Sense of Place: Pear trees in spring

In winter, this decaying old pear tree near my home looks like the skeleton of a once-living thing. I know better though, after watching it produce buds, flowers, then fruit, year after year.

This winter has been unusually dry, most clouds wafting by without a drop. The occasional rainfall has kept the earth from completely parching, and at times like this, after we’ve had a few rains, nature can relax from her struggle for moisture.

Wild plants and grasses that have dried into sticks and stubs are now growing new shoots, turning the fields emerald green. Deer, jackrabbits, and other wild animals that had resorted to feeding upon domestic plants like rose bushes — much to gardeners’ dismay — may now dine on fresh shoots, tiny wildflowers, and mushrooms.

Hearing a screech from above, I look up to see two hawks circling. As I pause to watch their graceful flight, velvety gray clouds move inland from the Pacific, blocking the sun’s warmth. A winter storm is on its way and the air feels heavy with moisture. This time, I think it’s actually going to rain.

See more of Healdsburg-based artist Richard Sheppard’s sketches at theartistontheroad.com.