This morning I woke up to gray skies and drizzle. I relish days like this because they are so rare in Southern California. I sip my hot coffee slow as I busy myself around the house. Soon, the morning has turned in to noon. Cool gray days seem to call out baking, so I got out an old recipe from my great Aunt and make some home made granola. It doesn't take long until the entire house smells like something delicious. A smell similar to cookies wafts out of the oven. The east side of the house warms from the heat in the kitchen. I continued sipping my delicous coffee (which I like to called the sweet nectar of the Gods)as I gaze out the kitchen window at the front yard that stretches towards the expanse valley of the Inland Empire. I can see the whole town, the houses, the schools, the freeways and shopping centers. Everything below is busy and buzzing but I am cozy in the house with my warm oven and hot coffee.
Later I go outside and walk through the garden. My poodle Maizey and my mom's dog Sasha follow. I let my two cat's Mimzy and Biddy Blue out of the garage where they like to sleep, and they begin following me as well. I go to the south west side of the house to check on the desert toroises and find that they are nestled in their shelter, dozing with the effects of hibernation. The dogs, cat's and I walk the high path that is parallel to the house. Birds are chiriping and singing all around me. In the garden I smell the wild sage in the hills of the Cleveland National Forest that are directly behind the garden path. The dirt crunches slightly beneath my feet. I also smell the scent of the fresh rain on the brown dirt and greenery. Never is there a smell so fresh as rain on green earth. I garden is alive with color, purples, oranges, yellows, greens, whites and reds. The colors are brilliant against the gray of the day. On top of smelling the sweet musky scent of sage I can smell the purple Jasmine, yellow and orange poppies, pale purple, dark red, orange and yellow lantana, orange honey suckle, purple garlic chive and numerous other flowers in bloom.
After a walk through the garden I decide to go to the front yarn. I can smell the white roses that line the front side of the house, the fragrant scent of roses light yet thick. I walk down some steps leading to the front yarn below. I am surrounded by more flowers and two large tree's. There is a huge almond tree in the front yard and a nice sized macademia nut tree. Both tree's are full of nuts which have begun to drop all over the ground. I decide to collect them, filling the pockets of my sweater with them. If I don't get them, the crows and squirrels will. I don't mind sharing but the crows have a tendancy to strip the almond tree before we can get any. As I collect the nuts, Mimzy cat dodges in and out of the bushes, playing hide and seek. Maizey my poodle, who is her best friend, bounces after her. Sasha sniffs along the edge of the yard. Biddy Blue is contentedly sitting on the porch wall, watching us from above. After my pockets are filled with nuts I take them into the house and place them in a large bowl.
I return outside soon after.
I decide to walk to the mail box, to see if it has arrived. The mail box is a quarter of a mile down the road and outside an electric gate. I grab my remote control gate openner and Maizey, Sasha and I head down the road to get the mail. The road runs down between avocado groves and makes a left sharp turn towards the gate. There are more avocado tree's in the groves then I can count. Avocado's liter the ground, ripening then rotting. I hate to see them like that, knowing that people pay a fortune for them in the stores when I have an abundance of them here. The fallen avocado's don't all go to waste. There are many creatures that come in from the hills to enjoy them. The coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, birds and the rare deer come down to enjoy them. Even the dogs love them. Maizey often brings them in from outside. She likes the rotting ones and hides them beneath my bed covers. There have been many occasions when I have climbed into bed only to come in contact with one of these rotting avocados. I pull my arm or leg out from under the covers to see that I am smeared with green and brown goey over ripe avocado. I can't help but laugh. Maizey always looks shocked that I managed to find her hidden treasure. She retrieves it and eats it happily. I feel blessed by the abundance of avocados and share them with all who will take them. There is also many citrus trees around the property. The branches heavy with green fruit that will ripen just after Christmas. The walk is wonderful. I walk swiftly through the mist and drizzle, the feeling is rejuvinating. My cheeks and nose become chilled but the rest of my body warms. Maizey bounces ahead and bounces back to me, egging me on, wanting me to hurry. Sasha with her short legs tries to keep up. The dogs get excited for the walks to the mail box. When we arrive at the end of the road, just before the gate, I gaze up and the two beautiful oaks on either side of the road. The ancient oaks are huge, their branches arching over the road, almost touching. I feel like i am in a tunnel made of branches. I click my gate remote and the iron gate slides open with a clink and many clangs. The dogs bound out ahead of me, I walk to the mail box. The mail isn't here yet but I don't mind. I enjoyed the walk so much that it was worth it.
I call the dogs and together we walk back up the road, toward the house.
Now here i sit at my computer, the rain is falling a little harder outside. I leave my window open so I can smell the fresh scent. I'm looking forward to having another walk down to the mail box. I think I'll do that now. :-)
