“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” -Maya Angelou
One Liner Wednesday featured image Santa Cruz [California] Sunset by Anita Ritenour on Flickr.

and

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” -Maya Angelou
One Liner Wednesday featured image Santa Cruz [California] Sunset by Anita Ritenour on Flickr.

and

I say “drive carefully” to my family members any time I know they are going off in the car. We do a lot of driving in California and I usually enjoy driving,but not in crazy rush hour traffic. I am not really keen on driving along narrow, winding roads that run along a high cliff like Highway 1 in California. Although, if I am the passenger, I work to tamp down my fears and enjoy the spectacular views. One place along that highway with a history of being particularly dangerous is Devil’s Slide. When I was a teenager I heard tales of reckless young drivers going over the edge. This section of the highway has been bypassed now and the old section has been converted into hiking and bike trails, a very good idea. Here’s a link to the history of Devil’s Slide and Highway 1, and “drive carefully.”
This post is part of JusJotItJan guest hosted by Dan Antion at No Facilities. The prompt word for today is ” danger” suggested by Mathew at MWLange, you can check out his blog,too.

Winter is the time for quiet and contemplation. The sunlight is weaker and the temperatures drop. Darkness comes earlier in the evening and I find my energy waning. Nature and I are drawing inward to ourselves. The power of life is not diminished, it is just resting and storing up energy. In the Spring it will burst forth again. No man made force can hold it back.
JusJotItJanuary is hosted today by Dan Antion of No Facilities. Word prompt “power” supplied by Erica at 20/20 hines sight. Click on their links to visit their blogs. Featured image of Bodie Hills, Ca. via Bob Wick of US Bureau of Land Management Conservationlands April File on Wikimedia. Click here to get some interesting information about the Bodie Hills location.

Mongrel, mutt, mixed breed, rejected, dejected. You are a loyal friend, ready to believe in man again.
JustJoJan guest hosted by Dan Antion of No Facilities, prompt word “mongrel,” Image Dog in Animal Shelter Washington, Iowa by Nhandler on Wikipedia.

This year I definitely need a winter coat in California and a raincoat to boot, (and boots to boot). It has been a long time since I needed winter clothes here in Southern California because it never gets cold enough. We are expecting a real winter for a change after several years of drought. I am liking the change in weather here.
“California Rain Storms”
Rain on Saturday
Atmospheric rivers flow
Hole in my rainboots

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday and JustJotItJan hosted by Linda G Hill. The prompt for today is “coat.” Featured image “Paris Street; Rainy Day” by Gustave Cailebotte via Wikipedia. Girl in Raincoat image via Pixabay.com.


“Perhaps I write for no one. Perhaps for the same person children are writing for when they scrawl their names in the snow.”
― Margaret Atwood
I enjoy writing on my blog. But is it something tangible and am I a real writer? What is a real writer? It is someone who produces a tangible product like a book or published article. I am writing therefore I am a writer even if I never sell or publish any of it. Writing on my blog or anywhere else is not a job or career and I don’t think I want it to be just now. It is a form of creative expression and sometimes I get on My Soapbox about an issue. A description of my blog writing matches these synonyms for hobby:
Amusement, relaxation, divertissement (ooh, cool French), play, interest, leisure activity, sometimes whimsy, but also art, craft. It is way of being creative for me. Fun.
JustJotItJanuary is being guest hosted by Rosemary Carlson. The prompt word, “tangible” was provided by Prajakta at An Armchair Perfectionist.

Bangle, fandangle, spangle, sparkle,
Glisten, glimmer, glow,
Razzle, dazzle, bedazzle,
California Jewels.
California is pretty bedazzling. I am grateful to be a native and love so many of its beautiful natural sites and exciting cities. The LA Times is doing a Calfornia Bucket List series which covers many great places to see in California. Here’s a great little video on the San Francisco cable cars, “that climb halfway to the stars.”
And here’s a few more beautiful spots:

Big Sur Coast

Inspiration Point Anacapa Island

Point Lobos Headlands Cove

Muir Woods Trail

El Matador Beach

California Coastal National Monument Point Arena by US Bureau of Land Managemnt

Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas, California

Coastal Redwoods

Peachy Canyon Vineyard at Sunrise near Paso Robles by Macolm Carlaw

‘Vineyard bathed in light’ (Sonoma) by torbakhopper

Big River Mendocino via Jar [o] on Flickr
Half Dome Yosemite via LA Times Postcards from The West:

California Dream Orange Crate Label photo courtesy of Orange County Archives

The State Arms of the Union by Henry Mitchell 1876
This post is part of JustJotItJanuary guest hosted by Rosemary Carlson. The prompt word for today’s post was “spangly,” supplied by Judy B. Martin at Edwina’s Episodes.
“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Featured image from US Bureau of Land Management’s Top 15 Places on National Conservation Lands for Night Sky Viewing via Flickr.
This post is for One Liner Wednesday hosted by Linda G Hill.


My morning ritual is coffee, toast/bagel, read several news sites, email, gradually get ready for the day. Having some jittery feelings about the transition to the new President. There are so many news reports of his political appointments, tweets, and general prophecies of doom, gloom, foreboding, and The Russians. So I need to titrate the amounts of these stories going into my brain to help protect myself. Balance the negative with the positive hopefully. Remember there is positive in the world like my duck and turtle crossing sign. I mean if people are trying to protect the ducks and turtles there has to be some good will out there, right? 🙂
The prompt for today’s post is “warning” supplied by my friend Dan Antion at No Facilities for JustJotItJanuary hosted by Linda G Hill. Featured image via Max Pixel.

I love reading books. And I spotted this new Reading Challenge on DebraB’s blog, BookingIt. Well I like her name and the challenge. 😀 (We share the same first name but spell it differently.) So this is my official sign up page for the Books and Chocolates Back to the Classics Challenge 2017. You can click on the link to see the rules if you’re interested. And who doesn’t like the idea of booking it and books and chocolates.

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