Desert blooms

You know, I'm always posting here about Deep Canyon, but the desert floor right now is awash in blooming trees and shrubs.  I took these photos a couple of weeks ago, during one of my morning walks.  Our neighbor's grapefruit free is blooming and the minute I open our front door, I can smell its delightful aroma.  Our sweet acacias are also blooming and I'll get some photos of them this weekend.  They are also very fragrant.  I noticed that the ravens were back in this area last weekend.  There were three of them doing an aerial ballet and I just stood and watched them.  Spring in the desert is indeed beautiful, even if we don't have a lot of wildflowers.

Going exploring~Our World Tuesday~030712

I went exploring through part of Deep Canyon on Saturday.  I like to spend some time there before I head up to the horse ranch and it was a beautiful day there.  It wasn't so nice at the horse ranch, however, as the wind was blowing and it was C-O-L-D.  It was too cold for me to do anything with the horses.(again...sigh...).  I didn't even drive up there on Sunday.  I always enjoy my little hikes through parts of the canyon and I'm finding more and more interesting things!  Our World Tuesday for March 7, 2012.   To visit OWT, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

museum windows~Whimsical Windows, Delightful Doors~030512

The Palm Springs art museum is soon opening a satellite location in Palm Desert, at the old visitor's center building, which is only about 4 blocks from our home here in the desert.  I drove up that way today because they have a beautiful desert garden up there and I wanted to get some photos of the plants that are blooming.  This will open in a couple of weeks and I will regularly visit it.  Look at the tiny windows facing west.  Many desert buildings don't have large windows that face west because they get a LOT of heat from the afternoon sun.  Our own house has a sliding patio door and a large window which face the west and believe me, they get HOT in the summer!  I just ordered some thermal curtains for both of them and I can't wait for them to arrive! I'd say that the smart builders in the desert don't put west-facing windows in their dwellings! WWDD for March 5, 2012. To visit WWDD, please go to:   http://iwishiwereaphotographer.blogspot.com/

Flowers through a bench~Sunday stills Challenge~030412

Okay, for this week's challenge, which was to look through a doorway or window or key hole and focus on what was beyond, I chose instead to look through a bench and focus on the beautiful flowers just beyond it.  A keyhole?  Really?  Do houses still have such a thing?  I know my grandparents' house, built in 1924 did, but not these days.  I might find some interesting photos today if we drive up to the Cabot's Pueblo Museum, which is up in Desert Hot Springs.  I hope this meets the challenge.  If not, well, I tried!  Sunday Stills Challenge for March 4, 2012. I also included the flowers in the bottom photo.  Aren't they gorgeous?  These photos were taken in Palm Desert, at the Cuistot Restaurant, which was closed (thank goodness) for the morning!

Desert Lupine~Today's Flowers~030412 and Saturday's Flowers

As I drove up Highway 74 yesterday, the "Palms to Pines" highway, I noticed that the Santa Rosa Mountains visitor center had their annual wildflower festival.  WHAT WILDFLOWERS?  We, unfortunately, have very few this year, due to the lack of rainfall.  I drove up and down yesterday and I only found 2 very tiny patches of lupines.  Last year and especially the year before, the highway was full of them....not so this year, alas!  I did pull over at one turnout where there were 4 little, tiny, scrawny lupines and I stopped to take photos of them.  There are NONE up at the horse ranch either.  And, finally, I have only 1 which sprouted out of the hundreds of wildflower seeds I threw out in my garden.  ONE....I have a feeling it is going to be a long, hot summer this year!  Today's Flowers for March 4, 2012.  To visit Today's Flowers, please go to:   http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/ 
To visit Saturday's Flowers, please go to:   http://www.blueberrycraftandhobbytime.blogspot.com/

Palm shadows~SSS2~030412

I was driving around my neighborhood yesterday when I came upon a neighbor's palms making these beautiful shadows on their wall.  It's hard to tell which is the real palm and which is the shadow!  We desert dwellers need all the extra shade we can get in the summer and these will help shade their house nicely, don't you think?  Shadow Shot Sunday2 for March 4, 2012.  I also did this in black and white to show how difficult it is to see the real trees.  Here's the link to SSS2:   http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com/

Coyote Canyon fence~030212

A couple of weekends ago I drove out Coyote Canyon, which intersects Deep Canyon way back by Anza-Borrego.  There are some nice ranches out in Coyote Canyon and I enjoy driving out that way every now and then, just for a change of scenery.  And, I found this fence!  Friday Fences for March 2, 2012. To visit Friday Fences, please go to this link:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/