Poppies & Cream Cups

I'm hoping that the Poppy Preserve near Lancaster, California will get another show as good as the one I saw several years ago.  There are acres and acres of California Poppies on the hillsides and when they bloom, they turn to gold. 

"Poppies & Cream Cups"     © Kathy Dunham 2011

Desert Poppy

The wildflowers are starting to bloom, albeit slowly, but you can find both these Desert Poppies, Eschscholizia parishii, and the Arroyo lupines, Lupinus sparisflorus, in the Box Canyon area just outside the small town of Mecca, California.  They make a beautiful and dramatic combination with the yellows against the blues.  Time to dust off those cameras and take a road trip.

"Desert Poppies"     © Kathy Dunham 2011

Moonrise Over the Tennis Garden

It was a beautiful evening at the Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, CA.  Federrer (in the blue) was playing Nadal (orange) tonight for the semi finals in men's doubles.  Federrer's team won and will compete tomorrow for the finals.  But the full moon rising over the stadium only added to the evening (upper right).  Tomorrow is supposed to be the closest the moon's orbit will be to the earth for the next 19 years.  They say it'll look about 14% larger.  I just hope we don't have a cloud cover.

"Moonrise Over the Tennis Garden"     © Kathy Dunham 2011

Who Dressed You Bud Collins??

Every once in a while I see something wild that catches my eye which I have to share.  This photo of former tennis pro Bud Collins, he's the one in the bright yellow polka dotted pants and orange sneakers.  I wonder if this was really a suit and he forgot the jacket!!  But if he switched shirts with the other guy and he'd have a matched outfit.  That's Stan Smith on the left, another former tennis pro receiving the Alan King Award at the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Tennis Open in Indian Wells, California.

"Who Dressed You Bud Collins??"     © Kathy Dunham 2011

Mourning Dove

I love the cooing sound doves make.  It's soft, gentle and soothing.  These beautiful birds, their feathers so smooth, are found all over California.  This one was posing in front of a friend's house the other afternoon. 

"Mourning Dove"       © Kathy Dunham 2011

Spouting Water

This unique faucet is just one of the many surprises to be found at Lotusland in Montecito, California.  Just south of the city of Santa Barbara, this unusual property was once a private residence and is now open to the public on a limited basis.  You need a reservation to tour the property and believe me, it's a real treasure worth the time. 

"Spouting Water"    © Kathy Dunham 2010

Front and Back

Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden in Claremont, California just opened their butterfly exhibit Saturday.  By some standards it's small, but this intimate enclosure gets you up close and personal with these beautiful winged creatures.  These two are Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies.  How lucky could I get?  To capture both sides in one photo.  Sometimes it pays to be lucky.

"Front and Back"     © Kathy Dunham 2010

Wall Decoration

The Chinese Garden at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California is maturing nicely. Completed two years ago, according to strict Chinese design, it is a peaceful and elegant area to relax and enjoy the beauty of a well arranged landscape. These cut outs in the outer wall take on a dramatic look when the light hits it.

"Wall Decoration"    © Kathy Dunham 2010

Poppies and Cream Cups

With warm weather upon us, I'm preparing for a spectacular wildflower season.  I got this shot a couple of years ago when we had a good show of California Poppies at the Poppy Preserve near Lancaster, CA.  AndI bet this year will jump off the charts.

"Poppies and Cream Cups"    © Kathy Dunham 2010

Is it Spring Yet?

Most of California has been in a heat spell and the thought of a cool, brightly flowered spring sounds might good right now.

"It is Spring Yet?" © Kathy Dunham 2009

Mt. Shasta

We're back in California and were welcomed by this spectacular sight of Mt. Shasta in Northern California. There's not much snow on this dormant volcano as it's been hot and dry. At nearly 14,200 feet, this mountain is just a little shorter than Mt. Whitney (also in California) which is the highest peak in the continental U.S. at 14, 494 feet. As we drove by Shasta Lake, we were shocked at how low the level of the lake is. We're in a drought here in California and it certainly showed today.

"Mt. Shasta" © Kathy Dunham 2009

Mary's Little Lamb

Finding a flock of sheep busily munching on the local flora was a sight I wasn't expecting to find. I was headed for the California Poppy Preserve outside Lancaster last year when I happened upon these woolly creatures.

"Mary's Little Lamb" © Kathy Dunham 2009

15 Minutes of Fame

I just finished doing the three day Southwest Arts Festival here in the Coachella Valley. It's a lot of hard work, creating enough paintings to show the public, setting up the tent, art panels and all the other "stuff" to make your booth look nice. But last year I was chosen as the poster artist and fortunate enough to have my painting appear on a billboard. What a shock when a friend called to tell me. I had no idea. I now have the panel from the billboard rolled up in my garage. Some day I'll find a use for it.

"15 Minutes of Fame" © Kathy Dunham 2009

Shiny Spurs

I spotted these beautiful spurs while in Los Olivos visiting a friend. I've often wondered, does the horse know how pretty your spurs are and does that make him respond in a more kindly manner than if you're wearing plain spurs?

"Shiny Spurs" © Kathy Dunham 2009