First SoCal Rain of the Season!

Chase Palm Park with the Wharf hiding in the mist

Fall has come to the Central Coast. Today was the first 'rain' I'd seen since the end of April. And that's normal! Growing up in the Tampa Bay area of Florida - one of the Planet's Thunderstorm Capitals where there can be up to 100 thunderstorms in a year - the idea of rain was a regular one. Here in Southern California, the Mediterranean climate results in virtually NO rain for six months, and then when it does rain, thunder and lightning are a rarity.

Ice Plant covering the misty dunes at East Beach - the Wharf is there - somewhere!

So when the first rain does come, it can be a big deal. Rain = Storm in California. Officially, this 'rain' was little more than a daylong off-again, on-again mist with light rain. No wind. No lightning. No thunder. But enough moisture to use the wipers! However, I NEVER got higher than 'three clicks' (of five) on the intermittent wiper setting, and that was on 'the 101' at 55mph. Yet in a short drive to a favored beachfront restaurant for breakfast, I observed THREE bizarre driving occurences. One car passed me on the right along the waterfront, almost clocking a parking car, another purposely broke loose the rear axle around a turn, then spun tires at the next light and the last one simply spun their tires in the rain. Locals say "Stay home!" during rainstorms.

Colors are super-saturated on a sunless and moist day, as seen in the 'cool colors' in the garden of friends where we are house-sitting in Santa Barbara.

While some good birdin' may be found when the weather changes, the light is not so great for long-distance photos, and the contrast is nearly nonexistent. Yet the colors are fantastic!

With similarly cool colors, enhanced by the weather, the Society Garlic makes a nice focus in the garden.

Remember, this 'rain' was officially a trace, although I bet a least one local/weekly paper will call it a storm. Heck, the 'rain' didn't even bring the little kids off the street in my neighborhood!

Kids in the street in the rain.

And upon closer look, the 'rain' didn't even penetrate a rather sparse Coast Live Oak along our driveway. You can see the dry pavers and soil in the center of the photo. So you see? Our first rain was more of a 'mist event'.

Dry pavers and soil under half-leafed out Coast Live Oak

One of the unfortunate happenstances of the rainy season's onset is the subsequent polluting of nearshore waters. All the oil drippings, transmission fluid drops, coolant overflows, and gas station topping off-overfillings lay around on the asphalt all summer waiting for rain to move them downhill - and into the ocean. So today when I parked at the 'honor-pay' parking lot enjoying the views at East Beach, I took a look around.

East Beach with the Pavilion in the mist - I promise!

The following view of the wet parking lot (with a support team for a local 'walk-a-thon' that was not deterred by the mist storm) shows how the water begins to collect on the pavement. The continuing photos show the water as a carrier for road-borne oil and dirt.

East Beach parking lot with accumulating water

The water collects and begins to show telltale signs of the summer's oil accumulation.

The water runs downhill, towards the ocean, through the curb-cut and collects in the sand - still bearing oil.

As you can see above, this collecting polluted water doesn't have far to go to reach the ocean. And that's not too bad unless you prefer to have life in your oceans and on your beaches - oh, and use them for recreation as well.

Oil - so far we can't live (well) with it, and we can't live (well) without it. Yet another reason to find a balance of energy sources to sustain our standard of living and power our transportation so that we can live with a lighter footprint on our Planet, the WATER Planet.

With the mist storm about most all the day, and having enjoyed the beach views in the morning mist/light rain/haze, the only thing left was to get to your little house and have your best buddy nearby.

Carbon allowing her dog, Cody to bunk down in her Little House.