This week at Willow's Cottage can only be described as wet and wild. I am referring of course to the weather. Does it seem like Southern Californians are obsessed with their weather? I think that, because our normal weather pattern is sunshine and more sunshine, when rainstorms assail the hills, valleys and freeways, people get a little crazy.
It's true that the infrastructures in both cities and agricultural areas are just not built to handle huge volumes of water and so we get a lot of this:
I had to take two detours to drive from the town next to mine back home on Monday evening. I am thankful for safety in driving.
While I don't love being out in the rain, I am thankful that we will have water to drink this year. Rain on the California coast means snowpack in the Sierra Nevadas which means drinking water in the summer.
My cousin's visit came right between two storms, so we were able to go out to the beach and walk in the sand and enjoy a fish and chips dinner at a locally famous marina restaurant named Andria's, sitting outside ON THE PATIO (in January). Because we seldom see each other, we talked and talked. It was wonderful.
High winds mean high surf, and we have had high surf warnings this week. Since I tutor in Ventura on Thursdays, I usually drive down to the beach for a few minutes. Today, the waves were crashing over the break water at the harbor entrance.
The Professor returned to classes this week, but he still cooked dinner a couple of evenings when I came home tired and hungry. His newest culinary challenge is learning to master stir frying in the wok. I have been happily sampling some really yummy vegetable dishes.Our weather forecast predicts sunshine will return this weekend. That's a fave, for sure!
How was your week and weather?
31 comments:
Hello Willow.....
It’s the Brits that are obsessed by the weather and as you probably discovered when you visited England last year, it’s the opener of most conversations..... our weather is so changeable.... even the forecasters get it wrong.
Like you I am not happy being out on the road in such wild conditions, but enjoy watching the force of nature from the warm, safe environment of home.
A spectacular scene of the waves crashing over the break water.... what energy the ocean has. I like to watch, at at distance of course, similar scenes on wild windy days of the sea crashing over walls... it can be quite dangerous as it brings large stones up from the beach.
Have a good weekend, enjoy your stir fries. Marion
That crashing surf looks quite impressive! I'm glad you got the rains for the provision of drinking water next summer (it will come, won't it?) but glad you are returning to your more normal sunshine.
Our weather has been mostly brisk, and clear and sunny. TODAY we have rain... but nothing to write home about. Just a drizzle mostly. It's only 38F though... a good day to stay inside and play on the computer!
Glad you got a nice visit in with your cousin. Does hubby use an old fashioned wok or an electric wok? I've never had either - but I did have access to an fashioned one - many many moons ago - and I liked it! But I don't think I could use one like that on an electric stove! LOL! My sister had an electric one - but she said it didn't work as well as the old ones! Guess I'm just curious...
Our weather was full of clouds, too. But today we had a lot of sunshine. Wishing you another blessed week :)!
I was thinking about you as I watched the news about the flooding lately! I'm glad you are okay and yes, it's good news that there won't be a drought. You are lucky to be able to see the ocean so frequently! And also lucky that you have a culinary husband!!! Enjoy the dinners! ;)
Wow, those waves are breathtaking and yet scary all at the same time. I'm glad you are getting the rain you so desperately need, though. Hopefully not too many more road closures.
Roomie was at the beach last weekend and saw some sizable waves, too, and that was before the storms arrived. Glad you are safe and that there was a detour to use!
It's like Bangkok. Temperature goes like 23C and everyone panics. Glad that your cousin's visit was perfectly in-between two storms. A nice weekend to you!
It definitely has been wild. I'm very happy to have my Marmot rain coat with me down here! Love the shots you took. I was trying to figure out how to get a good wave shot without getting my camera soaked :0)
You folks in SoCal are getting HAMMERED! Do you still have your raingear from your years in the valley?There's something so invigorating about walking on the beach during a storm! Unless, of course, the wind is whipping sand and sleet into your face at fourty miles an hour. Then it's just miserable. Glad you are staying warm and dry.
Love the crashing waves. =)
Well, sounds like you HAVE had some interesting weather of late! Glad your drive home was completed safely!
Have a great weekend!
Cold, grey and wet over here, so ready to see some greenery. My, that surf looks incredible, absolutely exhilarating.
wow...that surf is impressive. we've been reading about your wild and wet weather here in NYS....hope it gets drier for you soon! your pictures are always so amazing!
My word the waves crashing are spectacular! I can only imagine the sound they made. Be safe - I've seen your weather on Texas tv all week.
The weather is always changing in England so I guess that the reason its always at the start of the converstion. Hope you don't get to wet and cold. Jane x
That's some surf!!! I remember driving through Tampa several years ago now, when we were on holidy in Florida. I have never ever experienced torrential rain like it. It was very frightening. I think we were heading for Sanibel Island. It's one of my favourite places. Have a good weekend. Ros
We Islanders are obsessed with weather too.
I love storms - as long as no one is injured. Your waves are wild. That would be fun to watch.
Hope you put up some of the veggie stir fry recipes. One of my favourite meals.
Happy weekend Willow!
Wow, those waves over the seawall look fierce. We've been hearing about the torrential rains out your way. Glad to hear that your home at least remains dry and not in mudslide danger.
How nice to have another cook in the house to help out. Such a blessing. I enjoy that privilege also and don't take it for granted. :-)
Oh to have someone cook! Secondly to watch high surf...Sorry about the rains...it's been so mild out our way...I'm praying for snow on the mountains..
So fun to catch up with special people...I love that.
The Professor cooks? How nice!
Yes, I'm happy with the rain, too. I keep thinking about what a beautiful Spring we will have, with water in our rivers.
Loved the ocean picture!
flooding is terrible event one that Southern Illinois went through not so long ago as well
At least we know sunshine is coming soon :) Our monsoon is over and I am glad..even glad to have the hot sun and humid weather again. Happy weekend Kak Willow..hugs/M
Have been thinking of you as I watch the weather forecasts. Scary stuff - mudslides, flooding...sending you wishes for sunshine and blue skies !
Wild weather indeed.
But so glad about the drinking water.
As a Brit, I love weather.
Yes, I must start knittingagain
all best wishes for a super weekend
Down here, we got more than 60 inches of rain last year, if my memory serves me right. I'm glad it's your turn, LOL! Especially since drinking water is a concern. I didn't really realize that until a visit to California a few years ago.
Stay safe!
A lot like yours! It's been crazy out here, and it seems to hail every time I have to walk out to my car at work. Good thing I like walking in the rain, and I have a supply of wet weather gear from my years further north. :)
We had planned a trip to the beach last weekend but thought better of it after seeing the forecast. You're so right about Southern Californians being obsessed with the weather when we ACTUALLY have weather. It's so exciting as long as your house isn't about to slide down a hill or something like that. We've had rain every day this week, and I'm almost sad to see the sun shining so brightly this morning. Now I don't have an excuse to sit inside and knit all day!
Oh my goodness! Those waves are amazing!
We've had unseasonably warm weather this week. And warm, for January in Rochester, NY means 30's. All our snow has melted, and we actually got some sun. It was nice, but what replaces the snow is lots of mud.
Thank you so much for your visit to my blog! It is interesting, indeed, to read about your weather week, so different from ours. Your words and photos convey such an impression. Here we were supposed to get snow--I was all excited!--but it fizzled out after just a little rain.
I've never seen the snow as heavy and as low as it is around LA now. Hopefully this will help with the drought situation.
Like you I love Fish and Chips and eating them outside in the cold sounds heavenly. My favorite haunt for F&C is in Santa Monica at a little British Pub next to the French Bakery just off 3rd street. It's more like a bar and the atmosphere isn't great but I LOVE their F&C with malt vinegar poured over thick cut fries!!!!
Post a Comment