Still here and busy planting sunflower seeds

 Hubby and I are isolating and surviving.   We now have both retired (2016) and have 5 grandchildren.  I still have my horses, but now I only have 4 of them.   I lost Cali to a twisted intestine, inherited Lucille from the other boarder who abandoned her, had her 2 years, and then had to put her down due to old age.   I still drive up in our local mountains to visit them.

I'm home busily planting hollyhocks and sunflowers.   I use sunflower seeds from the 50 pound bags I buy to feed the birds and pick out sunflower seeds from the COSTCO birdseed blend I buy every week.   Last year I had beautiful crops of both sunflowers and hollyhocks and many of the hollyhocks lasted all summer.   One is now blooming out back.   I'm glad they are here because they are already both attracting bees.

Here are a few photos I took last week:

We had RAIN yesterday!!!

We actually had RAIN here in the desert and especially in our local mountains yesterday afternoon.  I was down in Indio, babysitting the granddaughter, and this is what I saw on my way home.  Ahhhh.....I LOVE the smell of rain in the desert!  Our mountains apparently were getting a real drenching.  I think I'll drive up there this morning and have a look!

Mountains and fence~Good Fences~041814

Those are the mountains of Idyllwild in the background and the fence is in the valley of Garner Valley, which is halfway between Palm Desert and Idyllwild.  I often drive up there and admire the ranch fences and the fences out in the meadows, like this one.  Last year, that area was covered with wildflowers.  This year, however, because of the drought, there are none or very few.  Sometimes I'll catch a photo of a meadowlark somewhere on this fence, but not on this day.  Good Fences for Friday, April 18, 2014.  To visit Good Fences, please go to:   http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Snapdragons at the park~Today's Flowers~031617

We had to babysit the grandson yesterday, so we took him first to the Living Desert Reserve here in town, then to a nearby park for lunch.  While he was busy playing on the fire engine/slide, I walked over to a beautifully-decorated area with snapdragons and poppies.  The snapdragons were in full bloom and the sun was out.  It was a perfect day, although it was a tad hot out in the full sun.  But, these beauties sure were enjoying the sun!  Today's Flowers for March 16, 2014.   To visit Today's Flowers, be sure to go to:   http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Ocotillos and sky~SkyWatch Friday~031414

The ocotillos are blooming up on Highway 74, the Palms to Pines highway.  We had a huge rain storm a few weeks ago and after that, BOING! They blossomed!  I took this photo last weekend, on my way up to Garner Valley.  SkyWatch Friday for March 14, 2014.  To visit SWF, please go to:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Palm Springs Indian Canyon shack~Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors~031014

I love this old shack, which is up in the Palm Springs Indian Canyons.  It's on Indian land, so you have to go through a kiosk and pay to enter the canyon.  It sits there, year after year, abandoned and neglected.  Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors for March 10, 2014.   To visit WWDD, please go to:   http://iwishiwereaphotographer.blogspot.com/

The palo verdes are blooming! And, it's only March!

Aren't they beautiful?  Palo verde blossoms.  They usually bloom when it is hotter, in May, but this year, they are blooming in March.