After the storm~SkyWatch Friday~080511

Our four days of afternoon thunderstorms have moved on now and it's back to the desert's "dry heat".  Unfortunately, yesterday was extremely humid AND hot...it was 116 degrees on my front porch!  Today it is cloudless and "only" 104 degrees!  Ha~a cold spell!  Actually, the average daily temperature for August is 109 degrees, so it is below average.  I'm going to miss these monsoon storms, which usually gather around our local mountains in the afternoons.  There is a hurricane out in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Mexico, and I imagine we'll be getting some clouds from it in a few days or a week.  Then, more thunderstorms.  But until then, it's back to blue skies and dry heat.  SkyWatch Friday for August 5, 2011. To visit SkyWatch Friday, please go to:  http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Mountain storm and solitude~Nature Notes~080411

We had another monsoon storm in our desert and local mountains yesterday.  I heard a loud "BOOM!" and there was thunder right over our house, which is in the desert.  I looked up at our local mountains, the Santa Rosa mountains, and could see a downpour, so off I went!  This one wasn't as bad as the one the previous afternoon, when I wasn't sure if I'd make it off the mountain!  This was a nice, even rain, not coming in sideways.  And, rivers of water weren't coming off the mountain cliffs either.  I put down the car windows, turned off the air conditioner, and just drank in all the delicious, wet, earthy smells.  Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! And, I also soaked up the solitude.  There were very few cars on the road.  I turned onto one of the dirt roads which is well maintained because it goes to a private mountain community.  Lightning was flashing nearby and thunder was bellowing.  It grew darker and darker, yet I enjoyed every minute.  I finally just stopped and LISTENED to the sounds around me...blue jays were squawking, the wind was blowing through the trees, and I could hear the raindrops splatting on the car.  And, the solitude!  Desert solitude?  No...mountain solitude.  Just me and the mountains and the rain and wind and blue jays....aaahhhh...sheer bliss!  Nature Notes for August 4, 2011. To visit Nature Notes, please go to:  http://ramblingwoods.com/

Desert storm~

This was the view yesterday afternoon from Highway 74, looking out the Coachella Valley toward Joshua Tree national park.  We had our 4th day of monsoon storms and the humidity has been...well..unbearable!  My horses were sweaty messes after their lesson yesterday and I was dripping wet. We gave one of them a nice bath.  Drier air and higher temps are forecast for the next week, and everybody is relieved.  It's hard to understand, but higher humidity is actually harder on us desert dwellers.  We forget to drink more water and become dehydrated.  I hosed off my two mustangs yesterday and they just stood and enjoyed it! The clouds will be moving out today and we should return to our normal, HOT, dry days.

Thunderstorm~That's My World~080111

Our son stopped by the house yesterday afternoon and after he left, I heard claps of thunder.  I looked outside and yes, indeed!  There were dark clouds all around the valley and up the mountain.  I needed to head up the mountain to the local feed store there to buy some "critter food" for my scrub jay who visits the yard (he loves the peanuts!) and I wanted to also stop by the horse ranch and pick him up some acorns, since I was completely out of them, too.  So, up Highway 74 I headed.  It started to rain big drops down at the base of the mountain, which is at 1,000 feet.  By the time I was heading up the winding, narrow road, it was pouring.  Now, I drive this road at least twice a week and sometimes 3 or 4 times a week during the summer, when I'm off school.  I've driven it through snow, hail, dry heat, but this was the first time I actually thought, "You know, I just might NOT make it off this mountain!"  The rain was coming sideways, it was actually blowing across the road, and my wipers were set on HIGH.  If I didn't know every curve on that road, I would have turned around.  In fact, the Jeep Cherokee behind me pulled over and just stopped.  Thunder was rolling all around and I could see lightning off the side of the road.  Water was running in little streams off the hills.  I spotted a CALTRANS plow going up the road and figured, "Yup.  They are going to have to clear the road from rock slides."  But, I kept going and soon the rain stopped.  I could see more lightning ahead of me and I hit rain a couple more times, but it was nothing compared to my earlier encounter.  I made it to the feed store, bought peanuts for the blue jay, and stopped at the horse ranch to give the horses an extra meal and check on their water.  They were all fine.  They'd received a downpour earlier in the afternoon.  It wasn't raining on the way home and three CALTRANS (California Department of Transportation) plows were at the base of the mountain.  Ahhhh....our summer monsoon season!  That's My World for Tuesday, August 2, 2011.  To see other worlds, please go to:  http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Palm trees and cloudy sky~First of the Month~080111

Palm trees and a cloudy sky for First of the Month, 080111.  We have cloudy skies again today...awwwww....monsoon season!  I love the look of palm trees and a cloudy sky!  To visit First of the Month, please go to:  http://www.murrieta365.com/

The coming storm~thunderheads over Deep Canyon~SOOC Sunday 073111

I took a drive up Highway 74 yesterday afternoon to take some photos of the thunderheads and got a pleasant surprise...RAIN!  I opened the car windows to let the fresh air in.  It was delightful!  About 30 minutes later, this whole area was in a complete downpour which I could see from the desert floor.  More thunderstorms are forecast for today and maybe I'll get more photos of the thunderheads which are all over the valley this morning.  SOOC Sunday for July 31, 2011. To visit SOOC Sunday, please go to:  http://www.murrieta365.com/

Palm trees and thunderheads

I had to pick up hubby yesterday afternoon at the hotel where he works.  I got there early and walked around to take some photos of the gorgeous thunderheads which were developing overhead.  They were spreading out and building up, so I figured we would have some rain, but no rain...it is cloudy again this morning, so maybe this afternoon?  If so, I'll take a quick drive up Deep Canyon!