Life in the Desert

katannuta for@ Bindu Wiles and 21 days of awakenings #215800

    

I am learning through my writing devotion during these 21 days,that a big part of what keeps me from writing(other then my dreadful typing skills), is an ever present feeling that I am not able to put into words what I am experiencing. What I really feel,from one day to the next.

How to compact into sentences multiple strings of thoughts, ideas, feelings ,fragments, responses, experiences,questions and so on.

As i have been so blessed to connect to other wonderful women whom I never would have met, if it were not for the intention,then action, of Bindu. I have visited so many blogs with incredible , authentic writing, authored by souls shining like separate stars in this internet universe and beyond.

The Yoga practice comes much more naturally to me,though again, this opportunity

was a call to return, to begin again, slowly , and gently. After 3 weeks my body  now cries for it-literally.

This is the awakening I hoped for,that I knew was possible;but had eluded me for far to many moons.

So I say Katannuta

knowing that I am awake,moving and writing with a sense of connection and wonder

on my journey

where the cactus wren nests cholla bush bloom

cholla bush bloom, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

If you follow my blog,you may recall my most unfortunate and excruciating event of being impaled by a jumping cholla cactus ball two years ago.

Well, this is the favored nesting home of the cactus wren. Only those who have felt even one needle impaled into our skin, can truly appreciate mother natures design and intelligence of this monstrous cholla cactus .being the nesting playground for our Cactus wrens.
The cactus wren creates amazing architecture here and dances upon its needles as if they were made of silk
This is the first year I have witnessed our Cholla cactus in bloom.
It lasted for less then a week and is now in what I refer to as
its dreaded desert summer doldrums.
I would not even think of it now,but with all the joyful cactus wren activity ,I am-ever-so-slowly- slowly creeping around it,peeking here and there- to see if any of the brilliantly constructed nest have eggs in them.

the curious cactus wren

the cactus wren are back, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

I am so excited to see the new cactus wren off spring on the ranch once again.
I adore all the birds;but the cactus wren has an energy, a friendliness, and even what appears to be playful ,silliness, that wins over -even the least enthusiastic avian observer.
I am quite certain if it were not for the our canine family, this little wren fledgling would have hopped and hurried its way straight into my kitchen. It explored the hanging steel dinner bell as a child would a set of monkey bars.
I have no choice but to shoot through our back double glass slider. If i attempt to go out onto the porch ,you no who comes tumbling out behind me,ruining any hopes of a shoot, and of course, scaring all the birds away.
There appears to be possible nesting activity going on, in the same lemon tree that i managed to fall out of last year. This year I will observe from afar. Unless of course, a much sturdier photo set up(like a fireman bucket ladder) becomes available; or, I finally give into the expense of a super telephoto lens or find just the right used one in super condition.

Can I be Gentle with Myself ? Questions in Downward Dog

summer solstice in the mojave desert

Thanks to so many reminders from new friends on Bindu Wiles project, I had a mini celebration with my camera around the ranch.
the lovely young Finch adores the scrub-grass bush with endless,long, branches that must feel made for him. Its fuzzy blooms ,the deserts version of a pussy willow,abound this year following our highest rainfall in a decade in the drought ridden Mojave. These thousand of fuzzy white balls add a much needed softness against
Our date bush is over flowing with the sweet fruit,not quite ready for picking. Rest assured by July our avian friends will begin to feast on the fruit. The wrought iron fence almost turquoise,as the setting sun illuminates it. The only outcome of our "hose painting plunder" from now 2 summers ago,that actually makes my eyes happy. No elaboration on that event today ,which is actually still  this event,as the interior colors ended in great visual dissatisfaction,that have yet to be repainted; thus, I am reminded everyday...but ---I move on... for now
The collage maker in Picassa made this image too small to get the full effect;but, the thickness of the lush,canopy our Pomegranate Tree provides, stays shaded all of the scorching  desert day,until this magic time,as the sun moves downward in the west, throwing spotlights through the tiny breaks in green, highlighting the newly drying blooms that fall like red snow stars when the Santa Ana winds blow and rustle our tree. The next phase is the ripening of the Pomegranate fruit .
Finally,yet another rose,budding on what I refer to as our Miracle Rose Bush. She was planted lovingly by the original owners of our ranch,over 20 years ago and blooms year round regardless of rainfall. We never know what color each bloom will be. The not knowing makes each appearance even more precious.

standing feathered ovation!!

the roadrunner, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Sky Painting-by....Mother NAture

Sky Painting-by....Mother NAture, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

the gift after a long hot day here in the Mojave Desert

THE GREATER ROADRUNNER

P3160669, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

My old friend Renaldo the roadrunner has been MIA for almost 2 months now. I don't know if this bigger male took over his territory, or perhaps in went journeying for a female .
Either way I miss my fine feathered friend's regular visits and hope that perhaps the extended winter weather has just delayed our usual avian activity for a regular Mojave June

JackRabbit Play

JackRabbit Play, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Here we hop round
the Tumbleweed bush
the Tumbleweed bush
the Tumbleweed bush
Here we Hop Round
the Tumbleweed bush0
So Early in the Morning

The were far beyond the 200mm reach of my lens,but somehow I caught a bit of a shot
=)

a Jack Rabbit Morning

a Jack Rabbit Morning, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

6am on the far back acreage of the ranch
for the very first time in 20 years in the desert
I saw THREE jack rabbits frolicking about!
this shot through a window and two fences is a healthy young Black Tailed Jack Rabbit!

sun and heat

sun and heat, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

still in high 90s here in the Mojave desert. So you know where I am

sun and heat..heat and sun

a full week of 100 degrees here in the Mojave desert my beautiful desert world has become physically tortuous. Tomorrow I face even higher temps in Palm Springs I shall bring my camera to distract me from my physical angst

Joshua Tree Desert Perspective * toes

IMG_0706, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

I am having the most wonderful experience taking UNRAVELING
e-course. link is over here to your right ---------------------->
it is exactly what I need at this particular point of my creative journey
I was feeling a bit Catiwampassed ( a Midwest expression)
betwixt and between
pretty much ready to take a 30 day off line break

BUT

just having lead in shifting my focus is
rebooting my brain
helping me zone in
and renewing my creative Mojo

I am so very thankful for this