A place to share the sights, history, events, and people of the desert--families, tourists, artists, and wanderers. One day, when you stop on a desert road, get out of your car, walk around and experience the landscape up close. The desert will get under your skin. Maybe into your soul...
Author of The Way Home, set in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley;
co-author of Your Self-Confident Baby; contributor to Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers: Stories that Celebrate our Feline Friends;
contributor to desertusa.com and Phantom Seed, a literary journal of the desert
(Keys View, Joshua Tree National Park--September, 2009)
While our family was visiting my mother-in-law Helen in 29 Palms last weekend, William and I went out to Joshua Tree National Park. I was recovering from a sprained ankle and did more hobbling than hiking, and shot a lot of photos.
The park was unusually hot--around 100 degrees-no escaping the heat wave in the city, with a blue, windless sky, and empty! You could drive for miles and not see a car. We drove up to Keys View, the highest point, with an awesome view of the Coachella Valley from Palm Springs (a fire was burning somewhere around there), Mount San Jacinto behind it, to the Salton Sea, Signal Mountain and Mexico south of that.
Not many people up there either except for a German couple taking photos of a friendly antelope ground squirrel (awwww... I took a few, too).
September Field Class Schedule: To register for classes please go to www.joshuatree.org or click here.
Discover the Milky Way Warm September nights are a perfect time to explore the summer Milky Way. David Chappell will lead participants on a tour of the stars, clusters, and nebulae that reside along the galactic plane in this field class. Dates/Times: Saturday, September 19, 2 pm - 10 pm Meet at: Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA Fee: $60 ($50 for JTNPA/PINE members)
Summer Annual Wildflower Wanderings Did you know that wildflowers can be abundant each fall? Summer annuals will bloom in September with enough rainfall. Desert Naturalist, Darrell Shade will saturate your senses with these unique fall blossoms that occur in Joshua Tree National Park in this one-day field class. Dates/Times: Sunday, September 20, 7 am - 1:30 pm Meet at: Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA Fee: $60 ($50 for JTNPA/PINE members)
Insects and Other Arthropods of the Morongo Basin (UCR optional credit - Entomology x405, 1.5 units) Did you know that insects can survive in temperatures of over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade with little to no water? Kurt Leuschner will explore the lives of the largest group of animals in the world through an in-depth study of insect anatomy, survival traits, habitats, and behaviors. Dates/Times: Friday, September 25, 7 pm - 9 pm; Saturday, September 26, 8:30 am - 2:30 pm and 6 pm - 9 pm Sunday, September 27, 8 am - 12 pm Meet at: Black Rock Visitor Center, 9800 Black Rock Canyon Rd., Yucca Valley, CA Credit Fee: $210 ($200 for JTNPA/PINE members) Non-Credit Fee: $135 ($125 JTNPA/PINE members)
Night Sky Photography If you enjoy photography and are fascinated by the desert night sky, this hands-on course is for you! Dennis Mammana, sky photographer, will teach participants the secret of capturing the desert sky at sunset and dusk, creating time-lapse exposures, moonlight shots, and more. Dates/Times: Saturday, September 26, 1 pm - 9 pm Meet at: Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA Fee: $60 ($50 for JTNPA/PINE members)
Old School House Lecture Series, Twentynine Palms Become a subscriber and save $10 on all ten lectures in the Series. Contact the Desert Institute or visit www.joshuatree.org for more information.
Tales of the Mojave Road - the Military Dennis Casebier, Historian, Author, Executive Director Mojave Heritage & Cultural History Association Join historian Dennis Casebier to hear the story of the military men and women who built and manned the forts on the Mojave Road as well as the challenges the soldiers faced to support western migration to the coast. Location: Old School House Museum, 6760 National Park Dr, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 Date/Time: September 11, 7 pm Fee: $5.00 at the door.
The classes take place in Joshua Tree National Park and the surrounding area. The scenery is inspirational, the autumn weather beautiful and mild. To register click here.
September 19 - Discover the Milky Way 20 - Summer Annual Wildflower Wanderings - NEW! 25 - 27 - Insects & Other Arthropods of the Morongo Basin-NEW! 26 - Night Sky Photography
October 3 & 10 - Native American Style Pottery 4 - Desert Snakes: Fang, Rattle, and More 17 & 18 - Biological Soil Crusts of Joshua Tree National Park 18 - Bighorn Sheep of Joshua Tree National Park - NEW! 24 & 25 - Native American Basket Weaving 24 & 25 - Archaeology of Joshua Tree National Park 31 - Geology of Rattlesnake Canyon 31 & November 1 - Edible Plants of the Desert
November 1 - Native Californian Pigments & Paints
6 & 7 - Photographing the Joshua Tree Landscape 7 - Watercolor Painting in the Park 8 - Drawing the Desert with Pencil and Brush - NEW! 8 - Mystery of the Wonderland of Rocks 14 & 15 - Geology: Creation of the Joshua Tree Landscape 14 - Collage Monotypes in Joshua Tree National Park 20 & 21 - Basic Map & Compass 21 - Explore the Eagle Mountains 21 & 22 - Geology and Paleontology of the Pinto Basin 22 - Advanced Map & Compass
December 5 - Geology of the San Andreas Fault 5 - Basic Desert Survival 6 - Advanced Desert Survival - NEW! 6 - Journey to Cary’s Castle
The amazing rock formations in Joshua Tree National Park always inspire me, and conjure images of all sorts of things. This one reminded me of a breeching whale.
(Keys View, Joshua Tree National Park--September, 2009)
