Plum Tree Blossoms - signs of spring

Having grown up and lived most of my life in the pacific northwest, these lovey flowering plum trees still feel like the beginning of spring even while I am here in California and the temperatures can feel like summer on winter days...  I decided to have a closer look than usual and put my macro filters on my 35mm lens to really see the forms of the branches and buds, so fascinating!  

Winter Beach - Sonoma County California

I love the gray misty winter days at the beach here, the rest of the world seems to sort of disappear and it's just this little  world of sea and mist and stone. Of course it can look like this on a summer day here too, and often does, but this time of year there are less crowds, just the hearty folk who brave the cold and drizzly weather ;)

End of Summer

Still pretty warm here in Northern California, tank-top and sandal weather, but it is starting to look like autumn, with the colors shifting in the lower evening light. It's been a very long dry spell here and hoping that the rains will come and replenish this parched earth soon. I notice with just a slight feel to fall in the air I am shifting too, looking forward to diving into more hours of creative projects and more reading for sure.

Butterflies in the Garden - Monarchs and Yellow Swallowtails

some have been looking kind of tattered, on their migration

They are seriously so cute up close

It's been pretty magical having so many butterflies drifting and darting around the yard recently, sometimes they are in pairs or ones just drifting along at eye level doing their butterfly thing. There are two Buddleia bushes, one purple and one white which they love. It was a trick to keep the cat from jumping up at them when they were down lower, so far so good. Had to retrieve a couple out of spider webs also, since this time of year there are more webs from the garden spiders. Guess the monarchs will continue on their migration south and some all the way to Mexico. It's been a delight!

Eucalyptus - botanical study

One of my favorite trees in California is Eucalyptus. So many varieties, and the flowers are so, well, cute!! Plus this variety being almost neon pink is pretty wonderful ;)

Cats in Greece

  those eyes

 This cute black cat followed me around town for a while, meowing all the way

 waiting for some fish from the boats I imagine ;)

 finding some shade in the fig tree

 love the eyebrow wiskers

 sunbathing....

 now now kitties...

 really wanted some pets this one!

Seeing cats just about everywhere I went in Greece was definitely a highlight for me, since I was missing my kitty back at home. Some of the cats were super friendly and talkative needing some head scratches and others were just too tired from the hot sun to be bothered.  I always stop to say hi to cats on my walks at home so I enjoyed the frequent encounters.