Here’s a tour of the dramatic, colorful state of Washington:
Check out the Northern Lights (My son took these pics of the Aurora Borealis, not me)
A spectacular sunset, no filters needed:
Leaves in full color; red…
…and yellow:
So very green, the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest:
Morning blues:
Evening; a kaleidoscope of colors during sundown on the Salish Sea:
And Autumn did say.
“Why the hurry, such a hurry
Why such haste to end the day
Slow down, slow down I say
Look around
For there’s so much beauty,
just waiting to be found.”
Athey Thompson
It’s time to take a few deep breaths, slow down, and discover joy in fallen crimson leaves, joined together by a sudden gust of wind.
It seems like eons ago that we had that heatwave I thought would never end, but the temp has cooled down quite a bit.
We still haven’t had any rain, but it’s a comfortable Southern California autumn with cool evenings and pleasantly warm days, not too hot or too cold.
Like Goldilocks found Baby Bear’s bowl of oatmeal in The Three Bears, it’s “just right.”
My plant obsession isn’t all about monsteras and fiddle leaf figs, I lovelove African Violets, too.
The African violet symbolizes devotion, faithfulness, and commitment. They’re also supposed to be great for indoor air purification because African violets absorb toxins.
They appear delicate and precious but they’re actually quite hardy and sturdy and not really high maintenance at all, at least not in my opinion. The flowers last for a long time.
Their botanical name is Saintpaulia and they belong to the Gesneriaceae genus. I started propagating my own violets a few years ago. Creating new life gives me a great deal of pleasure, plus it’s pretty easy, so there’s a high success rate.
A couple of my very own babies are flowering. I’m so proud of them!
They’re not too finicky or hard to take care of if you follow a few tips:
❀ Don’t water from the top and try not to get the leaves wet.
❀ They love bright, indirect light.
❀ Fertilize about once a month.
❀ Some websites suggest an Epsom salt drench every two weeks to assist flowering.
❀ Remove dead or faded flowers.
❀ They don’t like to be too wet or too dry, I use filtered water because our SoCal tap water is disgusting.
❀ It’s almost funny but the best performing violets are in the smallest pots, much smaller than you’d think for dinner plate sized foliage.
❀ Propagating is simple. The traditional method of propagating violet leaves is to place the stem into water until roots begin to grow. Select a healthy leaf. It doesn’t take very long for roots to form.
Good luck!
“I know you’re tired but come, this is the way…” Rumi
It may look like a hot and dusty trail, but I think it’s paradise. Let’s explore this path together.
This is a wonderful day.
I have never seen this one before.
~ Maya Angelou
My son is the classic dictionary definition of an absent minded professor (which he is). His beautiful brain has multiple trains of thought all speeding along at the same time, so sometimes, day-to-day mundane tasks fall by the wayside.
It was early morning and he had returned from a dawn patrol surf sesh. We were having a lively “discussion” about where to put his surfboard…”Mom, Mom, I’m going to leave it right here, don’t worry. I’m going to surf later, too.”
Whenever he says “don’t worry”, there’s an eighty to one hundred percent chance that it’s something I SHOULD worry about. I learned that after forty-three years of being his mom.
I told him I’d prefer it if he took the extra few minutes to put it away in the garage where it belongs.
This discussion took place as we’re standing in the driveway. It could have been today or a couple decades ago; some things never change!
We were at an impasse. Hands on my hips, I stubbornly stuck to my position that the surfboard needed to go back where it belongs or I would end up trying to lift up a longboard that’s twice my size. Something would break; either the board or me.
Finally, I said, “Look how much time you’re wasting. If you had simply put it up instead of trying to convince me to allow you to leave the surfboard in the way, you’d already be in the house eating your breakfast burrito!”
Well, that’s the kind of logic that works with him. He finally put his board away. Like I told him his entire life, he should take his arguing and debating skills and become a lawyer like his grandfather.
As we wrapped up a twenty minute negotiation, I looked down and found this perfectly formed heart leaf. I took a picture, picked it up, brought it in the house, and I’m looking for a suitable frame while my (annoying) child inhales his breakfast.
It’s all about love. It always has been, and always will be. That child IS my heart, whether he’s being annoying or not.
Just picked a cluster of gorgeous grapes; might pour myself a glass of some chilled and fermented ones a bit later. (Of course I’m talking about chardonnay.)
Happy Friday!
I learned something new today. I read that freshly hatched doves are silent; unlike most birds that chirp or coo incessantly for food, baby doves make virtually no sound.
I didn’t hear anything for a couple of days, so I climbed up on a stepladder to see inside the nest and there was this gorgeous little one gazing at me with his gentle round eyes. I thought there were two eggs, but there’s only one, and he seems quite content.
Baby mourning doves are ready to fly and leave the nest when they’re about two weeks old, but they stay close to their parents and continue to be fed by them for another week or two.
The nest is now empty but they’re still here in the garden, and even came to visit me on the deck. I feel lucky to be chosen as a safe haven for these placid, peaceful creatures.
There are a lot of doves around here AND a lot of hawks. I’ve actually watched them hunt doves, and because they’re not the most swift birdies, it’s not even a contest. The hawk wins every time. It’s a traumatizing experience for ME because there’s nothing I can do to save them from their terrible fate.
Yesterday, I noticed some ripe grapes in one of the arbors in my garden so I climbed on a ladder to snip the cluster when I spied a rough twig-filled nest wedged on top between the vines.
Camouflaged so adorably was a mama dove sitting in the nest looking right at me with her big round eyes. I think there are two eggs in her nest.
I grabbed the grapes and climbed down as fast as I could to not further disturb or scare mom.
I’m not sure this is the most secure location to raise a family so I’ll do all I can to keep them safe. “You can trust me, mama dove!”
A dove pair may raise two families in a single summer. Mourning doves mate for life – about seven to ten years. If a mate dies, the remaining dove will persevere in its futile attempts to evoke a response from its lifeless mate. Driven by hunger, thirst, threat, or nightfall, the bird will ultimately depart. SAD!!!
Doves are mainly ground feeders which makes them extremely vulnerable to being swooped up by predators. They’re almost 100% granivores, feasting on grains and seeds from wild grasses, weeds, and herbs. I stopped filling the bird feeders because of RATS and squirrels so these guys are on their own, but that doesn’t seem to bother them.
Like all birds, Mourning Doves are unable to sweat, so to stay cool during hot weather … they pant just like a dog. Panting requires the doves to drink a great deal of water due the excessive loss of moisture to evaporation. Doves are one of the few species of birds that drink by sucking up their water instead of taking a bill full of water and letting it trickle down their throat. It can suck up its total daily requirement in less than twenty seconds.
Symbolically, it’s believed that when a dove visits you, they bring a message from a loved one who has passed away or a sign of peace and comfort during times of grief. Two doves together symbolize unity, partnership, and love.
I left the ladder nearby so I can check on mama’s progress. Soon, I hope to hear the chirping of hungry little dove babies.
She’s spectacular; full of drama.
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 