The desert's Joshua Tree

The armoured tree of the desert!

Red Rock Canyon

Visited the desert today. The high winds made it difficult to stand and balance let alone get a steady shot. Am struck by the power of the desert. Wonder what creatures lurk in the caves that tower about the ground? Saw one or two birds attempt to navigate the winds. It is a harsh world out there ~ one of extreme temperatures. Left me wanting to step back in time to watch the process that eroded rock and left behind this forbidding skeleton.

A road East...

There was an endlessness about this road that I could not ignore. It heads East. Does it go over the mountains? Would it take me to my other home? Then I noticed the sign. It silently screamed "STOP". I thought, "okay, I'll stay where I am roosting ~ be a nomad here ~ for now".

One more moment in time

Small victories

Details

The smallest of things can take your breath away

Spring Willow

Storm rolls over the hay barn

the peace of a storm

One person's yard

The trees here are often cut back severely to create graceful limbs and leafing in flowering season. A bit like foot-binding.

Farm House

There are some moments when the differences between my two homes are profound. This was one of those moments. Made me wonder which planet I was visiting...

Wind and grass

Watched a storm blow across the vast country side today. It was dramatic even at the level of the field's grass.

ABUNDANCE

The place your morning juice comes from...

FREEDOM

He's so lucky!

Lake Success

The lake is low. But I'm sure there are fish in there!

Oranges

Yes, it is true folks here have all kinds of fruit trees in their back yards. Usually property owners are not allowed to let their trees grow over fence lines but this botanical invader abuts a school parking lot.

Attempting to meet a deadline

March 20th ~ first day of Spring. These little trees have some serious work to do...

Horses in the wind

"I dunno Ma ~ it followed me home"

The round softness of these hills are very nearly seductive. The trees and shrubs here are just beginning to leaf out. Further from the heat generated by the city.

While I was out...

Found some other four legged critters while driving up Round Mtn. Road. At first, as I would have assumed in New England, that they had pushed down a fence and were lost. But on those back roads they wander all over the place. There was no one to tell, had that not been the case. Don't think I saw a occupied home out there. Oil wells, oil pipes, horses, cattle and grass lands fill up the winding roads of the foot hills.

Finding horses on Granite Road

A Sunday drive after work to ease that nagging desire to escape the city... for just a little while. I've seen these horses from a distance on other visits to this road. They grazed on higher ground. What a delight to find them within the range of the camera. It was a nearly perfect evening ~ warm with a soft breeze. No insects yet and Mourning Doves cooing in the back ground. The Doves remind me of New England...a soulful sound that is a comfort.