On the 1st, woke up to a rainy morning in Santee, drove to RB for a meeting. Still raining when we left RB and drove to OB, but storm had passed in OB where we picked up Kathy's enlarged wedding ring. We dined at a Mexican restaurant with good food and then shopped at Kathy's favourite clothing store before driving north where we did some shopping and then went to dentist in RB for Kathy's root canal. We drove home over the iffy mountains where we had ice on the road for miles before reaching scissor's x-ing, but not bad.

Kathy in OB

Got slowed down about 15 minutes as a sheriff motorcycle training with about 20 motorbikes had a crash, possibly caused by a freak hailstorm

At least 3 motorcycles had to be towed away

Ridable motorbikes led a slow moving procession down to Henshaw turnoff

After a few minutes at 76 junction, they moved out of our way

The open road beckons

Road was, surprisingly, icier after going over Teofulio Pass - snow covered Granite Peak in distance

Road signs were obscured with snow

Roadio mentioned Jupiter and Venus were close this evening, so snapped this pic at home

On the 2nd, back to work a very long day at the office.

Panorama of snow-capped mountains

Toro as viewed from the Mall

On the 3rd, another long day at the office.

Peanut after doing her thing on this cold morning

On the 4th, due to wind, Kathy skipped hiking & worked out at home while Jef made a shopping trip to Ramona.

Jef had to take a break here in Culp Valley on way back from Ramona

360° panorama by PO this afternoon

Jupiter & Venus this evening

On the 5th, mostly took it easy at home until going on 3.3 mile hike with Kathy on shortened water tank loop(pole-line variant) where Kathy had numerous stops to stretch due to back pain and one stop where we talked to owner of cool Karman Ghia we saw along the way.

Clouds this morning

Fresias in full bloom in front patio

Some type of windmill flower with smooth edges

Eleanor's solar was not built sturdy enuff for the big winds we had the other day

Eleanor's guest house looks like it is in need of maintenance, but is still pretty cool. The whole property has not been maintained well since Clark passed away a few years ago

Kathy stretching

Another contrailly day

Brad & Susanna showed us the Karman Ghia he had owned since hi skool - this has a modern A/C unit

Kathy admiring the car

We finished the hike by walking along the ridge of our local great sand dune

On the 6th, Kathy was mentally out of it with low oxygen saturation (low to mid 80%s), so forbade her from working this day & took her home to sleep. Jef then walked to the office to do some work and retrieve his truck.

A patch of fagonia, rock daisies & phacelia

A couple of desert hibiscus blooms

California poppy

Fagonia blooms

At top of hike, Toro still has snow on the south slope

Halo around the moon this evening

On the 7th, back to work at the office, as Kathy was much better and could think this day.

A super contrailly day

I count 10 parallel contrail in this pic

Jupiter and Venus still fairly close

Moon rising over downtown Borrego

On the 8th, took it easy until the afternoon, when we drove to the Clark Valley and embarked on a 5 mile hike to find the petroglyphs. We didn't find them before Kathy had to stop due to back pain, but we did find a good set of campsites, including one with a metate and mortero.

Rescued blind Peanut in a precarious position

Giant pencil cholla in Clark Valley

Water had flowed thru this area recently

California poppies with some phacelias

Found a few areas with a lot of verbena in this valley

"Clark Dry River" on its way to Clark Dry Lake

Coyote Mtn. under another contrailly day

Sliver of snow capped Toro from this valley

Another recent drainage

We headed to the red rocks to the left of Kathy in this pic

Poppies & brown-eyed primrose

This level area looked like a great campsite, so we checked out the area

We found a mortero!

Don't tell anybody, but we think Pegleg bricked in his cache of gold here

Witch's hair... the one on the right (orange)

Kathy arriving back at the Jeep

Summary of our walk

Stopped by popular tourist spot on Henderson Canyon Rd.

Kathy was too cold, so stayed in the Jeep while Jef took a few pix

On the 9th, back to work an easy day at the office.

Looks like this cloud is contrail that grew a lot in thickness

Hector did a lot of yard clean up the past few days

On the 10th, a moderately busy day at the office.

Clouds today

On the 11th, drove Kathy to MD in Escondido, did some shopping on way home. Went to Jackie's birthday bash at DeAnza where Kathy, despite becoming catatonic after arriving due to low Oxygen levels, dragged Jef onto dance floor too many times.

Jef & Kathy dressed up for party

Kathy at party - performer Phil in background

Jackie our host is dancing with lit up rabbit ears

Kathy was out of it most of the night

on the 12th, took it easy before driving to Villager trailhead in search of desert lillies. Too windy(for Kathy) and no luck after 0.46 mile excursion, so drove down Truckhaven to check out hollow where we first walked thru verbena fields. Most verbenas were bloomed out and no desert lillies found after 0.53 miles, so drove over to Henderson Canyon Rd. flower fields and walked for about a mile, as wind wasn't bad there, bringing our total to 2 miles for the day.

On way back to trailhead on aborted hike towards Villager (too windy for Kathy)

Stopped at Truckhaven and followed this wash down to hollow

Jef & Kathy

Not too many blooms at this location

Clark Lake is behind Kathy

Biggest patch of verbena in this area

Flaxflower - Jef holding it, as wind was pretty strong

Henderson Canyon Rd area still has a lot of flowers

Kathy finally caught up with Jef

Flower cover was skimpy in some areas

Found a desert lily, but mostly bloomed out

Kathy & Jef

Kathy's back was bothering her this day, so here she is stretching

We were shaded with clouds some of our time here

We encountered a few fellow tourists

Made it back to the car

On the 13th, back to work a medium busy day at the office.

Contrail day

On the 14th, a light day at the office.

These clouds preceded another rain this evening

On the 15th, Jef walked to the office, did some work and walked back, but his right knee bothered him, so curtailed hiking for a while after this.

Micro-poppies

High point in hike - a little rain in Hellhole

Looking up trail on hike home

Popcorn flowers backlit by sun

Heading up the steep part

Wooley plantains backlit by sun at top for first peak

Rock daisies in rocks

View at top going down

Passed a hiker on the trail - looked back a few minutes later and he was almost to the top

Yellowheads with a few rock daisies

On the 16th, back to work a light day at the office.

Near sunset this evening looking toward Sunset Peak

On the 17th, wore green to work - extent of our St. Pattys shenanigans. A light day at work.

Weird contrail clouds this day

On the 18th, went over to Sewanee and did some weeding. Talked to Charles, waved to neighbor Rich and stored a couple walkers in the shed. Went on a 3 mile pole-line hike with Kathy, but lagged due to my sore knees. Then took Kathy to Jimmy's Front Porch Review, which was excellent.

Drainage behind Sewanee house

Green desert in old golf course area - this could have been a sand trap

Kathy walking ahead

Blooming barrel

Kathy walking over desert "lawn" as we approach our circle

Just before show started - we sat in the next to last row this time

The first number

Think this might be Marvin Gaye's What's going on - hence, the sax

Middle schooler doing a couple of Mexican songs

Jamie & Amy doing "Spooky" with their home-made cigar box ukeleles - drummer is Dr. Bob, Kathy's dentist

Hey, Little Red Riding Hood

Flute quartet - Ginny Perrin is 2nd from left

Jamie & Amy, native Louisianans, backed the song "House of the Rising Sun"

Ranger Bob doing one of his songs

Elementary skool talent doing her 2nd song, this time with choreography, in the musical "Annie"

This father played what he hoped to play at his daughter's wedding

Jimmy playing one of his songs

I count 20 local performers at the curtain call

On the 19th, it was cloudy and we were both zonked out, so took it easy at home.

On the 20th, back to work a moderately busy day at the office.

This beavertail got so heavy it fell over onto driveway and is about the first to bloom - desert dandelions are also starting

Clouds this evening

Lenticulars to the east and south

On the 21st, it rained all morning as we had a fairly busy day at the office.

After the morning rains, the sun came out, but low clouds lingered in the San Ysidros

On the 22nd, took it easy at home. Too cold/windy to go on any hike.

Morning found clouds hugging the San Ysidros

Santa Rosas this evening

On the 23rd, back to work a fairly busy day at the office.

Another pic of snow on Toro with blooms down below

Clouds today

Sunset this evening looking west

Looking east

On the 24th, a moderately busy day at the office. A music festival started at the Mall this day and the Biker Babes motorcycle club had a big get together this weekend.

On the 25th, took Kathy on a drive to mouth of Coyote Canyon. She was not feeling well, but we did walk about 1/2 mile and photographed some flowers.

Sunrise this morning

Took pix of flowers at intersection of Tilting T & BS Rd

Healthy beavertail blooms

Flowers by the elephant sculptures at curve where BS Rd becomes Henderson Canyon

Other side of the road has a lot of desert dandelions starting

Artsy version prev pic

Artsy part of prev pic

Beavertail blooming near where we started a little hike in Coyote Canyon

Poppys

Broomrape

About where we turned around after 1/4 mile - we never reached the flowing creek

Kathy spotted this small desert lily

Kathy in car as we neared pavement again on way home

Forced smile - as not feeling good at all

Lots of verbena at end of DiGiorgio Rd pavement

Same pic only looking back at Jeep

On the 26th, Kathy not feeling well, so stayed home. However, she felt so bad that Jef took her to Santee urgent care. After 2 hours, they concluded there was no cause, so figured the fatigue must be symptom of her cancer. Drove back to Borrego stopping to shop at Staters. Kathy fell asleep just after 9(Borrego midnite) and slept non-stop for 12 hours.

On the 27th, Kathy felt she was unable to work this day, so cancelled all patients and she continued to mostly sleep all day in bed.

Another contrailly day

On the 28th, Kathy returned to complete a moderately busy day at the office.

On the 29th, due to cancellations, Kathy had a short day at work.

Sunrise this morning

Big clouds to the north

Beavertail blooms starting to pop in WestStar front yard

On the 30th, Kathy was again unable to work, so stayed home all day.

Noticed this morning we had some rain prior night

San Ysidros got a dusting of snow down below 4000'(Webo Peak to left is about 4000')

Low flat rainbow in back yard

We also have some desert dandelion in our front yard

Rain in Hellhole - some of this made it here

On the 31st, drove Kathy to SD to meet with estate lawyer, unsuccessfully tried to get blood test at Labcorp, and then Kathy had a root canal. We did some shopping on the way home.

Very chilly for this time of year here

On the 1st, took it easy at home and then went on a 7.82 mile hike in Clark Lake in search of the Elephant Tree grove, failed to find this, but found a lot of interesting stuff.

Clark "dry" Lake?

Passed by the concrete target we saw last time we were here

Kathy waiting for photographer to "get a move on"

Less than 1/2 mile away, we fount this more "popular" WWII aerial target

Moving on

Another puddle!

We were mutually surprised to see a convoy of Borrego Overland trucks - we found out later that Joe's outfit takes State Park volunteers on an expedition once a year - this time to the old Clark Ranch

3rd vehicle pulling up the rear

Abby was in one of these vehicles and reported to us the following day that she saw us this day

Fair amount of verbena blooming hear this big grove of tamarisks

Our 1st desert dandelion of the season

Kathy remarked that this would be a good campsite, as the trees should make a great windbreak

Our 1st poppy

Blooming brittlebush with snow capped Toro in background

A "decorated" bush

Found a few survey posts

Our 1st purplemat of the season

Fremont pincushion

Kathy noticed moon rising over Santa Rosas

I took this panorama at our turnaround point in hopes of seeing any Torotes for our next visit, but no such luck

We found this - the yellow steel thingee might be a frame for a tractor, but we don't know

Kathy found this ice cube tray's cube-separator... and unusual find for here!

The tank might be a vehicle fuel tank

This might be the remains of a water tower

A partial body of a 1930s Ford

At least Kathy thinks this was a Ford

Desert Lily about to bloom

This could be the remains of the old Clark Ranch

Nearing the dirt road we came in on

Kathy thought this pile of dirt sparked - but not for this angle, it seems

Nearing the last target again

Seems like these legs should have buckled a long time ago!

Kathy & Jef by this target

The previous target can be seen about 1/2 mile away

2nd target as seen from 1st

Somebody had some troubles when lake was muddy

Someone drove off this established road

Kathy approaching the Jeep

Hiking stats for the day

Although fairly flat, we did some elevation gain

On the 2nd, a fairly busy day at the office. Kathy started training new hire, Shrinda after work.

One of a couple of robins drinking from our hose

On the 3rd, another fairly busy day at the office.

On the 4th, met John & Joe at John's studio. Patrick had car problems, so we detoured to his house to get his car started and we took 3 Jeeps up to 3rd Xing in Coyote Canyon. Patrick & Joe drove home from there while we took our Jeep & John's up to Cougar/Indian Canyon trailhead. By this time we ran short on time and only hiked for 30 minutes. We returned home and got ready for Morgans who showed up for a nice lasagna dinner.

We set up chairs by 3rd Xing waiting for other 2 Jeeps

John came up, but needed our jumper cables after Patrick had turned off his Jeep and battery was not charged enough to start the car

Chuparosa blooming behind our parking spot

Lupine & brittle bush blooming

Panorama

After everyone arrived - we had a beer and snacks

We followed John up the bypass road which is in unbelievably good shape this day

Starting on trail to Cougar Canyon

Dunno what these little white flowers are

Purple mat flower

When we heard water running, Kathy had to check out the creek

John & Kathy down by the creek

Panorama

John & Kathy coming up other side of creek

All of us

We passed this palm log washed down from prior flood

Lots of brittlebush blooming along bypass road this day

Stopped for one more drink before heading home - someone had pulled these Sahara mustard plants

Brittlebush blooming along creek

Moonrise this evening

Morgans at our place

On the 5th, mostly took it easy, but went on a 3 mile hike from home to the old country club.

Panorama at old country club that now identifies as a UCI facility

We just did the Baby Turtle loop on our hike this afternoon

On the 6th, back to work a full day at the office.

On the 7th, a full day at the office, but Kathy went to dentist late afternoon to get a crown installed and initiate another retainer(she lost her last one). She then visited a home care patient. Jef got call that she left her phone there, so Jef drove over and picked it up.

Moon from back yard

On the 8th, drove Kathy to Palm Springs area, did some shopping, saw her MD, and had sushi at Joyce's.

Snow on San Jacinto from Palm Desert area

Lunch at Joyce's

On the 9th, back to work a medium day at the office due to a couple of cancellations.

On the 10th, another very long day at the office.

Kathy leaving

Nice sunset this evening

On the 11th, drove Kathy to MD in Escondido - had problem, so there a long time. Drove to OB to get her wedding ring re-sized. Drove to Santee to discuss plans and check progress of Big Rock house before driving home to Borrego.

Razed screen room at Big Rock house

On the 12th, took it easy until going to Glorietta to hike. Kathy took phone call from Stacey at the start of the hike, but fell, so ended call. We hiked for about 2 hours, moving only about half the time. Kathy took a tumble down a rocky area, hitting her head & tearing her pants, but was okay on the way back. We got some rain this night, but not too much. Interesting that we also had lighting in February!

Sunrise this morning

Cool clouds this morning

15 minutes into Glorietta hike, "the meadow"

Cholla balls scattering

We arrived after the sun was gone, but it can still be sort of seen thru the clouds here

Baby ocotillo - we saw a number of seedlings this hike, including cholla, brittlebush, and chuparosa

Chocolate coloured lyrepod flowers

Chia

This chuparosa is confused... is it fall or spring?

Small part of a fairly large and blooming lyrepod

Kathy approaching our turnaround point for today

Our turnaround point - note that Jef let Kathy have his coat for the entire hike & put on facemask to keep warm on this cool afternoon

Monkey flowers

Rock daisies and common (blue) phacelia

Whispering bells starting to bloom

Kathy headed down the adjacent wash just to try to get moving time closer to an hour - we did a total of 3 detours to accomplish this

Desert groundcherry blooms

Kathy by some huge agaves

Lichen

Kathy walking toward the sunset

Wooly daisy

Kathy nearing the pass again

Near the pass the trail cuts right thru this "desert lawn"

At the pass

Brittlebush starting to bloom after starting the descent from the pass

We got to 1 hour of moving time, but only did 1.8 miles over the moderately rough terrain. Note we were out almost 2 hours

Over 400' of up and 400' of down - 300' between the car and the high point of the hike

Some beams of sunlight illuminating part of Santa Rosas and badlands near Fonts Point

Back home with green lawn and part of a rainbow

Raven and rainbow

On the 13th, back to work a long day at the office, but with 2 aides, it wasn't too stressful. We got a little rain this evening, but not much.

On the 14th, another long, busy day at the office. No rain was forecast, but we did get even more rain than the night before.

Morning in the back yard

Sunrise in the front yard

Rain in the mountains eventually drifted over us

On the 15th, Kathy was afraid of possible wind, so stayed home in bed most of the day. Jef walked to the office(54 minutes) and did some work and chores. He then walked home the short way (38 minutes).

Lupines on walk to work

Yellow head blooms near the pass

View of lightly dusted(with snow) Toro Peak from high point of Jef's hike

On the 16h, back to work a long day at the office, made more difficult with a 3 hour blackout for Borrego this afternoon. In the evening, Zito was down, so no cable internet for the whole valley, and so no streaming, local calls, or other internet activities for us.

Contraily day this day

On the 17th, internet continued to be down, so Jef couldn't do much work at the office, but Kathy could see patients.

Dogs early this morning

Sunrise

On the 18th, drove with Kathy to Craig's house for his memorial, which was nice. Met all his kids, Nancy, Julia, Tim, as well as Wenrich gang: Cameraon, Ryan, & others, poker gang: Ken, Brian, Sid, Craig's sister & others. Then went to Big Rock house & went on a 52 minute hike. Met Rob and discussed rennovations. Then went to Lowe's & bought bathroom reno, sunroom footing rebar/form lumber/stakes/nails, new slab steel, new drainage material.

Preacher was MC

Greg gave an awesome tribute speech

Brian, Craigs's oldest son, looks a lot like Craig & wore the kind of shirt you would expect to see Craig wearing

#2 son, Scott

Youngest, Torrey

Panorama from rear

Panorama after ceremony concluded

Pickleball court unusable

Kathy test drove a couple of vehicles on the pickleball court

View from stairs

Merged 2 pix of Kathy & Jef at entrance on their way out...note: both are carrying Kathy's backpack. Caption for Craig: "A life well lived"

Santee house after outside areas were graded

Panorama of Kathy crossing the creek

We hiked up the hill behind the house

Kathy at the slab on top of the hill

View of house from hill

Panorama from hill top

Heading down hill to Mesa trail - we hiked long enuff to get close to an hour of hiking before turning around

On way back, took selfie of us on bridge over creek at start of Mesa loop trail

On the 19th, took it easy all day at home mostly. Skipped hike, but weeded & went to office & store briefly.

About half an hour of weeding at WestStar yielded these London Rocket mustard weeds

On the 20th, took it easy until about 1:30pm when we drove over to the Old Springs Preserve and hiked to edge of Ant Hill.

After mostly weeding a bad area of London Rockets at Sewanee house

Lot across from Sewanee house was partly cleared and there is a trailer on it now!

At Old Springs Preserve, these are the seedpods of a dune primrose

Kathy heading towards Ant Hill

Some areas like this are starting to be dominated by Sahara mustard

Verbena & dune primrose

Desert sunflowers

Heart-leaf primrose

In wash with dirt road, Sahara mustard dominates here

Deadman's fingers

Our 1st desert lily

Walking up a wash in lower reaches of Ant Hill

An expanse of flowers

Another desert lily

Kathy heading up over these hills - the "Valley of Flowers" is on the other side

Another desert lily

Kathy by one of 3 desert lily's in a row near top of hills

Found these dead broomrakes near summit of the 3 hills

Kathy descending dune ramp into the valley of flowers

Some leaves of desert lillies are dying - nice interplay of shadows

Jef & Kathy at edge of valley of the flowers - we turned back after these pix were taken

Kathy on her way back

Bee on a desert sunflower

Shadows are getting longer as we are about to step over fence and follow dirt roads for a while

Followed dirt road until reaching wash below

Another lily

Desert sunflowers after we started following wash road back to where we entered

Verbena, desert sunflowers and Sahara mustards

(broadleaf?) gilia

Exiting road wash

Kathy at left on dirt road & a couple motorcyclists off in the distance in the center taking a break

Kathy's back was bothering her after walking about 4.5 miles, so is stretching here

Motorcyclists about to start going again

We followed roads like this part of the way back to the car

Late afternoon shadows

Within sight of solar plant behind airport

Big fire - perhaps a vehicle or RV burning up - smoke plume grew to many miles after this

Almost back at the Jeep

At the Jeep, hike totals - nearly 5.8 miles

nearly 600' elevation gain/loss

On the 21st, made a hurried trip to Poway for a ridiculous bureaucratic test needed for a health care item and rushed back to the office and had a moderately busy day. We did the trip on this day as the rest of week was forecast to be cold and stormy with probably difficulties going over the mountains. Ominous storm clouds began forming this afternoon. We had dinner at the Red O after work.

Powerful lenticular over Toro Peak to north

Kathy took the last half of her chicken fried steak home

On the 22nd, surveyed damage of powerful winds prior night before working a light day at the office, which is good, as we had no electricity.

Entire patio set was blown all the way across the patio - apparently glass came off glass top table, but miraculously didn't break!

A number of things in main back yard were also blown a ways

A few fairly big branches came down at Weststar

Rain came from mountains in waves

Newspaper vending machine weighing 50-100# blew off base and was 30' from the base when I stopped at post office

First wave of rain

Debris blown into office from last nite's storm

Storm had caused a 20+ hour blackout this day, and internet was down before that and another day, as well. So brought things to read home this afternoon. Kathy reading paper, Kym hiding & Mia peaking out of blanket - with no heat, it never exceeded 60 in house or work this day!

Rain

Rainbow

Another wave of rain coming from mountains

As Jef went with Kathy & she had a homecare, Jef walked home this afternoon

Fagonia in bloom

Views from trail

On the 23rd, started the day with no internet, but it finally came back this morning. We had a medium busy day at the office. We had rain today and when Jef drove home the windshield wiper self-destructed just before arriving home.

Sunrise this morning

Rainbow

Tree blown down from recent storm

Got some rain

On the 24th, back to work another medium busy day at the office. Jef had to cut the wiper blade to get it off the Jeep, but with rain unlikely, he still drove the Jeep in. The mountains had a thick coat of snow down to about 4000' from the rainy/snowy night before.

Partly restored backyard furniture

Sunrise this morning

Watching Alaskan show with cold sunrise outside

Snow in mountains from recent storm

Mangled wiper blade after cutting it off

Panorama of snow capped Santa Rosas

Snow down to 4000' in San Ysidros

On the 26th, mostly hunkered down at home on this cold day - helped Kathy cook cornish hens with stuffing and pork chops..

Snow on mountains at sunrise

Restored backyard furniture

There was more snow on Indianhead earlier, but got this pic before it all melted

Still an active storm in the Santa Rosas

Yet another day with puddles in our front yard

Looking at home from street

Panorama of San Ysidros and Santa Rosas

Our ram is still down from previous storm

"front lawn"

On the 27th, back to work a moderately busy day at the office.

Snow capped San Ysidros at sunrise this morning

Kathy had run a wash with a leaking feather pillow - which killed the washer - here is Jef cleaning it up

Snow capped Toro Peak with Mall sign with most of businesses listed long gone

Just noticed roof damage on PO from previous storm

Lingering clouds over Santa Rosas this evening

On the 28th, a fairly busy day at the office. Packed up and drove to Carlton Oaks to spend the nite in Santee.

Sunrise this morning

Cool rainbow to the west

Surprisingly we got some unpredicted rain this day

On the 1st, after a rainy early morning, drove over to Glorietta, removed fire ring and cleaned up spot, hastily as it started raining. Then drove to John's to drop of fire ring.

Enuff rain to make big puddles on driveway this morning

Windy morning, as puddles had some waves

Jef walked out of garage barefoot to take pix

Backyard this morning

A little later in morning

Clouds hugging San Ysidros

After cleaning up site

Spotted a faint rainbow to right of this panorama

From John's, noted it was raining at edge of mountains

Stopped by and filled up Jeep on way home with the cheap $5 gas

On the 2nd, back to work a medium busy day at the office.

On the 3rd, a cloudy day that was drizzly in the afternoon. Had another medium busy day at the office.

Raining pretty good in the canyons

On the 4th, Jef walked to the office in 50.5 minutes and noted his pulse reached mid-140s going up the steep part of the trail. Deliberately went slower, as maximum pulse decreases with age. Kathy picked Jef up at office and drove to Old Springs Preserve where they went on a very scenic 1h 45m hike - maybe 4 miles, so Jef did about 6.5 miles for the day.

Took a pic of this blooming lupine on the walk to work

Starting out hike in Old Springs Preserve

Not sure of name of this flower

Verbena

Gray desert sunflower

Spectacle pod flowers & seeds

Popcorn phacelia flowers

Where we parked

Verbena & Sahara mustard growing in this sand mound

Dune primrose not yet blooming

Patch of desert sunflowers

Actual blue sky to the east!

Plane taking off from nearby airport

Clark Lake area had sun, but this didn't last

Kathy near an unusually vertical bouquet of dune primrose

Looking towards Fonts Point

Sometimes we'd follow one of the old tracks

Kathy standing on hard clay surrounded by dunes - there are tire track artifacts in the clay surface

Don't know what this plant is

Kathy standing on dune filling a big hole

But no enforcement

Desert sunflower

We reached the wash going to Fonts - note the sahara mustard

We walked in the wash for a time

Note the dune has tilted the road in the wash

This helochopper flew near us

Notchleaf phacelia blooms

Big patch of blooming Sahara mustard

Kathy ascending out of the wash

Followed these tracks for a while

Kathy was more successful in stepping into these "land mines"

A big deep land mine

Maybe the only animal we saw on our hike

Scofflaw's tracks

Noticed this sunbeam over by Rams Hill

The first desert lily we saw that was about to bloom

Kathy & Jef with sunbeam behind them

360° panorama

Kathy in field of flowers with Coyote Mtn in distance

This sand dune is running over this flower field

Kathy traversing the sand dune

Found this sign nearby

Others found it convenient to dump trash here

Clouds are below 5000' - took this in town as we did some grocery shopping there after the hike

On the 5th, back to work a long day at the office.

Had rainbows most of the day

Even had a little rain this day

Even a faint 2nd rainbow

Cool clouds after rain stopped

Cleared up enuff that sunset had few clouds to the west

Moonrise was cool this evening

On the 6th, another long day at the office.

On the 7th, walked to work in 57 minutes, but stopped & took 2 pix and talked with a neighbor in that time. Kathy went to Pam's to get a hair cut.

Saw a woody bottlebrush blooming in January!

Connecting with main spur trail near high point of hike

The rare fishhook cactus I photographed blooming in Sept. kept shrinking and is now a dead hollow shell!

Sunset this evening

On the 8th, mostly took it easy, but did go on a 3.31 mile, 1h 3m hike with Kathy this afternoon, going up about 150' vertical.

Moondog around the moon in the wee hours of the morning

Sunrise this morning

We took a new route, following pole line road parallelling Country Club all the way past Wagon

Looks like the Ocotillo forest meth lab people have enhanced their property defenses

Looks like giant toads on gate posts

Nearing sunset this evening

On the 9th, back to work on a medium busy day at the office.

On the 10th, another somewhat long day at the office.

It was windy most of the day

Note the dust blowing out of Coyote Canyon

We got a fair rain shower for about an hour or so this afternoon - maybe 0.1"

Nearing sunset, still some water on parking lot from this afternoon's rain

Clouds still hugging western side of Toro Peak

String of lenticulars over the Santa Rosas

Sunset got ruddier, indicating it was clear to the coast

On the 11th, Jef took White Jeep to town, dropping it off at Tito's. Then walked to office to put up these pix. Kathy drove Jef home after

Sunrise this morning

Morning panorama

Panorama of sun shining in bathroom

Walking to office from Tito's after dropping off the Jeep

Nearing sunset this evening

Contrailly clouds this day

On the 12th, back to work another long day at the office.

Another contrail day

On the 13th, another long day at the office.

Sunrise this morning

Nearing sunset at the office

Vertical panorama of cool clouds this evening

On the 14th, drove Kathy to MD in SD. Stopped by Santee, but couldn't get in house. Took Kathy to Sab-E-Lee for early dinner - Jef got his hair cut while Kathy waited for the food. Then stopped by and shopped at Staters in Ramona on way home. It rained the whole way home and the Camry got very clean.

Sunrise this morning

We even had colour looking west from house

Stopped by Santee & observed some mess from Rob and a need to mow the lawn & cut down weeds

Rained most of the night at WestStar house

On the 15th, took it easy at home, except going on the 4.4 mile tank loop hike. Stopped at Kathy's dream house and talked to owner and new owner. Kathy missed out on buying it and new owner referred to it as her "dream home" and was young, so probably Kathy will never get it, but we got a tour of the house. We continued to tank, but detoured on pole line road, getting a little extra distance to hike.

Kathy hadn't noticed the rock daisies were coming out until this day while hiking on "Tank loop"

Rock daisies

Jef(who got "run over by a lawn mower" previous day in Santee) & Kathy

Kathy followed by her evil? twin

Stats of our hike

Only about 200' elevation gain/loss

We had presets from WA ready to open, but Stacey & Eric just came down with food poisoning, so rescheduled zoom meeting to next weekend

Kathy did finish the rest of the WA care package cookies this night

On the 16th, back to work another very long day at the office.

Quail taking a bath in puddle in our driveway - note the dew on ground cover

Panorama

Wind had broke a limb off this mesquite previous day

This rainbow hung around off and on for most of the day

Nearing sunset

On the 17th,a very busy day at the office.

Sunrise this morning

Snow in San Ysidros this morning viewed from back yard

Toro got a good dusting

On the 18th, Jef drove Kathy to MD in Rancho Mirage and we shopped & got gas on return trip.

Damage done to Kathy's door after Jef suggested she turn the lights off and drive thru luminarias at Roadrunner and she clipped a metal sign

On the 19th, back to work a shortened day at the office, as morning patients cancelled and Kathy went to chiro and dentist this morning. Kathy couldn't get garage door to close, so Jef went home, couldn't figure it out, so manually closed it.

Lows in the 30s this week

Cloud shadowing half of snow-capped Torro

Late this afternoon

On the 20th, another long day at the office.

Brittlebush blooming at the Mall condos with snow-capped Toro Peak in distance

On the 21st, Jef fiddled around with a non-functioning garage door, and after pretty much doing nothing, it started working again. Then walked to the office in 53 minutes with 4 stops: 3 pix and checking pulse near top of steep part: 150bmp, near the maximum for a geezer of my age, so I did good by slowing down going up it.

Rock daisies & lupine blooming

View of Toro from near pass area of my trail to office

Temperature was about 60°F, so was surprised to see this guy working on his suntan

Starting home, note the developing green

Actually passed these 2 hikers when I went up the spur trail

Descending to pass - note the delicate fagonia plants backlit by sun

Noticed a few homes were burning fires in their fireplaces as I walked up Wagon

On the 22nd, Jef drove to Ramona & did some shopping. Back in Borrego, did test zoom with Stacey before going on a 4.2 mile hike with Kathy (modified tank loop). Then had zoom "xmas present opening session" where Stacey, Eric, Ronan & Elias opened presents in WA & we opened their presents in Borrego. After this, Rickards came over & we had drinks & appetizers before they left, well before Borrego midnite.

Kathy on tank loop on trail as it skimmed by edge of mtns.

Artsy landscape

Looking back towards old country club after trail turned into a dirt road

Nearing the tank

Pile of hay near the tank

Cool shadows

Near start of xmas zoom

Jef & Kathy above image of Berglind's

Panorama of Zoom meeting with Mia with ribbon from present, Kathy & images of Berglinds

On the 23rd, back to work a long day a the office.

On the 24th, a medium busy day at the office with 3 no shows and 1 cancellation.

Wind blowing down Coyote & Rockhouse Canyons made it so dusty to the east that Fonts Point & Borrego Mountain were obscured

On the 25th, Jef walked to the office in 54 minutes, then walked home the short way, and then drove Kathy up to base of Ant Hill, and did a 3 hour hike in the vicinity.

Panorama of the Valley in hike to the office

Saw the first blooming CA Evening Primrose on Borrego Spur trail

Riot of flowers on hillside with Coyote Mtn. & Toro Peak in background - still some snow on Toro

We followed this sandy road at the start of the hike

Looking west to Borrego

Interesting that rain eroded these sand dune ridges

Reaching the barrier fence

We turned left over the barrier fence down in the wash

Kathy observing a desert lily starting to bloom

Big flaxflower bush

Kathy entering the valley of the flowers

Some giant Sahara mustards about to take off

First of many desert lily blooms on this plant

Unknown plant - palm trees?

Desert sunflower

Looking back after going over pass to "valley of the flowers"

Our shadows on ridge heading up to Ant Hill

Jef & Kathy atop Ant Hill

Panorama at top of Ant Hill - we called & talked to Julie while on top

A future adventure might be descending down to badlands along this sand ridge

Heading down slope - we checked out sand dune behind Kathy next

Kathy on that sand dune

Panorama of that sand dune - Kathy is at the right

Sand burying these plants - most of them Sahara mustard

Depth of my footprints in the sand increased with slope - this was a steep part of the dune

Kathy approaching a partly buried sign

Dunes try to bury everything - not just the sign

This might be a type of lupine

Looks like the roadrunner ran up to this dune primrose and then ran away

Roadrunner track around this wooly plantain & verbena

More tracks

Small tracks might be from a stink bug

Sparklies in the sand

Kathie's leg shadows makes her look really tall!

Another peaklet with a view to the "valley of the flowers"

Nearing the valley of the flowers

Back down in the valley of the flowers

Dune primrose & its shadow

Backlit flowers

Low sun highlights these flowers better with the shadows increasing the contrast

Jef & Kathy in valley of the flowers

Hillside with flowers late in the day

Interplay: flowers, shadows, sand

Saw 2 desert chickory flowering plants like this on this hike

Jef & Kathy from flower's perspective

Swimming thru the flower fields

Kathy hiking out of the valley of the flowers

Nice backlit flowers, shadows & dunes

Kathy thought she could slow down the Sahara mustard infestation by breaking main stalk - probably had no effect

A healthy spectacle pod plant

We went up this sand ridge to get out of the valley of the flowers

Looking down from sand ridge

Our shadows as we look back from whence we came

We found that we had to follow the ridge we reached for a while, as it went down into these badlands too steeply to continue over the top

Some flowers have been completely buried in the dune

After reaching a "road"

Flowers in shadow of mountains

Water colour - Kathy nearing the Jeep

Looking towards the airport

On the 26th, a very long day at the office.

On the 27th, a medium busy day at the office.

On the 28th, drove in to Huntington Park - 4 hours with a 1 hour bumper to bumper delay on the 60 going thru Palm Springs. Met Alvero & Holley at his mom, Stella's house. We did a gift exchange, hanging out there until late afternoon when we went over to his dad, Alvero's house, and met that side of the family during a family bar-b-que & birthday celebration.

Peanut tucked in at Stella's house in Huntington Park

Kathy & Stella

At Alvero Sr. house - Trino(sp?) bar-b-queing corn

Starting on carne asada

Kathy, Jef, Holley & Alvaro sitting under a dormant pomegranate tree

We hung out around the grill, as it was warmer

Maria's birthday, but child labor was recruited to blow out the candles

Brian about to blow

Cake #1 taken care of

Candles out in cake #2

On the 29th, hung out at Stella's house, had breakfast & lunch with more relatives before driving home. Encountered some rain on the way and we got some after getting home later that night.

Where ARE we???

Peanut checking out front yard

Stella, Duchess, Alvero, Holley, Kathy & Jef

Lunch included these "sopes" - we had both pork & chicken

Kathy, Jef, Holley, Alvero, Pedro, Gloria?

Interesting thing, both Stella & Pedro currently work at Belmont High Skool, where Jef attended a semester or 2 about 53 years prior!

On the 30th, returned to work a moderate day at the office. We had rain this afternoon and into the evening.

Sunrise this morning

On the 31st, a fairly busy day at the office. Tim called and reported the shocking news that Craig had passed away after returning home from a cruise to Panama and testing positive for Covid.

Snow below 5000' in San Ysidros

Backyard "lawn"

Front yard lawn with dew on it

Snow penetrated all the way the the Santa Rosas

Lenticular clouds over the library

Snow down to 4000' in the Vallecitos range