February 11-12, 2026 Shoshone to Death Valley Junction, California

 High of 70, cloudy ad a tiny bit of rain.

Jean spent the night in her van, we look like an RV park! Late afternoon clouds. 

Sunset. 

We headed up the Death Valley Junction to drop off the Judy's for the start of this years B2B hike. We stopped on the way for them to cache water and food for tomorrow night.  Lemon pepper mustard plants. 

Dry playa. Cool clouds.

Amargosa River. 

The old garage at Death Valley Junction. Shadow Mountain at sunset. 

Mt Charleston, over Las Vegas with snow on it. There is a ski area on the east side of this. Reflection of sunset over the Amargosa hotel in Death Valley Junction. 

Sunset. Amargosa Hotel. It was company town for  the Pacific Borax company. It is now home to the Amargosa Opera house and hotel where Marta Beckett staged dance and mime shows from the late 1060's till 2012. 

There is no where to eat at Death Valley Junction so we brought our own dinner. John prepared soup and biscuits, I made a salad we ate in the old dining room.  James brought berry short cakes for desert. 

February 10, 2026 Death Valley, California

 70 and cloudy.

We started the  hike from Saratoga Springs in Death Valley. Lots of wildflowers. 

Field of phacelia and evening primrose. Michael in the ruins of a cabin with phacelia and evening primrose. 

Field of evening primrose with some phacelia. Desert gold. 

Whole hillsides of phacelia and and desert gold. Hiking through a field of flowers. 

Field of flowers and dark clouds. The white on the side of the mountain is mine tailings.  There are a lot of old mines in this area.

John found superman's underwear. Ore bin at Pongo mine, our destination, with sand  verbena. 

Sand verbena, 5 spot, evening primrose, desert gold, phacelia, purple mat, primrose, verbena, cryptantha, and desert gold. Hiking in flowers. There is so much green for the desert. 

Judy and John hiking in desert gold. Field of brown eyed evening primrose. 

Evening primrose, booth's evening primrose, spanish needles, 5 spot, primrose, desert star, cryptantha and a painted lady. There were whole hillsides of phacelia and desert gold. 

Phacelia and desert gold. Our boots were covered with pollen from hiking in the flowers. 

Sunset with Tecopa peak over Grimshaw wetlands on the way  home.

February 6-8 2026 Shoshone, California

 High of 74 and sunny.

Grouted these today. My raven even looks like a raven this time. And for the khadrawy date tree.

I have finally finished making name tag mosaics for the 9 date palm trees . The white thing on top of the pole is my new weather station. I always wonder what speed the wind is blowing and how much rain we get when it rains. Now I will know. I can look up the results on my phone or on my computer. 

Desert gold and phacelia. Brittle bush. On the white trail.

Desert star, desert gold, primrose and phacelia , poppies, mohavae, chicory, and evening primrose. We had a small dinner party at Judy's house. Yummy food and great company. 

I finally finished this. Tried a new technique- made a mobius. It took almost 2 weeks and was a bear. It is made from dyed pine needles, polyester thread, glass beads and I fused the center from murrine I made. There is also a metal ring in there somewhere that I started the mobius on. It is 11 x 9 x 2 1/2 inches. In shade and in sun.

Sunset east and west.