So Cal Skies~

Mar6

Sunset at The Holler,

and at the beach.

Sky lends beauty to the land.

Contrail lights The Holler sky,

while a rare shower,

paints rainbows in the sky.

The pot of gold,

seemed in my reach!

Cheers to you from The Holler skies~

Holler Oddities~

Feb28

Ghost ranches, buried old cars, coyote packs, a former free range Ankole Watusi bull, The Holler is definitely an odd place, which is why we fit in so well!

Take this thorny tree for example. It is a Silk Floss tree and is about 50 feet tall.

This time of year it is covered in plate sized cotton poofs.

The poofs develop from large seed pods.

In the fall, the tree drops its leaves and devotes all its energy to producing masses of beautiful blooms.

The Holler abuts a large nature preserve and is built on very old orchards. Back in the day, orchard workers lived on site and indulged in their love of exotic plants and trees, many of which are still thriving and producing today.

I often wish I could tell them how much we appreciate living with the beautiful results of their talent and effort.

Cheers to you from the very odd Holler~

Sea Koalas~

Feb21

Wild California Sea Otters,

remind me,

of floating koala bears.

Like koalas they have a laid back approach to life,

and don’t sweat the small stuff!

This pup is clearly embracing the parental philosophy.

Cheers to you from Moro Bay California’s wild sea otters~

Feathers, Fortresses & Flora~

Feb15

These are just three of the many reasons I love Oz. Most of the creatures are very friendly!

Tasmanian countryside.

Old church, in the former penal colony,

Port Arthur, Tasmania.

Tasmanian,

flora is unique and stunning.

Old Government House, Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney.

Flower Arrangement in the Government House. We met and chatted with the Governor of New South Wales while touring Government House where she lives (I told you, Oz is a friendly place!)

Royal botanical garden Sydney.

Cheers to you from just a few of the reasons I love Oz~

Desert Reflected~

Feb6

In a topsy-turvy world,

that spins,

like a ball,

in space,

plants grow upside down,

and fish swim in trees.

Cheers to you,

from a pond’s point of view~

These photos were taken over the years in California, at Borrego Springs State Park, The Annenberg Gardens in Palm Springs, and Death Valley National Park. (Note: Image three is posted upside down, while image four is right-side up!)

Cookie Faces~

Jan29

My two year old twin grandsons,

are not the only ones who are tired!

Covid may be stopping my travel,

but caring for these guys while their parents work remotely,

is keeping me busy!

Gotta run! Cheers to you from The Holler~

Note: The Holler is being hit by a series of ‘atmospheric rivers’ of dearly needed rain that intermittently ices up our wi-fi antenna and shuts down our internet for days at a time. So please excuse me when I disappear.

Hope Blooms~

Jan22

Christmas Blooms,

opened a month late,

on January 20th, 2021.

As if to celebrate,

new leadership for the USA.

Hope delayed,

blooms and grows.

Cheers to you from The Holler’s late bloomers~

Two heads~

Jan17

Giraffes know that two heads,

work better than one.

You can look two ways at the same time,

and one head can prod another along!

Three heads are even better than two,

but prone to disagree about directions.

Compromise must be worked out.

Four heads can be confusing,

but giraffes will usually agree.

I wonder, why can’t we?

Cheers to you for the cooperative giraffes of Kruger National Park.

(Note: This is a reworked post from photos taken in 2015.)

Grace on Wings~

Jan9

The Salton Sea in Southern California lies 227 feet below sea level. It is the largest lake in California and shelters at various times of the year, half of the variety of bird species found in the United States. Millions of birds visit the sea annually.

American Avocets get their name from the Italian word ‘avosetta,’ which means graceful.

They are slender waders that feed mainly on crustaceans and insects.

Avocets used to be widespread across the United States,

but the species was killed off in much of it’s eastern range by the early 1900’s.

The Salton Sea is a critical habitat for these, and many other bird species, but the sea is shrinking due to climate change and increased human demands for water. Efforts are underway to help save the sea and the birds that rely on it. Time will tell if these efforts will be enough.