Monday, January 6, 2014

Misc. Items of Interest (at least to me)

I hope everyone who reads this (and even those who don't) had a great holiday season! Although we weren't home for much of it, ours was great!  I haven't posted for a couple of weeks and apologize for starting out with a miscellaneous grouping of photos. We've been out of town a lot lately and on many days didn't have a hint of a cell phone signal. My phone is my hotspot, so no signal means no blogging.

Although these photos are very current, I'm dreadfully behind on regular blog posts. We've been on the road and exploring a TON lately and I promise that I'll get busy posting right away. I've got a lot of interesting things to post. As you know I've been spending a lot of time in the Joshua Tree National Park area. Yes, I've been to all the standard tourist spots, but we've spent most of our time searching for the things that tourists NEVER see. Things that aren't in the books, on the maps, or that most of the rangers aren't even aware of. The few people who do know about them, refuse to tell anyone their locations. Most of these places involve petroglyphs, pictographs and other historical places. For now though, here are some items that are not in that group, but caught my eye anyway.

As you know, I love old places, abandoned places and offbeat places. This "sign" belongs to what appears to be an interesting (but closed) place in the little town of Morongo Valley. I'm going to make it a point to get in there (even if I have to hop the fence) to see exactly what it was. Love that sign! What's left of it anyway.

 A Joshua Tree forest

 A wind farm. There are hundreds of these things in the Palm Springs area (where this was taken). I really think a ramrod straight line of anything looks odd in a natural setting.

 A little bit of odd in the town of Yucca Valley

 A nice sky over Yucca Valley

 Sunset in Hidden Valley, Joshua Tree National Park


 This is the first even slightly HDR photo that I've posted. To me, the jury is still out on HDR.


On this particular day, I think I was one of the very last people in the park. I hung around just to take the last several photos. If it had started to rain, it was more than cold enough to snow...

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I promise that my next post will actually have a theme! Heck, I might even include photos of some thousand year old rock art. 


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46 comments:

  1. Bonjour dear friend!
    I'm always delighted by your wonderful artistic photography. The Joshua Tree National Park is an amazing place and I hope to have the opportunity to visit there someday. I'm really enchanted by your clics from there! HD pictures are fabulous, so spectacular colors in the sky!
    Happy 2014 dear Pat!
    Léia

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  2. The sunset photos are amazing. Such rich colors can only be found in the desert. Really like the wind farm shot.
    Happy New Year, Pat!

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  3. I always look forward to your posts and photos, Pat, and I'm never disappointed!! I really love your skies and those magnificent rocks today! Hope you had a great holiday and wishing you a wonderful new year!!

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  4. Stunningly, achingly gorgeous pictures. What beauty is in this world-

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  5. You have an amazing eye for photography, Pat. The images you share tell a eye pleasing tale.

    Glad you two are enjoying your travels. Be careful out there.

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  6. Lovely photos. What fun it must be exploring all these places!

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  7. i never mind 'misc.' posts or 'photo dumps' - especially when they're beautiful and interesting like yours. :)

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  8. Interesting and beautiful in one shot!!! HDR only works for me if you can't tell it's HDR...but it has a bit greater clarity and depth...which I think your first try has!!! Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!!!

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  9. All the photos you post are interesting and the HDR came out FANTASTIC... in my opinion.

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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  10. You don't need no stinkin' theme Pat! Seriously, I enjoyed the randomness of this post for a change ... it kind of reminded me of being on a roadtrip, you just take what you get and hope for some gorgeousness. Of course if any one of our roadtrip days had this much beauty in it I'd be flabbergasted.

    Looking forward to your future posts -- themed or unthemed!

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  11. The sky shots are stunning! I don't know what HDR is, but the photos are beautiful...especially the first sky one. Wishing you happy travels in the new year!

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  12. Gorgeous scenery. Thanks for sharing it. Especially nice to see considering the weather outside my window is currently -18 at 3:00 in the afternoon.

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  13. Gorgeous group of photos, Pat. That 2nd one and some of the sunset ones could be framed. GORGEOUS.

    Happy 2014
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  14. Happy New Year to you and the Mrs. Great pictures...especially the sunsets. Absolutely stunning.

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  15. Oh yes, those sunsets made us all warm inside!

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  16. A lovely set of photos, theme or not. Some interesting and beautiful sights!

    I'm decided on HDR - I mostly don't like it, partly because people overuse it. It can be useful to bring out some detail in darker areas, but most of the time it leaves no light and shade to lead the eye around a photo, and the result is a busy mess. Yours isn't too overdone.

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  17. Beautiful pictures, as always. Sunsets are my favorite always. The windmills look really cool. Love that picture too.

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  18. A wonderful selection of shots! Love the ones of the rocks in the sunset.

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  19. Cezar and Leia - Bonjour Leia!
    Thanks so much for the nice words. The sky actually looks best after sundown. The entire area is a very low light pollution area. People say you can see more stars there at night than almost anywhere else in the world. It is an amazing sight. I've spent so many nights laying in a sleeping bag thinking about space, the stars and how big it all is. Too much for my little brain to comprehend.
    Happy New Year to you as well!

    Alex - Thanks Alex! You are right, everything seems to be richer looking there. Happy New Year to you Alex!

    Sylvia - Thanks for saying that Sylvia! I did have a great holiday and hope you did also.

    Shelly - Thanks Shelly! It's hard to take a bad photo out there.

    Pam - Thanks Pam! I'm glad that I have a fairly good eye, because I got tired of the technical end of photography a long time ago. We are very careful!

    mshatch - Thanks! I really do love the places we go to. If not for all our animals at home, we'd probably spend a lot more time on the road.

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  20. Your photos are so beautiful.
    I know i must say that every time but I lose myself in your images.
    <3

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  21. All you need to do to make a place look really interesting is to put a fence around and say "keep out" - full report on the fence hop needed!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

    PS: new bike belongs to my son!

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  22. Pat, I enjoyed this post, no theme needed. I love the quirky stuff you often find, and I look forward to seeing what you found in Joshua Tree National Park.

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  23. Wonderful photos , beautiful light and color! I especially like the Joshua Tree forest!

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  24. I hated HDR when I first saw it, mostly because people overprocessed the images. When done at a reasonable level, I like it a lot, like yours.

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  25. I love your random shots! They are beautiful and unique. The sky photo are gorgeous..

    Happy belated holidays!

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  26. You know they make a cream for those hot spots. Ask your doctor about it. Love these pictures, man! I need to get my camera out and start shooting! Good to hear from your again.

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  27. Oy, sorry if you got a comment or two from me already. Blogger probs.

    I'm glad you've had a great holiday season, Pat. Those sunset photos take my breath away. And I've seen a number of partial vehicles around here too - coming out of cement, or in other strange positions. It's a fun site.

    Stay well.
    xoRobyn

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  28. TexWisGirl - I thank you for saying that. I might try to work some of these things more often.

    TheChieftess - I TOTALLY agree with you about HDR. I don't like it when it looks more like a painting than a photograph. I really grew tired of making so many camera adjustments in the past, so I'm not likely to do much with HDR.

    Ms. A - Thanks so much Ms. A! Happy New Year to you also.

    Sallie - HA! I have a ton of random photos from roadies just sitting in my computer doing nothing. You post plenty of beautiful things from your trips!

    #1Nana - Thanks so much! I appreciate that. Here's to a happy and healthy new year to us all...

    The Geezers - My pleasure! It was pretty cold where I took that photo. It's over 4,000 feet in the high desert. -18? That makes me cold just reading it.

    Betsy - Thanks Betsy! I appreciate you saying that. Happy 2014 to you also.

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  29. Bouncin Barb - Thanks so much and happy new year to you Barb.

    Brian - My work is done! Thanks Brian.

    Al - Thanks Al! I feel the same was about HDR as you. I also don't want to do that much work on photos these days.

    Baby Sister - Thanks Amanda! Happy New Year!

    ladyfi - Thanks so much! It's hard to take a photo out there without a bunch of rocks in it.

    Mynx - Thank you my friend! You can say that as much as you like!

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  30. Bouncin Barb - Thanks so much and happy new year to you Barb.

    Brian - My work is done! Thanks Brian.

    Al - Thanks Al! I feel the same was about HDR as you. I also don't want to do that much work on photos these days.

    Baby Sister - Thanks Amanda! Happy New Year!

    ladyfi - Thanks so much! It's hard to take a photo out there without a bunch of rocks in it.

    Mynx - Thank you my friend! You can say that as much as you like!

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  31. I really need to get out to that part of the world.


    Pearl

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  32. Stewart - So true! When and if I hop that fence, there will be a report. It looks to be interesting inside.

    EG CameraGirl - Thanks! I'll be post what I found in Joshua Tree soon. We found some great secret and hidden spots.

    Leovi - Thanks Leovi! It's an interesting place.

    Wayne - I think you hit it right on the head. I see that some real estate listing photos are now in HDR. Mostly way overdone! Thanks Wayne!

    Icy BC - Thanks! I like random stuff also. Happy New Year!

    Bossy Betty - HA! Gonna need a lotion... Always good to have a camera close by at all times. Thanks Betty, it's nice being heard!

    Robyn - I only received this one. I hope my photos never get so awesome that you suffocate! Thanks so much for the nice words.

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  33. Nat Geo needs to go ahead and put you on the payroll. You travel to so many wonderful places and your pics never disappoint.. Now as for hopping the fence, do it..
    Happy New Year, Pat!!

    -lynne-

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  34. Pearl - I really hope you do sometime. There is so darn much to do and see.

    sixdegreesphotography - Thanks so much for saying those things Lynne! I really do appreciate it. I will hope that fence if I have to!
    Happy New Year to you also Lynne!

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  35. I enjoyed very much the sunset pictures. The sky is so vivid and so fascinating and the rocs are so powerful against the sky.

    Pat, I wish you a Happy New year. May this year will be the best year for you ever!

    Greetings from Kaya.

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  36. jump that fence and tell us what you see

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  37. That's the way of the desert is: a delightful, magical, wondrous hodgepodge. One will always be confronted with something intensely wonderful. Thanks for pointing that out to so many who would not otherwise realize it...

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  38. Miscellaneous pictures but not less cool for lack of theme. Love the shot of the wind farm contrasting against the mountainous range in the background.
    Dig the half car on the building too. Really cool.

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  39. Magnificent as ever Pat. I love the quirky side of life you find and post, as well as the full blown breath-taking landscapes.

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  40. Intriguing, eclectic collection.

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  41. Kaya - Thank you so much Kaya. It is a beautiful place. Happy New Year to you also.

    Pasadena Adjacent - I'll be in the area again in a couple of days. We'll see! I followed the link you gave me. The comments are even crazier than the article. I hope the black helicopters don't come and take me away...

    Stickup Artist - You are so right! In a way, I'm happy that most people avoid the desert. Isn't it nice going somewhere that quiet?

    TS Hendrik - Thanks Tim! I guess that is what is cool about the area. There really isn't a theme at all!

    Chrissy Brand - Thanks Chrissy! I really appreciate the nice words.

    altadenahiker - Thanks! I think eclectic is a good word to sum the whole area up.

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  42. A fascinating and eclectic collection, Pat :-)

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  43. Nat - thanks so much! I love this kind of random stuff.

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  44. Laura Delegal - It really was nice. When there is no moon, the number of stars you can see is amazing. Mind blowing...

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