Welcome to Spring in California

Yes, November is when Spring arrives here on the Central Coast of California, and up and down the state. Then we get a couple months of winter (with bits of spring mixed in). But by February it's right back to spring again (with bits of winter mixed in). Spring is my favorite time of the year - I'm so glad it begins before winter in our part of the world!
Today's sunrise over the Santa Cruz Mountains, the view from our home.

Zoomed-in shot (you can see the area zoomed in on, in the lower right third of the first shot). First day we've had mist in a while. Been too hot and dry. Roll on rainy days.

Seedlings are popping up in Experimental Bed #1 - and everywhere else. In this photo - mostly common madia (with the long arms) and clarkia (with the sort of guitar-shaped cotyledons). These are the grandchildren of the local natives I grew from locally gathered seed. 

And - hooray! Finally I am growing our local native wartleaf ceanothus - a shrubby form. I've been trying with seeds and cuttings for a few years and this seems to be their year! This year's cuttings also did not take, but a month in the fridge then a couple weeks in the flat and see how these seeds are popping up!

Yes, we do also get fall - not like in some places, but -- fruits and nuts and seeds of all sorts, and yellow leaves of big leaf maple. It's all going on at the same time - I guess it's like one of those pictures where what you see is what you focus on. I'm focused on spring!

Comments

Desert Dweller said…
I like your seasons more! Here it's drier until about July 1, and cooler with less warm flashes until Jan, then warmer and windier...then the wind stops in late May and it's hot. I'll enjoy seeing your plant growth coming on as ours' fades...that which is still alive in this drought. I hope you get good rain soon!
Diana Studer said…
mmm that magical feeling when it turns cool, and moist and kind - and the garden explodes into spring. I'm thinking of our March lilies ...
Jason said…
Spring in November. I like it.
Country Mouse said…
Interesting how we all experience different seasons - Your seasons, Desert Dweller, are so different! Diana I like the feeling of "cool and moist and kind" - well put!
In Scotland you would never say "spring in November" indeed - I like it better here, Jason - I wonder where you're from?
Our late season spring was lovely, and I got a lot done in the garden, but suddenly we've plunged headlong into fall. It's chilly out there!

I love your mountain panoramic views by the way. Living in the bottom of a valley, it's difficult to see over the trees here!
Brent said…
We're still enjoying fall in S. Ca.

Congratulations on getting your Ceanothus to sprout.
Not being a CA native myself, I love to watch the slow growth of winter greenery. It's amazing to see new plants popping up in November instead of freezing and turning brown and mushy. It reminds me to get back out on the trails now that the weather is cooler and the dust has been packed down by the first fall rain. (BTW - I'm taking my non-majors biology class out on a chaparral hike tomorrow and I'll be sure to show them some big pod ceanothus.)