Lilies

A neighbor brought me over a bouquet, which included this beautiful lily, probably 8 inches across.  Unfortunately I have a thing about lilies--some have a fragrance which reminds me of funerals, of that smell of stagnation. The day lilies that grow in our garden don't have these, but Dave knows not to bring me any lilies from the store.

This lily was so beautiful that I brought it into the house.  By the end of the first full day, though, I realized that it would spending its time out on the front porch.  I tried again the second day to bring it into the house, thinking it had "aired out."  Nope.  I did this dance for several days, finally realizing that the lily, in all its glory, had to go, as now I could smell it even though it was out on the porch.

But before it did, I took pictures of it.  It was truly a glorious and lovely flower, rich and vibrant in color and texture.  A stunner. I hated to see the visuals of it go, but happy to let the fragrance fade away.

Life, and blog post numbers can just slip by.  Happy 600 posts to this blog (a few back).

Jacaranda Trees

Dave told me about a line in an Los Angeles Times article the other day, which said that those who say that Southern California has no seasons just hasn't lived here during Jacaranda season.  Wikipedia notes that: "Jacaranda can be found throughout most of Southern California, where they were imported by the horticulturalist Kate Sessions."  Since that's my family's name, it made me smile.

These trees start to bloom at the end of May/first of June and we always hope the bluey-lavender blossoms will stay around until UCR's commencement, approximately the middle of June.

So last week while Dave was at commencement, I drove around and photographed some jacaranda trees.  They really are most lovely in the morning, but here they are in the afternoon.

This is a well-traveled street near our house, with a long line of jacaranda trees.  We have one specimen in our front yard, but it usually doesn't bloom very much, for some reason.  Maybe the fact that it has been transplanted three times may have something to do with that?

These last two trees are at the end of the long line of trees, above.

The jacarandas have nearly the same color blossom as the agapanthus flowers, above, which also bloom about this time.  I'm always sad to see these two flowering beauties drop their blossoms, as it means another of our "non-season" seasons is right on their heels: Scorching Hot.

Power Towers

 

  As Dave and I have recently made several trips through the desert, I thought I would post one about the power towers.  Those elegant structures stringing across the desert follow us as we travel from Kingman to home, or home up to Utah, stopping around Vegas.

So we turned off at the Calico Early Man Site, but took a right onto a dirt road, hunting down the towers.

We stopped, and got out, cameras in hand.

I stood underneath a trio of lines, listening to them crackle and hum.  It was eery, but very cool.  I'm sure I increased my risk for cancer about a billion-fold (kidding) or else I zapped some brain cells into oblivion (kidding again).

These things are pretty massive.

I joined Dave underneath the structure of the one closest to our car.

I'm thinking there has to be a quilt in here somewhere.  Or a quilt block.  I remember the sketch of some power lines that resides on my parents bookcase, done by Jeff Rugh. Lots of associations were scrambling around my brain, as I stood out there in the wind.

Why is it that there never seems to be enough time to stop and linger a while, whether it is looking at power lines, or watching a hawk circle over the desert?  We always seem to be in a rush, having to meet some deadline.  I guess that's what retirement is for.  We're a few years off from that, but I definitely want to go and see that Early Man site, if only to cross it off the list.  And visit these power lines one more time.

Self-portrait in the desert.  Time to go home.

Cynthia's Visit

Recently my sister Cynthia came out to visit me.  I come from a family of seven children--she is Number Two and I am Number Four in the line-up.  So what to do when a frost-bitten sister from the midwest shows up in sunny California?  Take her to the Getty on a nice sunny day.

I always think the Getty's gardens are the most captivating part, right after the illuminated manuscripts. So we headed outside.

 

We also took in some of the other exhibits, but that sun!  Those gardens!  Kept pulling us outside.  

We got some lunch and ate it on the patio.

Because it was just past the noon hour, the succulents looked especially rich.  Seeing all their plantings makes me want to go home and rip out my front yard and start again.  I just need their budget.

 Another type of flora.  

I liked the headband of the girl on the left--it's in the shape of some mini-bunny ears.  Sort of.

This would make a great quilt--sunny yellow, vibrant green, rich blue in the sky.

Lots of people were out on the lawns, enjoying picnics.  It was such a glorious day.

 The plaza--where you enter, and exit.

What else did we do when she was here?

Cooked.
 (Click on the link for the how-to's for Beggar's Linguini.)

Made a quilt.
(Click on the link for the two-post story of her quilt.)

Enjoyed each other's company.

Come again!