Winter Stereotypes Shattered (musings)

It's New Year's Eve. Definitely WINTER by the calendar. But "winter" here in Central California is, well not exactly Wintery. The last time it snowed for more than 5 minutes was my senior year in high school, more than 50 years ago! I remember that day clearly. I had been sick, and I begged to go back to school. I did, and relapsed, and spent another few weeks at home. Was it worth it? Yes!!

  Some pictures from today. I went out without my jacket and was a little warm. 😁  It was a little windy on the walk around the block, but really pleasant. Not wintery. 

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I always admire the red leaves that keep hanging on our Japanese Maples all winter long. The trees are funny to me, because all year round they are getting new leaves, and there are patches of red leaves, and lots of brown dried ones that don't fall off until the new green ones appear in what we call "spring". 

These particular ones are on the neighbor's tree, because I could reach them for a closeup. There are tons of ferns and such under our trees, it is harder to get closeup. And then there's the goofiness of being higher in the kitchen, seeing the sun on the red leaves but not being able to get a picture through the screen and the dirty window. I then go out, but can't seem to get a picture of the red leaves. A little bit, as you can see in the next picture.

You can also see The Hill, which is mostly covered with rosemary at the moment, but at this end, there's bare dirt until the flowers come up in the "spring". There's already little bits of freesia and daffodils popping up. That isn't usually until February. We had a tiny bit of rain, and that encouraged them I guess, and it has been pretty warm out so they are taking off. 

Yes the hose never got put away. Well it rarely gets that cold here so that it matters. It used to. But the last few years it has been warmer than normal. This year was the first one in awhile we had fog again, and that not much. There have been no lakes in the park down the street, and very few birds. We usually see cranes and egrets by this time. 

I did finally get some good red leaves. I am just longing to be somewhere other than here, like Camanche or Sly Park or Pardee or just on a drive in the foothills. Maybe one of these days. 

Meantime, I will enjoy the leaves of California winter, and remember fondly when I lived where it was actually winter, where it snowed, where the deer roamed down the hill, where the skunk that lived on the driveway would run ahead of the car (I think just to scare us) and the bobcat lived at the bottom of the hill and where we herded water off the road when it rained and where there was a big year round garden where you could pick broccoli in the snow and where there was a barn where we watched the cows eat... where we loved the cows and the chickens... today I am just remembering, and I'm not sad. And thankful that I had the opportunity to spend so many years out in the country. Thankful for the big garden, the food co-op I helped run, the homeschooling buddies... so much. 

Just heard someone set off a firework, and it reminded me of feeding the cows in a blizzard, and there was such a lightning boom that I about jumped out of my pants. It made my ears ring for hours. 

I've lived a very interesting life I guess. When we moved to "The Country" I discovered that I am indeed a Country Kid... give me the mountains and lakes and cows and goats and chickens... but I do enjoy here too, but I feel so removed from nature. It takes more effort to spend time outside because I always feel like someone's watching. I don't just relax out there. I want to raise fences above the neighbor's windows where they watch from! Maybe a trellis with some lovely vines. Hmm. 

I have a little corner where I can't see anyone's windows now. I am planning on filling the area with flowers. I have the seeds, now I need the motivation to take the shovel and hoe out there and dig up some dirt, put some better dirt in a few places, and get the seeds in there. I re-planted some black eyed susan seeds in a planter, and today I see that there are some little shoots coming up. Some I can see is chickweed, but I'm hoping some Susans come back for spring. I scattered them all over the place, and if they make it through my husband's purging of the weeds, it will be good. 

Praying for a Happy New Year for us all.