5.6

We had an earthquake earlier tonight: 8:04 P.M. to be exact. The earthquake was the most powerful one we've had in a while, a 5.6 on the Richter scale.

When the quake hit, it sounded like a sonic boom hit my house!

Rain

Today we got the first rain of the season, and it was enough to make everything wet and clean the air. Here's some moss that greened-up quite quickly once the rain started.

Feels Like Fall

Fall is definitely making itself known here in Northern California. The high today was only about 75, with constant crisp breezes.

My cool-season vegetable garden, is, however, doing well. I have hundreds of arugula seedlings and the Swiss chard is just starting to come up.

Although I could care less for the cool temps, some rain would be great right about now.

September Heat

It's 106 degrees outside right now.

1-0-6.

Is that hot enough for the month that includes the start of fall?

I am hoping we will get an early rain storm so that my garden can have some relief from the heat!

Alpine Strawberry

A 'White Delight' alpine strawberry flower in the vegetable gardens of The French Laundry.

It's Raining..In July!

Incredibly, rain is falling outside my window right now even though we're in the driest part of the year. This may sound kind of odd to you folks not in California, but it's a rarity to have any sort of precipitation here during the summer.

Thunderstorm Over the Sierra

I watched as tiny, harmless-looking clouds grew into this huge thunderstorm.

Tahoe Lupine

A lupine growing next to Ward Creek.

Ward Creek Falls

Ward Creek drops over a cliff near Lake Tahoe.

Independence

Some of the fireworks in Tahoe City, California on the 4th of July.

Golden Gate Video

I shot this video from the Marin Headlands last September. It was a very beautiful day!

Union

Venus and the Moon close to each other last night.

Wind Poppy

The small and rare wind poppy, Stylomecon heterophylla.

Pipevine Swallowtail

A pipevine swallowtail nectaring on thistle.

Rain!

Finally, after weeks of "unbearable" sunny weather, we are getting needed rain. The grass on the hills is being given a few more days of life before the hot sun bakes it to a crisp. The garden seems to be responding well to the rain, as things have been a little too dry for comfort this past month.

Update:

There was a super heavy downpour today as showers blew through the area. It was sunny and literally 1 minute later the streets had turned into flooded rivers. The rain was coming down in drenching sheets, so hard that waterfalls were pouring off of the roofs of houses. Almost as soon as the downpour began, it stopped, and the sun came out again.

Red Angel's Trumpet

A bright red angel's trumpet, Brugmansia sanguinea, at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden.

Owl's Clover

An owl's clover flower, Castilleja exserta, growing alongside a trail.

Native Clematis

This is a California native clematis, Clematis lasiantha.

Lush Landscape

A picturesque trail winds through an oak forest on Mt. Diablo.

Freshwater Spring

Cool, clear water emits from the ground at this spring. The water comes out from under the rocks in the top right-hand portion of the photo.