Cactus~Cactus Monday 122009

Early yesterday morning, I went for a walk around both the Palm Desert Historical Society garden and the visitor center garden. It was an overcast day, cloudy and gray, so I decided to try out the macro feature on my Canon. Hubby showed me how to use it, and here are a couple of sample photos. Cactus Monday for December 20, 2009. OUCH! Don't touch!

Lake Fulmor~Scenic Sunday 122009

Even though we live in the desert southwest, we still enjoy driving up to our local mountains. Yesterday we stopped in Idyllwild for lunch, and then drove down the "back side" of the mountains. Neither hubby nor I could remember the last time we had driven down this road. We take another route back down to our house in the desert, not this one. It isn't as twisty and turny as ours! We stopped along the way at Lake Fulmor, which is outside of Idyllwild, CA. There were quite a few families there having a picnic Saturday afternoon. It was a nice, warm day, last week's snow had been plowed, and we weren't in any hurry to get home. Scenic Sunday for December 20, 2009.

Winding Road~This Way Thursday 121709

This is the winding road that I take from my home in the desert to the horse ranch where I board my horses. It's called the "Palms to Pines" Highway, Highway 74. Don't let the nice, scenic name fool you. This is a killer highway. There is an accident on it nearly every week and sometimes they are fatal. Cars just aren't used to the hairpin turns, drivers drive too fast, they cut corners, and the result is...well...it isn't pretty. I've personally seen several accidents myself. The most recent one involved a car full of teenagers which drove over the side, resulting in one fatality and another passenger permanently paralyzed. I am always careful when I drive it, always keeping one eye out on other drivers and I often pull over to let the "speedsters" go by. It does have its beauty, however, as you can see in these photographs. It is an especially beautiful highway in Spring, when the desert wildflowers are in full bloom. This Way Thursday for December 17, 2009.

desert rocks and wash~That's My World 121509

As I drive to see my horses every weekend, I pass by this desert wash. There is a turnout nearby on the winding road and I frequently pull over to let speeding cars go by! Last weekend, another car had pulled over to take photos here, too, and we chatted for a minute. I'm not sure which wash and canyon this is, although it may be "Dead Horse Canyon". I'll have to check! There are a couple of trails at the end of it and cars park further down the road to hike this area of our local mountains. This is an extremely rocky area, rising up from the desert floor and eventually turning into pinyon. That's My World for Tuesday, December 15, 2009.

Back to Bodie~Sunday Stills Challenge "Technology" 121309

Bodie, CA is such an interesting place to visit for several reasons. First, it sits high up on a plateau, open and vacant. Second, it is a photographer's dream! Finally, yes, it captures the technology of its time. Of the buildings in Bodie that remain, they showcase only 5% of the city. The other 95% burned down in a fire started by a young child! Incredible, isn't it? In its day, the mines at Bodie were producing silver and it was a thriving place! It was a dangerous place, too, with murders happening almost every day. There is a museum there you can visit to buy books and core samples, but you'll learn a lot about the town by just wandering around. Some of the better-preserved homes are now homes for the park employees and the others have been left as they were, so they have preserved life in the late 1800's in the west. It was interesting to see all their technology.

Bodie~Weekend Reflections~December 12, 2009

I found this photo that I took in Bodie, CA when I was going through our photo archives, since my computer is still being fixed. Our son ordered a new video card and is now ordering a new power source, and then, VIOLA! I should be up and running again!!! I like how you can see what's inside, as well as what is reflected in the window. Bodie is a photographer's paradise! There is just so much to see. Weekend Reflections for December 12, 2009. I can't even imagine how cold it is in Bodie right now. We were there in August and the nights were already freezing and with a couple of Sierra storms, I would imagine it is knee deep in snow???

Cottonwoods, Snow, and Mountains~SkyWatch Friday 121109

Last weekend I went out for a drive, to the area with the large cottonwoods. Sometimes the longhorns are out there, but I didn't see them this trip. It was snowing on and off in these mountains, but the clouds opened up just long enough for me to get a peek at the snow on them. Then, they closed in on the mountains and I drove home. SkyWatch Friday, December 11, 2009.