Peace In The Valley

The cattle are enjoying their return to winter pasture in the valley. They enjoy the fresh running spring and creek, too.  Hay is stored...in much better shape than we were this time last year with the drought. California is not the only place that has happy cows.

Going to retrieve my rocks so Hubby offered me a ride through the creek in his tractor bucket.  It was a little cool to be playing in water.  I gripped with my feet and hands as Hub tilted me forward and backward as you can tell by my white stubby toes.   Butt!  He was laughing.  The splashing ahead  is Ki-Anne.

This photo is quite deceptive.  Beneath those leaves runs a creek. They are falling faster than the current can carry them away.  When the next rain comes they will wash away and we'll see the water again. The leaves will stop in places along the way to build new soil.

We wait for winter.

It's Not Flip Flop Weather...

and the briers tore my feet.  It was hard to move through but I was revisiting the past and some memories.

Imagine the brush gone, the humus hollowed out from this area.  Now imagine a real top of an old wood cook stove and old dishes lining the rocks.  This was my "playhouse".

Within the semi-circle of ledge rock, I had a whole house.  The entry was where the small cedar now grows.  The rocks were swept clean and the hollow was leveled flat with hours of dirt work by a child who could not yet read.  Feeling like I was miles from home Mom could check on me from the kitchen window and let me continue to imagine great adventures. My first dog Helen was with me every step of the way.

Today I had company.

The girls explored my old hang out

I believe it passed inspection.

It also made me want to clear again

so my grandchildren

can have great adventures 

in a special place

full of old memories.

The Sky Had Promise...

as I drove to work.

The clouds kept changing on my short drive.

There were rumors of rain.

At work, my dream came true.

The rains came and washed the dust away.

It was slow.

It was beautiful.

The plants seem to hold themselves at attention,

since the rain.

It rained slowly, gently, all day.

The beauty of the afternoon called me to walk.

I viewed the garden from afar,

and from up close.

I played in the mud where we find arrowheads.

When I saw the sky on the walk back,

I knew I had to share.

Back to the spot where I began,

refreshed,

and renewed.

The fog began to rise in the valley.

Precious rain and a wonderful walk...

life doesn't get much better than that!

My Sunday Walk

Is always so wonderful, I can't help but share. It is not that I take walks only on Sunday, but this is when I take my camera.
~
It was chilly so I put on sweats, two sweaters and socks with my flip flops, I am never quite ready to give up my flip flops. They stand waiting for me all year by the door. As you can see muck boots would have served me better.

Lil is waiting patiently for me to throw the stick. Note the Beggar's Lice sticking to her fur. Now nature knew what she was doing when she made these seeds.

After the dog run, Seymour refreshes himself in a shallow pool. He is with me every step unless a rabbit or squirrel distracts him.

The rain has washed so much sand into the creek bed, you can not really see the water, it looks like sand only.

I am also carrying seeds to be planted elsewhere. My wonderful farm style is shown clearly in this picture. Blue, green and orange, I am decorated for fall. The large foot to the right is Gypsy's.

Hope your day was filled with beauty too.

Things NOT To Do While Wearing Flip Flops...

My husband said I could write a book about things you should not do while wearing fipflops or thong sandals.

Here are just a few of the many I have experienced:

Do not wear flip flops while trimming horses' hooves.
Do not wear flip flops while burning brush piles.
Do not wear flip flops while using a plumb bob.

Do not wear flip flops while sorting roofing tin.

Do not wear flip flops when walking under the chestnut tree.

Do not wear flip flops when close to Prickley Pear Cactus.

Do not wear flip flops when working with large rocks.

Use your imagination. I now wear boots.