Just being

So here we are a week into January already – and I’ll be writing and saying

(probably forever) where does the time go? So Happy New Year a tad after-the-fact.

 

Yesterday was a beautiful, mild, sunny day and we took advantage of it to drive

Up to a lake through rolling hills and more green than one expects at this time of year. Lovely (cheesy) lunch then home – after dark: winter is still upon us.

 

Lac du Joux

 

Today is, as they predicted, gray and rainy.

So the big spurt to finish putting away Christmas deco, including the tree, then sweep up (yes even artificial trees loose there needles – ok so it’s probably about 40 years old…) and in general tidy up for the new year. School starts tomorrow and many of us, even retired, tend to live in sync with school vacations.

 

I’m tired, time for a nap – or just being – maybe I should catch up on some of those taped Romcom movies.

It’s a miracle!

I awoke to gray skies and clouds!

I even had the pleasure of feeling a drop of rain on my head as I

left the grocery store. One of life’s great joys these days is rain.

 

And a miracle as we seemed to have lost the clouds and the rains.

I don’t know the statistics, but we are having one of the driest and

Hottest years since they started measuring 150 years ago.

 

I have left my car outside the garage in hopes that there may be

enough to actually wash off some of the dust of the past weeks.

 

Precipitation in my country so far this year is only 40% of normal and

I live in what used to be known as the water capital of Europe so

I can only imagine what it is like elsewhere.

 

Everyone that I have run into this morning is smiling, open and happy.

What a difference a bit of water makes to those parched with thirst.

Unexpected bliss: it’s raining….

It’s pouring – but the old man isn’t snoring – the ladies are having a day in.

I have always known that weather predictions never work for me. If they say it’s going to rain, I’ll awake to sun and vice versa. This morning is the vice versa. Nothing in any of the weather channels that we consulted yesterday mentioned rain – a bit of cloud cover eventually yes, nothing more. So, of course, we awoke to the wonderful sound of major rain on the roof.

Fortunately we have leftover bread, I have a good book to be read and the rain will eventually stop, life is good in my end of the world.

Did make it down to the beach during a dryer moment - love a gray day!

reflections on the river

gray days don't bother castles on the hill

 

Rainy day solutions

My cats – Babette and Cléa – have the perfect solution for a rainy day: find a warm fuzzy basket and curl up together.

Although I didn't do the same, I did go into town and enjoyed lunch with younger son and a friend of his - fuzzy warm thoughts of family and friends work almost as well as the basket for counteracting gray and rain. 

Mother Nature doesn’t do “bad hair” days

She might produce fog – throwing it around her mountain shoulders like a warm shawl.

She can be drippy with rain – giving and maintaining life in many different forms.

She can be frightening and booming with lightning and thunder – better fireworks haven’t been invented.

She can be howling with winds – and when Mother Nature howls many of us cower.

She can be smothered in snow – underneath the blanket life takes a rest and gathers energy for a new beginning.

She can bask in the sun – and seems loved by most everyone then.

But one thing stands out: she is always beautiful: if her lakes aren't glistening in the sun, her raindrops bejewel branches, leaves and even blades of grass.

She displays her colors and pearls in thousands of ways, shapes and types.

However, when she’s humid she gives me a “bad hair” day!

January 2015

May 2015

May 2015

Late Spring snow - May 2015

June fog in the mountains

June rain like no one's ever seen

Yesterday

Yesterday

Today, alpine Lupines

A bright touch of color in a gray day

nourished by Mother Nature

Back in the clouds or…

I’m an angel.

 

Well probably not, but it sure sounds better than simply talking about the real reason that I’m back in the clouds: i.e. the weather.

Which will soon become “THE WEATHER” in our conversations. I mean back when we had our hot spell and I was having to water the hedge for fear that it would die as my neighbour’s gardener had cut it more than half back, I laughing said: “well that’s summer so get ready for July and August to be topsy-turvy awful”. From my mouth to the directors of the climate it seems.

Since I was tired of home under the rain, I thought that I would try the mountains instead. Was glad that I knew the roads well so the fog didn’t faze me. Slept better than ever, but that may have also been the glass of red wine and not the weather.

However, after only 300 steps throughout the morning, thought that I had best brave the elements, regardless. Even in the wet, it is beautiful and the rain can’t totally hide the lovely flowers.

I will remember the cool when I complain about the heat.

Gray, grey, whatever: go away!

I may have mentioned recently how our gray weather weighs on us for about 6 months of the year. This year it seems to be bothering me even more.  When I originally thought about it back in early December, the cold wind “la bise” had come up and that usually chases it away, meanwhile I am much more aware (a good thing) of any and all color wherever it may be found

A still yellow or orange leaf, Christmas garlands, a building with a red ribbon, anything with color, including our trash bags, which are yellow.

 

winter 2012/2013

Need all the help we can get today as it has rained non-stop since yesterday. So although they following photos are from before Christmas, I’ll be keeping my eyes open for any other spots of light or color in the gloom!