WAYMO Better~

(click/tap to enlarge to see the happy passenger!)

We are on the road again.

A Jaguar driverless taxi,

is a great way to roll!

No need to keep up conversation with your taxi driver.

There isn’t one!

Optimal for cruising over-crowded San Francisco.

You can fully enjoy the scenery without bickering about directions.

Back seat drivers are pointless because the car doesn’t care!

There are lots of these taxis ferrying people around Presidio National Park in San Francisco.

The Presidio,

is a blooming beauty this time of year.

Cheers to you from Presidio National Park in San Francisco~

(Note- WAYMO is a fleet of fully autonomous electric vehicles owned by Alphabet the parent company of Google. It has taxis available throughout San Francisco, and in designated areas of Los Angeles, Austin and Phoenix).

Sea Creatures~

(click/tap to enlarge)

Have ocean eyes,

good for seeing,

in the murky depths.

Catching critters,

as they swim away.

Except for Squirrely,

who doesn’t even let his feet get wet.

Cheers to you from La Jolla’s sea creatures.

Critters in order are: Brandt’s Cormorant, Black Oystercatcher, Heerman’s Gull and California Ground Squirrel.

Goldies~

(click/tap to enlarge)

Flying,

sunbursts,

in the garden.

This handsome boy,

is a Hooded Oriole,

and this is a male Bullocks Oriole.

The males are clearly striking.

But the females,

have their own more subtle beauty.

Male Hooded and Bullocks sharing the jelly!

Cheers to you from The Holler flying sunbursts~

Desert Bighorns~

(click/tap to enlarge)

A herd,

of Desert Bighorn does and kids.

Rare,

shy,

elusive.

Hanging out with them,

proves,

in life,

some days,

are better than others!

Cheers to you from The Desert Bighorns~

Greedy Gawpers~

(click/tap to enlarge to details)

Gulp grape jelly,

gobbling a gallon in a week.

They love to guzzle,

and gape,

at the odd creature,

who gives them grape.

They don’t grumble and nicely share,

as long as there’s generous gobs of grape.

Cheers to you from the glorious, glutinous, Holler Acorn Woodpeckers~

Nervous Napper~

(click/tap to enlarge or you won’t see the details of this tiniest-flying-wonder)

Holler Hummers,

are avid human watchers.

Especially when they need a safe siesta spot.

They know the nearby human keeps attacking hummers at bay,

allowing the tired hummer to nap-away.

Cheers to you from the nervously napping Holler hummer~

Desert Gold~

(click/tap to enlarge)

Wildflowers.

blooming in The Panamint Valley,

in Death Valley National Park.

Storms continue to drop record snow and precipitation in California,

making the plants,

and flowers,

happy.

Cheers to you from the blooming desert~

Did He Who Made the Lamb~

(click/tap to enlarge)

Notice the kids having a frolic on their own?

Not a chance! Clever Mama keeps a covert eye.

It’s best to let them think they’re independent!

The human interloper is quite a curious sight,

even the tiny tots,

pause,

to take,

a peek.

The teenagers have more freedom,

but the herd of ewes and lambs,

always stay together.

Cheers to you from The Southwest Desert Mountain Sheep~

Note: Desert Bighorn Sheep are a sub-species of Big Horn Sheep adapted to desert life. They are a federally designated endangered species.

Big Horn Welcoming Committee~

(click/tap to enlarge)

Near the Amagarosa Mountain Range Nevada.

Traveling now,

but will catch up soon.

Spent a good chunk of time with these beauties,

and their irresistible,

lambs.

Desert Big Horn Sheep are considered sensitive to extinction in the Southwest.

Beyond thrilling to hang with this herd.

The rain continues and they are healthy!

Cheers to you from The Southwest Desert Big Horns~

Snow on the Summit: Salt on the Shore~

(Click/Tap to enlarge for perspective)

Despite Death Valley National Park in California holding the record for being the hottest place on earth at 134F, it also has an ancient lake named Lake Manly that appears rarely after excessive and prolonged rainfall.

The rains caused by 2023’s El Nino event formed the lake last year. The continuation of El Nino rains into 2024 have enabled it to remain and grow, a very rare phenomona. Usually rainfall evaporates in the dessicated desert long before it has a chance to collect.

Here is the lake in March of 2024, with snowy summits,

and salty shores.

Rain is continuing to fall in the desert which is remarkable.

The lake is much, much larger than I expected, approximately 6 miles long and 3 miles wide in places.

Lake Manly is a remnant of an ancient ocean,

and is four x’s saltier than seawater.

It lies in Badwater Basin,

the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

Maybe the lake will last until next year which would truly be extraordinary.

Cheers to you from lovely Lake Manly~