Skywatch Friday

The sky has been sort of washed out here lately. 

It's been really warm though...too warm for May.  Our high temperature yesterday was 80!  Which makes it even harder to believe the weather report.  Temperatures are supposed to drop 50 degrees by tomorrow evening and we're supposed to get 4 inches of snow.  Hmm...I'll believe it when I see it! 

To see other participants in Sky Watch Friday click here:  Sky Watch Friday

Lovely Lilacs

A friend brought a bouquet of lilacs from her yard, in colors that the lilacs around my cottage don't produce.  My lilacs only bloom in pale lavender and brilliant white.   

I love the different colors of these lilacs.  Blueish lavender, lavender pink, and a deep, slightly reddish purple. 

It's so lovely to have a friend that brings you flowers! 

Linking with: Our World Tuesday

Jeweled Oak Leaves

Water drops on baby oak leaves.  I wish I could say they were raindrops but we've had no real rain here since March 22, just a some cloudy days and a few foggy ones.  I had to resort to using a spray bottle of water.

The leaves liked it though, I think, even though it wasn't real rain.

To see other participants click here:  Macro Monday

A Feral Family

Cindy, her two kittens and the kittens father, Vern, relaxing in the soon to be remodeled cat yard.

I haven't named the kittens yet because I'm not sure of their gender.  Even though they're still little, they're way too fast for me to catch. 

Linking with: Saturday's Critters

A Spring Ramble

I went for a ramble in the spring woods yesterday... 

I said hello to a favorite old oak tree.  Judging by its girth, I think it's nearly three hundred years old.  When I was younger and healthier you could find me perched high in the branches.

It's still thriving though, festooned with lots of new ruby leaves.  I love the way the oak leaves start out red and then slowly turn green.  It's like autumn in reverse. 

The pink Sierra Currant bushes are loaded with blooms.  Come autumn, there will be lots of berries. 

The manzanita bushes are loaded with blooms, too.  I've always thought the blossoms would make wonderful lanterns for the faerie folk. 

I even found a faerie ring in the forest...one not made of mushrooms but cedar trees! 

It felt strange to be wandering around taking photos without my husband.  We used to spend huge amounts of time driving and hiking all over these mountains taking photos.  Another thing I must get used to doing without him.  I feel better, though, now that this first ramble without him is over...perhaps next time will be easier.

Losing Half of My Heart

My husband, Chuck, passed away very unexpectedly on March 1, 2017.  I wasn't going to write about in here, but it didn't feel right to try to keep on blogging as though my heart were still whole. 

The preceding 12 months had been horrible for both of us; I lost my sister on March 16, 2016, then Chuck was diagnosed with cancer in June.  He battled it with chemo and radiation and he won.  In December, he was pronounced cancer free.  The chemo took a huge toll on him, taking him down to just about skin and bones, but he was getting stronger with each day that passed in January and February.  But on the morning of March 1st, I couldn't get him to wake up.  His heart, his enormous, kind, loving, giving heart had just stopped.  I know it was absolutely painless for him because he looked so peaceful.  That's what I tell myself anyway...

I'm still having a hard time truly believing that he is gone.  Everything looks the same...and yet nothing is the same.  The animals and I are trying as best we can to adjust to a world without our center...if one can ever "adjust" to something like that.  Right now, I'm just trying to take it one day at a time. 

Happy Easter

I hope everyone who celebrates Easter is having a good one.  I've been horribly ill for the past four days, so no Easter eggs or chocolate bunnies for me.  (Not necessarily a bad thing).  I'm starting to feel better now, but whatever this thing was that I had really knocked me for a loop.  It's impossible not to feel hopeful at Easter though.

Photos from Pinterest

Early Lilacs

The lilacs are starting to bloom, such a beautiful sight.  

They're blooming much earlier than they used to do.  Seems like everything is on an earlier schedule nowadays. 

Our lilacs used to bloom in the beginning of June.  I miss the long, cool springs that were normal before Global Warming started.  Ah well...nothing is constant but change.  And taxes, darn it!

Linking with: Our World Tuesday

My Favorite Bug

Several days ago I spotted the first of the ladybugs.  I was really surprised because it's been pretty cold here for April.  Last night our low temperature was 30 degrees F.  Happily, I saw more ladybugs today so I guess they're doing all right.   This is the earliest they've hatched; usually the hatch date is around the middle of May.

Linking with: Through My Lens 

                       Macro Monday
           

Sunday Sunlight

Sunlight on apple blossoms dancing in the breeze.  Spring is in full bloom...so are my allergies.

Signs of Spring

Cherry blossoms...

Tulips...

Stinging Lupins...

and tiny Baby Blue Eyes among even tinier chickweed.  All signs that life goes on...

A Summer's Day

A beautiful June day at Lake Arrowhead... 

and at Lake Arrowhead Village, which is right next to the lake. 

It was still early in the summer season, so the village wasn't too crowded yet. 

In July and August the parking lot is jammed with cars and the lake is jammed with boats. 

But in early June...bliss. 

Linking with: Through My Lens
                    Image-in-ing

Sunday Sunlight

This photo is from June of 2007.  There isn't any sunshine around today; last night it snowed, and today the mountains that I live in are wrapped in fog and rain.  After all the rain we've gratefully received I'm looking forward to being able to plant a few pots with some pretty blooms this spring.  I might even replace one or two rose bushes that expired from drought.

This map shows what areas are still being affected by drought.  The white areas are where the drought is over, the yellow areas indicate "abnormally dry," the beige areas indicate "moderate drought," and the two orange areas indicate "severe drought."  The area where I live is still considered abnormally dry...maybe I better rethink replacing those water-hogging rosebushes and just stick with cheerful pots of annuals.

Sunday Sunlight

Light and shadow dappling Seely Creek in the Valley of Enchantment, San Bernardino mountains, California.

A Cat's Eye View

These photos of a Spotted Towhee are horrible, but I so rarely see them I couldn't resist the opportunity to get a picture of one.

The black shape in the bottom of the photos is the head of Purrcilla, one of my cat children.

She was making that strange little noise that cats do when they see a bird.  I don't think the towhee could hear her, maybe not even see her through the screen and window glass, but Purrcilla was thrilled.

I'm linking with Saturday's Critters

Making Cards

I've been spending a lot of time in my studio lately making cards for friends.

I backed the die cut on the front of this card with iridescent glitter paper, and used that same paper for the snowflakes.  The camera didn't do a very good job of picking up the sparkle.

The die cut on this one has the same paper backing, but I inlaid the snowflakes with silver mirror board.

I used the iridescent glitter paper for the die cut frame on this card,

and made my own embossing powder by mixing Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder and Diamond Dust fine glitter from Stampin' Up.  To get the camera to pick up even a bit of the shimmer, I had to shoot slightly out of focus.

I used the same embossing powder mix for the trees and sentiment on this card and die cut the frame from silver mirror board.

The interior uses the same embossing powder mix plus Ranger Super Fine Detail Silver embossing powder.

For the frame on this one, I used the iridescent glitter paper and my embossing powder mix for the tree and sentiment, but the sparkle didn't show up at all, even when I adjusted the focus. 

I just stamped the snowflakes with white pigment ink and used the silver embossing powder for the sentiment on the inside of the card.

I'm going to have to dig out some of my photography lights and see if I get better photo results with more controlled lighting...I'm loving making cards, though.  I'm still very new to it, so I make lots of mistakes.  But, even with all the mistakes, it's so much fun and so relaxing!

Sunset Colors

A pretty sunset down in San Bernardino. 

Linking with: Through My Lens