Blue jays~Wild Bird Wednesday~050113

I absolutely LOVE blue jays!  They are so comical!  And, smart, and quirky, and always hungry~!  These guys were up at our rented cabin in Idyllwild last weekend.  Aren't they cute?  Wild Bird Wednesday for May 1, 2013.  They found EVERY peanut we threw out, even if they didn't see us throw them.  Do they smell the peanuts?  I'm sure somebody knows how they found every peanut we threw to them~  To visit Wild Bird Wednesday, please go to:   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/

Mountain meadow and fence~Friday's Fences~042613

The meadows up in Garner Valley are currently blooming with yellow wildflowers.  There doesn't seem to be as many as last year and the meadows aren't as vivid as last year, but it is always a pleasure to see them.  This is one of my favorite stops up there.  Isn't it restful?  There are meadowlarks and sparrows all along this fence, but I've only once been able to snap a photo of the little buggers!  Apparently they don't appreciate folks gawking at them!  Oh, well!  Friday's Fences for April 26, 2013.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Yucca blossoms~Nature's Notes~042513

I am always amazed with the beauty of yucca blossoms and right now there are plenty of them blooming up along Deep Canyon and Highway 74, all the way into Anza.  I found this one near Pinyon Flats and stopped to investigate it.  There were bees among the flowers and I could hear them.  This yucca stood by itself (see top photo), but there were others around it.  Nature's Notes for April 25, 2013.   To visit Nature's Notes, please go to:    http://ramblingwoods.com/

How much hair can a horse shed? A LOT!

Some of you were asking how much hair my horses shed.  The top two photos show one of my thoroughbred rescues, Gigondas.  She doesn't have a lip tattoo, so she never raced.  HA~she should have!  This mare LOVES to run!  Anyway, she's about 12 years old now.  I don't ride her.  She lives the life of luxury.  She leads well and I walk her around the ranch, then I let her run, run, run in the large arena.  When she's done (when she remembers that she gets a treat), she quietly stands at the arena gate.  Anyway, she has very fine hair and doesn't shed much, but she does shed, as you can see.  Then, there is Lucille, who I inherited after her owner defaulted on her board.  Lucille is half Tennessee Walker and half draft and she is gaited.  She's also about 12-14 years old and is rideable!  SHE has a LOT of hair, as you can see.  That's my trainer, Maia, brush, brush, brushing her.  LOOK at all the hair on the ground.  I need to brush her out again this week~maybe one afternoon after school.

Spring at the ranch~Our World Tuesday~042213

Spring has blossomed up at the ranch where I board my horses.  They are all shedding their winter coats and all I have to do is just touch them and gobs of hair comes off in my hands.  Two weeks ago I took the curry comb and groomed every single one of them.  I couldn't believe how much hair came off!  Well, they need it again!  I hope the birds come and get all that hair for their nests!  Here's a photo from last Saturday up at the ranch.  The desert is heating up.  We are having days in the mid-90's, but up at the ranch, it's in the mid 70's.  That's quite a difference!  Our World Tuesday for April 22, 2013.

Daffodil~Mellow Yellow Monday~042213

I didn't know that Mellow Yellow Monday was back up again as Monday Mellow Yellows until I was scrolling down my blog list this morning. I'm so glad because I seem to take a lot of photos with yellow in them!  I found this daffodil up at the little cabins when I was up there Saturday, in Idyllwild.  There are many, many daffodils blooming up there right now.  MMY for April 22, 2013.  What is more delightful on Earth Day than flowers, right?  To visit MMY, please go to this link:  http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/

Kids' playhouse~Whimsical Windows and Delirious Doors~042213

I want to be a kid again and play in this tiny log playhouse!  And, look at those windows?  I mean, what kid wouldn't want to play here?  This is up at the Fern Valley Inn, in Idyllwild, CA.  See the regular sized cabin next to it?  Whimsical Windows and Delirious Doors for April 22, 2013.  To visit WWDD, please go to:   http://iwishiwereaphotographer.blogspot.com/2013/04/whimsical-windows-delirious-doors-73.html

Dead tree and morning sky~SkyWatch Friday~041913

I often stop by this dead tree at the Santa Rosa Mountains visitor center.  There's usually a morning dove in it, but not on this morning.  Notice the mistletoe in it.  I haven't been up to see my horses for two weekends, so I'm eager to get up there this weekend.  SkyWatch Friday for April 19, 2013.   To visit Skywatch Friday, please go to:    http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Another day of dust and blowing sand!!!!

We had HORRIBLE winds here yesterday.  In fact, they were so bad, morning and afternoon recess were both cancelled at school.  The kids were all stirred up and teaching was nearly impossible!  And, more winds are forecast for today (these are NOT my photos) (I did NOT take any of my cameras with me yesterday!).  But, you get the idea, right?  Apparently the low pressure system is settling in and the winds today could be WORSE!  And, it will only be 77 degrees here, but in the 90's by the weekend...go figure.  Ugh.  Fortunately my allergies haven't been too bad, in spite of all the blowing dust.  Maybe it's because I've lived here now for 40 years?

Orange Tacoma Stans~Today's Flowers~041413

I found these beauties at the Living Desert Reserve a couple of weeks ago.  Don't you love the orange color?  Today's Flowers for April 14, 2013.  To visit Today's Flowers, please go to:   http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Saturday~~AT LAST!

It seemed like an awfully long week this past week.  First, we had baby Ellie (our first granddaughter), then I had my formal evaluation on Thursday, then Friday we had our spring after-school festival.  I sold cookies, pencils, sodas, and waters.  The cold waters sold the best as it was about 86 degrees here in our desert yesterday.  Last night we had dinner with our daughter and baby and hubby and his parents.  This morning, we had breakfast down there.  Phew!  I'm TIRED, although not as tired as our daughter and her hubby!  We are planning on staying home for the rest of the day and doing chores.  I need to do laundry, clean the bathrooms, and do some odds and ends.  I couldn't resist another photo of our beautiful palo verde trees here in the desert.  Is it me or are they blooming more this spring?

Fence and mailboxes~Friday's Fences~041213

I often drive right by this ranch, which is up in Garner Valley.  I've never stopped there before, but I did stop a couple of weeks ago to admire the clouds hanging on the San Jacinto mountains.  It's private property and I didn't wish to intrude, but I enjoyed the sign and mailboxes.  Friday's Fences for April 12, 2013.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Crane at the Living Desert~Wild Bird Wednesday~041013

I have no idea what kind of crane this is, but isn't he a beauty?  These cranes are at the Living Desert Reserve in Palm Desert, CA.  We saw them a couple of weeks ago when we took our daughter and son-in-law there for the morning.  Wild Bird Wednesday for April 10, 2013.  To visit WBW, please go to:  http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com/

Bouganvilla on front fence and gate~Our World Tuesday~040913

Several years ago I planted two bouganvilla plants on the inside of our front fence.  This is one of them last week.  They are BOTH full of blossoms and both have grown up and over the fence and now spill over onto the driveway.  I love their color, although this one can be a pain coming through the gate.  It likes to reach out and grab me!  After yesterday's wind storm, there are blossoms all over the driveway and street!  OWT for April 9, 2013.  Mother and baby are doing just fine and leave the hospital today!  :-)  (I'm a new grandma!)  To visit OWT, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

A long week is DONE!

I had parent conferences this week.  And, I'm plumb worn out!  It was EXHAUSTING!  I had to stay at school until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday night and 4:00 Thursday (the kids went home at 12:30 pm.).  Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk!  Growing up as an only child, I was constantly around adults and I was taught that "children should be SEEN, not HEARD"!  Nowadays, apparently it doesn't matter.  In fact, the LOUDER the kids are, the better!  SAY WHAT?  I fell asleep Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. and slept until 4:30 a.m. Friday.  But, we all made it through the week and the weekend is now upon us!   :-)  I'll be walking up and down El Paseo tomorrow morning with our daughter, who goes in for labor inducement Sunday night.  She is a week overdue.  And, her baby is HUGE!  I hope she'll be okay.  Here are some photos from last week that I didn't post...

Photos show the apple tree blossoms on the ranch next to the horse ranch.  Aren't they pretty?

A break from our warm spring weather~Friday's Fences and SkyWatch Friday~040513

I stopped by my favorite mountain horse boarding ranch last weekend.  The clouds were settling down around the mountains and it made for some interesting scenes.   And, I love the fences of this ranch, even if they do need a coat of paint!  Friday's Fences and SkyWatch Friday for April 5, 2013.  Parent conferences are done and I only have a half day tomorrow!  I'm hoping there will be some clouds in the sky then.   To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/    To visit SkyWatch Friday, please go to:   http://skyley.blogspot.com/

"L" is for leopard~ABC Wednesday~040313

"L" is for leopard and this leopard is at the LIVING Desert Reserve in Palm Desert, CA.  They also now have a jaguar and when we were watching him on Easter Sunday, he let loose with horrible yowls!  We walked back to see what he was yowling at and saw nothing.  My photos of him didn't come out that great, but I'm always "up" for a chance to see the leopards!  ABC Wednesday for April 3, 2013.  To visit ABC Wednesday, please go to:  http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Mountain clouds~Our World Tuesday~040213

I knew this morning was cooler as soon as I opened the door at 6:30 a.m. to let the dogs out.  I was hit with a blast of cool, fresh air, unlike what we've had here in the desert other mornings this past week.  I head back to school tomorrow (yuck!), and I needed to get up the mountain to the feed store to buy 4 bags of pellets for the horses.  So, off I went!  I could see clouds hanging over the tops of the mountains (I call it "spillover") and once I reached the summit, this is what I saw.  Our World Tuesday for April 2, 2013.

To visit Our World Tuesday, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/