Friday, February 17, 2017

Snow, Sun, and Rain

Happy Friday Fave Fives from a very rainy and stormy Willow's Cottage.  (Follow the link to join us in celebrating the blessings of our week.)  I sit in my cosy cottage and gaze out at the falling rain and give thanks for so many things including but not limited to a safe and dry home with indoor plumbing.  Here are five samples of how my week went.

1.  My weather week went from this:
snow at night



to this:

sunshine and green grass on the mountains above my neighborhood


blue ocean and blue skies



2.  I knew that more rain was predicted for our area, so I took a day to work in the garden.  The hyacinth is in bloom now, as are the daffodils.


I planted tomatoes and snap peas and marigolds.  I cleaned up buckets of fallen camellia blooms.  I repotted my chocolate mint.

3.  And today it is RAINING.  Again.  No, I won't stop being thankful for the rain!  With this storm and the next one headed our Southern California way, we might actually move out of drought status.  Fortunately, I finished all my errands yesterday, so I can stay home today.  (Hint:  if you live in Southern California, don't assume people actually know how to drive in rain!)

4.  Our son Dr. Mike happened to be traveling through Los Angeles, so he arranged to spend a couple of days with us.  I flew in to LAX. The Professor picked me up.  Then we drove directly to our favorite Indonesian restaurant and met him there.  Of course we savored our meal.  Since he was here for a few days, The Professor arranged for him to speak at the university on the most recent research he has been doing which was of interest to more than one department--Comp Sci, Anthropology, and Environmental Science.


Mama might have been a bit proud of her boy.


5.  I drove him to LAX the next morning to fly back to snow and ice.  Since it took two hours to navigate the freeways to deliver him there,


I decided to treat myself to a leisurely drive home via Pacific Coast Highway.  The beach photos above were taken near Mugu Beach campground.  Also, on the mountain side of the highway, I noticed that the coreopsis are blooming!  I just had to pull over, jump out and walk up the trail a bit.


Do you see the specks of yellow on the crest of the hill? Those are giant coreopsis.  The large stumps look like dead cactus most of the year.  But in the spring, they bloom with clumps of yellow daisy like flowers.


This  zoomed in photo shows more details. 


 And the poppies are blooming, too!  (See what a little rain will produce?)


I am so thankful for the beauty in nature around me and for my family!

9 comments:

Schotzy said...

You certainly do live in a gorgeous area... I love how our nation is flanked my beauioful mountains.... albeit, your's are larger and majestic.... our's a bit worn down but still substantial.... Have a great week!!

Faith said...

gorgeous photos!!!!! you are blessed to have rain but i laughed out loud about people in SoCal not knowing how to drive in rain! we see that here with snow!!! hahha. I love mountains and of course think our beloved Adirondacks are the nations best!😜❤

yay for that boy of yours! how fun to get to see him oresent his work.

enjoy the weekend

Barbara H. said...

It's amazing that with all the rain the last few weeks, CA is still not out of drought conditions. Hopefully soon. The flowers are all so pretty. We probably won't have any blooming for a few weeks yet, though it hasn't been as cold as usual. so we might have an early spring.

It's so nice your son could visit for a few days and have an opportunity to speak at your husband's college.

ellen b said...

I do remember how great it was to see the coreopsis blooming on the hillsides. Look how green the hills are! Yeah. Hope you do get out of the drought and I hope So. Cal. weathers the storm coming their way! How nice to have son speak at the Professor's college!

At Rivercrest Cottage said...

I'm a native California living in Texas. Just spent a week with my mother in my hometown of Sonoma. We had rain every day, but you're right that just a little sunshine will make all that rain work to make everything bloom. Lovely photos. Kudos on your son's success.

nikkipolani said...

My old commute was north on 57 toward the 210, then west. There were wonderful stretches of greening hillsides and bits of color. I miss watching the progression this year with all this rain, so it's great to see it through your lens.

How fun that you got your see your boy do his thing and do it well. Glad you got to be together as he swung through LA.

Susanne said...

So glad for all your rain. I'm assuming the snow pics were someplace you were visiting? The orange california poppies are some of my favorite flowers because they make me think of my Grandma.

Mereknits said...

Glad you are getting much needed rain and that things are blooming. I know you are so proud of your son.

Jocelyn said...

The rain has certainly convinced everything to grow and bloom! I have been out and about with my camera, taking endless pictures of the green green green. Such a nice treat :)