Saturday, January 31, 2009

Wishes

Sweater verboten, long sleeves optional, garden weeded. Daydreams and hopes playing tag in my head. And now to start seeds for the spring & summer garden.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Pac-Man


Moon and Venus have been chasing each other across the sky like Pac-Man and Pac-Dots (inelegant as that sounds). Another warm day but a cold night sans clouds. The weekend awaits.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Veins

It's a simple cabbage leaf. It's the plant's lungs. I shall take it as a reminder to breathe deeply and try not to stress.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Harbinger


Flowering quince already. And brilliant sun and a warm(ish) afternoon. Spring is just around the corner.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Insalata Mista

Finally, our garden in daylight on a work night: bliss. The light-tide is turning but I feel like chewing nails. Here's part of dinner instead.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Fallen

Wind and more wind. My favorite kind of winter day: clear, cold, and windy. Palm fronds falling.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Hawkeye


This hawk was watching crows like, well, itself. Cloudy morning, spitting rain, then blue afternoon with puffs of white. Could use some of that liquid now since the water line broke.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

More Fire in the Sky

All day I thought it would rain but nope, just wind so far. All the clouds led to another smashing sunset. Now I need to watch a sunrise for a change.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Raindrops

Raindrops fell off and on all day. And here are more on the small tree branch that's already starting to bud. Gloom and cheer together.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Waspish

First wasp sighting of the season on the camellias. I did a doubletake. They must like the rain.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Wisps

Rain showers in the afternoon scrubbed the air and damped the dust. These grass seeds were undaunted and awaiting a stiff gust to launch them on their way. Delicate feathers blending into a misty day.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A New Leaf


For both the vivid chard in our garden (which is taking winter well) and our country. A new start under the sun. Bright and colorful possibility.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Gialli Holiday


Yellow architectural branches all along the river where we stopped and watched the ducks dive. No leaves yet but the hummingbirds were out it force singing in their creaking way. Sun and squirrels in abundance.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Confused



The wildflowers are starting to bloom because it's been so incredibly warm. Don't think there are any pollinators out yet so I'm not sure this is a good strategy. Gorgeous day out no matter how you slice it but it feels like March.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Unsettled

Nightmares last night lead to a headache today but I trudged out to take in the continued mild weather. Little solitude to be found as I encountered the like-minded around every bend. I could hear the woodpeckers pounding away and the quail calling my name (it really does sound that way).

Friday, January 16, 2009

Little Apple

Buds cluster on the manzanita. The clear sky peeped through the canopy. I frolicked under the sun and now I can sleep.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Lemon Rising


I only saw the sun through the windows and I am tired. This blurry lemon glowing in the moonlight will have to suffice for today's RDA of yellow. Tomorrow should be better.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Spectacular


I'm so glad I didn't miss this fiery sunset and managed to take a break at work for a photo shoot. Maybe the world is going crazy and the weather's out of whack (2nd day of record-breaking temps) but there's beauty every day if you look hard enough. Note to self: keep looking.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Eye of the Day

This marguerite daisy blooms its heart out all year long in a corner of our garden. It's encircled by seedlings that will be finding new homes soon. I wanted to make daisy chains and bask in the spring-like weather.

Monday, January 12, 2009

La Luna

I had little opportunity to take pictures until after dark so I was lucky the night sky was putting on a display. One day I will hook my camera up to my telescope but until then the waning moon will have this mystical fuzzy quality and I'll be unable to capture my friends Orion and Ursa Major. No clouds (it was an unseasonable near-70 degree F day) so I could pick my star and make a wish.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Eventide



One more day keeping my foot elevated. It was most glorious outside and I had my windows open soaking in the fresh air even if I wasn't right out in it. A mellow sunset shot taken from my front porch with almost too many trees in the way.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

All Bark (No Bite)


Sort of hobbled by the foot injury so no extended walk today. Thankfully my house is surrounded by trees. Sycamores are fascinating upon close inspection--they have puzzle bark--and this example has all the wintry shades.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Lesson Learned


The air was sweet, the sky was clear, and I was ambling along the river looking at the lazy goose couple honking above, the acrobatic phoebes catching supper, and the almost full moon. Alas, I fell and went splat. No harm done beyond a mildly swollen foot but I think I'll look down a little more often in future.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

A Murder


Not enough blue in the sky to make a dutchman a pair of overalls. The crows have changed their roosting trees. A vacant lot was Piazza San Marco with a species swap.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Rose Red


There is more vibrant color if one looks. These frost-kissed leaves jumped out during a fog-filled day. I do prefer the sun.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Ghost of Flowers Past


The gray fog of this morning made way for the blue of the afternoon as the light slowly returns. Green is a winter color here but so are browns and grays, creams and blues--a soothing palette for my wandering eye. This architectural beauty, faded to winter hues, appeared more striking than its past self.

Monday, January 5, 2009

The Watcher in the Wood


The sky dripped and I could almost fancy myself at the shore had the wind but held a salty tang. A hurried jaunt through the urban forest was my brief respite from the workaday. Textures and images in the bark of trees caught my eye and held it.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Coyote Creepy


The below freezing temps of this morning warmed nicely without the crystalline quality of yesterday. I still got a creeping chill when I ran across this creature. The kingfisher, quail, and other assorted birds fled from me but the coyote stopped a moment first.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Winter on the River

Clear, brisk, and dazzlingly bright after days of gloom. I scrambled up and down banks and over rocks. Color in my cheeks; a smile on my face.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Looking Up after Looking Down

Rain this morning then clouds. Mushrooms surprisingly luminous in the filtered light and somehow cheerful. Looking down: a pleasure.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

A New Year


No sun breaking through the high fog today and the damp cold sinks into my bones. But, I am hopeful for a fabulous new year (though I doubt it will be an easy one). Happy 2009.