Haven't seen this for a while!

Nope, not snow like this!  I took these photos in February of 2011, on one of my 3 day weekends.  We haven't seen this much snow in our local mountains, believe me, since then...sigh...and I don't think we're going to see it this year...I found these on one of the hard drives.  I'm still looking for photos from Palm Canyon, but we have 3 hard drives and I haven't found them yet...Anyway, enjoy the snow from Deep Canyon, February 2011!~  :-)  ALL of these photos were taken with my Nikon D40x.

Arches & shadows at mission San Juan Capistrano~Shadow Shot Sunday~122913

I love the late afternoon shadows at mission San Juan Capistrano, especially in winter.  We were there over the Thanksgiving break and strolled the grounds.  Shadow Shot Sunday for December 29, 2013.  To visit SSS, please go to:  http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/

Sunlight and a tree~SkyWatch Friday~122713

Morning sun behind a pine tree up in Idyllwild last weekend.  SkyWatch Friday for December 27, 2013.  To visit SWF, please go to:   http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Favorite gate~Friday's Fences~122713

This is absolutely my favorite gate.  It's up in Idyllwild, CA, down the street from the cabin where we stay.  It's only an hour from our home, so we try to get up to Idyllwild whenever we can.  Friday's Fences for December 27, 2013.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

An unexpected Christmas present

We're actually doing our Christmas present exchange on New Year's Day because our daughter and her family are up in Northern California and won't be back until then...We did, however, have Christmas dinner with our son and his family yesterday.  Or rather, they all did...I had...FOOD POISONING!  Yes!  Can you believe it?  We had a wonderful breakfast of bacon, French toast, and potatoes, then sat down to watch either Homeland or The Newsroom (I ran back and forth between the two shows, since I've seen all of both of them...) I made a green smoothie in the afternoon~almond milk, organic carrot juice, Green Goddess juice, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, some ginger, and a protein mix....Hmmmm.....SOMETHING in there was contaminated (I'm thinking either the cilantro or the parsley)...So, about 2 hours later...well, you know the story...I was in pain, shaking, vomiting, clammy...And, this went on regularly for another 2 hours.  Needless to say, I missed out on the dinner.  Hubby and I ended up spending the night at our son's house, but I am fine this morning (THANK GOODNESS!)...Our dogs missed us and I'm getting an earful from Abby, our indoor cat!

Tree bark~Shadow Shot Sunday~122213

I wonder what stories this old tree could tell?  I saw it last weekend, when we were up at the Whitewater Preserve.  Posting this for Shadow Shot Sunday, 122213.  To visit Shadow Shot Sunday, please go to:   http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/

Ranch, fence, and clouds~SkyWatch Friday ~122013

I often see more clouds up at the horse ranch, since it is at 4,000 feet and therefore 3,800 feet higher than our desert home.  And, on this morning, the clouds were swirling.  The neighbor has an apple farm, and that's his barbed wire fence.  They probably got snow last night, since the forecast was for snow down to about 3,500 feet, so I'll have to email the ranch owner and ask her if they did.  It's still too dark to even go outside yet this morning, but I'll take my camera with me today and hopefully get some new photos of our mountains and their snow!  SWF  for December 20, 2013...last day of school before WINTER BREAK!!! :-)  To visit SkyWatch Friday, please go to:   http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Wagon and fence~Friday's Fences~122013

Ahhh...the simple things in life, like an old wagon and a fence!  :-)
Friday's Fences for December 20, 2013.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

The healing power of Nature~Nature's Notes~121913

Both my mother and aunt ended up in nursing homes because they couldn't take care of themselves.  My grandparents had a caretaker for years, until they broke their hips and then they, too, were shipped off to homes...sigh...

I suffered a concussion a couple of weeks ago at school when I fell after one of my students ran into me while playing soccer.  I was off work for 10 days.  On the 9th day, my husband stuffed me into the car and off we went to the Whitewater Preserve.  I was still a bit shaky, but once I got outside, I really kind of just opened up and breathed in the fresh air, looked at the surroundings, and perked up.  I wonder how many people would benefit from this kind of therapy?  Instead of being inside all day, how about some sunshine and fresh air?  I went to the workman's comp doctor the next day and asked him to release me to go back to school.

Nature's Notes for December 19, 2013.  To visit Nature's Notes, please go to:   http://ramblingwoods.com/

"W" is for wood...ABC Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Two very different examples of WOOD for ABC Wednesday this week.  The top one is at the Whitewater Preserve.  The bottom one is from a table up at Oak Glen.  ABC Wednesday for December 18, 2013.  To visit ABC Wednesday, please go to this link:    http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Flowing water~Water World Wednesday~121813

As we wandered around the preserve last Sunday, I tried my best to take a couple of photos of water going over the rocks and wooden beams.  There's just something calming about sitting and listening to water flow, don't you agree? Water World Wednesday for December 18, 2013.  To visit WWW, please go to this link:   http://www.kissess4u.com/

Ranger station "cabin" ~~Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors~121613

So, hubby was off yesterday and wanted to drive somewhere....hmmmm...I'm still NOT driving.  Our son, grandson, and DIL came along and we all piled into the XTerra and headed up to the Whitewater Preserve.  I really needed to get out after being at home for 8 days straight.  I also wanted to see how well I would do walking.  I did fairly well...lost my balance only a couple of times.  I mostly sat at one of the picnic tables...ha!  Anyway, the "cabin" as our grandson called it, is actually the ranger station up there.  There are bighorn sheep AND mountain lions, and the preserve, I believe, is only 1/2 mile from the Pacific Crest Trail, so it gets a lot of foot traffic.  I should have taken photos of the rangers' trucks...maybe next time.  Anyway, the grandson had a blast.  I only took a couple of photos of the ranger station, as he was more interested in the fish in the holding ponds!  WWDD for Monday, December 16, 2013.  Photos are outside and inside the rangers' station.  To visit WWDD and see the snowfall in Israel, please go to:  http://iwishiwereaphotographer.blogspot.com/

Rock in hand~Sunday Stills Challenge~121613

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge was something in your hand.  I was puttering around in our daughter's old bedroom, which is now my "excess stuff" room and I found a wadded up newspaper on the floor yesterday.  I picked it up, to throw it away, but it was taped and heavy!  Hmmm....I unwrapped it and VIOLA!  I found this beautiful heart-shaped piece of rock which I'd purchased somewhere, sometime.  I honestly don't remember.  I THINK it was during one of our Arizona trips.  Anyway, isn't it beautiful?  It is now on my dresser where I can admire it.  Imagine just leaving it wrapped and unloved on the floor?  Sheesh...(shaking head...)  SSC for December 16, 2013.  To visit Sunday Stills Challenge, please go to:

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Photo taken with my cell phone.

A Personal Photo Challenge ~ Light ~ 121413

I thought I'd join in this week's Personal Photo Challenge, which is "light".  Well, we have plenty of light here in the desert.  I went through some of my archives and found these photos which I took with my Canon 7D.  I now use it as my primary camera because it has a longer telephoto lens than my Nikon.  Anyway, these were all shot using natural light.  I rarely use my flash and I've GOT to learn how to take night photos!  ... someday...To visit A Personal Photo Challenge, please go to this link:   http://apersonalphotochallenge.blogspot.com/

Toro Peak webcam~SkyWatch Friday~121313

There are some webcams up at Toro Peak, which is in the Santa Rosa mountain range.  Toro Peak is at 8,000 feet and overlooks Pinyon Flats and Deep Canyon.  I check in with the webcams several times a day, especially now that I'm home with a concussion.  I always enjoy seeing the mountain weather from the webcams.  On this morning, it was about 8:30, and the clouds were lifting off the mountain.  That's ice on one of the beams above the webcam on the top.  If you look, you can really see Deep Canyon.  SkyWatch Friday for December 13, 2013.

Mountain gate~Friday's Fences~121313

I was out driving around Garner Valley last year when I spotted this gate and fence.  They have so many interesting gates up there!  I always enjoy driving through Garner Valley, but, unfortunately lately I haven't been able to go anywhere...sigh...Friday's Fences for December 13, 2013.  To visit FF, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Gulls~Wild Bird Wednesday~December 11, 2013

I was pretty upset with hubby when he made a 3 night reservation at the BEACH instead of the mountains.  But, 3 nights at the beach would cost less than 1 night up in Idyllwild, so off we went over Thanksgiving break.  I really didn't want to go.  I wanted to feed the blue jays in the mountains, watch the rabbits, and feed the squirrels.  But, hey, I'm just along for the ride, right?  So, off we went.  One late afternoon we drove down to Laguna Beach (Aliso beach, actually), parked the car, and wandered off to take photos.  I was enthralled by the seagulls who were taking a bath in the fresh water coming down from Aliso Creek.  They were having so much fun!  And, others were just standing around, quietly enjoying the sunset, like me!  Wild Bird Wednesday for December 11, 2013.  To visit WBW, please go to:  http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/

Gulls at Laguna Beach~Water World Wednesday~121113

I took these photos when hubby and I went to San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Beach during Thanksgiving break.  They were splashing around in the fresh water which came down from Aliso Beach.  Notice I didn't say "clean" water...obviously after a rain, it wasn't clean, but it was fresh.  You can see the ocean right beyond the sand.  They sure were having fun!  Water World Wednesday for December 12, 2013.  To visit WWW, please go to this link:  http://www.kissess4u.com/2013/

A view of the desert at dusk

I also saw this one...a view of the desert below at dusk.  I'm too confused and lazy to crop it...oh, well.

Okay...I cropped it...

Toro Peak webcam yesterday afternoon

I'm not sure what is going on up in our local mountains, but these were two of the views from the Toro Peak webcam yesterday afternoon at 4:30.  Yes, there were clouds spilling over the mountains, but I had no idea it was this cold up there!  I wonder what the mountains will be like today?

Mountain clouds, Lucille, and nice weather

It was a beautiful autumn day last Tuesday when we stopped by the horse ranch.  We were returning from 3 days in San Juan Capistrano and the ranch was on the way home.  My trainer, Maia, was there and she had Lucille saddled, so up I went!  That was my 5th ride on her.  I did not plan on doing any riding and I only had my Reeboks (not my boots), but she's so gentle, I really am not afraid to hop up on her.  And, it is a LONG way up!  She's 1/2 draft and 1/2 Tennessee Walker, so she is a BIG GIRL!  I enjoyed my ride on her and I'm glad I had another opportunity to do so.  Maia has now switched her lesson day to Monday, so that means I'll be able to see her and the horses 1 holiday in January and 2 days in February (weather permitting).  She was one happy horse after the ride!  My thanks to hubby for taking these photos!  :-)