Ocotillo at Joshua Tree National Park (SkyWatch Friday)

Dessert blooms, Joshua Tree NP, 4 April 2014

Reflecting on winter... (SkyWatch Friday)

Sunset reflection in a hotel door, St. Louis, MO (26 Jan 2014)

Hotel in St. Louis, MO

<=  the hotel that provided the door.

DOS ... SkyWatch Friday

Springtime in the winter.

Outside the Red Onion restaurant, Rolling Hills Est. (Jan 2014)



A Wedge of Morning Sky



 From our patio, before sun peaked over the buildings



From our patio, a bit after

SkyWatch Friday over Rolling Hills Est.

Uplifting view at corner of Hawthorne Blvd. and Indian Peak Rd.

Two Steeples of St. Francis Episcopal (SkyWatch Friday)



Steeples of Chapel and Church, St. Francis Episcopal
Palos Verdes Estates



St. Francis Episcopal -- 1930's Chapel and 1960's Church
Palos Verdes Estates



My husband's family attended St. Francis in the 50's and 60's as my mother-in-law was an traditional Episcopalian. I've gone to services at the chapel (designed by Walter Swindell Davis) -- while it is gorgeous on the outside it has a bit of a closed-in feeling on the inside. I have yet to go in the more modern church that I'm sure is lovely inside as the walls are all modern stained glass.
 Click SKY WATCH FRIDAY to view gorgeous skies around the world.

Mastering the Skies (SkyWatch Friday)

Ian with his flight instructor, Mickey Holton, and the Citabria taildragger (3 March 2012)

Last Saturday, after a long oral exam and practical flight test, Ian received his private pilot power license at 17 years and 3 months. We are so proud of his accomplishment.

(This is a good time to ask him for a scenic flight in the area...

Ian can fly but he cannot charge.)

Go to Skywatch Friday for some really cool sky pics.

Admiral Risty's Re-visited (SkyWatch Friday)



ADMIRAL RISTY, Golden Cove Center, Rancho Palos Verdes



Admiral Risty is a local steak-seafood restaurant located on the edge of the continent (dramatic, ha?).

I first went there with my Dad while still in college and when I had no idea I would move to Palos Verdes in the future. My husband, son and I still go there often for special (and ordinary) occasions.

Saturday Skies at Southern California Soaring Academy - Crystal Airport (SkyWatch Friday)

 Photo's from last Saturday.

One of the Academy's new 2-seater ASK-21 glider is being towed for a flight. My son flew two flights and got up to 14,000 feet during one of them -- a definite thrill. 

Here is a view of both of the new ASK-21s.

Monterey Morning (SkyWatch Friday)

Sunrise over Monterey Bay - Thanksgiving Day, 2011

Photographed from bayside terrace of the Monterey Plaza Hotel on Cannery Row.
Join  SkyWatch Friday.

Color-me-beautiful Sky ... (SkyWatch Friday)

On Hawthorne Blvd. in Rancho Palos Verdes
Contributor to Sky Watch Friday

Greetings from... (Sky Watch Friday)

Near Dayton, Ohio, 11 August '11  (taken with a Blackberry).

Blue skies, puffy white clouds, green fields and woods ... as pretty as can be (even the temperature was moderate.)

See the awesome skies around the world at Sky Watch Friday.

Heading West ... (SkyWatch Friday)

... really!

Somewhere on Sepulveda Blvd. in Torrance, CA.

Ride, Sally Ride (Skywatch Friday)

     Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, turns 60 today. I so admired her when I watched her with the loose, curly hair floating in space. Thanks, Sally, for taking me along on a fantastic virtual ride.
     I had a chance to hear a talk Ms. Ride gave 2 years ago to a mixed audiance of middle schoolers, educators, and scientists/ engineers, encouraging everyone to help girls to excel in math and science in the early grades.

     The photo is of the Challenger memorial in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles) dedicated to the revered Col. El Onizuka, the 1st Japanese American astronaut selected for the space program, and who died in the 1986 Challenger accident.

Join SkyWatch Friday!

"Wave" at Mammoth (SkyWatch Friday)

Picturesque lenticular (or "wave") clouds formed along the ridges by Hwy 395 at the Mammoth Mountain turnoff last Saturday afternoon. (From Wikipedia: "Where stable moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a series of large-scale standing waves may form on the downwind side. If the temperature at the crest of the wave drops to the dew point, moisture in the air may condense to form lenticular clouds. As the moist air moves back down into the trough of the wave, the cloud may evaporate back into vapor. Under certain conditions, long strings of lenticular clouds can form near the crest of each successive wave, creating a formation known as a 'wave cloud.' The wave systems cause large vertical air movements and so enough water vapor may condense to produce precipitation. The clouds have been mistaken for UFOs (or "visual cover" for UFOs) because these clouds have a characteristic lens appearance and smooth saucer-like shape. Bright colors (called Irisation) are sometimes seen along the edge of lenticular clouds.")

On the drive home on Sunday, heading south toward Los Angeles, misty clouds spilled over the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Owens Valley.

Going my way? (Skywatch Friday)

Morning commute on Lomita Blvd. in Torrance.

Fall Colors - Southern California Style

The yellow hibiscus is sitting pretty over Peninsula Center parking lot with a view of the tall antenna tower.

Join SkyWatch Friday.

"Spirit of America" over the Plush Pony... (SkyWatch Friday)

A combo of old and new, grounded and aloft, alive and animated. 

"Spirit of America" is the name of the Good Year blimp which is based in Carson, CA.

The sign is for the Palos Verdes Inn which used to be The Plush Pony in the 50's and 60's. It is not located in Palos Verdes but just adjacent to it in Redondo Beach.

The old style antennas are becoming obsolete, but the ubiquitous pigeons are going strong in the area.

Join  SkyWatch Friday.

A Bum Deal (SkyWatch Friday)

Everytime I go by the Malaga Cove Plaza, I cannot help but take a few snaps of  Neptune (a regular subject for PVDP) - this one was taken last weekend. I thought I'd join Yankee-in-Belgrade's buns in the sky for this week's SkyWatch Friday.

Powerful Sky (Skywatch Friday)

Somewhere on Montemalaga Road.

Join SkyWatch Friday.