March 22-29, 2019 Shoshone

80 today, sunny and breezy.

Judy D painted this photo of our late friend George Ross. It came out very nice.She is donating it to the museum. She also had an informal painting class today. Liz, Judy and I painted. The painting a photo are what I did today.  

I also tried to fix my dune painting from the Feb class that Judy taught. The dune looks more dune like, but the rest of the painting still could use more work. . . I am starting a new basket with a pottery base my friend Susan made for me. Looks good so far. 

Further progress on the basket. It was great to have a nice day to just hang out with my darling husband and work on my basket. High 70's and sunny. We drove east of Tecopa to view wildflowers. There is a huge area on lots of them. Judy D and John in the flowers.

Beautiful flowers 

Yellow desert evening primrose in a patch and closer up, white chicory, and gilia, chia, poppies, phacelia and yellow fiddle heads. 

Flowers in the washes. Snow on Mt Charleston in the distance and white minerals on the desert in the foreground. High 70's down here, the snow does not seem real. 

The car at a spring. We stopped and checked out this old abandoned adobe hacienda.  

Near the pass in the Kingston Mtns out the car window. Horse Thief Camp near the spring near the pass. it is made out of old railroad ties.

Flowers along the road in the Kingstons. Cool colors on the way back. 

Weird pattern on the hillside. A large yucca bloom, shoes on the well at the hacienda, broken bottles at the hacienda and indian paintbrush.

March 23-26, 2019 Shoshone, California

70's, sunny and windy today.

Sunset tonight over a puddle left over from the big rains Wednesday. We had happy hour again on the patio before a wonderful dinner cooked by Judy P and Judy D. Susan, John, Judy D, Laurie, Bec and Emmett. 

Today I hiked with Judy, Judy D and Bec to the Gurtsly mine. Judy, Bec and Judy ahead of me. The mine shafts are all closed with grills. Bec, Judy and Judy in front and looking into the mine.

Dinner tonight at Steak and Grill with family and friends. Some old glass at the mine and a couple metal scorpion sculptures at the restaurant. 

Sunset in Tecopa tonight. We drove down to Death Valley to deliver this order of baskets. 

It was 91 and sunny  today in Death Valley. We had lunch at the new saloon at Furnace Creek.  

The south end of the valley has the most wildflowers, which are pretty sparse this year. Patches of desert gold and lots of sand verbena. 

Salsbury Pass on the way home elevation 3315 feet.  

I took a walk on the trail across the river tonight. I love these salt flats. Almost sunset tonight.

Welcome to Death Valley, desert five spot, the creosote bushes are laden with yellow blooms, and some desert gold. White chicory, five spots ready to bloom, desert gold with lots of buds and a field of sand verbenas. 

March 21-22, 2019 Death Valley, California

It rained last night. Most of the roads in Death Valley were closed from flooding and flood debris. They opened the road as far as Golden Canyon. We hiked up Gower Gulch from Golden Canyon.

The ocher cliffs of Golden Canyon. Hiking into the mouth of Gower Gulch. 

Hiking into Gower Gulch.

John hiking up Gower gulch. Bec, Judy, John and Jill entering the narrows. 

Bec, Judy and Jill in the narrows. John and I hiked up and over into Golden Canyon. It was rainy and the colors were not good. But here is part of Golden Canyon. 

John in Golden Canyon. Across the street from the Inn used to be an old building, mostly used as a laundry years ago. It caught on fire a few years back and was closed off and propped up. When they did the remodel of Furnace Creek they stuccoed the walls and put a garden in for events.  

The view from outside room 300 of Death Valley . 

The rain back lit near sunset over the Panamint mountains. At dinner we celebrated Judy's birthday. They brought out a chocolate torte with the BIG candle for her. After dinner I gifted jewels to everyone. 

Furnace Creek Inn as we departed. I finished this basket when we got home. It has a Kokopelli set in resin in the center surrounded by magnetite, red coral, white shell, amethyst, lapis and a few other gemstone chips. Dyed and glycerin pine needles, magnetite bears. I like how it came out. 

I also finished with the beads in the center of this one. It has a piece of glass I fused in the center and is made of date inflorescence (the stems the flowers and dates are attached to). We had happy hour outside on the patio tonight before dinner.