday for March 12, 2010.

"H" is for house (Bodie, CA)~ABC Wednesday 031010

Back to Bodie, CA for this week's ABC letter, "H". And, here at Bodie, "h" is for house. There are plenty of houses still standing in Bodie. In fact, some of them are now lived in by the park's rangers! These photos are from our visit to Bodie last August. When we return to the Sierras in June, we will head back to Bodie along the 14 mile road (9 of which are unpaved)! I better have new tires on the car by then! Bodie is such a place of wonder and is a photographer's dream! So, here are some HOUSES from Bodie, CA. ABC Wednesday for March 10, 2010.

Desert morning~That's My World 030910

With all the rain and clouds lately, we've had some beautiful mornings. I took this photo a couple of weekends ago, since that is when I can get out and about to take photos. Look at the low clouds on the hills! With all the rain we've had, the desert is saturated with water. Right? Well, as I drove home yesterday afternoon from school, I looked toward the mountains near Rancho Mirage and I was surprised to see smoke! Yes, SMOKE! As I got closer, I could see that it was way back in the canyon (not this canyon). According to the news this morning, several people were seen running from the canyon shortly before the fire started. Residents called 911 and the fire crews arrived. It turns out that some palm trees were on fire. Now, this particular canyon is hard to reach for fire trucks and crews. And, the fire chief said that in spite of all the rain we've had, palm trees are still dry. But our wildflowers are ready to bloom and we should have a spectacular wildflower season, hopefully by next weekend! That's My World for March 9, 2010.

Numbers~Sunday stills challenge 030810

Hubby and I love to travel to Flagstaff and its surrounding areas, including Sunset Crater. With the dark lava against a blue sky, it is a wonderful opportunity for photos. I'd love to visit it during autumn, when the aspen are yellow, but, unfortunately, I'm back in school at that time. I have just started to document some of the elevations we encounter during our travels, including this sign at Sunset Crater. YES, it IS that high!!! Hard to believe, huh? Sunday Stills Challenge for March 8, 2010.

Wupatki sunset~SkyWatch Friday 030510

This is another photo from our visit to Wupatki. Wupatki is a series of ruins near the Painted Desert and is below the Sunset Crater area. The native Americans there raised corn, squash, and beans and you can see a model of a garden. Of course, they depended on the rainfall to sustain their crops. Minerals from the nearby Sunset Crater improved the soil, but a volcanic eruption also drove the people away. So, now it sits, alone and empty. If you stop there, remember that it is very hot during the summer, so take sunscreen and extra water. The visitor's center has interesting exhibits and you will learn a lot about the people and the nearby volcanic craters. This area always seems to have thunderstorms during the monsoon season, so also be aware of that.

Wupatki window and door~Window Views & Doors 030310

Hubby and I arrived at Wupatki late one afternoon last summer. We had driven out to the Sunset Crater while we were staying in Flagstaff one afternoon and the time just got away from us. Then, at the last minute, we decided to head out to Wupatki. I'm glad now that we arrived so late because the sunlight was beautiful...that late afternoon orange glow! Even the visitor center there had closed, so we walked around on our own, thinking about the people that had once lived there. Now, only ghosts remain. The sky treated us to a beautiful sunset that evening. This was a visit I certainly won't forget! As you can see from the two photos, they were taken at different times in the afternoon. I took the first one when we first arrived and the top one as we were leaving. What a difference a few minutes makes! Window Views & Doors Too for March 3, 2010. For other participants, please visit: http://windowviews2.blogspot.com/

Gateway and mountains~That's My World 030210

I took a different way home last week and travelled through Indio's date groves. I also missed a turn and ended up at Lake Cahuilla (the new one). There is an old lakebed also in the area and one can see the water line on the hills in La Quinta. This is the new, man-made Lake Cahuilla. I didn't have time to drive through it, but I stopped across from it and got out and took this photo. Someday I'll have to drive back and investigate it! That's My World for Tuesday, March 2, 2010.