Category Archives: nature

nature, Photography

Japanese Garden Tour

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The Japanese Garden is very pretty all year as it cycles through the seasons, but right now it’s decked out in autumn loveliness.

Rhododendron and azalea bushes.
Japanese “Fullmoon” maple.
Japanese maple in the foreground.
Across the pond.
The koi are still active although they’re beginning to slow down and will soon go into dormancy.
Ginkgo biloba leaves festoon a hedge bush.
A last look.

Happy Tuesday.

nature, Photography

Weather Change

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We have been getting quite a bit of rain lately, which has been terrific for two reasons. First, we’re gradually climbing out of our drought, and secondly, at the higher elevations it’s coming down as snow, which is a good thing for all the skiers and ski resort operators. Our nearby ski mountain, Apex, is apparently developing a good base layer.

If you look straight down the lake toward the low mountain at the other end, you can see some higher elevation snow.
As a result, the overcast, while not my favourite weather pattern, definitely has some advantages hidden in its silvery clouds.

As long as we continue to get rain down here in the valley, I’m very happy to welcome the mountain snow, even though driving conditions in the passes become demanding.

No one has ever had to shovel rain out of a driveway!

Happy Sunday.