Happy New Year!

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
~ Irish Blessing

This is not a technically great photo because it was shot through the dirty window of a speeding train, but it was such an amazing scene in the midst of this otherwise very wet and wild winter we're having here in the Western U.S. that I felt compelled to offer it as part of my New Year's wish for everyone. (Taken on December 13 somewhere near Salem, Oregon.)

Here's hoping 2011 brings health, happiness, and rainbows to all!!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! 

May you enjoy all the delights of the holiday.

~ Leslie

Happy Thanksgiving

To those of you who celebrate...
wishing you a special day
with family, friends, food, and fun.

Anyone else out gardening?

I have been neglecting my blog (but trying to keep up with yours)! But I have a really good excuse... I've been spending a lot of time outside getting my fingers nice and dirty in the yard. Until the sudden heat of this week, we've had perfect weather to get out and spruce things up a bit. It sure feels good! I hope all of you are enjoying outside kinds of things too.

When weeding, the best way 

to make sure you are removing a weed 

and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. 

 If it comes out of the ground easily, 

it is a valuable plant.

~ Author Unknown

Happy Independence Day

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence 

every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers 

who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, 

but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, 

the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. 

 You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

~ Erma Bombeck

A thought for this first day of July...

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.

~ Nadine Stair

Cactus Monday

Happy Cactus Monday!

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, 
if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, 
if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, 
Rejoice, for your soul is alive.
~ Eleanora Duse

For more cactus fun, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Summer Solstice

Happy Summer! 

I hope it was as beautiful everywhere else around the globe as it has been here in Southern California today.

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.

~ Celia Thaxter

Happy Father's Day

Stopping by to wish all of the fathers out there a very happy day. I hope everyone has been enjoying this day with their families.

Me & Dad

For those of you who may have been wondering why I disappeared for a while, I had some family matters to attend to. Nothing drastic, just requiring my presence and undivided attention. The good news is that I got to spend a bunch of quality time with my Dad. An early Father's Day treat we both enjoyed.

Have a great week, everyone!

Matilija Poppy II

To answer Out on the prairie's question about my previous post, I went back and looked at the other photos from that day. Here's one of a different bloom that includes a bit more of the foliage. I also found a good image at this link. It does not resemble thistle the way prickly poppy does. I know prickly poppies also have some pretty good stickers (they are named appropriately). You can see that this foliage is darker, and more smooth and "friendly" than that of its prickly cousin.

Matilija poppies are also quite large—they grow up to eight feet tall. The ones in my photographs were only about waist- or chest-high. Now, for those of you who are wondering what a prickly poppy looks like, CalPhotos has some good examples of a variety that's native to California.

Thanks for asking—I always like learning new things about flowers!

Matilija Poppy

This is always one of my favorites. Love how big and bold they are, and those crinkly petals. You can't help but smile when you come upon them. This one was dancing in the breeze, so I was very pleased when I got home to find it was in focus.

Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.
~ William Shakespeare

Happy Friday

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

bush anemone (Carpenteria californica)

Charm is a glow within a woman

that casts a most becoming light on others.

~ John Mason Brown

Cactus Monday

It's a dreary, drippy day here in Southern California,
so how about a bit of color?

Mojave Mound / Claret Cup (Echinocereus triglochidiatus)

As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life.

~ John Lubbock

Be sure to visit Terri's Painted Daisies for more cactus beauty.

Happy Cactus Monday!

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing all mothers a very special day today!

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or kiss the place to make it well?

My mother.

~ Ann Taylor

Lady Banks Rose

What flower was I photographing while making the roadrunner in my previous post so nervous? This Lady Banks rose. It was mostly past its prime, but the blossoms were lovely anyway. The profusion of blooms provides a refreshing oasis in the dry desert.

A beautiful lady is an accident of nature.

A beautiful old lady is a work of art.

~ Louis Nizer

Beep! Beep!

I am by no means a wildlife photographer—usually my photos of wild critters are blurry at best. But I had such a fun encounter with this roadrunner that I thought I'd share a couple photos that turned out okay. This gal (or guy) was very focused on trying to lure me away from her nest and babies. I knew I was invading her territory, and was being very respectful and careful while I took a few photos of flowers. The entire time she "clacked" and scooted about in a hilarious display, getting more and more brave.

Disappearialis quickius*

Finally, when she jumped up on this old cart I was standing next to, almost within arm's reach, I gave her the space she wanted. They are truly fascinating and beautiful birds.

* from "Zoom at the Top," a Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon

Cactus Monday

How about a delicate beavertail bloom for this Cactus Monday...

A woman should be like a single flower, not a whole bouquet.
~ Anna Held

Happy Cactus Monday!

For more deserty delights, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Earth laughs in flowers

desert chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana)

Fremont's phacelia (Phacelia fremontii)

desert dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata)

Mojave aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia var. tortifolia)

Earth laughs in flowers.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gilded

To the illumined man or woman,

a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same.

~ Bhagavad Gita

Cactus Monday

The desert is definitely blooming! We were out over the weekend and were astounded at how green and yellow the East Mojave is right now. It is simply carpeted with flowers. It was a working weekend, so I didn't have time to take many photos, but we could not drive by this beauty without stopping.  This is Mojave mound cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus), also known as claret cup for obvious reasons.

Happy Cactus Monday! 
See more treasures at Teri's Painted Daisies.

The earth is like a beautiful bride who needs no manmade jewels to heighten her loveliness.

~ Kahlil Gibran