Monsoon!

We've had monsoon weather for the past 3 days and I'm expecting it to continue today, although there isn't a cloud in the sky yet this morning.

Yesterday we awoke to a completely cloudy sky and the wind was coming from the east.  That's NEVER a good sign!  That means that moisture is coming over us from Arizona and the Gulf of California, especially if clouds come from the south.

I had to drive to Indio to babysit the 2 month old yesterday morning, while his sister went to swim lessons.  On the way, I stopped and took several photos of the clouds and rain.  By afternoon, Joshua Tree and 29 Palms were getting hit with downpours, and Deep Canyon and Highway 74, too.  I saw a HUGE dark cloud over Highway 74 in the afternoon, but it was 114 degrees outside (too hot to go out and take photos).

Yup.  I'm watching the breeze this morning.  It is coming from the east, a sure sign of monsoon moisture coming our way.  I'm going to swim lessons this morning with my camera to take photos of the 3 year old in the pool, so maybe I'll get some photos this afternoon, too, of the clouds.

Here are some photos from yesterday:  Photos were taken with my Samsung Galaxy cell phone.

Ranch view and dust devil

 Nice ranch view last weekend.  This is where I board my horses.

Dust devil all the way across the valley...click to enlarge.

2 hikers rescued from local trail in the extreme heat

Come on, people!  Don't go hiking on the HOTTEST day of the year!  I heard a helicopter overhead yesterday morning and, from the direction it was going, I knew something was happening on the "Bump and Grind" trail not far from our home.  We have a really good, clear view of the trail and we frequently see lights on it at night.  But, WHAT KIND OF IDIOT goes hiking on it at 10:00 am when it is already 100 degrees on the hottest day of the year?

Well, apparently two idiots went out on the trail and suffered from heat exhaustion.  DUH!  And, it took a helicopter and 25 rescue people to go save their sorry @$$es.

I mean, COME ON!  Show some common sense!  True desert dwellers know better than to go out hiking when it is that hot.  The local media had heat warnings FOR DAYS.  I mean, what is the point if people are going to ignore the heat warnings and act so stupidly?

The trail is right behind our local Target store and easily seen from the local nursery that I visit.  Maybe the trail should just be closed on hot days?  Now, 25 other people risked their lives to save these two, and countless money was spent.  Frankly, I think they should have to pay the costs associated with their rescue.  It's like drdiving into a flooded intersection in Arizona.  Don't people then have to pay for their rescue?


http://www.kesq.com/news/2-rescued-from-hiking-trail-with-heatrelated-injuries/40139782

PALM DESERT, Calif. -

It was 111 degrees by 10 a.m. on Monday. And by 10:30 a.m., Cal Fire crews had already rescued two hikers on the Bump and Grind hiking trail in Palm Desert.  Officials said both patients were suffering from minor to moderate heat-related injuries. Crews were called to the 72000 block of Highway 111 at 9:07 a.m.

Return to the metal sculpture garden

When I was on my way to Temecula Saturday morning, it wasn't hot enough yet, so I decided to stop by the metal sculpture garden near Aguanga, CA.  I'm glad I stopped.  I found some different sculptures to photograph.  I noticed that the artist has now put shaded picnic tables around various hills on his location, allowing folks to bring a picnic and enjoy the view!  He also has some of his sculptures on hills around Aguanga.  He has 3 horses on one, an Indian on horseback on another, two rearing stallions on another one, and a T-Rex on one.  I keep telling our son to bring the grandson, but so far, he hasn't...

Anyway, it was way too hot to stop by there Sunday on my way home, so I kept going.  I'll stop by some other time when I'm driving to Temecula, since it is right on the way.

 What big TEETH you have!

 This one IS sideways...

 Be afraid...be VERY afraid...

 Nice antlers

 He has a lot of horses

 Indian and horse

 T-Rex is running for the hills!

 This guy fell over!  Several fell over after the strong winds we had about a month ago...

 Yes, there ARE flying pigs!

Flowers

I have a nice, little garden out front for the hummingbirds and birds.  I don't see any butterflies out there, however, but the hummingbirds stop by daily.  I currently have 2 large sunflowers in bloom and another one ready to open.  I have 2 Tithonia, and they each have multiple flowers.  I have blue salvia, zinnias, vincas, and my leftover daisy plants.  Everything (so far) is doing well.  BUT...we have 117/118/119, even 120 degree days coming up.  They should all do well, except for maybe the salvia, since they are all heat-loving plants.  I'll see...

In the meantime, here are a few pics of what I have:

I enjoy my flowers out front.  I don't have any in the back yard and I won't until the fall.

Heat's a-comin'!

You know, it has been downright pleasant here lately.  This past weekend I was able to get out in the back yard and rake and rake and rake and fill 3 of our large green waste containers.  The yard is looking so much cleaner!  And, our mornings here have been downright enjoyable.

BUT...

Beginning next weekend, a heat wave will be upon us.  The forecast is for 123 degrees on Monday.  Ugh.  And, then the following week, all in the one teens...118, 114, 116, etc.  It's not only the daytime temps, but the nights will be in the 80's and even the 90's!  WOWZA!

I'm going to have to drive to Temecula Saturday to babysit the grandkids there so that mom & dad can go to a concert.  I'll leave early Saturday morning and stop and do horse chores.  Then, I'll drive back to the desert early Sunday morning.  Hubby will stay home with the dog.  It is just too hot for her to stay outside overnight.  That wouldn't be good for her.  She's nearly 9 years old now and honestly, she just wants to stay indoors all day and occasionally chase one of the outdoor cats.  I'll need to put out plenty of fresh water for them, but they sleep all day next to the Chinaberry tree, where it is nice and shady and wet because I water it every morning.

I got to babysit the 6 week old today.  It's amazing how someone that tiny can be so exhausting!

How can he make me so exhausted?????  What a sweetie!

Update on missing woman

Since it has now been a week, the search for the missing Pinyon Pines woman is being scaled back to only searchers from Riverside County.  That seems like a good idea.  She's 71 years old and suffers from dementia.   I hate to say it, but she is probably dead.

http://www.kesq.com/news/crews-still-searching-for-missing-pinyon-pines-woman/40009938

So sad...her caregivers let her take " walks" alone?  REALLY?

Search and rescue

There are a few homes near the fire station in Pinyon.  An elderly woman wandered away from one of them this past week, last Tuesday.  She's 71 years old and suffers from dementia.  I remember reading the story on our local news website.  I do believe it has been about a week now that she's been gone.

Here's the link to the story:    http://www.kesq.com/news/crews-still-searching-for-missing-pinyon-pines-woman/40009938

I was surprised to see the scope of the rescue operation, which is still ognoing. There must have been over 30 cars, trucks, and sheriff's vehicles when I drove past the Sugar Loaf Cafe in Pinyon.  I did a u turn down the road and came back to take photos.  I even saw an orange van from the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue, which is a well known rescue group.  They have performed many rescues up in the San Gabriel mountains and elsewhere.

Further down the road, I saw 4 rescue workers out looking for her.  One of them, a woman, was calling her name.

I do hope they find her, and SOON.  Temps will be rising this week and by next weekend, it will be 118 and 120 here in the desert, although temps up in Pinyon won't be that high, they will be unusually high, 103 and 107 degrees.

You can see from the photos of the rescue searchers just how rugged this area is.

EARTHQUAKE!!!

I'm a native Californian.  I've been living with earthquakes for 64 1/2 years now.

However, I was jolted out of bed last night about 1:04 a.m. by a mere 5.2 earthquake.  But, it was shallow and about 27 miles away.  I actually SCREAMED!  Hubby was already up watching TV.  We've both been waking up around 2:30 a.m. every morning now for a week.  The dog slept through the whole thing and never warned us.  Anyway, we switched on our cell phones and then the TV and followed the news coverage.  So far, there have been about 12 after shocks.

It was centered down in Anza/Borrego, so those of you who  go there will know its origin.  It was only .6 miles deep, so that was shallow, although the after shocks have been much deeper.  Also, it was on the San Jacinto fault, which apparently is much more active than the San Andreas.  Think:  Mt. San Jacinto (10,000 feet high)...

I've been through many, many stronger earthquakes here in California, but this one was a real warning, so hubby and I went out today and bought 4 cases of liter water bottles from Trader Joe's.  One case costs about $5.00, so that was $20 worth of sanity.  I already have our earthquake bag packed and filled with food (even dog food) and it is right under the kitchen table.  I figure the table should break anything that falls on it!  I do need to remember, however, to put a flashlight in it.

I'm not driving up Highway 74 to see the horses today because there was a large rock slide and the road was closed for a while.  With our temps coming down to double digits today, and through the weekend, I'll have another chance to get up to the horses.

That's all for now!
~Cheryl Ann~

This is what I found on the local news sites:  The first 3 are from the Los Angeles Times:

A telltale sign that a quake is going to be large is how long it lasts, she said.

 Follow

Dr. Lucy Jones @DrLucyJones

Bigger EQs last a longer time. If you feel 10+ sec of shaking, you know it is at least M5

1:45 AM - 10 Jun 2016

 
•  219219 Retweets
 
•  273273 likes

And, this:


The California Highway Patrol reported that boulders had fallen onto Highway 74 between Palm Desert and Pinyon, KESQ reported.

Finally,


The San Jacinto fault stretches for 130 miles, from the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County southeast toward the Mexican border. The 1987 Superstition Hills earthquakes, which hit about 90 miles east of San Diego, topped out at magnitudes 6.5 and 6.7, and caused $3 million in damage in Imperial County. 

Haven't been doing much lately

It's been too dang hot to do ANYTHING around here lately.  It's been 110, 113, and 114 degrees here in the desert.  Thermal, CA shattered the old heat record for 3 days in a row this weekend.  We had our gardners come Saturday to clean up the "debris" (leaves) next to their fence because, starting today, they are installing a new brick wall fence along our border.  Turns out, their old fence is actually 3 to 4 feet on OUR property!  Good thing they are replacing it.  However, the gardeners had to cut down 3 smaller acacia trees which gave their house shade in the hot afternoon sun...Oh, well...

Hubby and I had some kind of stomach virus this weekend too.  I had severe stomach cramping for 2 1/2 days.  I didn't eat anything for over a day and I'm not the kind of person who enjoys missing a meal!  He went out and bought some hot chicken and rice soup, which REALLY tasted good!

This is now my 6th week of retirement.  I must say I am enjoying life (except for being sick).  I have relaxed A LOT.  Our daughter noticed how much less stressed I now look!

I didn't get up to the horses this weekend first because it was too hot and second, because I was sick.  Now I have to babysit Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.  And, this morning I have a dental appointment.  It's probably just as well because temps won't start going down until about Thursday.  I need to get up there because Quad, my thoroughbred, is too thin.  I ordered some CocoSoya oil, which is coconut and soy oil for him.  It has a LOT of calories and it will help his dull coat get all shiny.  He paces and paces in his corral, so he expends a LOT of energy.  The ranch owner upped his pellets to 4 scoops 2x a day, but that still isn't enough.  I also ordered wormers for all the horses and a jar of probiotics.  Getting up there just once a week isn't working.  I need to drive up there at least twice a week.

However, my car is acting up.  The car alarm went off 3x yesterday, in the heat.  My door lock activator needs to be replaced and there was a lawsuit against Honda for that.  Finally, my airbags are the ones under recall, so THEY need to be replaced.  Now, if I could just live without my car for 2 days!

Oye!

This is who I get to babysit in the afternoons!

Brady and Grandpa

 Our grandson, Brady, took a LONG afternoon nap yesterday.

When he woke up, we handed him to Grandpa.  HA!

Idyllwild weekend

It is now a family tradition to rent a cabin (or cabins) in Idyllwild for Memorial Day.  After last year, when we had 13 people in one cabin, we all decided to rent individual smaller cabins.  We had one so tiny this year that hubby couldn't even fit in the shower!  We probably won't do that again.  And, he fell out of bed one morning onto the floor!  Such were our adventures.

We took our black lab, Ripley along because these cabins are all pet friendly.  It was her first time away from her home and we weren't sure how she would react, but when we are gone, she doesn't eat.  PERIOD.  She waits until we get home and we were going to be gone for 3 nights.  That's just too long for her.  She's almost 9 and she gets separation anxiety.  So, we took her and she was perfect!  She was great with the two toddlers and I tied her up on the porch at our daughter's big cabin that they rented and she hoisted herself up onto the porch and took a nap.  She got to watch squirrels and blue jays at play.

There were 3 families:  hubby and me, our daughter, son-in-law and their 2 kids, and a good friend with his family and toddler who is 18 months younger than our granddaughter.  Our grandson is a month old and he slept most of the time, so he wasn't a problem!   :-)  (see the post with the photo of all of us with stickers right before this post)...

I took Ripley for a nice, long walk every morning and now she wants to go every day, but it is too dang hot here in the desert.  It was 106 yesterday and it will be 113/114 this weekend.  Ugh.  Then, it "cools" back down to the 106 range.

Here are some moments from our Idyllwild weekend:

 My favorite gate in Idyllwild!

 Our lab, Ripley, relaxing on her favorite blanket in our cabin.

 Don't you love all these fences?  Our cabin was the old barn like one behind the white fence.

 Clouds moving in one morning...

 The fish pond at the cabins.

 This is how hubby chilled the wine!

 Snuggle and wiggle time next to the fire.

Quiet time with mommy and baby.

This is what I'm doing lately...

Ellie put stickers on everyone yesterday! Baby brother, however, wasn't impressed. That's me, our daughter, Jennifer, our granddaughter, and her baby brother, Brady.  3 generations...