Wintry May Morning...

Ducklings All In A Row Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

A female Mallard and her nine youngsters swim against a light snow early this morning as Peggy, Dallas, and I walked along the southern shore of Stanfield Marsh.

If you look closely at the enlarged picture you'll see blurry streaks of snow, blowing from left to right, and a few snowflakes decorating the feathers of the ducklings.

It was 30° in our yard at 7 A.M. today with light to medium snow flurries which are projected to increase through tomorrow and taper off Saturday.

We usually get a spring snow somewhere near Mother's Day so this is nothing unusual for a sunny Southern California in the spring, at 6,750 feet above sea level anyway.

Mariposa Lily

Calochortus kennedyi

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

A Mariposa Lily with attendants.

Photographed on May 19th at Cactus Flats along Highway 18 about halfway between here and Lucerne Valley.

Thanks all, for your kind comments on the previous post, it's nice to be missed.

Sorry for the long absence, but I just haven't been in the mood to sit at a computer lately. It's too beautiful outside and there's always so much to do.

Remember the post from December 5, 2007 about the mountain of dirt I acquired from a construction site down the street? Well, right now I'm occupied with moving that small mountain, by wheelbarrow, to a new rock garden area I'm creating.

Everything is fine here and I hope you are all enjoying spring as much as we are.

Spring Has Sprung...

Western Tanager with Cassin's Finch

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

A Cassin's Finch greets a male Western Tanager at our little home-made Badwater Springs solar powered waterfall. Tanagers are rare visitors to Earth Home Garden and this one was moving fast, making it difficult to get a decent shot.

Linum lewisii Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

Blooming in the native plant garden this morning are Blue Flax (above), Grape Soda Lupine, Indian Paintbrush and Western Wallflower.