Friday leftovers

These are the leftover photos from last week.  I'm taking the day OFF school because (1) I am exhausted; and (2) I have a sore throat and (3) my head cold has now moved down into my chest.  I NEED REST and there will be NO REST today at school!

Anyway, here are some of the photos from last week that I didn't post.  I don't really have any for Friday Fences or SkyWatch Friday...sigh...

 Pretty Virginia creeper up in Garner Valley.

 Cute front yard decorations.

NOT bighorns!

No, I can't post photos all week of bighorns.  I need to post some of my GOOFY HORSES!  He, he!

 This is Scout, my mustang.

 She's changing into her winter coat.  She will be much browner in winter.  See her dapples?

 My silly gelding, Sunni.

This is how I feel on Friday afternoons! ... FREEDOM!

Big ram

After seeing the two bighorns on the way UP to the horse ranch, I thought I was done seeing any more.  Nope.  I was wrong.

On the way down, I saw another two, and then I spotted a huge ram.  He was grazing not far off the road, but I couldn't pull over (no turnouts), so I had to park about 1/4 mile away and hike back!  Phew!  That was WORK!

I got to where he was quietly munching on vegetation when he decided to cross the highway!  And, this was right after a blind curve!  Oh, my!  I was instantly worried because cars (and motorcycles) whiz up and down the mountain road, but he wasn't.  Nope...he calmly crossed the road like "no big deal".

And, he was magnificent!  (Don't you think?)

 What are YOU looking at?

 Taking his time...

 See the blind curve beyond him?  Good thing he had crossed that middle line!

No, no cars saw him ON the road, but a few whizzed by right before he crossed and after.  NOBODY slowed down.  Honestly, I don't think they even saw him....pity...he was GORGEOUS!

Hello! Goodbye! Hello again!

Why did the bighorn sheep cross the road?  BECAUSE IT COULD!!!

Bighorn sheep sightings!

No, I didn't get up to the horses on Saturday morning.  After Friday afternoon's fall festival at school, I was totally exhausted, came home, ate dinner, and hubby and I had TWO bottles of sparkling wine.  That was one bottle too many.  Saturday morning I couldn't walk straight, let alone drive a "killer highway".  Nope.  I didn't even chance it.

But, by Sunday morning, I had recovered (and we had a homemade pasta dinner with our family!).  Hubby was, er...not feeling well himself, so he went back to sleep and I left the house at 7:30 a.m.

Past Vista Point is the bighorn sheep fence, which parallels Deep Canyon.  I hate to tell the guys, but the sheep have figured out the fence.  They simply go around and behind it.  I spotted two white BUTTS off the side of the road, on my way up, but there was NO turnout.  I went up about 1/4 mile and found a small area to pull completely off the road, so I parked there and hiked back to where I had spotted the bighorns.  Nope.  They were...GONE!  After all that effort, I was disappointed.  I looked around...NOTHING...NADA...ZILCH!  So, I turned to go back to my car (all the while dodging crazy car drivers zooming up the road!), but I spotted them again.  This time, they were on the OTHER side of the highway, up by the end of the fence.  They simply went behind it and continued on their way.

NOTE TO SELF:  DO NOT ever again wear Reeboks instead of your "horse boots".  My horse boots are a $39.99 pair of heavy-duty steel toed lace up boots from WalMart which have excellent padding and traction.  I had NO traction with the Reeboks.  I couldn't locate them yesterday morning, so I grabbed the Reeboks.  NEVER AGAIN!

AND, do NOT try to keep up with a bighorn.  You can't do it!  (I found out the hard way!).  They are much more agile and swift than we are.

Anyway, I followed (or tried to follow) them a little way.  Another car finally figured out what I was doing and he pulled over, too.  This fellow had a longer lens than mine (300 mm) and we talked for a bit, then we both set off after the bighorns.  There were two of them.  The younger one crossed back over the highway and then back again to join his companion (mother?)  I do believe that both of these were females as I didn't see any...er..."parts" dangling down.  Correct me if I am wrong, however!  :-)
The younger one easily came down a little cliff by the road and I got a photo of her crossing right next to the guy who stopped.  She was completely unafraid of him or the roadway.  FORTUNATELY no cars were coming as she crossed both times, but I was ready to wave them to SLOW DOWN!

I spent an hour watching this pair and I'll post more tomorrow about the big RAM I spotted coming down!

 Crossing the road.  I was ready to wave off any cars that came zipping by!

 Can you see the edge of the fence?  They simply went behind it and went on their way.

See the white butt?  That's what I spotted on the other side of the road...

Nice spot for a picnic lunch!

This was the last stop on our drive up to Big Bear last Sunday.  We stopped here for a picnic and I wandered out to take this last photo of the view of the flatland below. The picnic area was FULL of woodpeckers and we could hear and see them!  Unfortunately, there was smog that day and this is all I could see.  Those are the mountains near Highland and San Bernardino below.  Ugh.  We honestly didn't want to drive through that, but we had to get home!  I've seen it worse, however, and it wasn't that bad (the smog).

How low is Baldwin Lake?

So, just how LOW is Baldwin Lake (next to Big Bear Lake)?  I think these photos tell the story.  I've NEVER seen the lake so low.  What lake, you ask?  There really isn't much left...sigh...

Oak leaves

Beautiful oak leaves near Jenks Lake, San Gorgonio mountain.  San Gorgonio mountain is also called "Old Grayback" and it is the highest mountain in Southern California, at 11,490 feet.  Apparently one can see it from the summit of Mt. Whitney, which is 190 miles away!  It is part of the San Bernardino mountains and its snow melts and runs into the Whitewater River and channel, which feeds the aquifer of the Coachella Valley.  It overlooks both Redlands and the city of San Bernardino and it is easily visible from the Coachella Valley.  In fact, I see it every morning when I drive to work.  The Whitewater Preserve is at the base of it and we will travel up there to see the fall leaves soon.

Now, HERE are a couple of signs you don't want to see!

We stopped for a "potty stop" up by Jenks Lake, since my philosophy is to never ignore a chance to make a pit stop when you can!  I saw these signs outside the vault toilets...

 Great, eh?

We took a drive to Big Bear Lake today!

I was feeling much better this morning after my sore throat of yesterday, but hubby was a bit down.  However, we loaded ourselves into the car and were off by 9:15 a.m.  We stopped at Whole Foods for a couple of sandwiches (which turned out to be HORRIBLE!!!   :-(   We will NEVER buy another one there again!!!

We headed up through Oak Glen, but the road was so packed with cars we didn't even stop!  It's APPLE SEASON up there and the crowds are horrible.

So, up Highway 38 we headed toward Jenks Lake.  The lake was closed.  We never even saw it.

Instead, we focused on the beautiful oaks and even the ferns which were turning yellow and brown.

...to be continued...

More desert fences~Good Fences~October 17, 2014

More interesting fences from the Living Desert Reserve in Palm Desert, CA.  Good Fences for Friday, October 17, 2014.  No, the lion isn't real.  That's where they are planning on putting the lion exhibit sometime in the future!!!   To visit Good Fences, please go to:   http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Thursday catch-up

California quail

Chuckawalla lizard...common to our deserts.

Beautiful desert willow blossoms.  I have a young one out in our front yard.

I just thought I'd post a few photos that I haven't posted yet from last Sunday's visit to the Living Desert Reserve.  One can always find something interesting there!  And, if you go in the early morning, it isn't too hot, although by 10:00 last Sunday, it was HOT!  I love all the animals and plants there!