Can’t Let Go of Spring

Spring happened early in Three Rivers this year. It also seems to be ending early. It is hard to comprehend that Farewell To Spring began blooming around the lake at the end of March, when normally they don’t appear until the end of April or beginning of May.

You may have noticed that I am a little obsessed with the flowers growing in the wild and the ones blooming in my yard. By the time this post is appearing, all of these will be toast.

On the front porch; I think these are called Queen’s Tears.

Early early early for the climbing roses—normally they appear at the end of April.

A last hurrah for these iris. . . I think I’ll plant even more next fall. (Greedy? yeah, maybe)

In the orange grove of a friend, where we like to glean oranges, particularly when they are in bloom. Citrus is unusual in the plant world in that the blossoms and the fruit can be present at the same time (depending on when the fruit is picked.)

Around the time that the rest of the wildflowers and the green fade, I can always count on finding these penstemon on a regular walk in the neighborhood.

Fading fast. . . sigh.

This one would make a nice painting, and if I substituted poppies for the common madia, it might even sell.

The fiesta flower takes some of the pain out of spring’s end.

Okay, I’m tryna be brave here. ‘Posed to be working. Imma get something done besides obsess about flowers.

Maybe. Maybe I’ll stop speaking slang and straighten up and fly right now that spring’s distraction is ending.

Morning Walk in Three Rivers

This was on March 26, so things already don’t look like this. Spring goes too fast, particularly when we get early days of heat.

And look at my yard when almost everything bloomed at the same time because of the early heat.

Spring will end soon, and I will remember that this blog is supposed to be supporting my art business, not just a place to gloat about being able to live in Three Rivers in the springtime.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Even More Spring in Three Rivers

Okay, it’s just pictures of spring in my yard. And I took these photos 2 weeks ago. Just hanging on to every last drop.

Herb Garden first. Why do I have an herb garden? Because when we first moved to Three Rivers, I was desperately looking for anything the deer wouldn’t eat. Eventually I cobbled a series of fences together to protect this little area, but the soil is poor, and it gets zero sun in the winter while baking in the summer. So, herbs mostly work.

Now let’s return to the most beautiful part of the yard. Yeppers, you’ve seen this before, but more are open now and the light changes too.

I’ll pull myself together soon, think of something to write about, focus on the work ahead. Thanks for hanging with me.

More Spring in Three Rivers

Yes, some repetition here. This little segment of the yard is stunning, and I try to look at it different times of the day, every single day.

Enjoying our seasonal “lawn”, which is mowed weeds, irrigated by rain.

Lilac!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, K.C.!

Loving Spring in Three Rivers

Let’s just enjoy some photos. Or how about you enjoy them while I recover from the book project, Springville’s Hospital.

And then, I headed to church to work on Phase II of the landscaping project begun a couple of years ago.

Last year
This year
Forty new plants, all native to this area, with little buckets to indicate where to put the drip irrigation! I had help choosing, help raking the wood chips, help planting, and help putting in the irrigation. Prolly won’t have much help weeding.

Mid-day Walk in Three Rivers

Was it mid-day? or mid-morning? Dunno. Nobody cares. Let’s have some photos.

Oops, these are from the early morning walk.

Look how much the tulip opened in the 1/2 hour we were on the walk!

This is Ray Hartman ceanothus, maybe the best one I’ve seen. There are several in the neighborhood.

I like this mural, but the Ivanhoe library mural remains my favorite.

Comb Rocks in the distance.

I shook this blooming tree branch to see if my inferior phone camera could catch the pollen blowing around. This is a Chinese pistache tree, the kind that self-sows and looks brilliant in the fall.

The rest of these photos were at home. It was so beautiful out that I lollygagged around, taking photos, procrastinating about diving into that indoor editing job.

My life is mellow, everything near home, just the way I like it. Except for that nagging book deadline. Self-imposed, but still urgent. Back to work!

UPDATE: The book is now finished. . . I wrote today’s post a week ago.

Morning Walk in Three Rivers

Before the sun hit the ridge across the canyon.

Same flowers, after the sun hit the hills across the canyon.

Comb Rocks.

Now, back to book editing, photo editing, photo captioning and placing, and book formatting.

How Fast?

Walking Partner and I noticed something different a week or two ago here in Three Rivers: new speed limit signs on a private road.

This is one post. 15 mph heading upstream, 5 mph heading downstream. (This is along the river—could you guess that?)

Here’s another one: This time it was 15 mph going downstream and 5 mph going upstream.

And here is another on the same road: 5 mph both upstream and downstream, but this time there is an explanation for those heading up. “Slow blind curve ahead” could apply to the bulk of the road.

And at this intersection, it is 15 mph regardless of the direction you head.

Never mind. Let’s look at some wildflowers along the walk.

This is the kind of sign I’m used to. Custom. Interesting enough to perhaps cause someone to notice.

Walking Partner and I walk about 3.5 mph, in case you were wondering. We used to walk 4 mph, but we’ve never been this old before.

(Neither has my friend GE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GE!!)

Tempted Away From Painting

On a fabulously springlike day in February, Trail Guy tempted me away from painting: easy to do when there are wildflowers and it isn’t hot and I don’t have a tight deadline.

First, I noticed all the chemtrails. Yeah, yeah, I know, “contrails”, but I still think there are way more than we have passenger jets above. The general direction is usually south to north, or west to east. I believe something secretive and possibly nefarious is taking place. Yes, I am susceptible to conspiracy theories; often the distance between one of those theories and reality is about 6 months.

We drove down toward Kaweah Lake, parked at the upper end of the Slick Rock area and then meandered upstream along the river, with a wee bit of accidental trespassing behind the Lazy J Motel.

A great redbud in the parking lot!

We headed toward the river, went across someone’s former foundation and down these steps to the river trail.

In putting this post together, I remembered WAIT (Why Am I Talking?) and decided that the photos can do the talking today.

I also decided to start looking for a new camera.

March Forth on March Fourth

This pencil drawing was done from several photos taken in the campground Sequoia RV Ranch up North Fork Drive in Three Rivers. Like the other drawings used in the 2026 calendar, the original is on a piece of 11×14” archival paper. It is for sale. $375 (plus tax if you live in California) or make me an offer, because sometimes I get tired of being businesslike and think the drawings are better on someone’s wall than in my flat files.

Same sizes and prices for the January drawing, and February drawing.

I painted this scene a few times too, but they sold a long time ago.

I am willing to paint it again, because I accept commissions. (Tryna be businesslike here)