on the coast

We live about 20 minutes inland from the coast, and visits there always have me reminded once again (especially in mid-winter) of the difference in our growing zones. The coast is far less prone to freezing (if it ever does) and this plant, which can have quite large blue spires, is prevalent there.

wistful roses

Not in my garden (where they've all been pruned waaay back), these are on the SRJC campus. Fragrant, too.

camellias again

Every year I say it--
how pink isn't my favorite color,
camellias-- not my favorite plant. Yet in January, how happy we are to see them!
This one, just outside the 'office' window-- I can see it even as I type this.

catching the light

Bloom Day: indoors

...at San Francisco''s Conservatory of Flowers.
Always recommended, but perfect for a midwinter's dose of exotic blooms.

tree frog

The frogs have been very vocal following all the recent rains. Tony found this little fellow while cleaning up all that storm damage, and took this photo. He's only about an inch long.

catnap

camouflage

sycamore tree? what sycamore tree?

winter berries

Here are a couple close-ups of that ivy that came down in the last post.
Yes, English Ivy is much reviled for its invasiveness, round these parts... still, it had some beauty...

And the bottom berries? Some sort of privet (ligustrum), apparently.

stormy weather

First: a before image... that thing that looks like a tree? On the right?
Actually ivy, grown around a 6 x 6' post. Birds & bees were wild about it, as it was frequently covered with blossoms & berries. The post was once one end of a clothesline.


It all snapped, in the near hurricane force winds of the storm last night. (See the post in 2nd pic?)
More of this ivy came down in the street in front of our neighbor's house, bringing out crews with chainsaws in the night to cut the 8" thick trunks.


So... I guess we'll be getting a chance to re-think this whole area, where we could definitely use something to block our view of that blue tarp on the neighbor's trailer...

happy new year!

cool time-lapse stuff...from 'Planet Earth'.