Christmas Cheer

 

The stockings have been hung and Malcolm is waiting impatiently for Santa Paws to come down the chimney.  

I added two new nutcrackers to this little display in the dining room this year.  

Christmas mice with their friend, Miss Christmas Love Kitty. 

The mice are making merry in Mouseford Falls and I’m feeling pretty merry too, thanks to the Biden/Harris win!  I’m so looking forward to a return to a more centrist government for this country. 

A stack of favorite Christmas books that I’m planning on going through as soon as I get the time.  I hope everyone reading this has a happy Christmas and and a healthy new year!

This ‘n That

 Well, Halloween is almost here.  It will be a very different one for most of us I guess.  

We’re getting some fall color here in the San Bernardino mountains finally.  It’s been so strangely hot (80 degrees in October is definitely not normal) that I’m surprised the trees have any color at all.  

This is one of the large homes in Lake Arrowhead.  I like the Boston Ivy around the doorway.  

Since we had no rain for over 6 months, the lake is starting to dry up again.  I’m praying this long dry spell ends soon!  

The chrysanthemums are doing well although I’ve had to give them extra water due to the hot weather.  

This oddly shaped pumpkin caught my eye at a local nursery.  I think it wants to be a starfish!  I hope everyone has a good, happy Halloween...

Autumn and Fires

 Not a lot of fall color here yet, it’s been horribly hot and we haven’t had any rain in 6 months.  The fires have, so far, left me alone, thank goodness. 

The nearest fire was only a half mile from my house, way too close, but our fire fighters are amazing.  They immediately put several water dropping helicopters and fixed wing fire retardant bombers on it and it was contained and out within a few hours!  The two biggest fires near me, the El Dorado and the Bobcat fires are 15 to 25 miles away but still burning.  The El Dorado fire was arson and, horrifically and tragically, one firefighter has been killed fighting this fire.  

This is a photo of the El Dorado fire when it started.  

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy, and having a great autumn.

Summer

Lake Gregory dreaming under the summer sun is a pretty sight to see even though it’s missing so many of the towering pine trees that used to be so thick around the shoreline.  

This is a Watercolor shrub rose.  I love it because its blooms start out looking like this, but end up...

...looking like this!

The hydrangea blossoms are starting to fade, but they’re still beautiful.

Max has a strategy to get through summer; sleep through the hot days and play all night!  

Spring

I know Spring is here to stay when I see the first Grosbeak back from their Winter stay in Mexico!  

Pansies and Violas are ready to be transplanted into my garden.  

The cherry trees are full of blossoms and soon, hopefully, there will be 🍒.  I might even get to eat a few before the birds get them all.  

The water level in little Lake Gregory is the highest I’ve seen in years, now that the new dam is finished and everything is back in its proper place.  I just hope we don’t get an algae bloom like we did last spring and summer.  

Now I’m off to make a cup of tea.  I hope everyone is staying well, staying in and wearing your masks when you go out.  Hopefully these trying times will pass soon.

Strange, Scary Times

How different the world has become since the last time I posted.  I hope everyone is well, and able to stay well.  Spring has been teasing us up here in the mountains, dancing in for a day or so of warmth then quickly leaving.  This kind of off then on warmth makes for some magical scenes though, like the one above of trees and bushes touched with hoar frost.

Last night’s pretty sunset as seen from my front porch.  I only go out for groceries, although supplies are getting harder and harder to come by up here, or for solitary walks in places where I know no one else will be walking.  

Although these are scary times, I’m trying to stay positive by counting my blessings, focusing on the small things that bring joy, and having faith that “all shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be exceeding well” to quote Julian of Norwich.  And I hope that all shall be, and is, well with you and those you love.  

Rain

Last week had some really beautiful days.  However, today is the most beautiful of all because the skies are pouring rain, wonderful rain, down on us!  I think you have to be a Californian who has gone through long droughts and wildfires to truly appreciate how life-giving rain can be.  The hills turn green, almost overnight it seems, and it doesn’t seem so foolish to wish for a Spring filled with wildflowers.

There aren’t any wildflowers blooming up here in these mountains yet, but some of the cherry trees have been looking incredibly pretty.

The lake is cold, but I never tire of walking along the shore.

I can hear the rain pattering down on the roof as I sit by the fire and write this post.  I’m hoping this will be a very rainy Spring that will make up for a mostly dry winter.

Dry

We’ve had some pretty sunsets lately.

But the clouds haven’t had any rain in them, and now Southern California is officially in a drought again.  

Rita Mae loves the sunshine, so she’s not complaining!  

But, I sure wish we’d get some (a lot) of rain!

This ‘n That

A Valentine’s Day bouquet.

There have been some pretty sunsets at Lake Gregory.  

And some very windy ones.  The birds seem to love “surfing” the little wavelets though.  

And, as always, spectacular views of mountains in every direction.

Views

The weather has been amazingly clear here, but of course we need rain.  Lake Silverwood is in the upper right of this photo and Lake Gregory is on the left.

There are tiny patches of snow left here and there in the colder, shadier spots.

The crystal clear air makes for great views, though.  One can see for a hundred miles into the distance.  (Sorry about the light streak in this photo, it was an errant sun ray).

That’s Mt. San Gorgonio on the left capped with snow in San Bernardino County and in the far distance is Mt. San Jacinto way over by Palm Springs in Riverside County.

Paintings and Cards

A painting of a cardinal that I did last year.  He’s living in the home of a friend now.  The following are some of the paintings and cards that I made last year.