"So don't you give up now, ooh, ooh So easy to find Just look to your soul And open your mind Crystal blue persuasion, mmm, mmm" ~ Eddie Morley Gray, Mike Vale, and Tommy James I saw my first rainbow in a cloud last week.  The Husband gave me a scientific explanation for it. Something about ice crystals in the air. From my reading on the Internet, generally in terms of spiritually, a rainbow in a cloud symbolizes hope, promise, serenity, and peace among other positive ideas. I like that. It got me humming "Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & the Shondells.  While I was taking photos, a bird flew across the sky. I clicked but I was sure I got nothing more than his tail. So call me happily surprised when I found this among my day's clickety-click captures. I'm hanging out at Skywatch Friday . Come join me by clicking here . Thanks, Skywatch Friday hosts!

Blue skies smilin' at me Nothin' but blue skies do I see. . . ~Irving Berlin The fog lifted early this morning to give us gorgeous blue skies. The orange roses and pink pompom poppies say "Hullo, hullo!" Hanging out at Skywatch Friday . Come join me by clicking here . Thanks, Skywatch Friday hosts!

We've had a wonderful few days of rain and, if our luck sticks, we'll have a bit more rain on Saturday. Hurrah! The Diablo Range is finally starting to turn green. Hurrah! Hurrah! This view is looking east on Hillcrest Road. When I was a teenager several decades ago, this was a two-lane road with orchards on both sides of the road. Those were the days when it rained a lot. All the orchards and farms that surrounded us may have been a contributing factor for that. Hanging out at Skywatch Friday . Come join me by clicking here . Thanks, Skywatch Friday hosts!

"People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day." ~ A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh  

I saw a bunch of naughty trees the other morning. Okay, knotty, to be precise. It's time for Our World Tuesday . Here's the link for you to check out participants from around the world, and maybe to join up yourself. Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!

I love it when Missy Molly by Golly chooses to cuddle next to me on the couch. The thing is she can fidget, but I'm not allowed, according to her majesty. When she no longer can take my movements, she sits up, shakes her head, as if to sigh, and walks over to the Husband, nestling beside him. Zzzzzzzzzz. . .zzzzzzzzzzzz. . . Last night I happened to have my camera in my pocket. With much slyness and swiftness on my part, I clicked, clicked, clicked away at the Girl.

Anyone else think the cloud looks like the top half of a puffy Hulk? Hanging out at Skywatch Friday . Come join me by clicking here . Thanks, Skywatch Friday hosts!

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life  which are the real ones after all." ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder It's time for Our World Tuesday . Here's the link for you to check out participants from around the world, and maybe to join up yourself. Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!

I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through. ~ Jules Verne   Hanging out at Skywatch Friday . Come join me by clicking here . Thanks, Skywatch Friday hosts!

I took this photo a few days ago. This is part of Pajaro Valley, east of Watsonville, in Santa Cruz County. Do the mountains look far away? Because they really are.  The Husband and I drive through this valley on our way to and from Freedom where we buy Molly the Cat's food. It's about an hour round drive, but so worth the peace of mind we get as we drive the back roads of the valley and along the windy low mountain pass highway to San Benito County where we live. Once through the pass, we drive through San Juan Valley to our town of Hollister, which is in the tail end of the Santa Clara valley. As a kid, I heard people say we live in Hollister Valley or San Benito Valley. These days I read about our town nestled in a small valley, so I wonder if our valley has a formal name, now forgotten. That's something to look up one day. I'm linking up with All Seasons , a weekly meme hosted by Jesh at Artworks from Jesh St.G. Click here to check out Jesh and her meme.

While Molly was chewing on grass this morning, someone coasted to a stop in front of our house. Molly quickly came to attention.  She watched the woman park, get out of her car, and walk across the street. Midway, the woman turned back to her car. Molly, who probably thought the stranger was heading into our yard, zooooooooomed past me and into the house. So much for Molly the Guard Cat. I'm participating in a new linky part today. It's called Friday Photo Journal , hosted by Melissa at Serendipity is Sweet . Check it out here .  Thanks, Melissa!

Lately, it's like pulling teeth to get me to go beyond the mailbox. Some of my reticence is not wanting to catch any virus out there in the public. Some, not wanting to put on a bra and shoes. A little, the annoyance of possibly feeling a whiff of fear and hostility of someone judging me or others around me as not being allowed to exist among them. Yes, there is that. A bit, the pain of my so-called arthritic knees, which I prefer to describe as having no more cartilage. But, mostly, I haven't felt the need or urge to go out. Yesterday afternoon, I didn't talk myself out of going out because we needed to fill up the pantry and refrigerator again. If I'm going to cook more, then I need ingredients to create decent meals. So off to the organic farm stand and the grocery store we went, along with a stop for a couple of beer growlers from Brewery Twenty-Five in San Juan Bautista. I'll write more about them another day. Our stroll from the car to the beer plac

This rusty green wheelbarrow has been in the family for at least 54 years. It was one of the first garden equipment the Daddy bought for our new home way back when. We have used it to make cement, to carry bales of hay, and to move dirt, wood, and whatever from one side of the house to the other. Today it sings a loud, squeeky-squeek when rolled so we prefer to use a hand truck. I love its rustiness. Sharing with Our World Tuesday today.  Click here to check out the longtime meme. 

 The dried remains of persimmons on the branches looked like ballet dancers. So, of course I had to take a photo of the branch and play with it in Photoshop.  Below is the original shot.  

"'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free. . ." ~ Joseph Brackett

The Mama's purple daisies. Molly the Cat was right (See yesterday's post ). Primavera. Earrach. Jaro. Molla. Musum semi. Spring! Our first late afternoon of Spring began with a gentle rain. I got a few plants and a bunch of seeds into the ground just in time. Hurrah! Here's a little bit of what Spring looks like around our house. Asian pear blossom. Volunteer lupine. Domesticated mustard (not at all tasty like wild mustard). Check out what's going on with other bloggers around the world at Our World Tuesday . Here's the link . Happy Spring, One and All!

Do you see the cloud's brow, nose, and slight grin? It looks like a male profile, so I'm calling the cloud Guy. Hey, Guy! I saw Guy this morning as the Husband and I drove over to Freedom to buy Molly the Cat her food and stuff. (Yes, the Husband was behind the wheel.) Perfect timing, I say. The letter G is the theme of this week's ABC Wednesday . Click here to see what other bloggers have shared.  Thanks, ABCW team!

With all the current churning of evilness in our country's leadership, we need to take time every day to look for the wonder, the beauty, the eloquence, and the love in our lives and our environment. Call me simple, if you like. Doesn't matter. I have faith that we shall get positiveness, common sense, and humanity back in power again. It's the letter E at ABC Wednesday . To check out ABCW posts from bloggers around the world, please click here . Thanks ABCW Team!

Today the color is orange. It's an upclose look of an orange rose. Yes, from one of the Mama's rose bushes. I cropped and enlarged a photo I took of the rose, then enhanced in Photoshop.  Nothing more to say. Until later.  

Rrrrrrrr-umble. . .BANG! Thunder! I didn't see it, but I did hear the thunderstorm sometime after midnight. I was quite happy not to see the flashes. FLASH! It has been raining. Glorious, glorious rain. And, if the weather guys are correct, it will continue to rain until Thursday. Knock on wood. During a not-raining lull this morning, Molly the Cat and I ventured into the backyard to see how things are holding up. Our raggedy back fence heartily stood up to yesterday's wind. Whhhheeeeeeeewwwwwh. . . Molly was busy sniffing out what she probably hoped would be wild animals while I shot photos. We are so different from the Mama who would've swept as many leaves as she could before she decided it was too muddy and cold to be outside. By the way, did you find Molly among all that green stuff? In the photo up there, that is. Yes, the path was once clear and free of leaves.  :-) And, look, here. A rosebud! The Mama's spirit continues to shine in her rose bus