TGIF

Another scorching day in Northern California.  I am begging and imploring any and all powers that be to please bring us some cold crisp autumn weather!  The Pacific Northwest is looking cool and lovely, though I know Seattle has had some record breaking heat.  My friend Bob Adler (look up his fabulous photography web site) has been up in the rainforest for crying out loud.  Sending back lush green images of the trees and mountains.  How I wish I were there.  Western Washington is not burning.  It's not smoking.  It's verdant and cool, with moss dripping from the trees.  As it should be.

I've been living at Mom's house this week, while dad is enjoying lobster lunches and ferry rides to Martha's Vineyard.  The weather back east is favorable as well.  Only here can you walk out your front door into your very own brick pizza oven. 

My husband and I took a chance this week, and picked up this 4 mos. old puppy as a gift to my mother.  My folks have never had a dog, but mom loves my chihuahua so much that they both are open to the idea of having a pooch around the house.

This lil' girl was supposedly house-trained.  Allegedly. So now I am running about my parents' lovely home cleaning poop and pee off the shiny hardwood floors and expensive oriental rugs.  A challenge on it's own, but when paired with the challenge of making sure my mother doesn't take a fall, well, it's almost too much to bear.  I was helping her along her way when I saw Mocha take a squat on the floor.  All sense left me and I practically pushed dear mom down in order to grab the pup and place her on the pee mat.  Of course she stopped peeing when placed on the mat.  This is why I usually adopt older dogs.  What were we thinking?  The road to hell, and all that.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Happy Friday, all.  Hope your weekend is carefree and, above all,  below 70 degrees.

TGIF

Trees.  I've noticed that the last several years I have taken more photos of them than ever.

I have a series I did while visiting North Carolina.  I love the series.

I have photos of trees from Sacramento Delta (see right), from car windows buzzing along California highways (see below), trees in my neighborhood, trees looking up from my hammock, trees along the agricultural fields in our region.

Photographing trees has been elusive for me.  I try a lot of different shots.  The tree photo I posted two days ago has received rave reviews and while I am happy that people are responding so positively, I have no idea why some pictures grab people and others don't.  The tree photo on the right is one that I love.  It's haunting.  It has never received a response, however.  Go figure.

This photo (left) was shot from the car at 55 mph.  I received positive input.  I think it is haunting as well.  It's taken with my iPhone for crying out loud.  (The best camera is the one you have with you.)

In the midst of our record drought, some farmers are bulldozing entire orchards, while others are planting new almonds and citrus.  Really?  Now?  Seriously?  An enormous new orchard went in quite near us.  It seems insane.  Do they know something the rest of us don't? Maybe, just maybe, they are stupid and reckless.

Here I am last year on the bottom of Folsom Lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year we went to photograph Folsom Lake, which is a major source of water and recreation in our area.  It was a flippin' moon scape.  That was before news of the drought was a blip on anyone's radar (at least the media didn't cover it nor the state government make a big deal out of it.) 

I worry about our trees.  I think of Lebanon and how it used to be a green forest.  Of course, countless civilizations harvested the prized Cedar.  Did you know that in In 1998, the Cedars of God (remaining forest on Mt. Lebanon) were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites?

Hang in there, Trees of California.  I'm rooting for ya.  And a special tip o' my hat to my giant Cedar in the front yard.

La Luz de mi Vida

Two great things this Tuesday: it rained all night, took a little break and is now raining again. The other: my grandson is here and he is so much fun I can hardly stand it.

During the break, we set up a cozy bed for him on the porch.  It snuggled in it for all of two minutes before running in circles making airplane sounds.  Over and over and over again.

Then, all in a hurry, the sky darkened and there was a perceptible humidity increase in the air.  I grabbed the hammock, his mom grabbed the cushions, and in we came.  

Now there's a fire burning nice and hot, and mi nieto is sleeping on his cushion in the guest bedroom.  How I wish I could take him to Cuba with me.  He would be my entree into Cuban society.  I would teach him simple phrases in Cubano (all I am capable of) and get him a Panama hat to wear jauntily on his blond little head.  Maybe someday...maybe the next trip.

My daughter and mi luz drive home tonight.  Sigh.  Never long enough.  That's an abuela for you.

Eso es una abuela para usted.  

This luscious rain is not even remotely enough to ease our drought woes, but it is nice to have and means I can skip watering the vegetables and flowers for a few more days.  Sweet.