local colour in California

i've just finished teaching two classes in northern California

though only a couple of hours apart [in terms of travel time]

the colours we achieved were radically different

buckeye or California horse chestnut [Aesculus californica], a cousin of the conker [Aesculus hippocastanum]

at lovely Inverness, the local colour for May is very definitely green

from buckeye, wild carrot, nettles and ferns

punctuated by luminous reds and oranges from eucalyptus

[plants which can also be found there, though they don't belong]

...and a few slices of purple carrot 

inland [plotting a course east by north-east] at Loomis

the climate is warmer despite the higher altitude

and the flowering season well advanced on that of the coast

purple prunus abounded and eucalyptus flourish [weed-like] all over the place

 

 

the thread that ran through both classes

[and which runs through them all i think, no matter where they are

or what the exact focus of the class]

is the warmth and community that we share

when we retreat from the busy-ness of the whirled 

to bundle cloth and settle down to stitch

for however many [or few] precious days we have set aside

thank you 

Emma and Sharon at the Tin Thimble ["that could"]

Claudia and Pam [the Gorgeous Grau Sisters]

and all my lovely warm-hearted and enthusiastic students

for welcoming me to northern California

+   +   +

where i am also able to indulge another passion

architecture of the Art Deco period