Update re red ranch 022710~End of an era~Scenic Sunday 022810

In April of 2009, I posted my first post on this blog. It was about a red ranch house in my town, Palm Desert, CA. Now, for those of you who know Palm Desert, you know there aren't any ranches left. It is nearly wall-to-wall housing or hotels. So, I have kept my eye on this red ranch. Here's the link to that first post: http://southwestbarns.blogspot.com/2009/04/red-ranch-palm-desert-ca.html So, you can imagine my horror when, as I drove by it today, I glanced over from the freeway and it was GONE! I got off the exit and drove up. It was lightly raining, the sky was dark, and it was a cold day. Our local mountains had disappeared behind the storm clouds. Very forboding. It was with a sinking heart that I drove up to the ranch. Yup. Gone. Neat piles of debris. One massive tree was lying on its side. Two others were still standing. I still remember the hawk that flew by me on one of my visits. I hope that the trees will remain, but I doubt it. The hawk will have to find a new territory. I posted some photos that I took of it in December of 2009, on one Saturday morning when the desert had a winter storm. The clouds parted and I caught the top photo, with the sunlight shining directly on the ranch house. This was and is one of my favorite photos. Two rainy days with two entirely different objects to photograph! I will miss this ranch. Scenic Sunday for February 28, 2010.