It has been dreary here. The wet blanket of fog is hugging the coastline of California bringing drizzle and a chill in the air. My tomatoes and peppers seem unwilling to grow and produce as it is been so cool even when the afternoon sun shines. But the flowers seem to like it. The yellow calla lilies are coming up and bringing the sunshine with them. I still have sweet peas blooming which is unusual here for June. The plants don’t know what to make of this weather.
Meanwhile, my tiger striped figs are dropping in huge numbers. I am hoping this is just a culling of fruit that the tree cannot support. We do still have a lot on the trees. The figs are just waiting for the warmer days to ripen. Figs need heat to bring the flavor, along with the tiny wasp that pollinates the fruit. Some of our wine grapes are almost ready for picking. I haven’t checked their Brix yet (the sugar levels). It just is too early to think about that. But they do look beautiful. These are cabernet grapes that I planted by my patio. We have larger bunches in the little vineyard area, but I find these always have the best flavor.
The crows have been gathering in my front yard. I found them sitting on my front yard chairs by the small pond, more on the low branches nearby. They have been leaving me feathers by the front gate, the back door and next to my car door. I think they are leaving me messages but I haven’t deciphered them yet. They caw when I come outside and move but don’t really fly away unless I try to take their picture. I’ve looked for a nest in our big Chinese elm tree but haven’t seen one unless it is at the very top. Crows can get aggressive if they have baby birds nesting, and these birds definitely are not aggressive towards me.
Unlike the towhees, which are small little ground birds, who run after my cats. Oddly, neither cat fights back. They run and hide.
Summer Solstice arrives on Sunday morning. I hope we see some sunshine in honor of the longest day. I miss being in Spain for Solstice where the sun is still out at 10 pm. I think the sun sets around 9:30 but the light lingers in the sky. It is my favorite place to be. They celebrate mid-summer on the evening of June 23rd (St. John’s Day of La Noche de San Juan) with feasts, fireworks, torches, bonfires and sea swimming. I absolutely love it. It’s a true celebration of summer.
Reflections Outside My Window 