The Mega Pawsitive Fundraiser

[ileen]

Now for those who have been waiting for Jacarandas in bloom, here they are

Interesting that I saw them in bloom in Mexico City more than two months ago. Whoever said southern CA doesn't have seasons was lying.

 

[raysmyheart]

It is paw-sitive that I have a chance to catch up today to all the wonderful, positive posts here. It was a hectic weekend and I fell behind but I am now immensely enjoying reading about what is new here with all of you!

It started out sunny, now it seems that rain clouds are moving in, but only clouds so far and I will still go outside to work in the yard, for sure. It is wonderful to be outside always! Any rain that comes is welcome, too.

Okay, as I am writing here, I have just seen a hummingbird come to the new feeder I have put up! It is the first one I am seeing at this new feeder!

Speedy and I will go for a walk today. Here is a photo to share with you of a walk she had the other day. These walks are some of the best memories I have when the cold weather returns and the winter is long.

Speedy and R raysmyheart on a walk.

 

[tarasgirl06]

ileen Oh, we DO have seasons here in SoCali, all right. In the city, they are: hot, and dirty. But up in the Mojave, at 4,100 feet, we had four distinct seasons, with autumn leaf color and snow and everything! It was magnificent.

*Spring in the Mojave -- lilacs!*

 

[raysmyheart]

There is a wonderful farmstand just a short walk from me. June 1 was the first day of their season for 2018! I would like to visit today as I have been eagerly waiting for them to open this year!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi everybody!
So during that raccoon event, where the big lanky long-legged masked intruder ended up in a tree in the backyard for the day...

There was a call put in to an expert, who wisely said (instead of offering to come out and trap it for upwards of $500 ) leave it alone and it'll come down in the evening. (It did exactly that).

Even better, during the discussion it was mentioned that there's a cat in the household - both his and mine, turns out AND he's an indoors-cat only supporter and promoter.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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Well, I gotta tell ya - Pawsitive Thread or not - I'm just exhausted from yesterday. Thank the Lord that National Hug Your Cat(s) Day comes only once a year!



tarasgirl06 - I never tire of seeing photos of your place in the Mojave. It's a different kind of Paradise, but a Paradise nonetheless!

R raysmyheart - I'll never tire of seeing pictures of Speedy either.




It's a glorious day here today - 60º and brilliantly sunny. We did get a bit of rain overnight to stave off the need to water today, and with the cooler temperatures, we might get through to Saturday's predicted rain without having to intercede on Mother Nature's behalf!
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[segelkatt]

Now, now, tarasgirl06, there are too seasons in the flatlands near the coast and they aren't just "hot" and "dirty". It does get down into the 40s and sometimes even the 30s. Remember when way back in the 70s the farmers would put "smudge pots" in the orange groves so the citrus and avocados would not be damaged by the cold? Now most of those groves are gone and global warming and more people living here keep the temps from going that low. Nevertheless, we can certainly tell when spring has arrived as the various trees show their colors and when fall has come leaves turn different colors on some trees and eventually fall off. (see picture below, the leaves are golden and brown). A few years ago there was even a heavy snowfall on Saddleback Mountain (Modjeska Peak is its proper name) although it lasted only one whole day, here's proof:

Modjeska Peak is only about 15 miles as the crow flies from where this picture was taken.

I had to make a trip farther inland and the Jacarandas were in their glory everywhere from Costa Mesa to the City of Orange. Just a few miles farther inland or a thousand miles farther south and the difference in temps is remarkable. In my neighborhood the Jacarandas have just started to bloom.

these are much farther on, the picture does not do them justice, however-----

depending on the angle of the sun and the photographer the purple-blue really shows up as in this shot

a carpet of Jacaranda blossoms

you can tell that these trees have been here many years, at least 70

there are several streets in this neighborhood that are lined with Jacarandas

the street to the left was widened and some old house were torn down and a pocket park was created in the place that was not needed for the newer wider road so they left the Jacarandas that were there in the background and to the right and the palms in the foreground which had probably been planted in the 40s. Did you know that palms are NOT native to California? There are some plants that sort of look like palms, like Yucca or Joshua Trees, but they are not palms.
Enjoy!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Furballsmom -- we have raccoons here as well as oppossums, skunks, mice, rats, lizards, many kinds of birds and insects, and coyotes (the only ones I don't like for obvious reasons, but they're everywhere in the US now). As long as you don't corner most of these creatures, they will leave you alone as their worst nightmare is human beings. The coyotes are the exception. And yes, all caring, responsible people keep their cats indoors, safe and sound.
1CatOverTheLine -- I am so glad I had the camera and took the pix I did, because they are treasures to me!
segelkatt -- We have jacarandas on the meridian on the main east/west thoroughfare here. They're great there -- you get the beauty without the terrible indelible mess on sidewalks and cars.
Palms won't even grow where we lived in the Mojave, due to the cold winters and snow. We brought one up and planted it, not knowing, and it died. Down in the flats, though, they will grow, as they do in Indio, Palm Desert, 29 Palms, Palm Springs, etc.
My parents used to tell stories about the orange groves here in SoCali. They used to take drives to see them. They've been gone a long time, though, I guess. I've never seen any here.

 

[Furballsmom]

1CatOverTheLine I'm not sure why but your comment about hug your cat day made me think of "seven or eleven..."
Ummm.
Methinks there's a song in there somewhere LOL although Clint black worded it a little differently.
My positive this time is that there wasn't a cloud in the sky this morning, and maybe I'll be that fortunate tonight when the international space station goes by

 

[raysmyheart]

Every year at this time I am delighted and curious as to the greenery growing wild around my property in the woods. I am a lover of the wild grape plants that grow right next to my property. I love the shape of the leaves, the vines and of course the fruit which has an intoxicating scent and wonderful tart taste. Some people I hear cursing the vines because they will grow quickly onto your property. I, however, do love to trim them back.

That is the "delighted" part. The "curious" part is that there is a plant on a heavy vine that is growing just as vigorously and beautifully as the wild grapes and I have yet to identify it. Here are some photos, you will see two different plants, growing intertwined and I will try to get more distinct photos of each plant for you. Both plants grow high up into the trees and will drape down later in the season. The white flower is the mystery vine, you can see how it is growing entwined around the grape vines.

Beautiful, nonetheless. Does anyone else love the wild grapes or have them growing closeby?

 

[segelkatt]

Furballsmom -- we have raccoons here as well as oppossums, skunks, mice, rats, lizards, many kinds of birds and insects, and coyotes (the only ones I don't like for obvious reasons, but they're everywhere in the US now). As long as you don't corner most of these creatures, they will leave you alone as their worst nightmare is human beings. The coyotes are the exception. And yes, all caring, responsible people keep their cats indoors, safe and sound.
1CatOverTheLine -- I am so glad I had the camera and took the pix I did, because they are treasures to me!
segelkatt -- We have jacarandas on the meridian on the main east/west thoroughfare here. They're great there -- you get the beauty without the terrible indelible mess on sidewalks and cars.
Palms won't even grow where we lived in the Mojave, due to the cold winters and snow. We brought one up and planted it, not knowing, and it died. Down in the flats, though, they will grow, as they do in Indio, Palm Desert, 29 Palms, Palm Springs, etc.
My parents used to tell stories about the orange groves here in SoCali. They used to take drives to see them. They've been gone a long time, though, I guess. I've never seen any here.

When I first came to SoCal in 1971 there were orange groves everywhere in Orange County and in L.A. County also, out in Ventura they grew mostly lemons and when they bloomed the scent was overpowering.There are a few orange groves left here in Orange County where it isn't all built up yet although most agricultural produce is strawberries next to freeways and under electrical wires. If you go to Riverside you will find plenty of orange and avocado orchards there, they build them mainly on south and west facing slopes where they get the most sun. I spoke to one farmer who comes to my Farmers' Market and he says he waters his orchards and whatever just runs down the hill he catches at the bottom, pumps it back up and uses that water again. This way he does not waste any water and his pumps don't use much power because he uses them only when he needs to water which is about once a week. That's my positive thought for today.

 

[tarasgirl06]

When I first came to SoCal in 1971 there were orange groves everywhere in Orange County and in L.A. County also, out in Ventura they grew mostly lemons and when they bloomed the scent was overpowering.There are a few orange groves left here in Orange County where it isn't all built up yet although most agricultural produce is strawberries next to freeways and under electrical wires. If you go to Riverside you will find plenty of orange and avocado orchards there, they build them mainly on south and west facing slopes where they get the most sun. I spoke to one farmer who comes to my Farmers' Market and he says he waters his orchards and whatever just runs down the hill he catches at the bottom, pumps it back up and uses that water again. This way he does not waste any water and his pumps don't use much power because he uses them only when he needs to water which is about once a week. That's my positive thought for today.

Smart, wise, and thoughtful farmer! Yes, they have these groves north of here, too, in places like Santa Paula, but they are getting destroyed to put up housing tracts and corporate buildings. It's PAWSitive to know that there are areas here where they are still able to keep their orchards, groves and farms. *After all, we still have to EAT!*

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Methinks there's a song in there somewhere

segelkatt - Don't feel bad - we have two seasons in western New York as well - Winter and Sloppy Skiing.


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[Furballsmom]

So , it's 96 nasty-hot degrees in Denver, my positive is THANK goodness for air conditioning and grass to help cool the house!!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

So , it's 96 nasty-hot degrees in Denver, my positive is THANK goodness for air conditioning and grass to help cool the house!!

Furballsmom - Wow - I'm remembering that old Dave Loggins tune now - "please come to Denver with the snowfall; we'll move up into the mountains so far that we can't be found...." Seventy-five's warm enough for me; we've only reached 96º a few times in history here. Currently: fifty-eight lovely degrees.

It's PAWSitive to know that there are areas here where they are still able to keep their orchards, groves and farms. *After all, we still have to EAT!*

tarasgirl06 - That whole, "having to eat," thing - could you send a note to all politicians reminding them of it, please?
.

 

[Furballsmom]

Seventy-five's warm enough for me;

Isn't that the truth, exactly!!
My positive at the moment is cloud cover which dropped the temperature 10 degrees, and continuing, whew!

 

[Shane Kent]

Pretty nice day all 'round. Shane Kent my Friend, you shoulda been there.

Wish I was there. Right now I am once again stuck behind a bunch of security clearance paperwork. Which of course is the least favorite part of my job. Very, very, very boring as it is the same thing over and over. Thankfully I don't do it day in and day out all year long.

The flowers are starting to pop out here this week

 

[raysmyheart]

So , it's 96 nasty-hot degrees in Denver, my positive is THANK goodness for air conditioning and grass to help cool the house!!

Furballsmom , your weather sounds like my dream climate. I do love the heat. I am hoping we will have some very warm days here in my area this summer, I would enjoy it so much! My thoughts do go out for anyone dealing with wildfires, however.

Today is 59F in Massachusetts Central and just way too cold for me but positive for many who enjoy cooler weather.

Our State Fish and Game will be conducting a survey of citizen sightings of wild turkey populations this summer. It is to help with understanding the long-term success of turkey populations in the State. I am glad to hear this as the wild turkeys were not present in our state for a long time before 1970 but they are pretty plentiful these day and I'm glad to hear they are being followed. I would like to be one of these citizen surveyors but I will pass because the hours I work really wouldn't allow me the time needed for good observation. All that being said, a very bright spot for me this time of year is being out in the yard, turning around and being surprised and greeted by a Mama turkey and all her new little ones. It brings a happy tear to my eye.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Furballsmom - Wow - I'm remembering that old Dave Loggins tune now - "please come to Denver with the snowfall; we'll move up into the mountains so far that we can't be found...." Seventy-five's warm enough for me; we've only reached 96º a few times in history here. Currently: fifty-eight lovely degrees.






tarasgirl06 - That whole, "having to eat," thing - could you send a note to all politicians reminding them of it, please?
.

1CatOverTheLine As a middle-of-the-roader politically, I DO. I do a lot of work trying to make things better for people, because bottom line, that makes things better for us all. But in answer: HAH! The day you find a pol who cares about anyone, please, please, PLEASE let me know. Let us ALL know. (Well, to be PAWSitive, some of our local and state ones are pretty cool. Before they get too big for their britches and succumb to the allure of money, power, and cigars. Or something.

 

[raysmyheart]

Wish I was there. Right now I am once again stuck behind a bunch of security clearance paperwork. Which of course is the least favorite part of my job. Very, very, very boring as it is the same thing over and over. Thankfully I don't do it day in and day out all year long.

The flowers are starting to pop out here this week
View attachment 235263

Shane Kent , this is such a beautiful flower you have captured. Nature certainly knows how to mix the "paints" and create a masterpiece like this one.

More photos of the flowers growing on picky vines near my yard. I discovered they have a wonderful perfume and almost look like wild roses.

This time of year I also spot one of my favorite flowers which is wild yarrow -