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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

THE SUNNY (NOT) SIDE OF CALIFORNIA

California is really a state with contrasts, also in the weather! 
It's known for the beaches because hot and sunny weather all around. Well, almost all year. 


This week we are having three storms predicted. And the first one on Tuesday went out with a bang. 
Oceanside, close to San Diego, and about 45 min. away from where I live, was hit with an honest to goodness  tornado.  Trees uprooted and piled on top of cars, cars turned over, parts of roofs ripped off.  It sounds like a tornado, doesn't it? These poor people - it "never" happens in California, so who expects it??
  
A bit more in the expectation range is that houses are flooded. Hubby who went to have the car fixed, saw on the news there of a neighborhood that was flooded. The police went from door to door, because people couldn't get out of their houses. One house was dry inside, but when they opened the front door because the police rang the doorbell, the water came rushing in, and now their house is flooded too (Oh, the ultimate of frustration!!)


This "lake" is the flooded parking lot! 

You can see the stripes where the cars have to park. Our own  story is that yesterday hubby was driving through a flooded area with a Sprinter truck (so it's high off the ground).  The wind was so strong that it blew the water from underneath the wheels all the way up and sprayed  the window. 
He said that it was scary (and he is one who drives without snow tires in the snow like the Northerners), because he couldn't see anything for a few minutes and cars were driving behind him (you know that everyone tailgates here-
(for people outside the US: tailgate means that one rides almost on the tail of the car in front of you -very dangerous when you're going 50 miles an hour or higher).



The sprinter in better times (weather).

What I don't understand is that we are having these flash floods every year. And every year we go through the same thing. Hasn't anyone in the  city water department  thought on devising a system for more speedy run-off of water in the streets?


The green  chimes on the left


The joy of rain is the fresh smell outside, and I enjoy the wind now too, because we gave ourselves a present for the new condo when our previous house was sold the week before Thanksgiving: chimes. The tubes range from 24 to 30 inches, and has a beautiful range of tones when the wind is blowing.


31 comments:

Unknown said...

It would be much nicer if the weather would be more moderate, wouldn't it? I'm surprised about the tornado in California. We had several in Ontario last fall...and we hardly ever get them either. The weather is getting very strange.

NORA KASTEN said...

Many months since I visited your blog and surprised that you've moved. Are you still painting?
Nora

Shaista said...

I love the last paragraph of your post - the smell of rain is the thing I miss the most about living in India... there is no real earth here in Cambridge to smell when it rains!
And I can just imagine how delightful your chimes sound - definitely a worthwhile present :)

Clytie said...

Wow. I've heard about California's El Nino rains. Usually those storms hit us here in Oregon. We are looking at an unusually low snow pack this year, so we have the opposite problem as you. Not normal!

Stay dry and safe and warm ... and have a good week.

Jeannette StG said...

Sine,
Yes, that's what I'm thinking, that the weather is acting very strange. But everything is better (in my opinion) than a whole winter with gray skies like in Holland:).
Wow, I missed the news of the tornadoes in Ontario completely!

Nora,
Yes, we downsized because hubby is getting "that age." Am still getting used to the smallness of this condo. Left you a comment on your last blog post -good to hear from you!

Shaista,
Wow, I didn't know Cambridge was that big...hope you can get to the countryside at some point! The UK has some very pretty places.

Clytie,
Didn't realize you were so close to CA! Haven't made it to Oregon yet -everyone says it's beautiful.
Thanks Clytie, I will try to stay out of the rain this week!

Maggie May said...

i heard about our tornadoes and was surprised-- i hadn't realized we HAD tornadoes here!

Irene said...

I hope your neighbors appreciate your chimes as much as you do. Neighbors don't always, you know! I remember those floods in California. Having the whole backyard flooded and opening the back gate to let all the water out, which then ran into the street like a mountain stream. Those were the days, my friend...

Jeannette StG said...

Maggie,
I didn't either -am glad hubby mostly keeps tabs on the news. Left you a comment on what I think is a wonderfully written post!

Irene,
Maybe you remember Irene, that when in CA they say a "strong" wind, we wouldn't consider it strong in Holland:)

Since we live on the corner, only our neighbors upstairs would hear the chimes. Since their son is a drummer they are probably used to a lot more noise than the chimes make(smile)!

Wow I can see it in front of me - you were lucky the water in your backyard had somewhere to go!

DUTA said...

There's hardly a country on the globus these days with a moderate kind of weather. I believe Holland is also not what it used to be.

Climate has certainly gone crazy and the municipalities everywhere are helpless when it comes to floods and storms. Apparently God has His own plans.

Unknown said...

Poor California; the flooding is horrendous there right now.

rainfield61 said...

Flash flood always keeps us in surprise, not ready to move anything. Luckily I have not met one, though it is common over here.

Barry said...

The climate is certainly changing, with tornados in California and Ontario and snow throughout much of Europe.

The old norms just aren't normal any more.

I hate tailgaters, by the way.

Gaelyn said...

And now it's here in AZ with a vengence. My drive and yard are a muddy mess.

Rudee said...

I've been lamenting the trade in I did for an SUV. I miss my little Honda. For the first time in years, we've hardly had any snow. An inch here and there is all we get. I'm not complaining yet, but we do need more snow for the land.

Stay safe with your storms. I hope the most you experience is rain and a gentle wind.

Zuzana said...

Love the new look to your blog. I have been working and am planning on redesigning mine as well.;)
The weather is really crazy this year, I have heard that Florida had frost and orange harvest is in danger. So the line "It never rains in (Southern) California" is not true.;) Sorry about the flood, that must be the worst that can happen to a house, to have it flooded.
Love the chimes - I should get one for my terrace, for the summer.;)
xoxo
Zuzana

Diane AZ said...

Good grief, what strange weather for southern California! Your new wind chimes look beautiful. :)

Unknown said...

crazy crazy weather we are all having. We are getting soaked here in Southern Utah as well! Tonight is it suppose to hit us real hard. I will have to take a drive about town and see what damage there is. It seems like it doesn't stop with just enough to make the earth green and beautiful!There is a lot of very strange weather going on all over the world! Your painting is very nice. You can tell it is telling a story...

Jeannette StG said...

Duta,
It's interesting how global economic changes coincide with extreme weather changes (should have put that in the article LOL).
In Holland the temps have gone higher in summer and lower in winter the past year.

At least in California, these floods have been occurring almost every year since I've lived here (20+ years), so the municipalities here are not altogether helpless:)

Jane,
I know - and it's a very long process to dry it out properly (to prevent mold in your house, which can make one sick).

Rainfield,
You are fortunate! It is not only a hassle but also expensive (see my response to the one above yours)
It is hard to be prepared at all time.

Barry,
So surprized about the snow everywhere in Europe.

I hate tailgaters too, Barry:) But I'm also not fond of the ones who drive superslow (and you don't want to pass 'em because you need to make a turn)- and when the light turns orange suddenly speed up.

Gaelyn,
Oh, I didn't know the storms were moving East ward. In my mind I can see you in your rain boots:)

Rudee,
I passed on your wish to hubby, because he's the one who drives the freeway a lot!
I rather have snow than rain, but for the land that would be the same. Did I understand it correctly - you traded your Honda for the SUV because of snow?

Zuzanna,
the re-organizing takes a lot of time (sigh), so I first settled on this, but hubby said it is better than pink or lavender! (mischiviously, because lavender is my favorite color!)
Yes, do get some chimes. They give a very homey and welcoming feeling:)

Diane,
From Gaelyn I heard that it's also raining/storming in Arizona! Thank you (referring to the wind chimes) -they were a little steep in price, but we both loved the sounds of this one so much and I figured we won't buy them every year:)

Linda,
Is that weather unusual for Utah?
I know, we human beings are never satisfied, when it's dry, its too dry, and when it's wet, we want it dry:) But you are right, the crazy change in weather seems to be global events.

Thank you, Linda -
I mostly don't paint in a surrealistic style, but combining the individual components, I couldn't avoid it this time. It probably bothers me more than the viewers -I've had some great comments about this painting.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Jeannette: It sounds like you are getting our Spring storms. It certainly does make everything fresh.

Reader Wil said...

What a scary situation! I hope that your government find a way to control floods. In Great Britain there are floods yearly as well. It's horrible.

Dick said...

I guess the weather will change more and more but it always did so we have to live with it.
Sometimes it worries me, especially the fact half of the NL is below sea level.
I didn't know the word "tailgate" but for sure I know what it is and I really hate people doing it. As you know the Dutch traffic is horrible.

Eki said...

COuld it be because of the global warming? We have experienced some weather anomalies here too this year.

Jeannette StG said...

Wil,
The fact that it rains about the same amount in the UK as in Holland might it be because each of their run-off systems differ? Also, with a smaller country it's easier to control than a bigger country.

Dick,
Hopefully there won't be another flood in Holland like in the fifties in Zeeland! Tailgating is here so common, that it's only the nice drivers who don't do it- LOL

Eki,
Even though the media pushes global warming, I know that more scientist here do not believe in global warming, than those who do

(thought you would be interested in that, since you are a teacher).

Unknown said...

I have been reeading about the weather in SoCal. Looks like you have been hit hard.
I can remember being in San Diego and having 6-8 straight days of hard rain in the winter months.

Love the new look!
I have been away for a while.

Jeannette StG said...

Matthew
-yeah, the hurricane was the most surprising! Hope it was a "good time being away"!

Unknown said...

I know you are still getting rain. i hope you stay dry...
I am not sure if there is a way to get the water to move faster, there is just so much of it!

Jeannette StG said...

Joey,
Thank you for caring! The condo where I live myself has not much chance of being flooded, because it's higher than the road, and in the back is a dry riverbed!

Don't have talents in drainage/ waterworks,etc. so I hope someone will have practical ideas that can be put to work!

Marvin said...

Now I know for whom the chimes toll; they toll for thee.

Jeannette StG said...

Marvin,
It sounds like it is a well known saying? Since I'm not American or English, you need to help me here! For which kind of occasion does one say it -and WHO said it?
Thanks for visiting!

Marvin said...

Sorry, Jeannette. I forgot you were Dutch and haven't spent as much time bumming around in English Literature classes as I. The actual line is "know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee." It's from an essay by the Englishman John Donne (1572-1631) in which he advocates the concept that all humanity is connected. Ernest Hemingway helped make the line more well known when he used "For Whom The Bell Tolls" as the title for his novel about the Spanish Civil War.

If you want more details, go here, which is where I refreshed my memory of the basics. (Hey, it's been almost 40 years since I was in one of those English Lit classes.)

Jeannette StG said...

Hello Marvin,
thanks for bringing me up to date! I will read it after my conference of the weekend is over.
The readings must have made quite an impact on you if you still remember it after 4 decades:) Thanks again!