Sunshine, Daffodils, Cedars, and the Dam



Another beautiful sunny and clear day. A tad warmer. The wind is still brisk and cold, probably coming off the snow on the mountains. 






My drooping Daffodil. 






These have been planted for years so I am surprised they are blooming. Seems they are right on schedule though - after checking, they always bloom mid-January - drought or rain. They have their own little built-in timer. 





The teeny tiny roses love the winter. 





I'm a tree lover - this is the pretty bark on my incense cedar tree. 




The incense cedar is a large tree that has a conical crown of spreading branches producing soft, scale-like leaves. As its common name suggests, these cypress trees are highly aromatic and native to California and northwest Mexico.

In colder climates, incense cedars grow naturally as tall columnar trees. In warmer climates, its significant growth has a spreading nature that provides shade underneath. These elegant, ornamental trees are excellent as specimen trees in large garden landscapes.


I watch this show called Chef vs Wild. These chefs have a few days to forage natural ingredients and make a 5-star meal. Just last night, one of them infused cedar into a dish, and apparently, it tastes similar to coconut. 

Now I don't know if it is that way for the Insense cedar - these trees were in British Columbia. Foodie is very interested in foraging - You have to really know what you are doing. Our recreation center has classes on forging...it's getting to be popular. 




Well, the husband went to work today and I had errands to do - I started dinner in the crock pot; round steak with cream of mushroom soup. Quick and simple.  Then I bought us a deli sandwich and met him for lunch. Found out they closed down our local Bed Bath & Beyond.  Came home, started laundry, swept the floors, emptied the dishwasher - 





Decided I wanted to take a quick drive out to the Dam to look at the lake. 

I was the only person on the Dam. 





click to make larger x 2


Cold up on the Dam - (to the right) took my photos and came home. 

Those dry islands that were there a month ago are now gone. 

I don't usually take a panorama photo - I must have pressed it by accident. 


Simply Safe called my husband - told him our automatic payment failed in December. So he called me to take care of it. I had forgotten to update them after I received my new debit card last month. It's funny though - I called and spoke with a man who sounded like he was from India. I could not understand him. We went round and round - and he was nice, trying very hard to help me but we had a definite language barrier so I told him I would take care of it online. 

Then I went online and did it myself. Much faster. 


Good News - Navy told me the inlaws that have been living with them, are moving out at the end of this month. They bought a manufactured home in Butte County. I know my daughter-in-law will miss them and the little girl but they helped them for a whole year - footing the cost of 2 adults and 1 child so they could get on their feet. They did good but It's time. 

All the adult kids were boomerangs at one time and the husband thought they would never move out. We had a full house and Char was living in the motorhome at the side of our house. It was a crazy time.  I kept the faith - and they eventually did move.  It wasn't easy but we did it. It was all total of about 2 years, I think. 


That's it for me this Friday. Hard to think it's almost February in just 11 days. 















 

17 comments:

  1. Ah, the daffodils are blooming! Wow! We can't grow daffodils here in Florida, and I miss them. I always have to buy a pot of them for my sister's birthday, which is April 5th. Sometimes they are hard to find even then. Tradition: our mother always baked an angel food cake for my sister's birthday, and would put a little glass of daffodils in the hold in the center. That was when we still lived up north in PA. When we moved to Florida she couldn't find them so often had to use artificial ones. But the tradition lives on and now I bake the angel food cake for her birthday and try to find daffodils. Sometimes I have to use fake ones too. She bakes (or buys at Costco) an apple pie for my birthday, which is also what our mother baked for me in September. Okay, enough of that. I love your photos of the dam and water, etc. Happy family situations are working out. It is difficult for adult children to live with parents, etc.,. We've been through that several times. We are currently empty nesters and are getting used to it. But we are always happy when our son comes home on the weekend to do his laundry and also do little jobs for us that we need help with. It's a win/win for all. Yes, hard to believe Feb. is so soon. Time sure is flying... Have a blessed weekend. That round steak in the crock pot sounds good. Haven't had a round steak (or any steak) in a long time. I may have to splurge. Thank you for the idea.

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    1. I thought daffodils grew everywhere. I wonder why you can't grow them in Florida? Never mind, I just googled it and it said the bulbs need a period of cool dormancy. Maybe you could dig them up and place them in a cool area and then plant them. That could work.

      Oh the round steak in mushroom gravy was quite good and very tender.

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  2. Just a note...I wanted you to know that I went back and read some of your older posts/blogs regarding your dear son Michael. I did not know his story until now. Just want you to know that his story is a gift to all who read it...thank you for having the courage to share it with us, and also how he was the one who opened the way for you to find Jesus in your own heart. What a special story. Just wanted you to know that I read that. (((hugs))) and love to you from another mother who had to say farewell to a precious son way too soon. circumstances were different, but the results are still the same. WE are never the same after suffering such a loss, but because of Jesus, we know we have eternity to look forward to and our sons are there waiting and getting things ready for us. (((hugs))) to you tonight.

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    1. Aww thank you for this, Pam. I hold on to the fact, that I will see him again. Yes I remember you mentioning about your son. There are a few of us, who have - God Bless you.

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  3. Dearest Debby,
    Wow those images from the Dam and the Lake are incredible!
    So are your spring flowers—first bodes of spring.
    You wrote: Our recreation center has classes on forging...it's getting to be popular. But you of course meant classes on foraging... Forging you do with iron 😏
    Same with your 'intense' cedar written under the bark photo—sure that must be incense and I do LOVE its fragrance!
    Big hugs,
    Mariette

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  4. I have never heard of this kind of Cedar, very interesting. And the bark is gorgeous! Our Bed Bath & Beyond closed down as well. It is now a Burlington store. Your dam photos are beautiful. Here; Daffodils only bloom in the spring.

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    1. Sometimes, late January here in California is Spring.

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  5. I never get tired of seeing the dam or the lake or the mountain. Always brings back good memories for me.

    Leslie

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    1. It was nice and quiet - just beautiful. I'm glad I can spark up some fond memories for you

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  6. I am glad that the kids will have their place to themselves again. I think many of us have gone through the 'helping' stage and been rewarded one way or another. I love the photos and it is nice to see some things growing. I am already looking forward to spring here.
    Love how the lady above corrected you....seriously, read and move on without trying to admonish someone's use of language.
    I hope you have a blessed, wonderful weekend. xo Diana

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  7. Interesting looking bark and pretty.
    Loved seeing the dam, it must have been nice being the only one there.

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    1. Yes. Only the armed federal security on the Dam.

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  8. I've never seen these cedars - very interesting bark patterns. The daffodils are lovely!

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  9. Hi Debby! I love the pictures in this post. Glad you are getting some respite from the rain. I am wondering what dam and reservoir that is. I am glad that the rain has helped the water supply. We are 200% of normal snowpack here in Utah and the Great Salt Lake has risen some, but I don't think we are completely out of the woods, drought-wise. We only had one of our kids boomerang back home, although we would help any of our kids or grandkids that needed it. Our youngest is now away at college. We will help him get on his feet and out on his own once he graduates. It's always nice to see what is going on in your world. See you again soon.

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    1. This is Shasta Dam and the Lake Shasta; California's biggest Lake. At 602 feet (183 m) high, it is the eighth-tallest dam in the United States. We're at 50% capacity. Still a long way to go. It's the ground water that will take years to replenish.

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  10. Your photos of the dam are lovely and you make me want to have one of those cedar trees in my own yard, the bark is just so interesting.

    God bless.

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    1. They would probably grow - They are in our snowy mountains.

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