The Salton Sea,
is quieter by April,
most of the wintering birds,
have flown north.
The still sea waits,
for the punishing summer sun.
A few stragglers remain,
not yet forced by heat to flee.
Cheers to you from The Salton Sea~
Inland Sea~
Archives
Badlands~
The Badlands in Anza Borrego State Park in Southern California formed about 4 million years ago.
The unique topography is primarily sandstone, mudstone and claystone.
This whole area was once an ancient sea, and fossils abound in this arid part of the desert.
“The Badlands may be the best place in North America to view sediments from the Pliocene and Pleistocene Epochs.”
The maximum summer temperature recorded here was was 122F .
The hottest I have experienced was 119F.
In the spring, fall and winter though, the Badlands are temperate and comfortable, good for hiking and exploring.
Cheers to you from The Borrego Badlands~
Factual Source: https://www.desertusa.com/anza_borrego/borrego-badlands.html#:~:text=In%20the%20Anza%20Borrego%20Desert,remote%20springs%20and%20mysterious%20concretions.
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Ode to Joy~
Signs of spring.
A jolt of joy!
Blossoms cheer,
weary hearts.
Ode to Joy,
hope and faith.
Cheers to you and Happy Spring~
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Blooming Holler ~
The Holler spring bloom is on, and I am home to photograph it for a change, so I am going to post a series on Holler spring flowers, starting with these beauties. The Cup of Gold flowering vine grows prolifically, and the blooms are humongous, about eight inches in diameter.
Hong Kong Orchid Trees have stunning blossoms that blanket the trees in spring.
Matilija Poppies are one of my favorite flowers and are Southern California natives, with huge fried-egg blossoms, about eight inches in diameter.
Reliable African Iris propagate beautifully at The Holler.
Wild Stinging Lupine cover bare areas, are beautiful to look at, but not nice to touch.
The Californian Fuchsia is native to Southern California but I didn’t know what it was. I thought it was in the fuchsia family but was stumped with identification. So my talented blogging friend Eliza Waters, who has a degree in horticulture and is a Master Gardener, helped me out. If you don’t know Eliza, and you like things that bloom and grow, you may want to check out her blog: https://elizawaters.com/about/
Bougainvillea are touch and go at The Holler due to frost. This one is definitely a go!
Cheers to you from the Blooming Holler~
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So Cal Skies~
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~
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Holler Oddities~
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~
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Sea Koalas~
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~
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Feathers, Fortresses & Flora~
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~
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Desert Reflected~
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!)
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Cookie Faces~
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.
