tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703688170267544142024-03-14T05:47:10.378-06:00My Scenic BywayA scenic byway is a specially designated road that travels through an area of natural or cultural beauty. You can drive on through your life as fast as you can, more focused on the destination than the journey. Or you can choose to be present and revel in the journey that is life. I choose the latter. Eyes wide open and marveling at the beauty that is everywhere all the time - this is My Scenic Byway.Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.comBlogger705125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-19829075327049941032013-09-09T23:09:00.002-06:002013-09-09T23:09:15.857-06:00The View from Black Lava Butte<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking west</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking north</td></tr>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-62321488778292687912013-09-09T22:53:00.003-06:002013-09-09T22:53:48.011-06:00Clouds/Sunsets - AugustSome recent shots<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of Black Lava Butte.</td></tr>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-28811492738755887832013-09-09T22:04:00.002-06:002013-09-09T22:04:25.295-06:00Photos - September 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It started feeling like Fall this weekend.<br />
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The temperatures are cooling. The monsoons have been good - a lot of cloud cover all this week. Downpours a few miles away but just the threat of rain here - lots of rumbling thunder and a few drops. This afternoon it was cloudy and cool - perfect for a walk around the land after a hard day at work.<br />
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Every day I am so in awe that this is my yard.<br />
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Some photos from sunset and our hike earlier today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset tonight, view from our west porch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring our land today. Fall is in the air.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the boulders. Paul found one of the bobcat's dens - he saw a fleeting kitty paw.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shot of our house from the boulders.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing light today.</td></tr>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-16188422417272390682013-08-03T18:50:00.000-06:002013-08-03T18:50:47.559-06:00Cloud PornToday in Pipe's Canyon, near Pioneertown, California...<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-53029475576577849942013-07-17T22:55:00.000-06:002013-07-17T22:55:05.398-06:00Sunset in Smoke Filled SkiesWe went for a walk tonight after dinner around the property. The skies aren't as full of smoke as yesterday, but it still looks strange. There is no more smell of fire in the air or ash falling like snowflakes, but all day the skies were still full of smoke, which changed the light and kept it cooler than normal. And made for an interesting sunset.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-12716094333129990832013-07-17T20:58:00.001-06:002013-07-17T20:58:40.415-06:00Dominican RepublicSome Scenic Byway photos from our recent family vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-23616196553062498912013-07-13T11:51:00.003-06:002013-07-13T11:51:49.224-06:00High Desert Summer SkiesOut here in the Pipe's Canyon/Pioneertown, CA area of the Mojave high desert, Summer is the monsoon season and it means that we get lots and lots of beautiful clouds and breath taking sunsets with ever changing cloud play. The sky is beautiful all year round, but we really get the best cloud play in the Summer and Fall/early Winter (from what I've experienced so far living out here). Winter and Spring this past year brought a lot of cloudless skies. Me I prefer the clouds.<div>
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We have big sky out here and on some days the sky will be blue and full of white fluffy clouds. Some days we'll have partial or full cloud cover which provides a nice respite to the powerful sun. Some days the beauty of the sky is breath taking. I share below a few summer sky and sunset photos to give you the flavor.<div>
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Summer is also when we get our rain, or most often the tease of rain. When I moved out here I didn't know that the rain mostly comes in the summer due to the monsoons. We received more rain than I had imagined we would get out here, but it has been less than normal as the area has been experiencing drought conditions for several years now. We all hope it will pass. </div>
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Having been here a year now, and spent some time visiting before we moved here full time, I feel like so far this Spring and Summer have felt and looked less dry than last year. While we didn't have the amazing Spring bloom that everyone talks about (and that I unfortunately have yet to see), I saw more bloom action this year than last. We also had that once in a life time amazing Joshua Tree bloom this Spring, which many scientists say is a reaction to the drought. I hope we will get a lot of rain this summer and winter (the other time we get rain, and sometimes snow).</div>
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Since we've moved into our new house that we built a few months ago we've had two big (but brief) rains and of course we've been out of town for both of them! That may not sound like a big deal to you, but it was a huge deal to me to miss that. Rain is so rare out here (and beautiful) that you want to be here to experience every second of it. It is a big difference from my past life on the east coast where rain, while beautiful, happens enough that it can become something you don't even pay attention to or just an annoying inconvenience. </div>
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A few days ago we woke one morning to that amazing scent - the smell of moisture in the desert. Its like nothing you've ever experienced and the closest I can come to describing it is to have you think about the air - all around you - smelling slightly of burnt sugar. It is one of the most amazing scents I've ever experienced.</div>
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With that scent we were rewarded with an overcast day and a welcome respite from a heatwave, but only a few drops of rain. I worried about our solar system as we were experiencing our first non-sunny day since we moved in to our home which relies 100% on solar to power everything. But the system was ok. We didn't use a lot of power and the batteries recharged even with the cloud cover. Still, I would have appreciated some rain with that cloud cover.</div>
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While we only received a few drops of rain, not far from us folks were getting hit with pouring rain. This happens most of the time. We sit just to the west of a huge mountain range, part of the Sierras, with our closest mountains being part of the San Bernardino range, and storms get stuck over those mountains. Those mountains get the rain and we get to watch. By the time the cloud formations float over our way they have typically released their rain and broken apart. Sometimes they don't and we get rain...sometimes a sprinkle, sometimes a downpour, but most often we just get to experience that beautiful cloud show and, of course, that amazing scent.</div>
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Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-53002536678634630602013-05-26T13:36:00.001-06:002013-05-26T13:36:08.200-06:00Hiking Black Lava ButteWe live at the base of <a href="http://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/detail.asp?fid=768145">Black Lava Butte</a>. It is in our back yard. I stare at it as I lay in bed. The photo below is pretty much what I see at night. This is facing east. The moon rises over that butte and it can be pretty amazing sometime.<br />
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Yesterday and today I hiked up there (yesterday with Paul, today alone). In fact do you see that tiny little line at the top of the butte, kind of in the center of the photo? That is me. Paul took this shot from our roof deck. We were trying to figure out the perspective. It is so wacky out here in this landscape. Things look closer than they are, bigger and smaller than they really are depending on the angle.<br />
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The photo below is looking off the east side of Black Lava Butte. You see the curve of BLB on the left, Flat Top Mesa on the right and the wash in between and further out would be Highway 247 and the Landers area.<br />
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Black Lava Butte is 4,708 feet above sea level. It is a long skinny curved shape butte, unlike its neighbor Flat Top Mesa which is right next to BLB but really wide. We climbed on top of Flat Top once and it felt like being in the east African savannah. As far as the eyes can see you are just in desert grass. Being on top of Black Lava Butte feels like being on the moon, but with plants. It is desolate, with lava rocks and dirt and scrub grass. There are quite a lot of Creosote bushes and surprisingly a few Joshua Trees and Junipers, quite a few Yuccas and some cacti every so often. We were up there a year ago and saw some swallows and a hummingbird. Yesterday and today I saw no sign of life. Its up there, just not easy to spot.<br />
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Below I am looking west off of BLB. That is our house down there. You can see the solar panels on the roof. The road to the left is Gods Way Love.<br />
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Another western viewing shot from atop BLB, looking more north. There are a few folks living way out there. Being on top of BLB you can see it all.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-4618569942103145782013-05-19T22:37:00.001-06:002013-05-19T22:37:33.298-06:00Road Trip ShotsCaught a few shots during last week's drive from California to Utah.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Utah </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virgin River Gorge - always amazing</td></tr>
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Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-87118623870963742772013-05-18T10:50:00.000-06:002013-05-18T10:50:01.239-06:00Getting Back into the Swing of Things...Life in Our New HomeI've been a terrible blogger these past few months. Life has just been too busy and has gotten in the way. Very little time and energy for picture taking and none for writing. Between all that was going on building and finishing the house and moving in plus work being busy - creativity was tapped out.<br />
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I have a lot of things in my head that I want to write about...that I need to write about, and I think I am getting closer to being able to do that and do it regularly. Until then, here are some photos from some recent walks around our property and "the neighborhood."<br />
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We moved into our house on April 14th. I can't believe we've already been here a month. We still have a lot of work to do on the house but the big things are done. The rest is cosmetic things. The things I love most about living here?<br />
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The absolute silence and tranquility. It is like living in a national park but without the visitors. We hear nothing but the wind, the occasional bird or plane. The crazy, changing weather and the fact that there is usually a very nice breeze running through the house. Since we've moved it its been kind of chilly, way too hot and all the way back to very pleasant - which it is most of the time. We had our first heavy rain, which we missed because we were up in Utah visiting family and getting the last of our things out of storage. Last night we watched a huge dust devil pick up and move across the land. Those things are so wild. And loud.<br />
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The wildlife. We throw out bird seed and all veggie scraps go out for cottontails and others. So now we have a regular group of quail, bunnies, scrub jays, ground squirrels, antelope squirrels (they look like tiny chipmunks) and others that come around. Almost every day you spot something fun. A road runner running by the bedroom patio door while I was staring out the window. A mouse climbing up the outside screen wanting to get in. Bats in the evenings. Some kind of shrew like rodent digging a huge hole in the ground right outside the door. Most of the time you can stand right near a door or window and watch. They don't see that you are in there and they are not afraid.<br />
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With the windows and large sliding glass doors open, sometimes, especially at night, it feels like we are luxury camping - because you are just there in the middle of nature, but you are in a comfortable bed with all of your stuff around you, not just sleeping in a bag on the ground. I love it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We call this one Whale Rock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby bunny sitting in a bush just outside our kitchen window.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkDuLjRZkcv8BhROCB9u9HD8gVDsPYoNMtUpUV1FA9N_Wi_h-NJPHBfYFQHFkmO_jUauuOwCkR-C4jD73i6psWySlX4K9qnfnzsXl3-oNktpXFjAeJkL0x4EhLvYrh6CpDUk_QGXW9n58/s1600/IMG_5259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkDuLjRZkcv8BhROCB9u9HD8gVDsPYoNMtUpUV1FA9N_Wi_h-NJPHBfYFQHFkmO_jUauuOwCkR-C4jD73i6psWySlX4K9qnfnzsXl3-oNktpXFjAeJkL0x4EhLvYrh6CpDUk_QGXW9n58/s640/IMG_5259.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunny taking a break in the shade. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLO3dgEa7LKzJkivqMDyrX5hkpCKOv0o5Zm-6dcmrdoONvdh6KynFxxcqsmeXlj44oVJUiu8AD9eaFfPEmkdwkP1qoU8LEmST2VPxoGhQ-6K3BSq3ERuEcubbAY1PThkt0dkDQQVl6r_S/s1600/IMG_5293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLO3dgEa7LKzJkivqMDyrX5hkpCKOv0o5Zm-6dcmrdoONvdh6KynFxxcqsmeXlj44oVJUiu8AD9eaFfPEmkdwkP1qoU8LEmST2VPxoGhQ-6K3BSq3ERuEcubbAY1PThkt0dkDQQVl6r_S/s640/IMG_5293.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creosote bushes are blooming right now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Zn_li5XiYz57QHoKTpFuKYeAXpi4iyQE9JopHhdrfYsCl_5rqFzrutvGacNnmpi1sZvOgfTx27CLZqIK32Z2Ef36E70Q-aLVaNbRczSJm7f9jBmQooM6BRfQrAvawi7ItQMDx3v0-uxO/s1600/IMG_5303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Zn_li5XiYz57QHoKTpFuKYeAXpi4iyQE9JopHhdrfYsCl_5rqFzrutvGacNnmpi1sZvOgfTx27CLZqIK32Z2Ef36E70Q-aLVaNbRczSJm7f9jBmQooM6BRfQrAvawi7ItQMDx3v0-uxO/s640/IMG_5303.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the road - someone else's land.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlQVfUlTdm3MXs-YrQ2M09TWPZhMnfb5Vur8IwnAtGIU5I3D_Cs8HZ39IiazCkww8N8r1tk-9APtlJi-1qY-tTDPsT1Q3HTOtpD_cjwaBaNcgn-vKPqdliifOTDwY_mNq_3fAml3gKioz/s1600/IMG_5226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlQVfUlTdm3MXs-YrQ2M09TWPZhMnfb5Vur8IwnAtGIU5I3D_Cs8HZ39IiazCkww8N8r1tk-9APtlJi-1qY-tTDPsT1Q3HTOtpD_cjwaBaNcgn-vKPqdliifOTDwY_mNq_3fAml3gKioz/s640/IMG_5226.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadrunner Rut Road in front of our house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDspAzYTiTxa1s0Rv6AnhT57wlX0aQ59JwYXSgz_J4kCYUzV_Wjngx5_tG41MLdbiU5A_K3l_nXZIaksAWBEtoUhqP__Z8KaBR2qB-eHYOKhbGha-mnaONUVFWwOTQ2ElfPvXQ_zJELVJy/s1600/IMG_5242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDspAzYTiTxa1s0Rv6AnhT57wlX0aQ59JwYXSgz_J4kCYUzV_Wjngx5_tG41MLdbiU5A_K3l_nXZIaksAWBEtoUhqP__Z8KaBR2qB-eHYOKhbGha-mnaONUVFWwOTQ2ElfPvXQ_zJELVJy/s640/IMG_5242.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our house is tucked back there in the left corner. Perspective with size is always wacky out here. Things look huge and small depending on what is in your view. Sometimes our house looks like a tiny model. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7wUV3bEXu4tlMvKjmNOUAJUwTyaE1tYdfcSkF5i1QcB5ak73dW2MGnOmfZZLNI89C2jtdA523FOO56iiuLLEKP0wbPIyI0370wT_UthN9hmb9dfptyVV5-FOiRMwpc3zbMou1wmw5RET/s1600/IMG_5255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7wUV3bEXu4tlMvKjmNOUAJUwTyaE1tYdfcSkF5i1QcB5ak73dW2MGnOmfZZLNI89C2jtdA523FOO56iiuLLEKP0wbPIyI0370wT_UthN9hmb9dfptyVV5-FOiRMwpc3zbMou1wmw5RET/s640/IMG_5255.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View out our large door like kitchen window.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi10VA3OyvlD9TRqds0RLUg4n4ES60QwU_z8JF16oENm8_2WB3uSFBrL9emKhe3HRHlgRVXwdKnoXmMC5foaXm4gJ0gdqMuGnvWLoCZ5a8MrCMcrzNeAItBQ36wOH7Ge6FfreW7UAlzkA/s1600/IMG_5287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi10VA3OyvlD9TRqds0RLUg4n4ES60QwU_z8JF16oENm8_2WB3uSFBrL9emKhe3HRHlgRVXwdKnoXmMC5foaXm4gJ0gdqMuGnvWLoCZ5a8MrCMcrzNeAItBQ36wOH7Ge6FfreW7UAlzkA/s640/IMG_5287.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my view when I am doing dishes. I love doing dishes. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDM_5BWhyphenhyphenaIVknOHJmuwwGxhtM_w8i2cPijS7iN7BKGlqOvIyZBfFS9kwhrGyua2E2XwPMjHiLuXkE_VNKfyDEDS97bg7znYMpbYDf9bnLiW4O1ea0lgHDVYfZx0rsw1fkzYouhVlnhUuc/s1600/IMG_5311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDM_5BWhyphenhyphenaIVknOHJmuwwGxhtM_w8i2cPijS7iN7BKGlqOvIyZBfFS9kwhrGyua2E2XwPMjHiLuXkE_VNKfyDEDS97bg7znYMpbYDf9bnLiW4O1ea0lgHDVYfZx0rsw1fkzYouhVlnhUuc/s640/IMG_5311.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking up RRR road yesterday, way back. </td></tr>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-91798176608596398852013-04-06T19:33:00.000-06:002013-04-06T19:33:15.174-06:00First snake of the season<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51Zi8TDbdIATRvCV6TAxPvc9czXEVgXd-yyCdMK-D9OAnFhQE3DZroRf5XF4t6-aJ9crAfGyItOJIyo7PmPFz2yqgV-iuX4Rl71W1YPN80LV4SUTHz_al7q5-MSWms_gxLmQbUI3GHJsM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51Zi8TDbdIATRvCV6TAxPvc9czXEVgXd-yyCdMK-D9OAnFhQE3DZroRf5XF4t6-aJ9crAfGyItOJIyo7PmPFz2yqgV-iuX4Rl71W1YPN80LV4SUTHz_al7q5-MSWms_gxLmQbUI3GHJsM/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a>Spring is here and summer is coming. Paul sighted the first snake of the season the other day. A beautiful Rosy Boa. These snakes are pretty docile and non-venemous. You don't see them often, but apparently in Spring you are likely to see them more often because they are out looking for mates.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-73284005933313667572013-03-03T00:04:00.001-07:002013-03-03T00:04:12.911-07:00Some Like it HotToday in Palm Springs.<br />
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She's only there for about two more months, so see her while you can.<br />
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She is beautiful against the desert mountain back drop.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-88152863880244205982013-02-25T21:12:00.001-07:002013-02-25T22:07:32.991-07:00We Saw Your BoobsI don't usually blog about this kind of thing, but this just bothered me.<br />
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I was in my local, small town grocery store a few hours ago. Waiting in the check out line I looked to the left and saw this. <br />
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Then I looked to the right and saw this.<br />
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These are big, glossy magazines. They stood out among all the other ones there. They were right there in my face and you know what? I was shocked. All I could think was, what do you do when you are in line with your young daughter or son who is staring at these things? There is no way you could keep them from seeing them. They are right there, right in your face. What goes through that little kid's head? Do they think, hey this is how my world is. I want to look like that and be like that and show my boobs. Because isn't this what this is teaching them? Its ok, in fact, its a dream, a goal, to show your boobs.</div>
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Am I getting old? Yes, but I really don't think that has anything to do with my reaction to this. I never really cared about the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. I don't care that they do it. But that cover doesn't seem right, especially for the grocery store. Why is she not in a bikini? Why is she in winter wear, open and showing her boobs all squeezed together? Yes I know boobs sell, but can we just go back to pretty girls in bikinis on a beach instead of this tip toe to porn town? I like Rolling Stone. I've not watched this new series Girls, but I think I will like it, and I get why its popular. Kudos to Lena Dunham too. From one big thigh girl to another - you go girl! I like that you aren't a plastic beauty. You look real and normal and your boobs do too. But you know, I don't really need to see this in the grocery store. </div>
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Don't get me wrong. I am liberal and artsy and free spirited. I like nudity. I like boobs. The naked body is a beautiful thing and women are especially beautiful, but this? Is not really interesting or worthy of my attention at the grocery store. And again, thank God I don't have kids! I worry about the kids out there and this world they have to live in. I feel sorry for you the parents who have to guide your kids through this. Its crap. It really is.</div>
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And this comes today after the Oscars yesterday evening. As my husband and I were watching the red carpet junk we were commenting on how some dresses these days are just showing way too much cleavage. I will be the first to say that good boobs and cleavage are sexy, but there comes this point when showing that much just loses its appeal and becomes ridiculous. There was one reporter covering the event in this dress where I swear you could see her areola!</div>
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Then later of course came Seth McFarlane and his infamous "we saw your boobs" number. Its been 24 hours of boobs on My Scenic Byway....</div>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-619565260465394932013-02-23T21:36:00.000-07:002013-02-23T21:36:53.312-07:00Desert Light The light was amazing this evening before sunset up at the Atomic Ranch.<br />
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Birthday party for the property owner. All of his friends and their dogs in from LA. Spirits, food, good people.<br />
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We watched a huge dust storm off in the distance across the whole valley. The biggest we've seen around here. We were relieved it wasn't smoke from a wild fire.<br />
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As the afternoon hours faded the winds picked up and it grew colder. But the light was amazing.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-87625310028194884372013-02-10T21:56:00.000-07:002013-02-10T21:56:10.278-07:00Boulder Gardens (Garth's place), Pipes Canyon, CA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some of you may know Garth, or have heard of him. He is pretty famous in these parts. In many ways he is responsible for my husband being out here in the desert. Garth has been in the area for a long time, building and living in a very special world. His place is often referred to as Boulder Gardens. People seek it out. People find it. All are welcome. Some come for a visit and end up staying. You will always meet interesting folks there.<br />
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Garth has a lot of kindred spirits working alongside him to keep the place running and growing and sustaining the vision. It takes a lot of work to manage a large area of land...to care for it, to care for the animals and the gardens that are part of the dream. While many folks volunteer service, funds are still needed from time to time. So there is a fundraiser going on right now, to raise funds to fix a well and for some other equipment.<br />
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Some folks have put together a nice <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/296224">Boulder Gardens Fundraiser</a> website - to make it really easy to learn more and to give if you can. Any amount is appreciated. And if you donate, you get gifts! A postcard, a map, a calendar...or you can have a boulder named for you! I've copied some information below, but click on that link to go straight to the site. Watch the video. Make a donation if you can. Plan a visit to the place! It is worth the trip.<br />
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Here's a photo I took from up on part of Garth's land last weekend - looking out across Pipe's Canyon. What you see here across the canyon is beautiful Black Lava Butte (and our house is at the end of that dirt road just next to the Butte!).<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Here is info from the website:</span></h3>
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Please help preserve this desert sanctuary!</h3>
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We are calling on support of the comunity that Garth has graciously accepted into his home, as well as a global community interested in supporting alternative systems of living.<br />
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Boulder Gardens is a thriving example of living harmoniously with the natural environment. It is also a sanctuary and retreat for all forms of spiritual seekers, healers, and travellers. It is an incredible inspiration to all who visit. Please help preserve this sactuary for future generations.</div>
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What We Need:</h3>
We are hoping to raise $6000 to help Garth continue his vision and create a platform that will ensure the future of Boulder Gardens.<br />
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These expenses will include fixing a broken well and solar pump that distributes water across the land, and expenses assosiated with the founding of a non-profit organization who's mission will be to promote Garth's vision of Boulder Gardens for future generations.<br />
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Fixing the well will cost $3000. Including repairing the existing pipe, adding to new solar panels and an inverter, and installation.<br />
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The remaining funds will be used for expenses assosiated with the founding of the non-profit, including application and preparation fees and professional help with the founding of the land trust.<br />
We are also actively looking for advice from a lawyer dealing in the area of non-profit land trusts. Please feel free to share any contact you may have.</div>
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About Boulder Gardens:</h3>
Boulder Gardens is an invitation, not only to sponsor Nature, but to also enjoy, reflect, meditate, and take justifiable pride in the results. The efforts of many committed and invested individuals who have seen the ongoing efforts to create a wonderful, peaceful, and bountiful setting here in our high desert.<br />
In the 1980's Garth Bowles acquired 640 acres with the intention of cultivating a desert sanctuary and retreat, embodying the harmonic co-existence between man and the natural world.<br />
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After 30 years of meticulous planning and permaculture techniques, Garth has worked tirelessly to see his vision through. If the idea of Permaculture is about maximizing useful connections and components to create a synergy between natural ecology and human systems, then Gods Way Love is a thriving example.<br />
Fruit trees, grains, flowers, ponds, enjoyed by frogs, fish, birds and humans are being nurtured as this wonderful sacred garden amongst the boulders is being created with care and good hard work!<br />
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Garth's generous spirit and humble graciousness welcomes anyone passing through with opens arms and warm smiles, which has created a powerful web of people who have been influenced and inspired by Garth.<br />
You may picnic, visit, enjoy drum circles at the full moons, and contribute in many ways to this little corner of paradise.<br />
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We are committed to create an aura of natural beauty within which we hope to build a "complete" populated village based in "sustainable agricultural practice": continue the creation of our meditation center, and continue the transformation of what would some would misidentify as wasteland or desert or just plain desolate place. Existing and ongoing cultivation efforts are an obvious indication of the wonderful potential of the high desert soils to be modified, enriched and bolstered into fertility, bounty and abundance by sustainable, agriculture, plantings, aquaculture and husbandry.<br />
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<strong>Sincere Thanks, and hope for a brighter future. </strong><br />
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Again, here is the website:<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/296224">http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/296224</a></div>
Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-17585815101759426642013-01-20T22:27:00.000-07:002013-01-20T22:27:04.301-07:00Fireplace Rock Wall + Recycled Old WoodOne of my favorite things in the house we are building is the fireplace in the great room, which will sit into a rock wall.<br />
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The fireplace will have a wrap around hearth using large rocks. This will flow into a lower rock platform to the right of the fireplace for the wood stove. The whole wall, 16 feet high, will be embedded with smaller rocks. Best of all? All of the rock will come from our land - hand picked. That is what makes it feel so special. And a lot of work.<br />
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My husband estimates we will need approximately 1,500 rocks to do the fire place wall. That, my friends, is a lot of rocks. Oh, and we are doing one part of the outside house walls in rock and that may take about 3,000 rocks. I can't think about that one yet. Let's just get the inside fire place wall done first.<br />
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We have a lot of rocks on our 40 acres of land, but most of them are giant boulders. However there are spots of smaller rocks suitable for putting into a wall and hearth. Over the past two days I've managed to gather close to 80 of the smaller kinds of rocks we need. I have the day off tomorrow and my goal is to try to surpass 10% of the 1,500 we need...so if I can get it up to 150 rocks, I will be satisfied.<br />
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I can't handle the large ones we will need for the hearth. I can barely handle the smaller ones. It is not easy taking the the wheel barrow out on a zig zag path across our land, avoiding all the plants. It is even harder bringing it back weighted down with many pounds of rocks. Sometimes the wheel gets stuck in sunken sand. I have to stop and rest a lot. I am realizing just how out of shape my back muscles have become. But it is fun.<br />
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I've made up my own rules. Not too many rocks from any one area. If the earth won't give up the rock easily on the first try, then it stays - not because I can't work harder to get it out, but just because I feel the earth wants it to stay. Some rocks have lichen (apparently a good thing and a sign of good air quality) and I don't want to take those away. I feel they should stay outside and continue to sustain that life. I've pulled up a few rocks and discovered ant homes underneath - those stay too. There are plenty of rocks to go around. There is no need to be greedy. Oh, and last, but not least, I thank the desert for giving me the beautiful rocks I take. I am grateful we have this beautiful land and grateful for every inch of it and all of its beauty.<br />
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Below is a photo of some of the rocks I found, all laid out on a table so we can get a better look at the size, color and shape. Paul took the photo from the roof deck of the house. I located more and created a few piles of them further away from the house that I need to pick up tomorrow via wheel barrow.<br />
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The other very cool aspect of this fireplace that I love so much is that we are using old wood we found at a salvage yard in LA (thank you E & K!). It came from a turn of the century (1900s) old mansion that was torn down. We already knew we wanted to use parts of it to create the fire place mantle, but our very talented uncle, who has overseen the construction of this house with my husband, came up with a design to use some of the other wood for the whole rock wall. I've shot a few photos below. It may be difficult to fully envision at this stage, but it is going to be incredible.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the collection of rocks from our land that we will use to build a stone fireplace wall in the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7C5yRfmeT0rnUCCiKHmOh-oqN5nTAMAw5QWa82Vdz6ZMcnp57Kolr0yo_3duwFcPb747Y_UTexNjNs-GnTWYWJAIpSnObv34COLjKB99Zg8kcLy4mtCKjq6ssGfb7-yjpaKl6G5Ut_mbi/s1600/IMG_5103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7C5yRfmeT0rnUCCiKHmOh-oqN5nTAMAw5QWa82Vdz6ZMcnp57Kolr0yo_3duwFcPb747Y_UTexNjNs-GnTWYWJAIpSnObv34COLjKB99Zg8kcLy4mtCKjq6ssGfb7-yjpaKl6G5Ut_mbi/s640/IMG_5103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small sample of the diversity of rocks on the land. These smaller ones will make up the wall. Larger ones will make up the hearth.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwwMvOkVMZ00FJIO8AwDXF_3MfpFN8sFkKrYyW21yxED2_6rR25A0tuUctqT7khyphenhyphen40xNq0iqg4kLROZ6Ybiqb3wAyMtN5x54AEo3p5CRJseaOZZp3llCch-JlHRziJNkRqVz0xEslwLmN/s1600/IMG_5075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwwMvOkVMZ00FJIO8AwDXF_3MfpFN8sFkKrYyW21yxED2_6rR25A0tuUctqT7khyphenhyphen40xNq0iqg4kLROZ6Ybiqb3wAyMtN5x54AEo3p5CRJseaOZZp3llCch-JlHRziJNkRqVz0xEslwLmN/s640/IMG_5075.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can start to see what it will look like. The wood needs to be stripped and finished. There will be more wood in here and then the entire wall will be rock. When we found the old wood, we knew we wanted to make those columns into our mantle. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEUkT352-XHU7FTm3iTxPi-jeR9oCDlj5tlI0VKPzmq7t2YEsJwdk7b1VqLrV6E7aB-alLgRAdBCm2fj6CtflHyv4Im2TMzho-gls_ZCTFh8iWkOBkW_L61lbzGqZy_MnyZTxs0Rp6FBz/s1600/IMG_5081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEUkT352-XHU7FTm3iTxPi-jeR9oCDlj5tlI0VKPzmq7t2YEsJwdk7b1VqLrV6E7aB-alLgRAdBCm2fj6CtflHyv4Im2TMzho-gls_ZCTFh8iWkOBkW_L61lbzGqZy_MnyZTxs0Rp6FBz/s640/IMG_5081.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stone wall will wrap around to the left of the fireplace as will the hearth.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzrnCJ8C5aHgQ4z5dV_Jy9smzaBIXRasESV2MiRjvQjWSSqOsLjl1oloJKBLPJHavtPl71HwkxXdzVG4PRoxI2eSPdurW9__gE0LDHJ77t9F8hfEPaRpGBTT5uF1RUIVs7b5NYsPJVxJY/s1600/IMG_5080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzrnCJ8C5aHgQ4z5dV_Jy9smzaBIXRasESV2MiRjvQjWSSqOsLjl1oloJKBLPJHavtPl71HwkxXdzVG4PRoxI2eSPdurW9__gE0LDHJ77t9F8hfEPaRpGBTT5uF1RUIVs7b5NYsPJVxJY/s640/IMG_5080.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The narrow area to the right of the fireplace will be used to store firewood. There will be a stone hearth wrapped all around the bottom. The wood stove will sit to the right of the fireplace on more stone. The entire wall will be covered in rocks. Ignore that light colored wood above the fireplace - that won't be there - it will all be the darker old wood.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6dw_RcFcEKZWAsnxpaLIOkD2Hkte2zLijnoJ2h-ff38KulHYxwoSYh_HRuS-dOI9uZwKphyXfxdjXFBdv38ZK1jqqLSJZl_WcLppjWs1bQ5oo4IhCZvOXX5AnlXVy1YXDzJEd73KrZv3/s1600/IMG_5099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6dw_RcFcEKZWAsnxpaLIOkD2Hkte2zLijnoJ2h-ff38KulHYxwoSYh_HRuS-dOI9uZwKphyXfxdjXFBdv38ZK1jqqLSJZl_WcLppjWs1bQ5oo4IhCZvOXX5AnlXVy1YXDzJEd73KrZv3/s640/IMG_5099.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to strip the old varnish off the gorgeous old wood. This wood is well over 100 years old as the house was build turn of the century. Its hard to find this kind of old growth type wood any more. We are very happy to recycle it in our home. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPo0mzmIuzjiErlIdBVtb5k-3uxUkYeOmIm5FOgnitluKd2uI8_FhKlf2TgVuqJ9qZr97hDpeH8KyECtCCglSz0nBcTd-3XjFJhxNSb869QYfCEvX3QMI3LNHPMch8SYdYyY8Fb6ui6q5/s1600/IMG_5101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPo0mzmIuzjiErlIdBVtb5k-3uxUkYeOmIm5FOgnitluKd2uI8_FhKlf2TgVuqJ9qZr97hDpeH8KyECtCCglSz0nBcTd-3XjFJhxNSb869QYfCEvX3QMI3LNHPMch8SYdYyY8Fb6ui6q5/s640/IMG_5101.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-44569848776482513142012-12-25T12:35:00.004-07:002012-12-25T12:35:40.108-07:00December 2012<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lj3c4K3ERP4vZ58UASxjQj0UavPyu0z1JZk7_4g2zM3a01flsEQRmerq_-YL3mS1T3A8_JRoKb-ZBjXH4NeI2Dm1cAV0U4NYjFP29E65NdE3xJDCNQ1Qkc7HcFJCFWjdJXK7EIg_z29C/s1600/IMG_4700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lj3c4K3ERP4vZ58UASxjQj0UavPyu0z1JZk7_4g2zM3a01flsEQRmerq_-YL3mS1T3A8_JRoKb-ZBjXH4NeI2Dm1cAV0U4NYjFP29E65NdE3xJDCNQ1Qkc7HcFJCFWjdJXK7EIg_z29C/s640/IMG_4700.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December sunrise</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDax4BncKZkfNQzcslfjLxVUjItvDLXU3-XhEyuHuFUEhYtnFc2bpbA2uQ0pwVm4VIyxCZBnibbLNjfkoqZRlrCfVMN_VSDfLKlZzYDgglX1IaAEleVK1fHQWDSE2wKs5aM003R5JnHKe9/s1600/IMG_4704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDax4BncKZkfNQzcslfjLxVUjItvDLXU3-XhEyuHuFUEhYtnFc2bpbA2uQ0pwVm4VIyxCZBnibbLNjfkoqZRlrCfVMN_VSDfLKlZzYDgglX1IaAEleVK1fHQWDSE2wKs5aM003R5JnHKe9/s640/IMG_4704.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking Roadrunner Rut Road</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fs-7e_qHfO22l8uFW0ol0pXOpnQ8kqGHkosu4E7NZ-EXDLoSPVg9HIjyOAH1_JxjxL1NewbmW87ymhCAgfLx9wxgHxkGicLUL_PAtQu3VNvEAeg1k5YDKA_wirHAGAhEXudVBvTqMszE/s1600/IMG_4733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fs-7e_qHfO22l8uFW0ol0pXOpnQ8kqGHkosu4E7NZ-EXDLoSPVg9HIjyOAH1_JxjxL1NewbmW87ymhCAgfLx9wxgHxkGicLUL_PAtQu3VNvEAeg1k5YDKA_wirHAGAhEXudVBvTqMszE/s640/IMG_4733.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backyard cottontails</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROxhd-8CXF_JEKvHmvK4xo-kSzl49UG6NbWEpvdOv22hOBBLbh-wwmWEP2ZcMlqBSiNrY3qezcdYzv8dvDtvdFVPHfVy5HIHE_Xm8oCp1SuBCvoTQ-rrhqsdwp-rJZJX9s1Q-j1Bm3XKF/s1600/IMG_4739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROxhd-8CXF_JEKvHmvK4xo-kSzl49UG6NbWEpvdOv22hOBBLbh-wwmWEP2ZcMlqBSiNrY3qezcdYzv8dvDtvdFVPHfVy5HIHE_Xm8oCp1SuBCvoTQ-rrhqsdwp-rJZJX9s1Q-j1Bm3XKF/s640/IMG_4739.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunny shadows</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaamn4mZGA1u35U2l7jkEpTzrwPl6WZxaAuxHqZ5F7NnT9tz64YBXHwWFTaC618lQ5sLmbBRCEf8oL-YLX0Ju5z13ZDDu5J5UMEgN2AGfEG2rdptO8AoXwJGhAUuMd_hAOn08Lhokr2EC/s1600/IMG_4759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaamn4mZGA1u35U2l7jkEpTzrwPl6WZxaAuxHqZ5F7NnT9tz64YBXHwWFTaC618lQ5sLmbBRCEf8oL-YLX0Ju5z13ZDDu5J5UMEgN2AGfEG2rdptO8AoXwJGhAUuMd_hAOn08Lhokr2EC/s640/IMG_4759.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 21 - ring around the moon - the largest I've ever seen</td></tr>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-35436783258330373272012-12-25T12:27:00.000-07:002012-12-25T12:27:51.403-07:00Merry Christmas 2012<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-74421357560404707362012-12-17T00:16:00.000-07:002012-12-17T00:16:56.943-07:00Magic on the BywayI know a magic place where blue jays will practically sit on you looking for food and will eat from your hands.<br />
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We know of two of them now. They live in a beautiful wooded path near our home. They will approach you as soon as you enter the wooded area and will follow you all along the path until the end.<br />
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They are not afraid.<br />
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They are so beautiful.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxKREOdb4DCxmFVJvn6QzxX78HuwiXeLr2TkpvdVuZ6iIIlGlJ7emMQXo42CTSb-JP_3oH2zXNy3VN2TLSUwA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-17840246979780682502012-12-15T23:06:00.000-07:002012-12-15T23:06:04.402-07:00Today's HikeFavorite scenes from the Byway today.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-74888414915524636942012-12-14T10:58:00.001-07:002012-12-14T10:58:23.472-07:00Art Basel Miami 2012Well <a href="http://miamibeach.artbasel.com/">Art Basel Miami</a> is over for this year, and we missed it, breaking a multiple year in a row attendance record for my husband, and two years for me.<br />
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We decided long ago we wouldn't attend this year because we are busy building our house and saving our money for the house, plus this year's dates (Dec 5-8) coincided with a traditional family vacation in Mexico. So we knew we weren't going, but that didn't make it any easier to miss it, especially as we received photos and updates from friends last week.<br />
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It looks like it was as amazing as ever. All that beautiful, gorgeous art. So much art. More art than I have ever seen. The main show at ABM, held in the Miami convention center, is not like going to any museum. It is like visiting the world's largest art gallery. Picture a giant convention center full of the best contemporary art in the world. Hours of winding through exhibition space and gazing upon what is hot in the global art world - more than 260 galleries showing more than 2,000 artists. More than $2 billion worth of art. Beyond the main event at the convention center there are hundreds of art shows and events and art parties all around Miami. It is an exhilarating and exhausting and mind-blowing and overwhelming experience.<br />
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If you can get to ABM, I recommend it. Highly.<br />
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In addition to the art, you can walk around watching the world of art galleries and their people - their hierarchies, rivalries and cliques. If you don't work in the art world it is a fascinating little glimpse into that world as this is the largest trade show for their kind. It is fun to watch the gallery folks as well as all of the visitors, everything from wealthy art buyers and collectors to artists and art students and art lovers and voyeurs like us. And if you get to go to the main area on the days when the event is not open to the public you are guaranteed to spot some celebrities shopping for art. You will see even more of them if you can get into the swanky side events and parties. And there are oh so, so many swanky parties. According to the news, Pharrell was there again this year (saw him the year before). He seems to be one of the ABM hang arounds. Last year we saw Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones. When I say "saw" I mean I stood next to him admiring some art (he is shorter and smaller than you would imagine, but handsome). This year we missed Beyonce and Jay-Z. I am 100% certain that Adrien Brody was there...because I've seen him two years in a row. Spotting Brody is one of my favorite past times at ABM because I never see celebrities (I never pay attention and walk around oblivious), yet I've managed to spot him two years in a row - once in the main show and once on the street. I feel the universe has made a connection.<br />
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But enough about the people watching. In the end people watching, especially the celebrities, is secondary, and boring, and a pale joy when compared to viewing all of that delicious, delicious art. Damn it. Next year its back on. I can't wait.<br />
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If you want to get a small flavor, check out a few fun overviews of this year's event, including photos:<br />
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Trends: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/art-basel-miami-word-art-2012-12?op=1">http://www.businessinsider.com/art-basel-miami-word-art-2012-12?op=1</a><br />
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Outrageous Art: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-outrageous-pieces-from-art-basel-miami-2012-12?op=1">http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-outrageous-pieces-from-art-basel-miami-2012-12?op=1</a><br />
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Checking Out Art Basel: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/12/checking-out-art-basel-in-the-midst-of-a-backlash/266167/">http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/12/checking-out-art-basel-in-the-midst-of-a-backlash/266167/</a><br />
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Banksy: <a href="http://www.blackbookmag.com/art/our-man-in-miami-banksy-was-everywhere-at-art-basel-or-was-he-1.55848">http://www.blackbookmag.com/art/our-man-in-miami-banksy-was-everywhere-at-art-basel-or-was-he-1.55848</a><br />
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Here are some of my posts from past years:<br />
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<a href="http://www.myscenicbyway.com/2011/12/top-ten-at-art-basel-miami.html">Top Ten at Art Basel Miami</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.myscenicbyway.com/2011/12/art-basel-miami-beach-mr-brainwash.html">Mr. Brainwash</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.myscenicbyway.com/2010/12/kehinde-wiley.html">Kehinde Wiley</a><br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-75090228333286835622012-12-13T19:21:00.002-07:002012-12-13T19:21:14.273-07:00WinterFinally it is starting to feel like Winter here in the desert. The temperatures are dropping, both in the day and night time. Today it rained most of the day. A bone chilling rain.<br />
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We are staying in a wonderful rental house (the Bunny House) while we are building our home. It is a beautiful walk between the properties. In the morning we did the walk in a light rain and caught a bit of rainbow.<br />
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When it rains out here, it is magical. First you get the smell. The air is crisp and clean and smells like burnt sugar. Then the visual. The palette of the landscape changes. The silver bushes become dark purple, the yellow ones turn golden. The greens of the joshua trees and the juniper bushes darken. The cholla glow white.<br />
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-47545739684445551682012-12-03T14:09:00.000-07:002012-12-03T14:18:03.900-07:00The Moon Last Night...<div style="text-align: center;">
The moon last night</div>
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Moving in and out of the clouds.</div>
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upward to the sky</div>
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and downward to the ocean and the shore.</div>
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While the stars, and I, watched. </div>
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<br />Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-89842596761346026632012-11-29T18:39:00.000-07:002012-11-29T18:40:41.409-07:00Night Time NeighborsMeet our neighbors out here in the desert :)<br />
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Coyote!</div>
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Bunny!</div>
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Kitty!</div>
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Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-870368817026754414.post-23378178881625029852012-11-29T18:27:00.000-07:002012-11-29T18:27:14.474-07:00KITTY!!!Kitty!!!! We have a bobcat in our yard! We thought one was around the area but we finally have evidence. Paul bought the most awesome thing - one of these motion sensor video cameras. Hunters use them (in fact the camera case is camouflage). We have it running up at the building site to see what animals (or people) come around. The camera is triggered by movement and works in the dark. We've captured cottontails and jack rabbits, desert mice, coyotes and now - a bobcat! A very chubby, fluffy bobcat. So cool.<br /><div>
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Wendy Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263026096835630181noreply@blogger.com0