Why does this happen, I do not know. Is it cruel trickery or a happening purely without malice? I do not know. After months of dark, damp COLD days … suddenly bright blue skies and warm breezes prevail in my corner of the world. Time for flip flops and a jaunt out into the backyard to see what has survived the storms.
Perchance, a visit the local nursery is in order? Spring must be just around the corner! Time to open the old wallet and buy, buy, buy. The ground is soft, the time to plant is now!
Not so fast, Old Timer. You’ve lived in California long enough to know, it’s a trick. Often without warning, the ocean breezes will change course, and, before you can get all those plants in the ground, winter will return again. Often with a vengeance which makes Donald Trump look like Pollyanna. Now wouldn’t that be something – DT in drag channeling Pollyanna. Hello Hollywood?
The best course is to enjoy each blissful day, and if you must have a task, clean up the debris from winter storms.
This tree was dead before it hit the ground. Massive tree heart attack or some such thing. It took out a wire fence that wasn’t much good at keeping out critters anyway.
A rotting limb fell into a much younger oak. At some point it will need to come down but this is a task that’s beyond me and can definitely wait for summer.
The tea house has survived but the deck was covered with piles of leaves and other debris. I did the best I could but the wood on the deck’s shady side has already begun to rot. Another project for summer’s list. Sigh.
Underneath one pile of leaves I found the remains of some poor creature.
Ugh. Perhaps I can pretend I didn’t really see it.
“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.” Ernest Hemingway, The Moveable Feast
Saying nothing in particular 
We (in SoCal) didn’t get quite as much rain as you did, but what we did get has turned our yard into a weed farm. Now that we have some warmth and blue skies again, I have the same urge to plant. We did get three volunteer tomato plants from our neighbor so we’ll see how they do.
Good luck! I think I’ve given up on tomatoes – we don’t get enough sun to keep them happy 🍅
I like the quote. You have a tea house?????
My dad, my husband and son built it over the span of about four years. It was quite the project!
I’m a tea lover and drinker and that sounds fabulous!
You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you, that’s for sure.
Around our house there always projects!
I love that tea house! What does one do in one–drink tea? We had the storms in November, too many atmospheric rivers and windstorms. Now it’s too warm for mountain snow which we need. A strange winter! My tulips will probably bloom very early if this keeps up.
I have an easel down there and so i pretend I am a painter!
Fallen limbs, and nests, and birds, are all part of Mother Nature’s circle of life… but it still feels like a gut punch when I see it on our family farm. All the best for 2026 – may you keep a Spring in your step! Linda xox
True. The tree will make excellent compose – it’s already decaying! Thanks Linda!
Ours end up as firewood or compost (chipped or just in place) – if it’s the right wood in the right place I’m going to try to make a fernery when the weather cools! 💚
You have a tea house! I’m quite jealous.
Though not of the dehydrated mouse corpse.
😉
Poor mouse! I’m not a fan of rats but the field mice are delightful!
Beautiful, my friend. You know how to turn disaster into beauty. The tea house… I can see myself there, drinking coffee, maybe a little tea, and reading a book all day long.
That’s a lovely tea house. Is that covering washi? It survived the rain?
Our leaves are starting to change colour on the trees. It is very early. I suspect we have another early and cold winter coming. Ugh. Your tea house is gorgeous.
False Springs are really common here in California and so you’d think we’d all just relax and enjoy them but Californians always have the drought years at the back of our minds! I hope it’s just a blimp and you have a close to normal year!
Yes, I understand. It’s the same here.
So sorry to hear about this, Jan. i could see that you love Japan just by seeing your tea house.
I’ve never been to Japan so this will be a first! I was very happy to stumble upon your lovely blog! Great photos and info.
Glad if I can be of help somehow.
I dpn’t know about California, but I know that in France, there is a “redoux” (resoftening) around late feb/march that can be fatal to wineyards. a few days of warm weather, the vines sprout, than a deep freeze comes and burns the vines. Farmers are now getting prepared to cover the plants, put heating sources… But it’s like running after an express train…
We’re back to temps in the 50s, cloudy skies and fog and so it appears to have been a brief respite. We didn’t get nearly enough warmth or sun to fool Mother Nature … this time.
Flip flops, already? Ok, I’m officially jealous now.
(That tea house is magical. Ideal for writing.)
We’re back to the cold. It was just a teaser.
Oh….