Flowing
Creeks and waterways are beginning to resemble their old selves again. The vaunted El Nino has been producing rain in California, including on the drought stricken Central Coast.
Driving in the rain in California is akin to driving in snow or on ice elsewhere. Since rain is about the only diversion from sunshine and blue skies in most of California, rain is a big story.
But after four years of drought, every drop is a cause celeb.
Here on the Central Coast, half way between LA and San Francisco, it looks as though we are in for a week of rain, with a few hours between cells that allow the ground to soak it up.
Back in Indiana we never gave much thought to rain, unless it was ruining a picnic, ball game, wedding or etc. due in large part to the fact there is so much rain. Here it is a seasonal oddity and some people and most animals are frightened by it. Really!
THE CATS TALE
So we begin with the end, before the tail, or tale.
Joy, on the left and Hemingway are young enough to have missed what a California Central Coast winter is like. All they know is the abnormally warm and dry winters of the past couple of years. So this year, cooler temperatures and rain have them in a dither.
Because of allergies, they spend their time on the deck and porch and in the garden on the hill. They sleep in the garage.
To help them through their first real winter and recognizing their love for boxes, Lana made a Cat Condo. They've taken to it. The connecting "door" allows cuddling.
Hemingway was perturbed I disturbed his nap for a photo op.
Nighty night!
See you down the trail.
Rain, blessed rain. The pictures of the cats are fantastic.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Thanks. When outside Hemingway seems mystified why his polydactal paws are so WET! I think he's irritated by it.
ReplyDeleteFinally, we're getting our share of rain down here in Carpinteria. Relearning the "skill" of avoiding mini-lakes when exiting the car. Valerie and I miss our kitties, both of whom died this past year.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your loss. They become some dear family members.
ReplyDeleteYes, the puddles. I've taken to wearing my cowboy boots. The soles are also treated for the detritus of barns and stables, though I seem to miss all of them anyway.
Are your hills greening up? I remember my years at Cal, living across in Sebastapol...the hills green in Feb, spring in March, etc. One of those years was an El Nino as I remember....drenching rains, creeks flooding.
ReplyDeleteWe're in a heat wave, it got up to 29 today.
We are seeing the first of the green, a prelude to a beautiful season.
ReplyDeleteI do hope your heat wave continues. Our Indiana cats could handle the cold, but these two don't know adversity.
Our forecast: "Relentless Rain" our dry washes have turned into mini-creeks. Anze hates rain (born and raised in SoCal) time to pee this AM just under 20 seconds.
ReplyDeleteYou can't blame Anze or his human cousins who have grown in a climate without the icy blasts, arctic storms, snow, ice, tornado, hail, and gale we have experienced by our earlier geographies.
ReplyDeleteI love this rain, Tom. California is beginning to remind me of planet Earth again.
ReplyDeleteYes, we are seeing signs of green life again.
ReplyDelete