Mindful Day 15, Stone x Stone

A beautiful hike in Palm Canyon which runs for 15 miles through the Aqua Caliente reservation. What makes it special is the running water that has created a lush area of palm trees throughout the canyon. You walk down into the canyon and are greeted by cool air and the sound of running water. The recent rains have certainly made the stream bigger, you could see signs of what rushing water had done everywhere. As we reached the end of this part of the hike we took a different trail back that overlooked the canyon and you could also see for miles and miles in every direction. At the high point of the trail was a gathering of cairns - the perfect place to stop, look around and be thankful for the heart stopping beauty in the world.

Mindful Day 14, Love in the Desert

I got out for a good long hike up on the trails in the mountains nearby, reversing the hike I took last week. When you reverse things look very different. Something I did not see going one direction jumped right out at me this time. Thirty or forty feet off the trail I got to see love in the desert. As ever, I can picture different scenarios for this photo. Was it done by a couple? Was it done in honor of someone, was it a way to leave a message for someone coming by later, was it to express happiness just about being out in the warm air and beautiful space? You could write a lot of stories!

Mindful Day 13 Rain, Rain, Rain

The sound of rain in the desert. More rain today then has fallen all year. Even though we come here for the warmth and sun, we are as grateful as residents to see and hear this rain as we can see how badly it is needed.

Mindful, Day 12 First Bloom

The first agave bloom that I have seen this year. Others are just getting ready to pop. They are so ungainly but the bloom is large and beautiful when it opens. There have been several days with small (really small) amounts of rain so lots of things are starting to bloom and getting green in a hurry.

Mindful, Day 11 Over the Rainbow

What a change one day can bring. This morning the sky is dark to the west over the mountains but there is the hint of a rainbow just barely there.  Yesterday the pink sky was intense, today's is dark and moody.  Beautiful in entirely different way.

Mindful, Day 10 - Hot Pink

Some morning dawns are so incredibly beautiful there is nothing to be said.

Mindful, Day 9 - The Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Today's observation had me laughing for a long time. I am sitting in my car in a parking lot talking on the phone when a small red car pulls in facing me. The next time I look up there is a cat sitting quite proudly on top of  the car thoroughly enjoying himself, looking at the tree, the sky and what is going on around the lot.  Once in awhile he does a short stroll around the top of the car but does not leave. A lady coming through the lot attempts to get him to come down and he is having none of it.  Eventually the car owner returns to be harangued by the other lady while the cat continues to enjoy his time on the roof.  Apparently he slithered out of the car through about a 3 inch gap. The owner picks him up, tosses him back in the car where he now takes up residence as a neck warmer across the back of the drivers headrest.  His nonchalance was fun to watch and reminded me to also stop and take a look around!