We had a high wind warning yesterday and from 3 pm until about 2 am, the wind was relentless. At one point, I happened to look out the kitchen door window and saw another branch (though not nearly as big) fall from the catalpa just to the left of Don’s car. Needless to say, I ran out there and moved his car next to mine. The branch was long but it was light enough for me to carry to the wood pile, but my heavens, I felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz out there trying to open car doors and just plain maneuver in that wind.
It took me a long time to get to sleep, so I slept in a bit this morning. It’s still ‘breezy’ but the sun is shining. We’re due for a couple more visits from winter over the weekend in the form of snow showers, but it will melt quickly. I am SO ready for spring. I had a little meltdown on the phone with Don yesterday because it’s just been plain old hard this winter and that, along with my recent bout with a bug and my sore back, sent me off into ‘feeling sorry for myself’ territory.
I guess I needed to get it out. I’m better this morning. Bless my husband for being there.
I wanted to share the growth on this Zz plant with you. It, along with my two other Zz plants, has been growing steadily during the winter. One of my readers wrote in a comment a while back that someone had told her that Zz plants were slow growers. I assured her that I hadn’t found that to be the case. They’ve been pretty prolific so far and I’ve only had them a few months. Imagine how they might perform during the summer! The two tallest shoots are recent additions.
I love these plants. They can get by on low light and, like a succulent, they don’t need a lot of watering. They have a sculptural quality that is quite lovely.
Current morning light from the skylight.
I’m grateful that it’s sunny today. One day of sunny or even partly sunny can keep me going.
Happy Thursday.
We have had some of those winds here. It is like being Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz :) Glad you could unload on Don and if you are like me, I feel better after I get it out and then can deal with it all much better. You two have been apart so much and while it’s for a great reason (tour and then Broadway) it has to be hard at times. I think that Zz plant is pretty great! I’m taking Mom with me to visit Carter today and pick up the new water fountain he ordered for Annie. Her old one broke and while a bowl of water is OK, she does love the fountain. Must get on the road.
It’s been really hard being apart this much. I just have to be honest about it. I miss his daily presence and I know he misses mine!
Claudia, I truly understand what you are saying…me too. I am ready for spring. I know even hard times are better if our mates are there to help us thru. If it is just their hugs and support, it’s a huge help. I know one day our catalpa tree will bite the dust…it has a huge hole in the side, that I call a raccoon apartment. LOL. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie
I worry about ours, as well. It’s lost lots of limbs over the past 12 years – so has the big sugar maple.
Oh, those restless winds. We had the high wind warnings last Friday/ Saturday and it woke me up in the night. I am tired of the constant wind. Has it always been so windy, or as I get older do I notice it more? It just doesn’t seem to stop.
The 4-5 inches of snow we had on Tues/ Wed is about 98% gone. That is the only “good” thing ~ it does melt rather quickly now. In APRIL!! We are back to the brown lawns. Not green, but not white so I will take it.
We have sunshine today as well and it does help. Hope you have a good Thursday, Claudia.
It seems to be windier than ever, Chris. But I also know I’m more edgy and unsettled by it than I used to be.
Thanks, Chris!
We had extreme winds yesterday too, and it was a COLD wind. It blew my hat off as I attempted to get into my car in a store parking lot. Much prettier day today! Love that plant btw.
Yes, it was very cold here, too. In fact, it’s quite cold today – temps are hovering in the thirties, but it’s also windy, so the wind chill is probably lower than that! Thanks, Diane!
Oh, I feel for you now in wind, Claudia. Always before, I’d get sort of intrigued by our continual wind here in this SoCalif valley I live in. But ever since the December wildfire in the hellacious cold wind that fanned it, I now, for the first time in my life, feel uneasy in wind; I probably always will be now as it will always remind me of the fire. It’s as if wind is now a warning.
Sounds like you need a hard hat. Wouldn’t want one of those tree limbs hitting YOU on the head the way it almost hit the car. Danger zone!
The sun will be a huge help to your mood and wellbeing. We’re creatures who thrive in light and warmth, aren’t we. When it’s dark and cold, I lack motivation. The only way I can get productive is to turn on every light in the house.
I’m a little worried about our SoCalif weather right now because what we are having is what is often referred to as June Gloom which, over the years, became May Gray. So, if this keeps up, what are we going to call April? And what I fear it spells is what I see happening every year now, and that is a longer, hotter summer in increasing drought with water restriction. Sigh.
A couple of weekends ago, for the first time since December, my husband and I drove up around the wildfire burn area of Thomas Aquinas College which is the area where the fire started (hence, called The Thomas Fire). Gosh, ‘in the light of day’ so to speak, I didn’t realize they’d had as much destruction as they did (the only other time I was back in there, just a few weeks after fire had run through it although it was still burning elsewhere in the county, I think I was too much in ‘shock’ to take everything in; the landscape was so devastated) but, here recently, we saw so much damaged fencing and common areas; downed trees. It’s astounding that their buildings weren’t destroyed although it seems they lost exterior storage buildings – – but, what I mean is, thankfully their dorms, church, etc. were saved (Catholic school). I read a recent article which listed some of their fire losses and it’s sometimes things we don’t first think about, like everything in their kitchen which was there to feed hundreds of faculty/staff/students. They had no back-up power and were out of electricity for a long time. They lost a ton of food. Because of all the smoke and char, the buildings had to be cleaned for health which is a significant, exhaustive (expensive) endeavor and that smoke hung around for weeks and weeks. They lost over a hundred trees on campus and a special grotto area for prayer. But they had good insurance and have also gotten sizeable donations to get back on their feet for repairs and restoration, so I felt really glad for them when I read this…it is an incredibly tranquil place back in a canyon, surrounded by orchards, grazing land and wild backcountry/forest. Good to know that peace can return.
xo
We seem to live in a particularly windy part of our town. Often, it will be gale-force here and a few miles away there will be much less wind.
Wow, did I just go thru a BIG SCARE. I was sitting at the computer reading away and EARTHQUAKE here in SoCalif. I haven’t felt that IN A WHILE. It felt like it would never end. Yet it was only a ‘moderate’ quake of 5.3 but I feel like I’m still rolling. I had a window behind me and it was one big jerk/crack – – the whole house — and then we began to roll. I thought, “Okay, this is a big one; it’s not going to stop.” So I ran up to the main part of the house, got the dog and locked us in the hallway away from windows and I swear it felt like it wasn’t gonna stop this time. It’s better to get under something but I don’t have a good place for that. I still feel seasick. All the neighbors came outside and it’s all over the TV channels right now and I’m going to go out and look for any damage. I always worry about the gas meter. I’ve just been staying in because of likely aftershock. It hit just off the channel islands, in the ocean, not that far off of Ventura, Calif. It’ll probably be on the nightly news nationally tonight. I’ve experienced earthquakes lifelong but they never get any easier. This one really got to me; I burst into tears after it was ‘over’. Probably would have helped had I not been alone. I feel your pain when you’re going thru ‘winter’ and Don is away.
I really need to calm down now.
The strangest thing about it – – the sun had come out a bit so I’d opened some windows. The neighbor has several wind chimes and it was those chimes just ringing away the whole time I was trying to grab the terrified dog and get in the hallway and then even after what seemed minutes, not seconds, the chimes still ringing thru the open window and it’s not windy so it was clearly the incessant rolling. Sorry if I sound hysterical. Wow. Yikes.
Nothing to apologize for! I’m happy you’re okay and that there’s no damage.
Stay calm. I’ve already read several posts from Californians about the earthquake. I’ve been through them and they’re frightening as hell, especially when they go on for what seems like forever. You’re okay.
Understandably, it scared you a lot and I suspect it scared you even more considering that you just got through the wildfires not so long ago. I’m glad you’re okay. Hug your doggie!
Thanks. I finally got her calmed down. She was just wracked/racked (I can’t spell today) with the shivers/shakes; poor thing. Of course it doesn’t help her if she sees me upset, either. I’m okay now except for that lingering unease that makes you wonder if another one is on the heels of this one. I choose to live here so I get what I get.
Okay, I now officially hate wildfire, wind…and earthquakes. I’ve lost that ‘unconcerned’ mode of the former years (youth!).
xo
There’s nothing like feeling unwell to make way for those overwhelming thoughts to rise up!! Especially when it just seems to go on and on ( as this ‘cold/flu’ seems to). And ,you have been kept pretty busy on your end of things. Thankfully you have someone to turn to,(although i know there’s that comfort of physical presence) and winter has to end (although i feel i may have said that a long while ago!)
Hang in there and take good care Claudia.
It isn’t going to end soon enough, Grace! We have at least another week of this weather!
We had those winds,too. We also had a downpour that lasted just a few minutes. Unfortunately more snow and rain predicted for the next few days.
Marilyn
We had rain, as well. Oh, Marilyn, will it ever be spring??
Wind is scary…even if there isn’t a storm. There’s the old saying about March winds…but heck…it’s April, and we’re having snow…so what gives? I ventured into the country, with a friend, to get haircuts. The woman we go to is really good, and has become a friend. So, we make a day of it. I had already cancelled our appointment because of snow the other day. It was a nice drive, and no slippery spots. But, I so miss the warmth of Spring ….where is it? Enjoy your evening! ;)
Where is it, indeed! I am so ready for it but as I type this – it’s snowing.
Wow Claudia, while reading this I could picture Dorothy on her bike with the winds howling by. Glad to know that a near miss from a branch was the only incident. We too had high winds here in Michigan and it was wicked sounding. My poor dogs were very on edge with the sound of it all.
Thanks for sharing a piece of your day.
Oh, poor babies! I well understand! Thanks, Audrey.
oh, unless i am on a sailboat (rare), i dislike wind, too! sorry it created more stress and work for you, but glad the tree branch missed cars/ other property.
the plant looks great! wouldn’t last two months here.
hope tomorrow’s an easier day!
kathy in iowa
I bet it would last! You really don’t have to do much at all. Just water it every two or three weeks.
I am so tired of wind…It seems like it is always windy here now no matter what season or weather…I have things that I want to spray paint and it seems that they will never get done…it was the same in the Fall…Love the ZZ plant…must find one!
I know! The wind is still rather strong this morning! I’m so tired of it!