The View from the Window

Its funny how things have a way of finding their rightful place in a home. When we were moving out, they definitely did NOT belong in boxes. When we were moving in there didn't seem to be anyplace to put things. I would wander around with an item in my hand and wind up putting it back in the box. Now, at last, with new shelves and a new kitchen on the horizon, things are finally finding their proper resting places and the boxes are beginning to go away forever. Despite the extreme differences from our Berkeley house of so many years, this house has felt like home from the day we moved in, Now it is beginning to feel settled.

It was a beautiful morning, and while looking at the lone oak tree up by the road I admired its curly branches silhouetted against the sky. A few tiny green leaves are beginning to appear on the ends of some of the branches, contrasting with the weeping Spanish Moss. Four black angus heifers grazed in the pasture above the road. I thought briefly how fun it would be to take a picture of Ozzie with the cows-- one shiny black dog and four shiny black cows grazing on the green green grass under the blue blue sky.

Back at home looking out our living room window, we were struck by the new growth appearing on many things that up until now have looked like dead sticks. The neon colors on the ice plant are appearing--orange, magenta, and yellow. The blossoms on the plum tree which began tentatively appearing a couple of days ago, are multiplying and moving upward--a nice contrast with the gold finches and red breasted house finches. The downy woodpecker with his handsome black and white body and little red cardinal's cap looks quite jaunty next to to the crested titmouse, who darts out for a single seed and doesn't even linger to eat it.

The sun is beginning to set, but the twilight will last for almost another hour. As the sun goes down, the temperature drops,, and I must go and close the back door which has been open all day....