Not a shamrock in sight! I know it’s St. Patrick’s Day and I should probably write about that or the color GREEN, but my entire garden is bursting in bright, joyous YELLOW, so that’s how it’s gonna go down…
Don’t pinch me, the leaves are green!
Primroses, sunflowers, and daisies…
What’s going on here? I dunno, you tell ME!
This is one of my favorite photos. It’s actually a sort of mistake but if you’d like to play along, tell me what it’s all about.
I like image-driven inspiration, don’t you?
Splash!
P.S. I’ll reveal in response to comments.
Snapped this photo as I was driving down the street in the early early morning just after first light. I like the stark, grainy, gritty, almost blurry perspective.
All straight lines, no curves, even the lettering, and I think that only enhances the powerful message:
LOVE WILL WIN.
There’s a full moon, the air is warm, the sky is blue, birds are in joyous song during their gathering of nesting material, and this soon-to-be sunflower is in its cocoon, tightly wrapped and protected until the flower of the sun bursts open.
Sunflower/Flower of the Sun
We’re enjoying a wintry Santa Ana wind event here in SoCal. It’s warm and sunny with gusty winds about 15-25 miles per hour–not bad enough to cause damage. I hear it’s much windier north of us.
The National Weather Service defines a Santa Ana as “Strong down slope winds that blow through the mountain passes in southern California. These winds, which can easily exceed 40 miles per hour are warm and dry and can severely exacerbate brush or forest fires, especially under drought conditions.”
It makes for beautiful ocean views and a bit of spindrift, spray blown from the crests of waves by the wind. Also one of my favorite words because it sounds magical.
Spindrift.
Even though there were no whales or dolphins this time, it’s still the ocean and that’s plenty to be grateful for.
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while,
and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.
Wash your spirit clean…”
John Muir
Only about twenty minutes away in Escondido, there’s nothing like the Daley Ranch nature preserve for an array of views on a mostly clear, sunny day.
My favorite ceanothus in blue.
This ranch house that we see today was built in 1925 as a summer cottage for the Daley family.
Visit http://daleyranch.org/ for all the facts and other interesting info about the land that was designated as a conservation mitigation bank to be preserved in perpetuity.
Is it a feather or a cloud?
I looked up and there it was displayed in a beautiful horizontal position in the blueblue sky, so I ran inside to grab my camera and my phone. When I returned, it was still there, thank goodness.
My question is this: is it a feather or a cloud? A cloud or a feather? What do you think? Is there symbolism or is it simply a cloud that looks like a white feather?
Even taken from different perspectives, still the same.
I have found a few white feathers here and there and I wonder if a sky feather symbolizes these same spiritual qualities???
White feathers imply purity, peace, love, hope, heaven, angels, and protection. It’s also a message from our ancestors that everything is well on the other side and is a blessing of wisdom in connection with the moon. White feathers significantly mean that everything is okay; a reminder to keep the faith and stay strong.
(https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/white-feather-meaning-and-symbolism/the-feather-implies)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Piece by piece, it’s coming apart. Disintegrating. The demolition has been a long, slow process.
The Encina Power Station, located between Agua Hedionda Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean, opened in 1954 and was decommissioned in 2018. The stack was erected years later in 1978.
I remember when the stack was decorated for the holidays with bright and colorful lights, but they stopped doing that a long time ago.
Even so, It’s been a welcoming beacon and landmark to let us know we’re getting close to home sweet home.
Here’s what’s going to take its place…“The Carlsbad Energy Center will be built behind the present location of the Encina Power Station, and will add two new smokestacks with solely industrial purposes. Each smokestack will tower over 100 feet tall and add something the citizens of Carlsbad will have no choice in beautifying. One smokestack with a historic past and a potential for a brilliant future will be replaced by two ten-story towers to serve the new power plant. Meanwhile, neither the City of Carlsbad nor NRG have any concrete plans in place for what will happen after plant is destroyed.”
(From http://www.savethecarlsbadstack.com)
As usual, most of Carlsbad’s elected officials have failed to include the desires of the community in the planning process.
These unfiltered, unedited photos were taken yesterday at about 5:15 p.m. just as the sun was heading toward the horizon. I think it’s this lack of light along with the streaky clouds that account for the hazy, almost sepia-toned quality.
My plans were to post this on Sunday, Valentine’s Day, but I’m getting the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine tomorrow and if predictions are correct, I might be too sick to do anything but lay on the sofa rolled up in a warm blanket and watch Netflix or reruns of Bewitched, so here it is!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day in spite of the commercialism. In elementary school, I looked forward to the day we’d give and receive those little Valentine’s Day cards (including the inedible heart-shaped candies.)
Later on, I especially cherished Angel Boy’s handmade cards –which I saved–every single one of them.
There’s something lovely and old fashioned about being thought of as someone’s Valentine, and I like that a lot.
I have simple wants; a bunch of wildflowers is treasured as much as a dozen red roses; all gifts from the heart are appreciated whether it’s a Chanel or a seashell. Or a handmade card from the Angels.
These flowers are called alstroemeria. Native to South America. I prefer their other name, Lily of the Incas, ‘cos it sounds exotic. I’ve been growing them for about fifteen years. Surprisingly, they do quite well here and are drought tolerant. I’ve even been able to successfully dig up and divide the tubers.
I hope you’re having (will have) a happy, happy day!
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 