What a beautiful boy! He was almost completely camouflaged, resting in the cool grass, enjoying a late afternoon snack. Those antlers are magnificent, aren’t they?
I could have stayed there for hours, watching him in silence, but I had to go. He didn’t seem too concerned and kept eating and eating.
I don’t think there’s anything that enchants me more than a volunteer plant.
Where did you come from, my lovely friend?
Whether it was born from a seed scattered by the wind or bird or a garden angel, a volunteer plant seems to be healthier and grows more vigorously than others.
I didn’t plan for this California poppy, but here she is in all of her shiny, orange, exuberant glory!
In my fantasy-driven universe where animals and growing things speak, it’s like she selected this perfect location between a rose and lavender, and says, “Here I am, Princess Rosebud, aren’t I so very beautiful?”
Yes, it’s true. You are a very beautiful child of the universe and thank you for choosing me to care for you. I am grateful!
Happy Monday!
I took a look around and thought it’d be fun to share my other gardens at Casa de Enchanted Seashells.
The little side yard next to the driveway…See the gigantic ceanothus to the left of the flowers? I thought it had died and now it’s taking over that entire space.
This is one of my favorite places; a rose arbor with a hideaway pond/waterfall along with chairs and a table, perfect for morning coffee or afternoon tea.
This sweet smelling herb garden under the bedroom window is starting to bloom, too. Sage and flowering borage, also known as starflower:
We haven’t had any measurable April showers that would bring May flowers; such is the life of a SoCal garden. We’re halfway through the month with no rain in sight. We’ll need to enjoy these flowers until the summer heat and drought turns everything brown and drab.
I found this heart-shaped piece of cactus that had broken off a top-heavy plant. Scarred, thorny, sending a message of love. And pain.
On my walk today, I looked through the fence into the culvert that drains into Agua Hedionda Lagoon and saw a pair of white egrets. One flew away, but I was able to snap a pic of this beauty. Look closer and you’ll see he’s sharing a bit of land with two ducks.
And then this other handsome sun-glistened mallard decided to swim over and join the fun.
Co-existence peacefully without social distancing!
The late afternoon light intensifies the male’s colorful plumage that helps them attract females.
Maybe they’ve forged a friendship while they forage together for food. It could be possible even though I learned that egrets (and herons) can and do eat ducklings, but I watched their interactions for quite a while and didn’t observe any aggressive or frightened behavior. It was all peaceful and serene, just like my wishes for happily ever afters.
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.
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.
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 