Love is In The Air

Song - When The Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along by Bing Crosby


California is finally getting some rain and the creek in our backyard roared all night long.  It's a good sound to hear as we have had too many years of drought.  When I woke up on Valentines day and looked out at our empty vegetable garden, I spotted these two love birds trying to decide if they should go out on a date.........

......or not.

And just yesterday I spotted a Robin in our Privet berries.......but look who is beneath him......a Cedar Waxwing.

Before I knew it the trees were full of Waxwings and Robins.

They were very good about taking turns eating as some of them 

would wait in this Oak tree on the other side of our yard and then when it was their turn, 

they would dive right into that clump of berries. It kinda felt like I was in that Hitchcock movie with birds multiplying by the second!

Their break consisted in getting a drink of water to wash down all the berries 

and then wait in a nearby tree.

"No winter lasts forever; 

no spring skips its turn."

--Hal Borland

Friends in High Places

Song - Winter by The Rolling Stones

This morning I woke to some very happy birdsong.  Our Oak tree was full of Robins and Starlings and a bird that sounds like a rusty hinge, Flickers and Hawks!

But if you look closely at the photo above, you will notice someone else in the berry bushes......in the upper left corner is part of a Cedar Waxwing.  They left our garden last week when a Hawk flew at them and haven't been back until today!!

The Privet tree was full of them and they let me set my tripod up quite close.

As I walked around our garden, I noticed some other delights of Winter.....above is a patch of Hellebores which is blooming in our shade garden.

And a nest up in the Wisteria arbor - I never noticed it until all the leaves dropped off......

And a little hummer enjoying some sunshine.

 And not one but two different Flicker's enjoyed the Privet berries too!

The bird above doesn't have the typical red patch on his cheek.

 But in the late afternoon light I caught sight of a Northern Flicker in all his beauty.

 He wanted to make sure I photographed his "good side"!

"And from Humming-Bird to Eagle, 
the daily existence of every bird 
is a remote and bewitching mystery. "

~Thomas Wentworth Higginson, 
"The Life of Birds," Out-door Papers, 1868

TBT

Song - Vivaldi's Winter - The Piano Guys

My cousin Susan with Missy and myself with Molly at the family cabin in Lake Tahoe - c. 1965

A snowlady that I made with my friend Jill on the same deck as upper photo - c. 2012

"I want to become acutely aware of all I have taken for granted" – Sylvia Plath

California Rain!

Song - Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain by The Cascades

"Winter is the time comfort, for good food and warmth, 

for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: 

it is a time for home."  -- Edith Sitwell

A Winter Walk

Song - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head by B.J. Thomas

After a good rain storm and spending way too much time indoors, 

I took a little walk around my garden today.

The creek in our backyard was roaring.

The lettuce in the vegatable garden was happy.

The Alyssum growing on the rock walls surrounding the vegetable garden smelled wonderful 

and is bright and cheerful. 

 

The Narcissus are ready to open!

My wild Violets are a little bug eaten but blooming. 

  My Mother Ferns are unfurling and......

...growning baby ferns!!! 

The Camellia's are outdoing themselves this year! 

Even our woodpile is growing!  Maybe some Rainbow Bracket Fungus?

Buds on the Flowering Quince

 And the biggest shock is that my brown lawn (ugg!) has turned green (sigh!)

The Spring Snowflakes are budding

And I have several blooms on my Sea Foam Rose!

After my garden walk, Mika and I came indoors and lit the fire and curled up with a cup of tea.


"We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming.  We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than they are.  They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse.  But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives."
 --Gary Zukav

The Mountains are Calling

Mr. B and I just returned from a few days in Yosemite.  We were participating in the Chef's week up there and by participating I mean - eating, watching demos, eating, dining, eating and taking in the quiet Winter beauty!

No snow, no rain, the Merced River looks like a trickling creek. But still, the cold beauty takes my breath away!

Yosemite Falls had some water and even some ice formed where the mist rises and freezes.  Can you see the white thingy in the center of the photo?

That's ice!

And on our morning drive around the Park we spotted this fellow.  I guess he thought he was a pedestrian!

He got tired of posing for photo's and decided to lay down for his close-up shot!

Everything was so quiet and serene.

Except for Mr. Raven who was noisy from dawn to dusk!

Came upon another Coyote who was listening at a mouse hole.  He was so patient and would cock his head from side to side while listening to activity inside the hole.

I was waiting for him to do a face plant!

We enjoyed learning about cheeses and how to taste them properly from Peggy & Sue founders of The Cowgirl Creamery!  Mmmmm......yum! They were both so funny!


 I told Mr. B that it was like spending the day in France where you get a plate of cheese any time of day!

Peggy

Sue

 

 

On the final day, Chef David Bazirgan from The Dirty Habit in SF showed us how to make scallops and soup.  I wouldn't mind him cooking my meals anytime!!!

While waiting for the evening's sun to set, I took a photo of Half Dome's reflection in the Merced River.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike." --John Muir

A Winter's Day

Song - I am a Rock by Simon & Garfunkel


Painting and prepping for Christmas has kept me indoors for the last few weeks.  But today I needed to drain some water from the swimming pool due to the amount of rain we have had lately in California!  On my way out to the pool I passed a few beauties....

Even though it is Winter, there is still activity in the garden this time of year.

My Sweet Pea's have begun to climb......

And fragrant Alyssum is growing everywhere!

Camellia's are budding and flowering.  I had just picked three beautiful flowers from this bush which is one of the few remaining plants from the previous owners.  Thank you Nancy!

There is one last leaf left on our Callery Pear trees.

The Rosemary is blooming.......

Mother Ferns are still growing baby ferns......

Lemons are ready for picking.......

The roses are making one final attempt....

My large urns of Salvia are beautiful this time of year......

The Primroses return year after year.....

My Daphne bush is ready to scent the entire garden!

Sweet little Forget Me Not's are blooming everywhere! Little darlin' - I won't forget you!

A few lingering Hydrangea blossoms....

A hopeful Geranium bud......

Time for some tea and garden lemons.....


I know you will find some beauty in your winter day today!

"Every gardener knows under the cloak of winter lies a miracle...a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to light, a bud straining to unfurl.  And the anticipation nurtures our dreams."
 -- Barbara Winkler