I love when we have national holidays ... the idea of how everyone gets to have a play day and do anything they want ... what a treat!

When I was younger working on holidays, it was always so nice because I would make double pay or get extra days off from work ... ;)

These days I prefer to go away for my holidays ... looking for places trying to miss the crowds and commotion. Without the crowds I can relax a little more easily ... taking time exploring and being in the present ... being able to focus on the things you miss on those busy days.

Many of my favorite and relaxing moments on our 4th of July holiday was just driving around Joshua Tree National Park. We saw only a few other cars throughout the day, making it feel like our own little play ground ... ;)

We also made a stop by Pappy & Harriet's Pioneer Town and it was like an old ghost town ... kind of eerie, but in that fun kind of way ...

Here are some of the photos taken with two different lenses, using my Nikon D300s, lenses 18-200mm and 85mm... Hope you enjoy the pics ...