The Gift of the Freeze

If you look to the upper left corner of the window, you get just a bit of the beauty of what the frost did to the Birch trees this year. I promise to get out there after the sun comes up today, and share the lemony luster of these luscious yellow leaves.
I love the way the leaves turn here in Southern California. I do understand that I'm not on the east coast.  I've seen the grandeur of that fall, but on my way home each day, I pass a row of about 30 Liquid Amber trees with their varying colors and then I turn onto a street lined, for the most part, with Ginkos.My neighbor Bob has one that's over 50 years old. Some days in fall or winter, it looks to be raining it's particular yellow leaves. So, I anticipate the visual splendor of fall despite the palm trees next door.
This year, with our weird weather (and by weird, I reference a very cool, sweater-wearing summer, a couple of days near 110 in late September, a warm October and a 37 degree low in November) we received the gift of a far more vibrant fall display.
So, beyond the pretty red of the Amaryllis in my window, I'm enjoying the brilliant mix of color this season brings to my world.

Ahh, a cool and rainy spring morning

Growing up, there was the fragrance of rain on asphalt that sang in an odd way, of spring. I have no asphalt near my door, but this morning awoke to the sight of rain on my brick welcoming path. The Cranesbill geraniums are waking to it, too.
May has been unpredictable this year. And I appreciate this greatly. I love the cool and the crisp of a somewhat rainy morning. Especially in the midst of warm, hinting of summer, days.