Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Inland Empire, grey and white.
Although the Inland Empire can boast it lies less than an hour east and west from the ocean and mountains respectively, this prime location means that, for the most part, our climate is rather temperate. We don’t see the fiery reds and golds dance across the mountains like you do on the east coast every autumn. We don’t spend winters snuggled beneath a blanket of snow with a crackling fire to keep us company. We don’t suddenly hear birds chirping in the spring or rush out to feel the weight of the sun drape across our shoulders come summer. We just don’t. There is a little bit of each all throughout the year, never in excess.
Moderation rarely wins the prize, and here is no exception. The Inland Empire has developed an unfair reputation among those who season four times a year. There is a misconception that because the seasons aren’t demarcated black and white, everything must be beige. Not so, nonresidents. The Inland Empire is a beautiful place to live, full of vibrancy and color. You only have to look briefly to find a world saturated and pulsing.
This is my Inland Empire color story. Every month I will celebrate the colors that fill our 60-mile haven nestled between the ocean and the mountains. January is a study in grey and white. You won’t find the churning ferocity of a rain storm or the eerie quiet only snow can bring but, I hope, you will find beauty nonetheless.
Because there is still beauty in trees without leaves, even if their shape is a bit nontraditional.
On our doors hang wreaths that sparkle silver,
guarded by ferocious lions with a sense of humor.
Icicles of a different sort dance beneath a cloudless blue sky
while a skater whizzes by in short sleeves.
It is always easier to shop when you don’t have to worry about your packages getting wet,
and this allows you to rest your holiday finds on the ground at an outside patio while you
watch the breeze play with a flock of donations
and drink a white chocolate coffee laced with orange, of course.
Said coffee being just what you needed to wash down a homemade treat. Or two.
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