“To be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”

~ John Burroughs, naturalist and essayist 

No May grey here, at least not caused by the expected seasonal overcast skies and fog. Our gray days last week were caused by pure un-diluted precipitation. Rain arrived in many areas in Southern California just as the snowplows were making headway clearing the season’s snowfall from the higher elevations in the High Sierras.

In the above, I use the words grey and gray interchangeably; no, it isn’t careless writing! The use of both words – grey and gray – is entirely acceptable in the English language. Gray is the more popular spelling in the United States. Grey reigns as the proper spelling in the United Kingdom. So, if you want to be or perhaps be or perhaps become politically correct, in London the skies are grey, while in LA the skies are gray. To step out of the weather for a moment, one could say Queen Elizabeth’s hair is a lovely colour of grey.

Enough of the gloomy talk. Fluffy chirping baby birds gives definition to cheerful. Currently our front porch is cordoned off with yellow caution tape. What does it mean? Several years ago the same happened. Let me explain.

Hanging on our front door is a decorative floral arrangement. Apparently birds don’t discern between real and artificial, for nestled within lies a nest with five small blue eggs. The nursery is diligently being protected by mom-bird and us!

The one-word forecast is mild. Very little day-to-day change is expected in through next week as a low-pressure system drifts southward. A moderate onshore flow will spread inland each night contributing morning low clouds or fog to the weather picture. By afternoon cumulus clouds will form over the mountains. Unlike the cumulus-nimbus ones of last week, they lack sufficient moisture and the instability to create thunderstorms. Perfect incubation weather … birth announcements forthcoming.

Sue Kilpatrick is a Crescenta Valley resident and  Official Skywarn Spotter for the
National Weather Service. Reach her at
suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick