The "Wolf Moon"

 I just happened to notice the big full moon rising the other evening, and decided to grab my camera. After all these years, I'm still a sucker for a beautiful moon!

 

Moonrise, partially obscured by the neighbor's palm tree.

 

Seeing this pretty moon kind of motivated me, and I decided to check on details for the next morning's moonset. Turns out it was 7am, so I decided to check it out. There's a hiking trail that takes you up to a nice lookout of downtown LA. Based on the predicted compass reading for the moonset, I guestimated that I might be able to get the LA skyline and moon in the same shot.

After hiking in the dark for about 20 minutes, I came to my lookout. Luck was with me, and the moon was slowly descending on downtown LA. This first attempt was at 6:34am. The moon was still pretty high, but I was able to get both the moon and downtown LA in the same frame, so I started shooting. I love how the buildings of LA look in the early morning hours. Kind of bittersweet knowing all the distruction and loss from the fires. I could see no fire or smoke plumes from my vantage point, so hopefully that's good news.
 

6:38AM. Just 4 minutes after the previous photo. Seems like the lower the moon gets on the horizon, the faster it drops! By the way, all photos here are single images. No composite photos, AI, or other trickery. I used a 200mm-400mm telephoto lens with a monopod.
 

6:50am

 

6:55am

 

7:00am

 

As the moon was setting behind Los Angeles off to the west, the sun was getting ready to burst out from behind Saddleback Mountain in the east. 
 

7:07am. The moon has just dropped below the horizon, and the sun has just started to rise. You can see sunlight reflected off a couple of the glass buildings in downtown LA, about 20 miles from where I'm standing.
 

Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you had a chance to see the Wolf Moon!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

Olla Nest

 Olla: "A large, widemouthed earthenware vessel used (as by Native Americans) for storage or as a container for water."

 

It had been at least a couple years since my last hike out to this remote desert location. Mitch was twisting my arm to go again, but he didn't have to twist too hard. Mitch's friend Doris joined us as well.

  

Let me start this post with a question: When is a fire ring not a fire ring? My answer is when it's an olla nest! What's the difference? Glad you asked! Let me illustrate with a couple photos:

Most people seeing a ring of rocks like this would assume someone has been camping here and built this rock ring for a camp fire. The truth is quite different, and much more interesting! This ring of rocks has sides that are higher and sturdier than your average fire ring. A big giveaway that this is an olla nest is the nest-like plant material at the bottom of the ring. Another giveaway is that there are no signs of soot, either on the rock ring or the adjacent rock wall.

 

Compare the olla nest to this very old fire ring I came across a number of years ago. Just a single layer of rocks in a circle, with a nearby pile of wood sticks and even a metal grill! Interestingly, when I was here a few weeks ago, the fire ring and wood pile had been destroyed and the grill was gone. My guess is the Park Service destroyed it since campfires are illegal.
 
Even though Mitch and I have visited the olla nest in the past, we still had a challenge trying to locate it on this trip. It's located in a multi-"room" cave or shelter made of boulders in an area with lots of boulders! You can (and we did) walk right by it without seeing it!

Doris photographing the olla nest in the main part of the cave. The cave extends for quite a distance behind her.

 

Another view of the main room in the cave with olla nest..

 

A second "room" in the cave. 

 

1975 photo by Daniel McCarthy, who was the archeologist for what was then Joshua Tree National Monument. It looks nearly identical almost 50 years later! McCarthy mentioned the olla nest having a small "spirit stick" (on right) which Native Americans used for protection and good fortune. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a large, intact olla at this location, which was likely removed and is in the JTNP Cultural Museum. The museum has an extensive collection of ollas that have been found in the Park (see below). Perhaps one of these ollas came from the olla nest I'm sharing with you today!

 

For me, the olla nest in this large shelter is the highlight of the hike, but there's so much more to see. There are more pottery sherds than any other location I've come across. Ditto for grinding slicks. If you actively look for smooth areas on the boulders, you will find many. This area was truly an ancient village!

 

We counted four grinding slicks on these rocks outside of a small shelter, with a mano or grinding stone in the foreground. It's a rare thing to find a mano sitting on the grinding slick like this!

 

This memory will stay with me. The layer of fine dust beneath this mano tells me it hasn't been moved in many, many years. I had the distinct feeling I was touching something ancient! I replaced it exactly as I found it, and hoping the next person that discovers it will have the same appreciation.

 

Mule deer antler? (rarely seen in the Park)

Trapdoor spider habitat.

 

Mitch checking out some pictographs.

 

 

Late afternoon light on Mojave Yucca and Ocotillo.

 

I feel very fortunate indeed to be able to visit such an amazing site.

Thanks for stopping by and joining me!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

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As you've probably heard, wildfires have been absolutely ravaging Southern California over the last couple days, driven by record-breaking dry winds. I'm safe and lucky to not be too close to the fires (most are in LA County), but my heart breaks as I see the photos of all the homes and structures destroyed and lives turned upside down. Scientists predicted years ago that our weather would get more and more extreme, and we are certainly seeing those predictions come true, and with devastating consequences.

December's "Cold" Moon

 I finished my hike a little after 3:30pm. Perfect timing, as December's full moon (called the "cold" moon) was scheduled to rise at 4pm. I had positioned myself behind a boulder covered hillside out in the remote Pinto Basin in Joshua Tree National Park, with a goal of capturing the moon rising over the rugged desert boulders. It seemed like a good plan! However, I noticed a dense layer of cloud cover on the horizon. If this cloud cover thickened or raised higher on the horizon, it would spoil my chances of getting the photo I wanted. So I waited. 

 

And waited. 4:15pm: Nothing. 4:30pm: Nothing. 5pm: Still nothing! I was getting stiff, bored, and impatient. By about 5:20pm I gave up. I packed up my camera gear and headed back to the car. As I left the sandy shoulder and pulled onto the highway, I almost immediately spotted it. I pulled back off the road (I had only driven about 100 yards), parked the car and grabbed my camera.

What a gorgeous moonrise, and how lucky to be in the right place at the right time! My lesson from this outing: BE PATIENT! Don't rush. Take your time. Enjoy the moment.

 

The next morning, the same full moon was now setting and was keeping me company as I drove back home from the desert. Driving west on the 10 freeway, I could see the Cabazon dinosaurs and just couldn't resist exiting the freeway for a quick photo.

Santasaurus!

 

Wishing everyone who reads this 

Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

More Coyotes

 This time I didn't see them, but I sure heard them! Turn up your volume, and then click play:

I was hiking on the trails while my granddaughter was at soccer practice, minding my own business. It's after dark, so I'm using a headlamp. You can see the soccer and baseball fields off in the distance. I hear a distant ambulance siren and all of a sudden I seem to be next to a bunch of coyotes!!

 

Did you know coyotes were called "song dogs" by Native Americans? According to Mr. Google, Coyotes have the most varied vocalizations of any mammal in North America. Coyotes can produce at least 11 different vocalizations, including barks, howls, growls, yelps, and greeting songs. They can be heard calling to each other at any time of day or night.
 

The headlamp lights things up nicely at night.

 

Thanks for stoppy by, and stay safe out there!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.