Mojave Light Musing

Home again. It was a treat to get away to a place that nourishes my creativity and rests the weary bod. Not only did I gain some valuable experience and insight on a whole new twist for my images, but I found a gallery willing to carry my work. And then, after a warm welcome from all who dwell in my humble abode, the mail has brought me a book, a publication on women's history in California that used one of my images to illustrate one of our local famed pioneer spirits, Minerva Hoyt.  Pretty exciting to see one's work published and in an insightful, historical document at that. For those of you interested in history, particularly of the trailblazing kind, you may wish to check out Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to the Present  by Gloria G. Harris and Hannah S. Cohen. This book is published by  The History Press . (You can learn more and purchase the book from clicking the highlighted link - and no, I do not get royalties so I'm not pushing this book for my ...

I have been housesitting for a dear friend 'in the city' for the past several days. While many people like to escape the constant vibrations of city living to unwind in the country, I am one who needs occasional doses of that energy to rev up my creativity. So I escape the country to come to the city! This particular area I am in reminds me strongly of my years in Columbia, South Carolina - the surrounding neighborhoods and village areas around the university where I attended. No track housing. Everything has an ambiance of its own with lots and lots of green. I'm soaking it in.... One thing I was able to do while here is visit the way sweet studio of Lumi  and meet its young, highly professional, and vibrant creators. Remember how I mentioned in a previous post that I was going to start putting my images on fabric and wood? Well, this is the start of all that. I just know it's not only going to be great fun but a success as well... I was the sole visitor this parti...

Going simple today. Getting low and looking up.... Might this be from the perspective of a garden fairy, a mischievous pixie, or a playful sprite? And where might I find this lacy flora? Too hot in my desert for these kinds of delicate blooms - not to mention, they wouldn't exist here anyway unless they are in someone's well watered garden..... Native to the Pacific Northwest, these are Heracleum lanatum - cow parsnip. © 2012 Diana Shay Diehl

My 100th post! Life has suddenly become very busy with school starting up very soon; my daughter coming home on leave next week; and my middle son preparing to move out (again) and start school near the coast. The fledglings are spreading their wings and flying into the big blue yonder. I think I'm over the empty nest thing..... I'll leave you with an assortment of shots from my trip to Alaska. Just random snapshots and commentary - an essence of Alaska from the inside... <----These folks were on the ridge at Hatcher Pass, waiting for their paragliders to land. I think I posted a shot of that area including Summit Lake in a previous post to give you a better idea of the landscape. Fireweed - the roads and hillsides were exploding with it ---------------> <--------Christmas in July? Nope. Used snow booties for the sled dogs.  This is at the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, AK.  Fascinating history around the use of dog sleds a...

Greetings to all my readers melting in the August heat. I'm listening to my air conditioner cha-chinging away, wondering where I'll shave of some funds to pay a most undoubtably high bill for this past month. It's been humid here in my desert which means the evaporative cooler just makes it worse. Ah well, I'll count my blessings that I even have an alternative to keeping sanely cool during this hottest part of our summer........ Here is one image of glacial ice etched with spires and crevices to help cool your mind. And, yes. It is that vibrant of a turquoise blue in real life - even more so up close, which we were able to get. You could hear the creaking and groaning as the ice shifted. And the size is deceiving in this photo. The glacial ice in the foreground is probably 4-5 stories high. If our ship were photographed next to it, we'd look like a pin dot. Massive energy. The miracles of the natural world..... 2012 ©Diana Shay Diehl / Prince William ...

Summertime. That means opportunities for a change of scenery. I just returned from nearly 10 days on the Kenai Peninsula/Anchorage area of Alaska. We lucked out with rare sunny days the first 4 we were there, yet still cool enough to don the lightweight fleece. Aaahhhhh......such relief from the hot, hot monsoonal days of my desert. On one of those sunny days, we explored some trails along the Hatcher Pass near Wasilla where we were staying with friends for the first 1/3 of our trip. The expanses in Alaska always amaze me. You could be in a community one minute and a bit farther down the road the universe opens up with nothing but massive snow tainted mountains and valleys and passes as far as your eyes can make out the horizon... This was my second trip to this part of Alaska. Actually, my first to the region just 50 miles north of Anchorage but my second trip to this part of the state. Luckily, we have friends scattered all over which makes it fun to explore from a...