It's hot!

Ocotillo and bouganvillea are blooming outside. I'm drooping....

Sunken garden

It is hot today and we decided to go check out the Palm Springs Art Museum outdoor sculpture garden/cafe. We were able to sit in the shade and enjoy the sculptures surrounding us while we sipped our lattes but agreed with the experts that you probably could fry an egg on the pavement today.

Teddy bears and hedgehogs

The cactus are the best treat in the desert. Cholla or teddy bear cactus glisten in the sun and call out to you to come closer! These are very sticky and sharp customers unlike their names and love to attach themselves to your shoes, shirts or skin if you're not careful. The teddy bear name comes from the dead branches which turn chocolate brown. They stay fuzzy (and very sharp).

Hedgehog cacti hide their beauty. You have to get off main paths to find them but it is a thrill when one of the beautiful flowers reveal themselves.

Joshua Tree visions

Joshua Tree National Park is divided in two parts according to whether it is in the Mohave or Colorado Deserts. You know you are in the Mohave if there are Joshua trees in your viewfinder. These trees are described as Dr Seuss trees - they are odd and in fact really not trees at all - closer relatives are grasses and orchids! Believe me, you can never take too many pictures of this plant in the search for the perfect speciman!

Cottonwood Spring walk

We made our first visit to Joshua Tree this week. We discovered that you can never tire of the odd vision of the Joshua Trees and the subtle beauty of the desert plants. The weather was perfect for desert walks - apparently 10 degrees cooler than usual. Mid-70's up at the highest elevation. We even needed to wear jackets at times - I like it! Much easier to hike when you aren't fighting 90 degree weather.

We were told about a side trail to a small spring where there might be some interesting birds. I found lots of exquisite desert flowers to admire and the rock formations were beautiful. We had a phainopepla lead us down the path. (Don't you love the way that rolls off my tongue?) He flew from bush to bush all the way back to the main trail as if we were in a Disneyland movie.

Phainopepla at 11:00 o'clock!

Up at 6:30 am to head up to Morongo Valley for a bird watch, we wondered if we'd be two of a few other tourists led by a serious birder through the marsh. Turned out that we were two novices in a crowd of about twenty-five keener beaners! Walking alongside tilley-hatted birders, lists in hand, scopes at the ready, we knew we'd hit the jackpot when we heard one shout, "Phainopepla at 11:00 o'clock!" A later cry from more than one was "Laurence goldfinch chasing a sharpie!" (aka, Sharp-shinned hawk being chased away by two tiny golden birds as he flew too close to their nest.)

Truth is our first sighting was a turkey vulture showing off his red bald head as he perched on the park sign but the morning was amazing - more sightings, laughs and wonders than we could have imagined. Bill accused me of being more interested in the birders than the birds but I think I split my interest about 50/50.

These intrepid birders were generous in their enthusiasm and knowledge, setting up their scopes on some colourful little wonder and offering views to whoever wanted to see a chipping sparrow, a ladder-backed woodpecker or, my new best friend, the lovely little phainopepla - a coal-black, crested, silky flycatcher who sat patiently on the tops of branches allowing pictures from all angles.
We did see the vermillion flycatcher and I gasped at my first viewing of this tiny, brilliant red flycatcher. He wouldn't stay put long so my pictures are of a red dot in the distance but believe me, he was worth the morning alarm clock.

At the end of the day, Bill said he was only disappointed that we hadn't see the Western wood-peewee flycatcher but we did add 28 birds to our newly started list. And there is always tomorrow....

Desperately Seeking Susan

A mockingbird has moved in and thrown the monotonous dove out. He is feeling the full force of spring fever and pushes the limit of sunrise and sunset singing a frantic repertoire of copied bird songs from before dawn to long after sunset.

Snow and Mountain lions

It rained yesterday. Big loud drops. The surrounding hills were covered by dark clouds and we woke up this morning to the sight of snow far down the sides of surrounding mountains. More is predicted - up to 15 cm above 4000 feet. We turned on the heat this morning but sat out on our patio basking in perfect weather this afternoon.

We're up before dawn tomorrow morning to take in a bird watch up in Morongo Valley Preserve. Amongst other things we hope to see a Vermillion Flycatcher.
We drove up yesterday for a walk around the marsh in the preserve and got the idea of the possible life we might see. Not likely but we'll be on the lookout!

Now that was fun!

Hi Folks, Stan here. I thought you might like to hear about the five days Mum and I spent in Palm Desert. We had a blast. I got so good at identifying flowers in the desert, I could do it with my eyes closed! I also learned to drive the golf cart around the resort, was able to fit in some laps in the pool, and got a tan in my new sandals. But all good things have to come to an end and I'm now back home safe and sound telling my Dad all about our holiday. And Grandma and Grandpa are probably wandering around the place wondering where I've gone.....

SWC

Desert beauty

The cactus are not going to be outdone by the spring flowers.

Indian Canyon blooming

We went for a hike this morning. Temperatures in the 70's - perfect. We hiked the Andreas Canyon (mindful of the name) following the palm tree lined creek, then above them to the top of the canyon. Flowers are blooming - mostly the yellow brittle bush but other brave ones trying to survive in the harsh conditions.

What to do on a hot day in the desert

We were expecting company and prepared for it by investing in a new swimming pool. Our guest approves! He had an afternoon swim and after a messy supper on the patio, we stripped him and plunged him back in for a cleanup!

It is cooling down in the next few days (from the mid-90's to the 70's) which means we can do some hiking in the desert. There is even a possibility of some rain which might mean desert blooming.

Normal life.....

We're living a 'normal' life right now - shopping, cooking, laundry, etc but enjoying breakfast outside, air conditioning inside, warm evening strolls, exercise room close by for Bill and sitting baking in the sun. We came with loads of books for me and a really fat one for Bill and are content to fill a lot of time with our noses buried.
Of course we're also glued to the TV like everyone else in the world and have been introduced to full-on CNN for the first time! If that was my total source of news I'd put a pillow over my head and call it a day! I feel there is enough tragedy, drama and reason for stress in the world without manufacturing more! The reporters are breathless with enthusiasm for crisis.
We were thrilled to remember that we can access CBC on our iTouch so now listen to Victoria all the time. I feel we are back in connection with the world as we know it because as far as anything we've seen or heard down here, it ends at the 50th parallel. There is occasional mention of other countries but never Canada. I think we should forget our angst about what the US thinks about our politicians and/or politics and accept that they just don't think about us at all! I'm okay with that.

Weed Warriors

Bill and I signed up to go out on a weeding expedition this morning. The National Monument Service has lots of programs and this is one of them. We thought it would be interesting and a chance to see Indian Canyon. We arrived at 8:00 am with long pants and shirts sleeves ready to work. There were four other volunteers and the park leader. She took us up the canyon then distributed black plastic bags and helped us identify the dreaded Sierra Mustard and a grass similar to our prairie foxtail. We then weeded for three hours!

Visitors to the pass would stop and question our behaviour but then congratulate us for our hard work. That and free Gatoraide kept us going. The other intrepid volunteers are the complete team who have been at work for four years. Our first thought was the impossibility of the task but one of the women assured me that this was the first trip into this canyon and that the other locations are now almost weed-free and easy to maintain.

We became intimate with the thorns of the mesquite bush and I had one tiny little fire ant give me a sample of their work. One of the other volunteers was flapping and jumping when she encountered them - they are up your sleeves and pant legs before you know it. My vicious little guy got me while on a walk so I had the opportunity of experiencing the amazing slow heat and pain of one bite without wanting to run crazily down the path to the river.

Bill didn't complain once, was bleeding from mesquite thorns, carried more than his share of garbage bags full of weeds down the winding path to the parking lot, and gave the whole experience a 6! Our only issue was the lack of promised gloves and the resulting thorns we are still picking out of our fingers....

Palm Desert

We're settled in on Adobe Springs Drive and have the telephone installed, the VCR working, and I know where the paring knife is! The owners met us when we arrived and during the conversation complained about the previous people moving everything. After they left, Bill took pictures of every room and then I promptly put most of the artificial plants in the closets! I guess nothing grows when you keep all the windows covered to keep out the heat. We have a patio that is suitable for breakfast and most of the morning but turns into an oven at mid-day. We also have a resident dove that knows one song and may not be here for the next renters if he continues to wake Bill up at 6:00 am.