Wildflowers

Hubby took the whole weekend off, including Monday.  He won't have a break now for some time as his assistant, who is pregnant, is leaving this coming Friday.  Oh, boy!  He figured he might as well get some rest while he can.

So, off to Temecula we went to visit the son and his family.  Our grandson made us each a Valentine's Day card and for me, a birthday card.  I'm now 64 years YOUNG!  HA!  I sure didn't feel young yesterday.  My whole body ached.  I took a 2 hour nap and another 1 hour nap in the evening, but today I feel fine.

While visiting Temecula is always enjoyable, you know...sometimes it is just nice to stay at home.  I have another 3 day weekend next weekend and I'll be staying home.

I promised you photos of the wildflowers up on Highway 74, so here are a few I took when I stopped Saturday.  The lupines are just now starting to bloom.  The brittlebrush is just starting, too.  It does look like we will have a fairly decent wildflower season this year.

 Lupine

 Brittlebrush

A view looking down at the green ocotillos, toward Palm Desert, from Highway 74

Good Fences~ February 12, 2016

 Eye-level view of one of the fences...

 I liked the two doves on this fence.

Just a few of the fences at the Living Desert Reserve last weekend.
To visit Good Fences, please go to:     http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

No furnace for 2 nights now and...

We haven't had to turn on our furnace now for two nights and it looks like we'll be having warm weather for another week!  It might even reach 88 degrees here today!  WOW!

All the plants, especially the little sunflowers, are loving these warm, clear days!  I have one sunflower out front ready to bloom and I saw another one inside the gate yesterday.  I'll have to go out and take some photos, for sure!  And, hopefully my Windows 7 laptop won't lose their location and completely delete them!  (...NOT FUNNY...)

I took these photos at the end of January.  I haven't taken any since then, so I'll get some this weekend.

Shrubs, gates, and trees

 Pretty flowers in bloom.

 Side gate at the Discovery Center.

 Garden gate...

Lots of palm trees.

The Living Desert Reserve is not only a great place to view animals, but also a great place to see flora.  I saw several people who, like me, were just wandering around with their cameras last weekend...

Living Desert Reserve photos

Since I lost one entire folder of photos due to a glitch with Windows 7, I'll have to post more photos from my trip to the Living Desert Reserve Saturday.  I googled the phrase "this location is not available" and found that indeed, it is a glitch with Windows 7. POOF!  An entire file of photos was GONE!  I printed off the page and maybe, if hubby has time tonight, he can figure it out.  I certainly do not wish to lose another file!

It was a bright, warm Saturday morning this past weekend and I was eager to get OUT!  Hubby left for work about 8 a.m. and I left for the Living Desert.  I need to go back and see the baby giraffe, but that will have to be another visit.

I was especially intrigued this visit by all of the plants there.  These are just a few of them.

 I believe this is an agave...

 Palms by the entrance.

 Yes, those are baby dates!

 Beautiful, lacelike leaves.

One of the plants in the fossil garden.

Santa Rosa mountains visitor center

Well, I never made it up to the horses this past weekend.  However, I do have a 3 day weekend for the next 2 weekends, and I'll be driving right past them, so I'll wait until then to visit them.  They are in good hands anyway.

I took a short walk up at the Santa Rosa mountains visitor center.  I hadn't been up there since last fall and it was a beautiful, warm morning here in the desert.  And, last night was the first night in months that we haven't had to turn on our furnace.  Additionally, it looks like our warm weather will stick around at least through next weekend!  Whoo, whoo!

Well, that's a NEW ONE!  I was just about to post photos from my visit to the visitor's center and POOF!  My photo album disappeared!  My laptop went, "Hmmppffff" and I got a message that said, "this location no longer exists" and it disappeared.  Hubby couldn't even find it.  Gone!  Poof!  I just lost 55 photos...sigh...so no photos today. And, I stopped to take photos of the lupine up on Highway 74, as well as the brittlebrush.  DANG!  Well, at least I got out and did some walking over the weekend.  I can't WAIT to retire!
Take care.
~Cheryl Ann~

Living Desert Reserve

 Ouch!

 Baja fairy duster

 Garden gate

 The plant shop wasn't open yet...

It was a warm morning Saturday here

in the desert and I was anxious to get out and enjoy it so I went to the Living Desert Reserve this morning.  I got there about 8 a.m. (before the crowds) and had the place almost to myself!  I did see some early morning walkers there, but otherwise it was very quiet.  I do enjoy getting there before the screaming kids!

I wanted to get some photos of the hummingbirds, but they just wouldn't cooperate.  And, apparently I missed the butterfly exhibit, so I might return today (Sunday).  I'm up at midnight because hubby's snoring makes it IMPOSSIBLE to sleep!