La dérivée

Today I am reminded of the many ways that mountain living brings me closer to nature. It has been in the high 60's some days; several fruit trees have blossomed yet only a few bees have emerged to enjoy the sun. This morning the reason is clear; overnight it was 31 degrees and at sunrise I needed a cup of coffee to ignore the fact that it was still trying to break 40. At 35N 118W with an elevation of 2667 feet the moon is bright against a clear blue sky. An aimless walk promises to provide many wonderful discoveries. First of all I notice the strawberries are holding a reminder of the overnight frost. A glistening spider's web makes me pause and the volunteer sweetpeas are already a foot and a half tall. The white iris' have pushed their blooms, beans are fragrant and lovely, the fennel is lush and the snow peas are ready for tonights salad. The birds are singing as they move between the manzanita, pine and oaks. That inviting sound leads the way to wild cucumbers, owl's clover and much more. It is truly a glorious day to be out exploring and capturing a few images to share. Before I know it, two hours have disappeared. Ah...the satisfaction of la derive...an aimless walk on a lovely day.