Winter

 

Looking into my studio last night from a cold, blue, snowy world.  Christmas has come and gone for a lot of folks, but I leave my Christmas things up until Candlemas (or Imbolc) on February 2nd.  

The tree and fireplace in my little cottage.  I love my fireplace and cherish the cold months when I can sit by the fire in the evenings.  It’s so cheering and companionable.  

Summer

 Our summer skies have vacillated between normal, beautiful blue skies with white clouds, and this: 

smoked filled, that turns the sunlight a horrible amber orange color and makes it nearly impossible to breathe.  So far, knock on wood, we have been spared any fires bad enough that would force us to evacuate, but there have been fires all around us this summer.  

There have been lots of clouds around since June, but they’ve only given us thirty-three tenths of an inch of rain.  It’s also been far hotter than any other summer.  I long for cooler weather and rain. 

There have also been interesting creatures in my garden.  I think this is the caterpillar of a Hawk moth, although I have never seen them before in these mountains.  

The wild sunflowers are starting to bloom on the roadsides, so hopefully Fall weather isn’t far away.  

Part of a painting I’ve been working on.  I haven’t spent much time in my studio lately because the air conditioner in it doesn’t work too well.  I need to have it replaced, but hot weather seems to drain all my will power, and I find myself doing only what’s necessary.  Then I grab a book, a glass of iced tea and spend the rest of the day reading.  I’ll get my energy back when the weather cools off.  

We have had some beautiful sunsets this summer though, probably due to smoke particles in the air.  I guess that old saying is true, “Every cloud has a silver lining.”  

Spring

 

    Spring has arrived here in the San Bernardino Mountains after a very hard winter. 

Things are greening up, and it’s a lovely time to walk by the lake.  

Cherry and apple trees are blooming.  

Dogwood blossoms are forming on the dogwood trees.  Soon there will be beautiful, large white flowers. 

Patches of wild little yellow violets are blooming in sunny spots in the forest.  

And daffodils are showing their cheerful faces on the hillsides.  The lilacs have put out little new green leaves, but no blooms yet.  They’ll probably bloom in another week or so.  

The small clump of violets that I transplanted from my mother’s garden over 40 years ago are blooming.  They’ve tried to spread throughout the garden, but the raccoons, cats and skunks keep squashing them.  I had to cover this, the original clump, with a chicken wire cloche to save them (removed for the photo).  

A beautiful spring sunset at Lake Gregory.