nature’s art in the sky…

    
…….. always beckoning me to look up!

~Cheryl

somewhere over the rainbow …..

  I LOVE IT WHEN IT RAINS IN TEXAS

it can happen at any given moment and is always welcome.

rain in the warm weather beckons you to run out in it and dance like a child.

 this is a familiarity to me of growing up in michigan and adoring the summer rainstorms
 – but fearing the thunder and lightening - still.

in texas the rain blows in and out

just long enough to quench the thirst of the land.  just long enough to drench the earth so it can release it’s sweet aroma.

when the rain stops and the sun shines through the clouds

the warming of the earth starts beneath your feet. you begin to smell the steaming dirt, and witness the beauty of the millions of glistening droplets of water left on every blade of grass and each petal of the flowers!

beyond  words

and then, if all is right at just that moment in time ~ a rainbow or two

“somewhere over the rainbow”

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

spring has finally sprung………

Weed or Wildflower ?

 

It doesn’t matter to me….. pretty just the same! 

The photo below is what we woke up to last weekend, amazing what a week can do !

No more snow, no more cold, please!  

Have a beautiful springtime week ~ xo Cheryl

“S” stands for……

 SNOW !!!!

First of all, I wanted to thank all of my blogging peeps for your warm wishes for my return from my terrible funk. I’m telling you, rain and gray skies for weeks on end is the one thing that can obviously send me spiraling downward. I truly feel it is due to the lack of sunshine. Long cold days is one of the reasons I moved  from Michigan to California. I always said, Sunny Southern California is where I was meant to be. Endless sunshine!

This year’s Texas winter has been very unusual because there should be a break between the rain storms with a day or two of sunshine ….. but there was not. Now, instead of the “S” word I was waiting for …. “SUN” …..we got SNOW. But it did the trick! Each snow flake yesterday was like a little ray of sunshine falling from heaven !!

when i woke in the morning … it had been snowing for about 3 hours

(keep this tree in mind throughout this post)

Now, I know all you northerners and easterners are thinking, big deal - snow! Well, it is a big deal for us because ~ it doesn’t snow like this in Texas!

so, off to work I go……

this is no, pretend snow storm ….

I had to mail bills, and you can tell my spirits are back up ….. since I photographed the snowflake that fell on my pants when I opened the window!

Still driving to work ….and I am sure you will get a bit bored with my snow photos, but, this is also my journal so I am going to load them all. Plus we made a new snowfall record in north Texas ……

My morning journey over the lake !

This is where I work at the nursing home. The grounds are pretty! The snow is still falling. Hours: 12. Not really sticking ~ but the flakes are huge.


time to go home……..

End of the day and I am back home on my street…..snow is finally sticking. Hours: 16

It is suppose to keep on snowing for another 6-9 hours !!!! Can’t wait for morning!

The tree is getting heavier with snow……

It’s midnight and our tree is looking a bit scary….. it is so heavy now….and still snowing! Hours: 22

and then……..

….. good morning Tree!

good morning snow!

Hello Mr. Hawk!

SNOW DAY!!!!

Baby, it’s cold outside!

As my son brilliantly pointed out to me, this is his mom's version of a snowman!

I think he knows me better than anyone!

Until next time! Have a beautiful week!

~Cheryl

When lightening strikes …

This is the 4th custom home in our general area (5 mile radius) that has been destroyed by lightening (that I know of) in the past two years. Two years ago, during the first week of June, two homes got hit by lightening during the same 1/2 hour storm and they burnt to the ground. Last week when we had a storm we heard of a home that got hit and also destroyed. We did not even know that the next street over, this neighbor was also hit by lightening in that same storm. This is the result of that lightening strike. It scares me terribly. Coming from California in a populated area, we didn’t hear of homes getting struck by lightening. Transformers were hit, but not homes. We didn’t have many lightening storms for that fact. But here in Texas, every spring and even summer, there are NASTY storms, and all I can do is sit and pray during them. I am like a dog curled up in a corner under the bed when we have lightening storms. And here is proof why I am scared. If anyone knows anything about protecting your home (lightening rods or such) please let me know. I am not sure if the rods attract the lightening or not. I had overheard that this home had a weathervane on their roof ~ was it part of the problem, or just bad luck? So sad.

I hate to leave on a sad note ….. there are too many things to be grateful for and too much beauty around, so I want to share with you my view when I was driving home from work last night!

This is around 8 pm as the sun is getting ready to go down (the perfect time to take pics). The feed corn is all around our area now (with its golden tips!) Nothing like a country road ~ in my book.

~Winter Ice Storm~

click above pic to enlarge

click above pic to enlarge

beauty

need i say more

Photos taken by my son, for me :)

freezing rain........

I only had a moment today to blog and I did not want to miss documenting and sharing this beautiful freezing rain day! This is North Texas for you......80 degrees two days ago and 32 degree freezing rain today! Every little twig of every little branch of every tree is covered in ice....it is a sight to see. I hope you enjoy the pics! ~Cheryl