Life in the Desert

etsy congratulations

etsy congratulations, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Congrats Dear Etsy on 1 Million TWITTER Followers!!

Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast Cancer Awareness, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

if you have not-SCHEDULE IT TODAY!
~Hugs

WideAngle Welcome

wideAngle Welcome, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

We are Joyously welcoming Autumns late arrival here in the Mojave Desert
whilst One Eyed Captain Jack Sparrow greets my new wide angle lens
with a nice wet imprint of his adorable nose
=)

If you get your holiday shooping done now

if you get your holiday shooping done now, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

you can relax and enjoy the holidays when they arrive!
WWW.ETSY.COM

Fall has arrived

the greater roadrunner, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Renaldo the newest member of the Retro Ranch, feeding sanctuary in Joshua Tree is here to announce
Fall
Has
Arrived
A glorious 75 degrees,cool gentle breezes
One Very relieved and happy
DesertNana

Wanted! ~~Fall temperatures

Wanted! ~~Fall temperatures, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

the early mornings are kind and sundown is glorious,but 100 degrees, in autumn ,~is more then this middle aged-heat intolerant-Mama Nana can take

gambles quail

gambles quail, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

we are quite thankful to not have that quail eating road runner dominating our feeding station
With that said, we are quite ready for cooler temperatures
which make it easier to breed and raise out little ones

gambles quail

gambles quail, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Callipepla gambelii are an ever growing family here on the Retro Ranch and been visiting in large numbers the past two days. Interestingly Renaldo the roadrunner has been MIA for a few days which probably explains the parade of quail relaxing about the feeding station.
temperature today 100+ degrees and though i try not to whine
I believe my avian friends join me in saying
WE ARE TIRED OF WAITING FOR FALL!

The greater Road Runner Renaldo

The greater Road Runner Renaldo, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Well hello to you kind friend

Well hello to you kind friend, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

This beautiful Fella has been a daily visitor for about two weeks now here on the ranch. I am fairly certain he is the off spring of the adult road runners who regularly stalk my feeding station in an attempt to catch a small bird for a feast.
I have named him Renaldo (ReRe for short) and each day he comes a bit closer to the back door,ever curious for interaction. We are thinking his parents have met misfortune, or perhaps have moved on, as he truly seems to be looking for someone.
Most folks are surprised to learn that the road runner is carnivorous.
He is most fond of hamburgers,and the past few days having none,ReRe has enthusiastically eaten beef cat food.

Best Friends"

Best Friends", originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

observing
then capturing
a moments like this
behind my lens
is why
I love photography

You can Be Brave Now

You can Be Brave Now, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

when i created this from my photograph and the words of Jen Lemen from the most Amazing MondoBeyondo.Org class
I had not a clue~ how very much I would need this message,less then 2 weeks later.
Love * Hugs
DesertNana

Love on a sunny california day

Love on a sunny california day, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

Anyone who questions the animal worlds level of evolution in their

development of emotional capacities may inquire right here.

=)

Remember to give someone a paw on the head Today

I dont want to Turn 4 says Miss Sadie

keeper of my heart*, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.


This afternoon, my daily cell phone visit with Miss Sadie involved her  trying to tell me that she wants to stay three and not turn four.
It was kind of hard to understand her between her  yucky cold and simultaneous, Pink Popsicle eating. I am incredibly curious to understand what is going on inside her beautiful mind that has her determined that turning 4 is not something she wants to do.
The heart ache of being a long distance grandparent is that from one day to the next your precious grandchild has a major internal awakening and all you are left to do is wonder and listen.
Sadie was a year and a half when I shot this photo of her  during a summer visit and my Olympus E-500 was brand new. Free from desert dust scratches and multiple contusions and falling impacts..
I’m pretty sure Sadie thinks that the camera is a part of me as I have yielded it almost non stop during every precious visit I have has since the day she was born.
 My latest visit this past May, brought me to her home late in the evening, schlepping luggage and backpacks, various bags etc and of course gifts for her.
 When she came creeping out of her bedroom she assessed my entourage of multiple bags . looked up at me ,and said
"Nana where’s the Camera?
 Oh it is packed in my camera pack over there-she was already had the top zipper undone. Sadie’s discovery of the flip screen on my little (canon s5IS) is an entire other tale to tell-so back to my point~
I cant believe my G Bebe is going to be four in 8 weeks!.
Oh I know it sounds cliche, as I spent my young adulthood  listening respectfully to my elders when they would say things like
"It seems just like yesterday I was walking him to kindergarten
"if turned my back  for a moment and my baby became a women"
“Just wait kid, one day you will know and understand exactly what I mean”

Now that I do walk In their shoes, with Miss S who has decided to stay three and not turn four-at least for today, I realize the time warp all these adults spoke of is the very one I walked into somewhere around 39 or 40,and it continues to increase in speed with everyone of my birthdays
So, I have decided if staying 3 and not turning 4 is what Miss S has concluded is a good thing, then in the spirit of an all supportive Nana I shall do the very same! From today forward I am staying thirty! At thirty life did not look as it does when you are young traveling in the back seat of a car and all you catch are blurs of what you know are actual land marks and familiar places; but do to the speed of the car and your low point of reference the ride is pretty much a blur.
So Miss Sadie, its you and Nana
3 and thirty forever!

our long desert rode home

our long desert rode home, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka maja

Hello Wonderful You
Im not a contest sort of gal
but
when i read the twitter tweet on this one
i had just finished uploading this
so
i entered it
right here
http://showusyouramerica.com/gallery
I would so very appreciate you taking time
to go find this
and vote
My Gratitude
~Hugs
DesertNana

desertnana photo show

• "Picnik Show"

  Create a free slideshow with Picnik!
• Welcome Wonderful You
• You know I do not advertise anything
• with the exception of
• of course
• ETSY.COM
• however,
• being agonizingly tech and numerically challenged ,
• with a sloooow, unreliable, connection,
• Yet
• passionately Loving every minute I spend behind my lens,
• passionately disliking
• all the detailed,
• slow,
• numerical
• tedious,
• steps required
• to get what I capture through my lens
• to a green printer
• correctly
• back to me
• then start over
• to get that
• one special image
• into my shop
• well
• its making me nuts
• So
• until i figure out
• how I can spend most of my time
• back behind my lens
• enjoy the show
• Namaste,
• majamom
• desertnana
• and my fav
• MBMamaNana

She fills my life with so much Love

so often during our daily cell phone time together,or after I receive a real letter from My heart, My heart is so filled with love and longing simultaneously I am sure I will com-bust!
This morning tele call went like this~

"Nana Halweens comin!"

Yes it is Sadie. What would you like to be this Halloween?"

" A Pink -Fairy -kitty -princess -with bracelets"

Just as certain as her own breathe ,she had obviously spent many a day and hour gathering ideas and colors and textures species and royal rankings and in her own unique way defined a distinct visualization of what she wants to be.

So, with Task in hand, I hopped on over to my second home ETSY

Sadie is the Reason I Found ETSY  four years ago. Every costume and accessory she has on her list abounds here. All handmade by wonderful crafters all over the world.

In the next few days I will post a link to my new blog which will focus more on all things in DesertNanas life in and around Etsy,as well as other exciting tidbits-such as
I have had the worst hiccups of my entire life for the past 6 hrs
and thus far, all remedies advised have failed, if you know of one please

TWITTER ME   Twitter: twitter.com DesertNanaretro

EMAIL ME         Desertnana2005@gmail.com

Santa Inez Valley

Santa Inez Valley, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

You thought i had disappeared!
Just enjoying wonderful, but short travels in the wine country of central California.
Good news,I am finally getting a vista compatible Dragon Software program, so you will be hearing a lot more from me in the near future.
It is just too uncomfortable to type much with this darn cervical disc,ulner nerve irritation "issue I have"
Honestly, I have so much to say
I just cant type it!!
This photo taken in the glorious drive between Buelton and Solvang California
Between the 30 degree cooler temperatures, the endless colors,textures and patterns, i was in
Visual Heaven

desert storm 2

desert storm 2, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

the Red hot sun setting in the east filling the storm clouds with brilliant hues
After a day of "surviving the heat"
this comes as a gift to my eyes and my Soul

Desert Storm

Desert Storm, originally uploaded by DesertNana aka majamom.

10 solid days of 100 * temperatures(God help us!)
A storm rolled in providing spectacular skies,but not a drop of rain on the Ranch.