High Desert Nature Archives – Page 3 of 5

Good Start for a New Year

By JM PerezJanuary 10, 20181 min read686 views

Happy New Year 2018, dear readers! I hope your holidays went well and you received everything on your wish list.

The previous year ended well for our family. We are healthy, happy and for the first time I have lived in the High Desert, the weather has been just wonderful. November is usually the start of the rainy season in the High Desert and last year however, ended with no rain in sight (which means no messy yards/gardens and no weeds in sight either).

We were treated to the sight of a beautiful double rainbow stretched across the sky before the rain began on Monday morning. It rained and it rained and it rained. Lightly all day Monday and heavily on Tuesday. It was quite dismal, to say the least, but the plants and soil needed it.

Today was a beautiful, chilly day and the sun came out bright. The skies were clear and blue with a stunning view of the mountains from my backyard. They were covered in snow with thick clouds floating at the bottom.

Winter always has the most beautiful sunsets.

Wishing you a good start for the new year.
To new beginnings!

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By JM Perez

Winter Weather Nature High Desert

Beautiful Winter Season

By JM PerezFebruary 3, 20171 min read575 views

Much to everyone’s surprise it still hasn’t snowed in the High Desert and my kids, who were looking forward to making snow angels were a little disappointed. Our mornings are chilly and the nights are long and cold. It has rained a lot lately, causing flooding, mudslides and other property damages.

*Thick clouds floating at the bottom of elevated snowy mountain peaks.*

Even though we didn’t get any snow (and most likely will not be getting any this Winter season), for the first time in many years, our mountains covered by thick snow look prettier than ever.

We have beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Stay warm while enjoying nature.

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By JM Perez

Spiders Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Cat-faced Spider

By JM PerezAugust 25, 20161 min read930 views

This has been a beautiful summer in the High Desert with Roses bursting all over the place. I took a morning stroll through the garden after dropping my babies off to school and it felt really good to walk among plants and enjoy nature’s beauties.

I spotted what turned out to be a cat-faced spider by the entrance to my storage shed.

According to Wikipedia, the cat-faced spider is a common outdoor orb-weaver spider found in the USA and Canada.They are considered harmless with a low-toxicity venom and are useful natural predators for insects. They make their webs near lights, closed spaces, and on the sides of buildings. They can also be found under wood, overhangs, or guarded places such as animal burrows. They come in varying colors but are easily identified by the two horn shaped growths on their relatively large abdomen.

Hoping you are enjoying your day, wherever you are.

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By JM Perez

Nature High Desert

Beautiful Foggy Morning

By JM PerezFebruary 4, 20151 min read799 views

I awoke to a beautiful foggy morning and even though it was quite cold outside, I grabbed my camera and headed out to capture the moment before it became just a memory.

*Morning Fog (view from the front yard).*

In the backyard on a large and bare Mulberry Tree, sat a lone bird.

A couple of hours later, the sun rose and everything was renewed.

Wishing you a wonderful day as you keep warm and stay busy.

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By JM Perez

Winter Holidays Birds Weather Nature High Desert

A Cold Winter

By JM PerezDecember 30, 20141 min read577 views

It’s been very cold lately in the High Desert and we are spending time enjoying the company of one another.

A couple of weeks ago, we woke up to a freezing morning fog.

A few days later I noticed the formation of thick clouds over the mountains, which rapidly turned into snow. It’s a breathtaking sight from my backyard.