California/Nevada Trip

Mike and I just got back from a quick road trip that let us spend a couple of days in Nevada, and a few more in California. The main goal was to see Death Valley -which is indescribably beautiful and simply stunning- but as a lover of topography, almost every turn in the road provided me with some new feature to look at as we wound our way through the wide open spaces of the high desert.

 Of course, I took many pictures and am posting a few of them now. I shot this photo of Lake Mead and Hoover Dam from the walkway on the new bridge. We later learned that the water level was down 150 ft. after a scorching summer, as evidenced by the waterline.

The Kelso Dunes in California were lovely, nestled among rugged hills in the Mojave National Preserve. We had the dunes to ourselves, to enjoy with a hot sun, the slightest ruffle of a breeze and the soothing sound of silence


A few brave lizards were to be seen scooting about, but most wildlife knew to stay cool in the many burrows we saw dug into the sand.   

California's Red Rock Canyon was breathtaking, the scale and colour of them a delight to investigate.

Oddly enough, I feel more relaxed in the desert than I do here at home.

 There is endless space to breath in these wide open spaces, not always an easy thing to find in our busy lives.

Again, I can't find the words to describe Death Valley. It is huge, untamed, colourful and endlessly fascinating. Mike and I tend to cover as much ground in a day as we can when away, and we didn't leave enough time to enjoy every stop in the park.  Guess that means we'll have to do it again....

The picture above is Zabriskie Point. I'm going to look up the movie of the same name from years ago and see if the scenery plays a significant part in it.

Artist's Palette is one stop no-one seems to neglect. We spent a lovely hour watching the sun go down and the shadows weaving their evening magic. 

A huge arroyo had carved it's way into  the hills where we stood, and we could imagine how thunderous the water would sound roaring through it in a rain storm.

As daylight neared it's end, we found ourselves in Badwater Basin, a salt flat that covers 200 square miles. It is also the lowest point in the USA at 282 feet below sea level.

I have neglected my blog shamefully, but will return with more trip pics soon. Thanks for stopping by...

The A - Z April Challenge: Q

Q is for Equus Quagga

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 Equus quagga is the binomial name for the Plains zebra. This zebra is also known as the Common or Burchell’s zebra.

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These beautiful creatures have always fascinated people. They have been the subject of African Folk tales, they appear in films and art, and of course their stripes show up in furniture, carpets and fashion.

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Thought to attract good fortune, the zebra is also popular as a mascot and is even featured on the Botswana coat of arms.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Q is also for Equus Quagga Quagga

The Quagga is a recently extinct mammal, closely related to zebras and horses. It was brown in colour with white stripes only on its head, neck and forebody, with the hind end being a solid colour.

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Quaggas lived in the desert areas of the African continent but were exterminated from the wild in the 1870s, with the last captive quagga dying in Europe a decade later.

Photo by Google

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For more A - Z posts, be sure to pop by Arlee Bird's site and see what others have done with the letter Q...
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http://www.tossingitout.blogspot.com/2011/01/very-special-and-exciting

Desert Reflections

To my great delight, we had daily storms on our road trip to Utah last year. They would arrive suddenly and pass just as quickly, leaving behind rivulets of water rushing down the arroyos to form small pools where none usually lay.

Eagerly, I would take as many shots as I could before the hot sun dried the soil and turned it to soft red dust once more...

  

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I'm linking this post to Weekend Reflections, hosted by James at Newton Daily Photo.

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Drop by for a visit...you'll be glad you did...

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http://newtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Sandy Shadows

All week long, our little dog waits patiently for Sunday. While she is walked several times each day, Sundays are for adventure, given over to shady groves, woodland trails and the joy of new things to explore!
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We're fortunate to have many parks within easy reach. A favourite with us all is on the edge of the Fraser River, underneath the Patullo Bridge.

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Its main appeal is a huge mountain of sand that borders the park. It is not picturesque sand in an idyllic beach setting, but is strictly utilitaran...a great mound piled onto an empty lot in an industrial site to prepare the ground for construction.
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No matter...Meeghan and I love scampering through sandy dunes of any sort, (though it's more accurate to say she scampers and I plod clumsily behind her)!

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I love to watch as long afternoon

shadows mark deep, dark creases across the dunes. The drifting sand with its peaks and swirls mimics perfectly the landscape of the world's great deserts.

I grab my camera to get pictures of Meeghan as she and her shadow lope happily across the rippled sand.
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There is something about this sand that reminds me of the moon with its cool, pocked surface and oddly shaped formations. Of course, my imagination has a tendency to run away with itself.
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I see much beauty in this cluster of weeds, the light tracing spindly shadows outward from each plant, as if penned by a calligraphic hand.
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The shifting silver sand and sharp shadows are a perfect place to explore the play of light and dark that I so love.

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Many thanks to 'Hey, Harriet' for hosting this Sunday event! To see more shadowy shots, do drop by her page at...

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http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/