Early Days

 

I love color swatches. I love paint samples. I love palette play. Up until now, I've only looked, but never tried it. I decided to start small, using my set of 12 Inktense colored pencils, in the order I keep them in the tin. I colored light-medium-dark as best I could and then added one more block with water added (on the far right). I added their company designated names to complete the record. I've really enjoyed this kind of play in videos I've seen...on Deb's dreaming bee blog. I once saw a video where the shades of mixing was related to coffee. How much milk was added, making it very light - to - 'black' pure color. I wish I had saved that to view it again. Anyway, perhaps I will play with this some more.

The 'man things' - things that belonged to my birth-father, my dad or J. (and my mom too!) - how I study them when cleaning and consider the stories they must hold. The man's valet is on it's 4th "owner", with plans to pass it down once again when that time comes. The knife was 'lost' for a long time, well over a year...and spontaneously turned up again this week. Now, where had it run off to and what was it doing?

In looking at Grace's mug of utensils last night, I notice one that looks similar to one I have. I got curious. It turns out that it is a "fruit, cranberry or tomatoes" serving spoon, made by Leonard, silverplate, pattern: "Acorn". This one belonged to someone in my mom's family. I have no idea who, as it was not familiar to me when I laid eyes on it. But, I thought it was pretty and unique, so I hung onto it. I have to say, as someone who lives around a lot of acorns...these don't entirely represent them to me. My research shows one can be had for about $5.00-$25.00 online shopping.

I am reading a new book. Finally. I'm enjoying it and will post more soon. I'm so happy to have gotten hooked into a book again.

#11 Catching Rain Or Not

I tried to catch some rain water from our last storm. However the patio is deeply covered and I did not want the mug to get blown off, so I tucked it on the the table out there. The wind was not as fierce as the first storm, keeping it in a pretty dry spot...so my cup does not runneth over! This had me considering the old thoughts of how much is enough? To one stranded in the desert, this may seem an abundance.

It's been between the 50°-60°'s, mostly gray cloud covered skies. Today, some blue has busted through. Yay!

What sparks your curiosity? 

 

May you find enough to do

May you appreciate 'enough' when you bump into it

May you have enough of what you need

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

Difference & Similar

 

We were excited to go to the bridge and check out the river after our big storm. We were not disappointed!! Can you believe the difference in just 5 days?! There was barely a sandbar to see. The river stretched from bank to bank and roared by. Truly. You wouldn't believe how loud our lil river was. And yes, that is an uprooted tree floating out there. The top two pics are the same direction/orientation I always take for comparison. So, the top pic looks East, towards town and the second pic looks West, towards the freeway and the highway to the ocean beyond that. I again took photos of the river between the two trees. Amazing difference.

It turned out to be quite a rainy walk. Not a hard rain, but we were pretty wet by the time we got back to the car.  It was so interesting to see this area in a different weather environment. No bright blue sky, no puffy clouds and lizard filled sandy soil. Instead today showed us where the water flows during a rainstorm and the brilliant green or shiny look of a well-watered world. We were presented the wildness that happens after a big wind/storm event (look at that fence!).

The fallen tree in the photo above had a bunch of fungi. Can you see it down there? Someone had driven a vehicle through the wood chips/mud area making a mess, but likely having their fun in the rain. We found the little duck (a bee-duck?) in a gopher hole and rescued it, only to decide to play Pooh Sticks with it on our way back. J. chucked it in the roaring river - where we caught a momentary glance before it bobbed away. When we raced across the bridge to see it come through, I mistakenly thought the bright orange would make it easy to see. That was not so and we only caught sight of it for a second, before it tumbled off towards the sea. You can see a simple MAP for the river's path at the link. I've probably put this info here, but I will again anyway...more information on the Santa Clara River. Because this river often doesn't have much water flowing, I forget that it is one of the last wild rivers in the area and is an important resource for wildlife.

Anyway, watching the orange duck disappear down the river (probably screaming "Hey! How'd I get here? Where am I going? Help!!) had me remembering this old book, which was a favorite of my son's. The difference here is that this duck was wheeled and made of wood. But they both had quite the adventure!!

Too Many Daves- The Runaway Duck

LINK 7:37 minutes

#10 Catching rain: May Your Cup Runneth Over

The MUG SHOT mug is on the porch, ready to catch any wild rain that may fall. I chose to leave it safely tucked in between the turtle and a empty pot and not on the railing where the wind may blow it to smithereens!

What weather adventure have you had?

 

May you notice the similarities

May you discover the differences

May you hold both close to your heart

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

So Many Love Stories

 

Treading water between

memories of the past and

promises for the future

A funeral, a baby shower and in between

thousands of family photos to be sorted, treasured and shared or shredded

My head swims in the attached stories, both new and old

There is a season for this kind of work

I'm in that season right now

I am not drowning in it, just

treading water and embracing the many kinds of 

love stories

If you go to this LINK, you can read/listen to a beautiful poem titled:                                 "Great Granny Lucy and I"

Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away

~Ben Hecht

#9 Photo Trail

Photographs & Memories

LINK 2:08 minutes

How do you feel about your kept photographs? 

 

May you keep the memories, even if not the photos

May you celebrate each life well lived

May you celebrate the arrival of each new life

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

Celebrate Spring

 

Again yesterday, I was at the medical offices parking lot...noticing new things.

We talked about the fact that we have been there a few times recently, and upon each visit (starting with the first one, a white rose), I discovered more and more...different beauty. I go there again in a little while today and am wondering what I will see?

The leaves on this one were really something. Their shape was so pleasing and they were so soft to the touch. The new, shiny leaves had a waxy feel, but the more mature leaves felt like soft cloth.

The flowers and seed pods caught my eye too...but on this day it was the leaves.

The ferns and flowers with their seeds and delicate greenery spoke of new life, new season. The lavender flowers were tucked in so tightly, they could have been easily missed.

I'm glad they were not missed, but smiled up to me instead.

I did not have anything in mind, but the need for escape drawing, so I played with this old page for a while last night. As I added shapes and colored them, I considered that my set of 12 Derwent Inktense Pencils works just fine...but I also wouldn't mind more colors as I express myself.

You can see that blue and brown are my favorites! The idea of more pencils, led to a new MUG SHOT...because sometimes 5 pencils (or 12 pencils, as the case may be) just don't do the trick.

#8 Pencils

For some reason, it struck me funny that after 7 MUG SHOTS, I finally dropped something over the railing. I was glad it was not something breakable or something that would not do well to get dirty. It landed like a dart thrown into the earth.

Walking around to fetch it, I could see all of the debris from the ongoing project out there. I'll be glad when it gets back to normal. I thought about how Grace loves the corridor and how awful it looks right now. They've also knocked a bunch of the vines off the wall. So, now they hang there in big clumps, while the slump stone wall stares at me. Ick.

I passed by 3 big piles. sigh. I knew there was one under our bedroom window, as I heard an animal (raccoon? possum?) or human (hope not) bumping into it in the dark of night a few days ago. 

How do you keep yourself focused on 'noticing'? 

 

May you keep finding and being delighted by nature

May you color with what you can

May you live life outside the lines

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

Projects and Walks with Nature

 

The "Tree of Heaven" out back is starting to get new leaves. That is an oak next to it. I like the oak, but the Tree of Heaven is a big pain in the neck. They grow huge and prolific, sending out new trees constantly. They are messy. I was hoping that this one would quietly go away. Nope.

Eric Hanson

LINK 23:20 minutes

This is the first video of his I've ever seen, but since we have been trying to be outside walking, it caught my eye. The thought of my grandchildren...well, all future generations not having these beautiful places available to them makes my heart sick.

Today was a Bridge day. A nice flat walk on a 90° day. It was warm! The first pic in this set is the scent of Camp Kinneret, stopping me in my tracks to soak it in. The two other pics show abundant new growth...bright green and covering the ground all along the way towards the bridge. A quick search identifies it as it maybe "chervil" (or French Parsley)...or maybe something else? It looks amazing!

Two Gun Shots Startle Jackie! Shadow Remains On Nest! They Are OK! Big Bear Eagles @FOBBVCAM 3.23.25

LINK 5:14 minutes

This update on the Big Bear Eagles...I honestly never thought of how these gorgeous creatures would be affected by loud sounds - made by man.

Made by man.

Again my heart hurt at their concerned pausing as the loud shots interrupted their day. The next time I think about being the Hawk and flying far, far away...I'll remember this message. Do you ever really get away?

What we do matters to all, on every level.

The water was so clear and beautiful today. The toads were loud and the light on the water was a mesmerizing movement of patterns.

 This exquisitely slender and dainty egret went for a walk in the river. When I zoomed in, I could see the color and shape of its feet...and the head feathers looked like a mullet. Ha.

And there were SO MANY lizards, big and little. It seemed as if every fence post held a lizard facing head down or racing to and fro on the warm pavement or dirt. There were two lizards frozen in a face off (bottom pic). Their lizard faces made me smile. They look so tough.  Some were quite dark in color and some that sandy color we see so often.

What a beautiful day for a walk, even if it doesn't challenge one with hills or longer length and so on. A stroll is good, especially when it is in a well-loved place.

Upon returning home, I worked on my drawing (posted yesterday). It was not complete for me, for it did not represent what was in my mind. I needed more color and movement. So, I added layers of colored pencil marks and used those water-brush-pens (I'm sure they have a real name haha) to move the pencil marks into a more obvious flow. I added white pencil marks along the interior lines that represent water ebbing and flowing in upon the shore. There is more about this drawing, but I'm still considering it.

I stepped out to make photos and the sheer number of bees was surprising. Just imagine these trees absolutely FULL of bees!

This is my newest MUG SHOT...#7 Project. It holds the tools I needed to work on my drawing, moving it forward in my process. I've had these pen-brushes for awhile and today was just the moment to play with them.

*Thanks go out to Deb L for the gift of two of those pen-brushes. They worked great and offered me a new way to express myself. Thanks 🙂

How do you digest the news of the day?  Where do you fly far, far away to?

May you fly away as needed

May you be informed

May you problem-solve and play with solutions for self expression

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough