First color of fall

This leaf was right outside our back porch last weekend.  We are returning this next weekend with the grandson and his parents, but renting a private cabin instead.  Full kitchen, sleeps 10.  It is an A-frame with the bedrooms upstairs.  I'm sure the grandson will enjoy going up and down the stairs (he's 3...).  Oh, and it has a back deck, so he and I can feed the blue jays.  I'll have to buy PLENTY of peanuts!

Weekend in the mountains

After this summer, hubby and I needed to get away for the weekend...from the heat, from our family...so we headed up to our local mountains, specifically Idyllwild.  Idyllwild is at about 5300 feet in elevation.  It was cool at night (down into the 60's) and clouds moved in Saturday afternoon.  By the time we left Sunday, it was ready to rain.  I got lots of rest and fed peanuts to the blue jays and squirrels and watched a covey of quail come twice a day to look for birdseed.  Even a little cottontail appeared in the afternoons and mornings.  It was a restful weekend and now I'm ready for another week.

I did a double take when I saw this...

Hubby and I are up in Idyllwild this weekend.  I'm on the verge of bronchitis after a LONG week and little rest last weekend.  I went for a morning walk yesterday and saw this in a front yard of one of the houses along the street.  I did a double take!  I don't believe there are any bears up here, but there are bobcats and mountain lions.  Oh, and LOTS of blue jays and woodpeckers and gray squirrels!  We head home this morning after breakfast and will stop and check on the horses.

Fence to nowhere~Friday Fences~090712

I stopped last weekend to take another photo of the fence to nowhere, which is up on Highway 74.  Thunderheads were popping up behind it and thunderstorms are forecast for this weekend, too.  Friday Fences for September 7, 2012.  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Palm Desert cross

There is a hiking trail which leads up to the Palm Desert cross, which I see every morning from my front yard.  I haven't done the hike, mainly because of my back issues, but several of my co-workers have.  It is lit every night and on this morning, I went out early to take photos of the full moon and I turned around to see the cross.  I enjoy looking at it every day.

Highway 74 today~Our World Tuesday~090412

I drove up to see my horses today, briefly.  Clouds were gathering overhead and as I went down the road, I turned around to see this view.  Our World Tuesday for September 4, 2012.  To visit OWT, please go to:   http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

More clouds!

We've had clouds and afternoon thunderstorms every afternoon last week, except yesterday.  The day before we broke the record for rain, getting over 1/2 inch in one day!  And, that was a 110 year old record! For a region which only gets 4 inches of rain (or less) a year, that was a LOT of rain.  Cathedral City had MAJOR flooding from the cove down through the local businesses.  I'll post a link later (for Timeless), so you can see the videos and read about it.  And, we have thunderstorms forecast for today and tomorrow.  I'm going to head up the mountain road (see previous post) this morning to check on my horses and work with a couple of them....HOPEFULLY before the rain starts up again!  Here are a few picture I took this past week of our skies...enjoy!

Here's a couple of videos about our storm this week:

http://www.kesq.com/Palm-Springs-gets-hit-with-major-flooding/-/233230/16436434/-/d1n4kp/-/index.html

and here are readers' photos submitted to the local news station:

http://www.kesq.com/news/-/233092/16431810/-/3a8vwtz/-/index.html