Sunday, December 7, 2008

Two Seasons

Folks from other parts of the country who move to California often complain about the lack of seasons. Au contraire! There are two seasons. This is what my druid mentor would say: there is a dry season...and there is a wet season. Wet starts late fall and goes to spring when the rains cease. Then the hills turn to that lovely golden brown California is so well known for (hence the name "The Golden State.") Then as soon as the rains start up again late fall everything turns a brilliant emerald green again.

This is quite opposite of the Midwest where it is brown in the winter and green in the summer. When I've visited there it always struck me as odd being so hot and being so green, being a California girl. I've grown up associating hot with brown. Today, with it being in the 30s this morning, all along the path to the house it was so green with new shoots, encouraged by the recent rains. Is it Spring? Nope. Nearly Midwinter.

The acorn crop is very sparse thus far. We'll see how wet the "season" ends up being this year.