"Simple" challenge~Pullingmymaskoff~53111

While out walking at the Camelback Resort Saturday morning, I came across this beautiful blooming cactus. A bee flew in and out and I just enjoyed something so simple on a beautiful morning. "Simple" challenge for Pulling My Mask Off 053111. To see other participants, please go to: http://pullingmymaskoff.blogspot.com/

Superstition Mountains~That's My World~053111

We live with a view of Mt. San Jacinto, the Santa Rosa mountains, Mt. San Gorgornio, and our valley is surrounded by mountains. So, we are fascinated by them. As you know, I frequently drive from the desert floor (200 feet above sea level) to a spot in our local Santa Rosa mountains where I board my horses at 4,000 feet. So, we LOVE mountains and love exploring them. Saturday we stopped by the Superstition Mountains in Arizona. However, hubby was cranky and tired and didn't wish to hike the trails here, so instead, we ate a couple of sandwiches from AJ's in Scottsdale and listened to the sounds of the desert around us. A curious cactus wren came by to see what we were doing and many morning doves flew by. I can't wait to return to this area in August. Yes, it will be hot...that's why desert dwellers go outdoors in the early morning! That's My World for Tuesday, May 31, 2011. To see other participants, please visit: http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Creative Exchange, May 30, 2011

Sometimes it's just the simple things that catch one's eye or camera lens. In this case, it was a long, slender grass growing along Highway 60, near the Salt River gorge. But, isn't it elegant? I didn't alter it in any way...this was straight out of the camera. Creative Exchange for May 30, 2011. To see other participants, please go to: http://www.lgordonphotography.com/

Salt River INNER TUBING

Further down the Salt River, near Saguaro Lake, is an area of the river good for renting an inner tube. Hubby and I drove along the road there yesterday and BOY, was it crowded! I guess this is where people who live in Phoenix go for their holiday weekends! Hubby and I parked the car and were busy taking photos of the shadows on the mountains when we heard voices. We followed the voices to the edge of a cliff and looked down and there were about 10 INNER TUBES tied together floating down the river. Those folks were having a GOOD TIME! Unfortunately, they hit a very small rapids and WHOOSH! They all came apart...hehehehe! This portion of the Salt River is very calm and broad, unlike the canyon in yesterday's post. In fact, another blogger mentioned that she went tubing here a couple of years ago in August and it was delightful! I stand corrected. Apparently these were inner tubes, NOT rafts...

Salt River Canyon~Scenic Sunday~052911

Hubby and I traveled down Highway 60 from Fort Apache back to Phoenix yesterday afternoon. This road snakes along the Salt River canyon, which is a very deep one. It goes up and down and up and down and several cars overheated along the way and one very large tanker truck. It is on the Apache reservation and there was water flowing in it. It was so far down, however, and I never got a good photo of i! It runs for about 200 miles and then goes into Phoenix. If you travel Highway 60, make sure your car is in good running condition and you have enough engine coolant as there are very few turnoffs and limited cell phone coverage! I did notice an Arizona Highway Patrol car (one) that did follow the road, but there were cars which had overheated and he apparently hadn't stopped to investigate them. Here are some photos I took yesterday along the road. Scenic Sunday for May 29, 2011. Now, THAT's a deep canyon!!! To see other participants, please visit: http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

SOOC Sunday~Fort Apache, Arizona 052811

Hubby and I visited Fort Apache, Arizona today. Fort Apache is in the middle of the Apache land holdings in Arizona and was occupied from about 1870 until 1922 when it became the property of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. General Crook operated his campaign against the Apache from this fort. You can visit the vacant buildings at Fort Apache and there is a museum there, where you'll need to check in and pay a small fee. The fort was empty this weekend, the wind was blowing, and it was eerie. NOBODY was around except for a couple of women at the museum. I took all of these photos there and they are untouched...SOOC Sunday for May 28, 2011. To view other participants, please go to: http://www.murrieta365.com/

Palm tree and sun~SkyWatch Friday~052711

Just a palm tree, sky, and some sunlight. SkyWatch Friday for May 27, 2011. To view other participants, please go to: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Having trouble with BLOGGER!!!!

I haven't been able to post here for two days because I wasn't able to sign out of my main Blogger account...Desert Horses...I FINALLY switched from Firefox to Google Chrome and here I am! Really, they need to fix the problem! Other bloggers are complaining, too! So, I decided to post these photos of a yucca in bloom that I found on my morning walk. Isn't it pretty? It was so windy down here in the desert that I couldn't walk for two days, but I'm ready to get out today and enjoy the scenery!

Deep Canyon clouds~That's My World~052411

The clouds on Saturday morning were just perfect~not too many, but enough to provide a lovely contrast to the blue sky above Deep Canyon. I revisited some of my favorite spots there and clicked away! We don't often get these high clouds and lately we've had nothing blue clear, blue sky. I guess I shouldn't complain, eh? That's My World for Tuesday, May 24, 2011. To view other participants, please visit: http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Moon over the mountain~Sunday Stills Challenge~052211

As I was driving up the highway next to Deep Canyon yesterday, the moon was slowly setting. I stopped my car, got my tripod out, and took 3 photos of it. Then I continued on my walk through the pinyon forest. By the time I returned to my car, the moon had set and was gone. I'm glad I got to see it when I did! Sunday Stills Challenge for May 22, 2011.

Deep Canyon rocks~SOOC Sunday~May 22, 2011

It had been three weeks since I drove up the mountain road next to Deep Canyon yesterday. I headed up to visit my horses and check on them. They are all fine and busy shedding their winter coats! Along the way, I took my camera and tripod with me and climbed up near my favorite spot along the canyon. It was a beautiful morning, with a slight breeze and some whispy clouds. I only shoot on manual now, finally getting the confidence that I so desperately needed. My husband showed me how to adjust my manual settings and I really enjoy the challenge of finding the right one. SOOC Sunday for May 22, 2011. To see other SOOC Sunday participants, please go to: http://www.murrieta365.com/

Moonrise over Superstition Mountain~SkyWatch Friday~052011

Once in a while, it is good to travel to another state and see what's there. That's what we did last weekend. We traveled over to Arizona and on Saturday we stopped by the Superstition Mountains just as the moon was rising. SkyWatch Friday for May 20, 2011. To see other skywatchers, please go to: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Community Gardens~Outdoor Wednesday and Nature Notes~May 18, 2011

You know, every once in a while, I have to get down off the mountain and get out of the desert to see what others are doing in their communities. So, last weekend, when hubby and I drove to Scottsdale, we took a day and drove down to Gilbert, AZ. Gilbert is home to Joe's Market Grill, which we visited for the first time. And, across from the grill was a fabulous community garden! So, while hubby stood in line to order our lunch, I wandered across the street with my camera. Amazing! They were growing corn, watermelons, squash, hollyhocks, and various other crops. It was so nice to see GREEN!!! I would love to return sometime and take more time to wander up and down the aisles. What do you think? To see other outdoor views, please go to: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/To visit Nature Notes, please go to: http://ramblingwoods.com/

Yucca blooms~That's My world and Ellipsis~Monday Photo Shoot!May 16, 2011

What's blooming here in the desert and mountains? Our local mountains and Deep Canyon are ALIVE with the yucca blooms right now. I often stop to admire them. Aren't they interesting? I'll have to stop and get a photo of a whole one, not just the blooms! That's My World and Ellipsis Photo Shoot~Spring~for May 16, 2011. To visit That's My World, please go to: http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/ To visit Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot, please go to: http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com/

Palo verde at Superstition Mountains~Mellow Yellow Monday~May 16, 2011

Hubby and I visited the Superstition Mountains region Saturday afternoon. We traveled not just to Superstition Mountain itself, but down the road to Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats. I'll be posting more about the trip this week. By late afternoon, the shadows were forming on the peak and the palo verdes were a stark contrast to the blue sky. Mellow Yellow Monday for May 16, 2011. To see other yellows, please visit: http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Hollyhocks~Today's Flowers~051511

These gorgeous hollyhocks are at the community gardens across from Joe's Farm Grill in Gilbert, Arizona. I wandered over to take a look at the gardens while hubby stood in line yesterday and ordered our lunch. Aren't they beautiful? Hmmm....I'm going to have to look at mine, which aren't as tall or colorful! Maybe all the mulch helped these? And, I'm pretty sure they fertilized them. I've got some work to do in my garden, that's for SURE! Today's Flowers for May 15, 2011. To view other participants, please go to: http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Yucca blossom~SkyWatch Friday~051311

There are so many yuccas in bloom right now that the local mountains are nearly covered with them. However, stopping next to one or finding a turnout is a little tricky! But, I did find this beautiful one next to a turnout. SkyWatch Friday for May 13, 2011.

wooden doors~Window Views and Doors Too~May 12, 2011

I found this doorway and these doors in my neighborhood last weekend when I was out and about looking for doors for the Sunday stills Challenge. I LOVE the wooden doors and the arch! Aren't they interesting? Window Views and Doors, Too for May 12, 2011. To see other views, please go to: http://windowviews2.blogspot.com/

"Q" is for...ABC Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Quad. Quad is one of my 5 rescued horses which I board at the top of Deep Canyon. I found a wonderful lady who owns a large ranch, so she boards my 5 horses. It's only about 35 minutes from my house to the ranch and I visit them every weekend and sometimes mid-week, which is why I travel the road along Deep Canyon all the time and take photos. Another blogger mentioned that I should post some photos of my horses, so I'll start with Quad. He is a registered thoroughbred, a great-great grandson of the legendary Secretariat AND Affirmed, with Man O'War on his dam's side (mother's side), but just wasn't cut out to run at the track. In seven races, he never won. He had 2 seconds (place) and 2 thirds (show) finishes, but only earned about $6,000, so off he went to a large thoroughbred rescue, along with 3 other geldings one spring day back in 2008. At least they weren't slaughtered, like so many thoroughbreds who don't make it at the track. He stayed at the rescue for a while, then went out to a foster home, but then came back to the rescue. In the meantime, in a freak accident, I lost my prized mare, Beauty, in a freak accident. Beauty was the first of my horses to be trained and ridden. My cousin had taken her over the previous summer and worked with her and she was an awesome trail horses...not afraid of anything! But, fate intervened. Beauty's death in a STUPID, freak accident(she got cast in her corral and apparently hit her head while trying to get up...) left me devastated and Quad needed a home, so Quad came to us. In the meantime, I'd fallen off a friend's horse and had severely injured my sciatic nerve and my L4 and L5 discs. I was in physical therapy for nearly 6 months and it took a full two years for me to recover. I still have permanent nerve damage and I haven't been back on a horse yet. So, during that time, Quad got to be a horse and he is now learning to have a regular sized rider on him. He's very even tempered, much too laid back to be a thoroughbred race horse! We call him "Mr. Mellow"!!! He's a joy to be around and I shudder every time I think that he might have ended up in a Canadian or Mexican slaughterhouse. Our grandson loves to come and see the horses and enjoys "chatting" with Quad, who patiently stands and listens to a two year olds' babble! I also included a photo of Quad, with his gelding buddy, my PMU horse, Sunni. I'll do a post on Sunni later. To see other "Q" posts, please go to: http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/