Towering Cumulus

A beautiful morning, sun shining from rein washed, sparkling skies, and a late start prompted us to pack up Ozzie and head for the Laguna de Santa Rosa and a walk round the low-lying marshes. A sign informed us that the greater watershed area has been occupied for generations by a variety of farmers, including a "federation of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo Indians" called the Federation of Indians of Graton Rancheria". My cynical self commented that this federation go tribes of gatherers was recently formed in order to enable the resulting group (financed by Las Vegas interests) to build an enormous casino. It is becoming evident that ever since Californians voted to allow recognized Native American tribes to build casinos, they are wreaking havoc amongst the competing tribes.

There is no sign of human habitation in this protected part of the Laguna now, save for the occasional picnic table and mowed trail. On the other hand, it is home to coyotes, two hundred species of birds, river otters, raptors and bald eagles. This morning, the marshland was populated by hundreds of goldfinches eating seeds from the tall weeds.

Taking a page from Lady Findhorn's book, we followed our walk with coffee and a scone at The Barlow. I'm not sure that Lady F would even consider what we had a proper scone; I'm not sure I did either, but it is a busy place with lots of coming, going and lingering.

A trip to the Harmony Farms Nursery yielded a very interesting looking Grevilliea curviloba to replace a dead cistus on our rocky hill, and some irrigation supplies to repair the plugged dripper that caused it to die.

Driving home, I was struck by the beauty of the towering cumulous clouds growing ever taller over the hills. We've since had a series of thundershowers, which appear to stop about a mile down the road. The sound of the rain on the roof is welcome and even the sound of the thunder rolling across the hills behind us is distant enough to remind us that it does still rain occasionally. The light is beautiful, and I imagine there will be a rainbow somewhere….