not snow, little sun

The sun is trying to peek out today for the first time since last Sunday. For weeks now ash from the fires has been caked and baked on my car (and everything else) and a mixture of smoke, ash and fog has kept it pretty dark and eerie around here. The smell of smoke and burning has permeated the air for weeks too. A beach bonfire has never ever sounded so unappealing!

The sunsets, when they can be seen, are beautiful intense reds, oranges, purples and yellows, from the smoke filtering out all of the blue light, so pretty, but still disturbing. Whereas a few weeks back the talk was the crazy heat wave, now all anyone talks about is the many fires. Last evening, I looked out of my window and saw fat flakes falling through the air, at first I thought it was snowing, but it was really just tons of very large ashes floating down. I think last night was the worst so far, the quality of light was really creepy and the air was so full of moisture, smoke and ash. I am not sure which fire is bringing it our way, as basically it is burning both north and south of me within about an hours drive. If it is this bad here, it is actually tough to imagine what it must be like at the actual scenes.

I can't help but wonder if there is anything left of my little camping spot, it seems surreal that I was just there only weeks ago, hiking and taking pictures all throughout the Big Sur coast and that much of it may not be there, as it was, any more. My heart goes out to the many that have lost so much all across California and those that are temporarily displaced, they are in my thoughts and prayers as much as the thousands of people spending grueling hours, some while standing in harms way, to help. Blessings to you all!