california dreaming

Let’s Get Lost!

January 15, 2024 — 2 Comments

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Joshua Tree National Park

Is it safe to swim in the ocean this week?

Sure, the sharks are all busy filming with Discovery.

Interesting Facts: The flatland between these hills is sparsely forested with Joshua trees. Together with the boulder piles and Skull Rock, the trees make the landscape otherworldly. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high/low of 85 and 50 °F (29 and 10 °C), respectively. Winter brings cooler days, around 60 °F (16 °C), and freezing nights. Snows occur occasionally at higher elevations. Summers are hot, over 100 °F (38 °C) during the day and not cooling much below 75 °F (24 °C) until the early hours of the morning. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Tree_National_Park )

There Are Far Better Things Ahead Than The Ones We Leave Behind.

January 14, 2024 — 8 Comments

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Joshua Tree National Park

How are mountains able to see?

They peak!

Interesting Facts: The higher and cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of Yucca brevifolia, the Joshua tree for which the park is named. It occurs in patterns from dense forests to distantly spaced specimens. In addition to Joshua tree forests, the western part of the park includes some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California’s deserts. The dominant geologic features of this landscape are hills of bare rock, usually broken up into loose boulders. These hills are popular among rock climbing and scrambling enthusiasts.  ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Tree_National_Park )

 

The Weather Below Is Cloudy.

January 13, 2024 — 11 Comments

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Mount San Jacinto State Park ( Desert View Trail )

 What do you call lice on a bald man’s head?
Homeless.

Interesting Fact: The Mount San Jacinto State Park encompasses the weathered granite summit of Mount San Jacinto, which at 10,834 feet (3,302 m) above sea level[2] makes this the second highest peak and mountain range in Southern California. It is accessible by the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and lies on the Pacific Crest Trail. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_San_Jacinto_State_Park )

Hang In There… It’s Friday!

December 22, 2023 — 7 Comments

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Mount San Jacinto State Park

What do you call a professional fisherman?

A master baiter.

Interesting Facts: Joshua Tree National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of Los Angeles, near San Bernardino and Palm Springs. The park is named for the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert. Originally declared a national monument in 1936, Joshua Tree was redesignated as a national park in 1994 when the U.S. Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act.[3] Encompassing a total of 790,636 acres (1,235.4 sq mi; 3,199.6 km2)[1]—an area slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island—the park includes 429,690 acres (671.4 sq mi; 1,738.9 km2) of designated wilderness.  ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Tree_National_Park )

I Had Food Last Night And I Forgot The Rest!

November 24, 2023 — 2 Comments

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Greylag goose

Why did the nurse go to art school?

To learn how to draw blood!

Interesting Fact: Greylag geese tend to pair bond in long-term monogamous relationships.[20] Most such pairs are probably life-long partnerships, though 5 to 8% of the pairs divorce and re-mate.[20] Birds in heterosexual pairs may engage in promiscuous behavior, despite the opposition of their mates. ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greylag_goose# )

 

 

 

Sunshine Is My Favorite Accessory!

July 6, 2023 — 10 Comments

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California Sea Lion 

What did E.T.’s mother say to him when he got home?

Where on Earth have you been?

Interesting Fact: The sea lion’s ancient ancestors, like those of whales and dolphins, lived on land. The modern animal is well adapted to an aquatic environment, with its streamlined body and powerful flippers. (The rear flippers rotate forward to allow a California sea lion to move surprisingly well on land.) California sea lions also boast thick layers of blubber to insulate their bodies from the chill of marine waters. ( https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/california-sea-lion/ )

 

 

Be Different!

March 23, 2023 — 6 Comments

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Western-Grebe

Why did the traffic light turn red?

You would too if you had to change in the middle of the street!

Interesting Fact:  The Western Grebe, like other grebes, spends almost all its time in water and is very awkward when on land. The legs are so far back on the body that walking is very difficult. Western Grebes are adept swimmers and divers. Courtship happens entirely in the water, including a well-known display known as “rushing,” where two birds turn to one side, lunge forward in synchrony, their bodies completely out of the water, and race across the water side by side with their necks curved gracefully forward. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Grebe/lifehistory )

I’m Higher Than I Expected!

February 17, 2021 — 2 Comments

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Mount San Jacinto State Park ( Desert View Trail ) 

What kind of undies do clouds wear?

Thunderwear.

Interesting Fact: The San Jacinto Mountains, like the neighboring San Bernardino Mountains, are a humid island above the surrounding desert and semi-desert. Annual precipitation ranges from about 15 inches at the western base (and only 6 inches on the eastern, desert base) to as much as 32 inches above 5,500 feet (the mountain town of Idyllwild averages 27 inches per year). The coastal (western) side of the range receives more precipitation than the eastern (desert) side. Most of the precipitation falls between November and March, with a secondary maximum associated with thunderstorms during the summer monsoon season between July and September. The precipitation totals are highly variable from year to year. Snow usually falls above 4,000 feet elevation in winter. Above 8,000 feet, snow sometimes persists until June. Near the crest, there are often a few patches of snow that may persist all year in shady spots. ( San Jacinto Mountains – Wikipedia )

Do You Even LIFT BRO?l

January 15, 2021 — 11 Comments

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Mount San Jacinto State Park 

What is a pretzel’s favorite dance?

The twist.

Interesting Facts: The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs, California, is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world. It was opened in September 1963 as a way of getting from the floor of the Coachella Valley to near the top of San Jacinto Peak and was constructed in rugged Chino Canyon. Before its construction, the only way to the top of the mountain was to hike hours from Idyllwild. The rotating cars were added in 2000. ( Palm Springs Aerial Tramway – Wikipedia)

Happy New Year! Here’s To Having A Fresh Start At Binge Eating, Boozing, And Slacking Off!

January 1, 2021 — 10 Comments

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What Does it Mean If You Were Born In September?

That your parents started the new year with a BANG!

Interesting Fact: During the Middle Ages in Western Europe, while the Julian calendar was still in use, authorities moved New Year’s Day, depending upon locale, to one of several other days, including March 1, March 25, Easter, September 1, and December 25. Beginning in 1582, the adoptions of the Gregorian calendar has meant that many national or local dates in the Western World and beyond have changed to using one fixed date for New Year’s Day, January 1. ( New Year – Wikipedia )