May 29, 2013 - The Garden at Eveningtide

From the back deck

Behind the fence

Under the mimosa tree

Along the east edge

Today I was supposed to go hiking.  That didn't happen, due to a considerable (for here) rainstorm - we got rain all morning, and an accumulation of almost 1/5th of an inch!  At least locally that was true - it sounds like there was quite a bit more further west.  So, I used the time to get started on some housekeeping that is in sore need of completion.  I finished up some computer work I needed to get done.  And I called several friends - the best part of the day, along with coffee shared with my "wanna-be" hiking partner.

 

This evening we had some clearing - enough for the photos you see above.  The birds were singing all evening long.  We didn't see the orioles, but we could hear them.  The robins, meadowlarks, and western kingbirds are a constant in the background chorus, occasionally joined by quail, pheasant, house finches, woodpeckers, and other assorted birds.  The white pelicans are back in front of the house.  (They leave for a bit each year, moving to the ponds to raise their young.)  There are still hundred of cormorants in the rookery, and I've been seeing more great blue herons flying past.  It is a joy to watch the changing of the seasons in who's here, and who's gone.  Come winter, most of my bird watching will be done out the front window with the spotting scope, as thousands of ducks make their way back through this area.

May 28, 2013 - There Is Always Hope

Sandals are important, because I wore them today for the first time in ten months!

Late evening over the river

Bullocks oriole in the back yard

I did actually wear sandals today.  Okay, so I wasn't on my feet much, and I took them off after I got home.  Still...it's a beginning!  Meanwhile, I went through all my shoes.  A good 2/3rds of them no longer fit and will be given away.  I have decided that what I really need is a pair of black dress shoes (flats) that I can wear, and I'll be good.  I'll just do without all the other colors and styles I had.  I'm happy to be back in shoes at all!

 

Meanwhile, outside, my husband and I spent quite a bit of time this evening watching the orioles that are nesting in our maple tree.  Earlier in the day, the neighbors cat came by to visit - I wondered why all the birds were dive-bombing the back deck.  I found the cat, cowering under a step.  I doubt she'll be back any time soon.  Everything from sparrows to robins were after her.  The birds are fearless when protecting their young.

May 27, 2013 - There's Gold in Them Thar Hills!

Prickly pear cactus

A single blossom - with insect

Oregon sunshine

We didn't have much sun this Memorial Day - it actually drizzled a good portion of the day.  But there was sunshine aplenty in the desert - specifically, in the flowers blooming in Wallula Gap.  (See samples above.)

 

Rain is such a blessing here.  It may (and did) dampen our barbeques, but we are so thankful for it, I can't bring myself to complain.  I remember as a child, actually going outside to dance in the rain after a long dry spell.  You have to live in a dry climate to understand the joy that a good long rain can bring.

 



May 26, 2013 - The Desert Blossoms, in My Back Yard

Purple sage

Sulfur buckwheat



Firecracker penstemon

Orange globemallow

The back portion of our property is used for two things - growing a small grove of trees, and growing some native plants in a separate area.  The trees, in the far back, are often visited by the deer.  The native plants, which include big sage, started from seed, and gray rabbitbrush, self-sown, are interspersed with some plants I've purchased, and a very few I've been able to start from seed.  (Sage-steppe plants seem to be pretty fussy about planting conditions.)  So, a few of the current blooming plants are pictured above.  There is also flax, and I'm having enough luck with biscuitroot in another part of the garden that I'll be able to gather seed from it this year, and try getting some new plants going.  As freely as many of these plants grow in the immediate vicinity, I'd expect no problem in getting them to grow in my "native plant" area.  Not so!  They are fussy, persnickety, fastidious, and just plain ornery at times.  That said, a few are beginning to take hold, and those that are taking hold give me hope of setting seed, then setting new plants.  Meanwhile, I enjoy watching my tiny desert bloom! 

May 24, 2013 - Summer Edges Closer

Tea rose

Shrub dogwood

English rose

Vegetable garden

Clematis

Today I had the joy of spending some time weeding the garden, in the midst of these early blooming beauties.  For the first time, the clematis has behaved itself and stayed on the trellis that is there for its support.  The roses are a bit wind-whipped, but only a few have lost canes.  The vegetables are coming along wonderfully.  My husband and I built new tomato cages today - and not a moment too soon.  It won't be long until I pull the water off the garlic and the sweet onions, and there are a few ripe strawberries, here and there.  (I transplanted, so the crop will be spotty, at best.)

 

Then there were the hills this evening.  Long, late shadows make for wonderful views over the gap, and the birds are constantly flying by, often in pairs.  The western kingbirds didn't nest on our utility pole - but they come by regularly to visit.  Perhaps next year.  The robins have a nest in the maple tree, and I'm pretty sure we've got nesting house finches in the spruce trees.  The magpies have fledged.  The pelicans and cormorants continue to be busy across the river.  I love the long evenings, when there is time and enough light to enjoy what is right in front of me!

May 21, 2013 - A Glimpse Back, After Returning Home

"Teddy-bear" cholla - a favorite cactus

Granite and sky

A large Joshua tree

Back home, off the front deck

After the time in Carlsbad and San Diego, we headed inland for the desert, crossing Anza-Borrego, stopping by the Salton Sea, and finally making our way to Joshua Tree.  We apparently just missed the scorching temperatures - it probably wasn't much over 90 degrees the first day there, and the second day was a very comfortable 80's.  Most things were past bloom, as we knew they would be, but we still found a few cacti and trees in bloom.  The hiking was good, and the bouldering would have been wonderful - if only it was possible.  How I wanted a good pair of leather gloves, and a good foot for scrambling!

 

We returned home on a plane, getting in mid-afternoon to our home desert - to rain and mid-50's temperatures!  Quite a surprise!  But it did make for a lovely evening over Wallula Gap.

May 18, 2013 - San Diego Botanic Gardens, Oh My!

All things bright and beautiful

Fractals in nature

All flowers great and small

Fun with foliage

Today we spent six hours at the San Diego Botanic Gardens, and I expect if we hadn't worn out, we would have been there even longer.  We did get through the entire park.  What did we like the most?  Really, what didn't we like would be a more apt questions.  Cacti and succulents, garden herbs and children's gardens, gardens filled with bamboo and others showing native flora.  And the birds - hundreds and hundreds of birds. Especially the hummingbirds, which seemed to be everywhere, and a woodpecker bringing food to chicks in a nest.  (We sat and watched for quite a while.)  It was a wonderful end to our time in Carlsbad/San Diego - tomorrow we're off for the desert!

May 17, 2013 - A Day at Birch Aquarium

Sculpture of gray whale

Wolf eel

Weedy sea dragon

Today we spent the morning enjoying good pastries at a French pastry shop, then headed out to Birch Aquarium.  As you might expect it was loaded with children.  They were so excited - it was a delight to watch and listen to them.  (The eels were a big hit, as were the sea dragons and sea horses.)  And of course anything that looked like Nemo.

We spent quite a bit of time there - more than we anticipated, enjoying ourselves just as much as the kids (albeit a bit more quietly.)  We got to visit with fish we fell in love with while in Hawai'i and Mexico...ones we hope to see again some day!  We learned a lot, and simply enjoyed the variety of fishes, from those in the Pacific Northwest, to those from tropical areas.  A great display - a great day!

May 16, 2013 - A Relaxed Day

Leo Carillo Ranch - bird of paradise

Peacock

Century plant

Surfing at Carlsbad

Today my older sister and I did some hiking at Leo Carillo Ranch and at Batiquitos Lagoon, followed by a trip to the beach to watch birds (seagulls, cormorants, pelicans, whimbrels, and quite a few surfer dudes.  The morning was spent in town, enjoying some wandering and relaxing.  The evening?  Why more banangrams, of course!  A relaxing, very good day.

May 15, 2013 - Sunny Southern California - and a Friend's Computer

At Torrey Pines State Reserve

Cactus blossom

Seal at La Jolla Cove

I've spent the past several days traveling to, then vacationing in the L.A. and San Diego area.  Actually, we're staying in Carlsbad, which is lovely.  Our condo has beautiful gardens, is right across the street from the ocean, and has a train depot not far away.  I love listening to the trains - they remind me of home, where we have a set of tracks (and a crossing) just below our house.

So far, the trip has included family time, visiting lovely gardens, watching lots of hummingbirds, seeing Torrey Pines State Reserve in bloom, visiting San Elijo Estuary - a county park, with a wonderful diversity of life, and a delightful desert tortoise named Franklin.  We've been to Balboa Park for the day, walked along the beach, eaten some wonderful meals, and played countless games of Bananagrams.  We're managing the traffic - always a challenge in this area - and are planning to spend some time simply enjoying Carlsbad, then visiting a mission or two and the Botanical Gardens and aquarium.  Other than that...a road trip to Joshua Tree National Monument, possibly through Anza Borrego, and then back to Long Beach and family, before returning home.

May 10, 2013 - Sunny Southern California

I'm currently staying in Bellflower, California, with the brother of a good friend as we begin a two week sojourn in the Golden State.  Well, that's really not quite accurate.  Our sojourn began at the Amtrak station in Pasco, three days ago.  We spent almost two days on the Coast Starlight train - a part of the travel adventure we planned for this trip.  I was, I am embarrassed to say, delighted that everyone was walking as awkwardly as me.  Quite sorry, but it's true - misery does indeed love company, it seems!  And when you can't walk normally - well, no one else on a train walks normally, either.  It was kinda fun...

The trip truly was enjoyable.  Having a sleeper car also got us perks we were not expecting - daily wine and cheese tasting, our meals were covered, champagne on arrival at the train, etc.  Hmmm....I could get used to that.  And lots of room to move about, no screening to go through, and plenty of people to talk to, or not, as you chose.  It was more like cruising than anything else, even to the pleasant rumble of the rails, which was much quieter than I anticipated.

Once here in California, we got a really good night's sleep, then got up late today, enjoyed breakfast and coffee out, followed by dinner out, followed by wine and cheese and chocolate and games at home.  How delightful!  Then there are the hummingbirds - lots and lots of hummingbirds, of several different kinds.  I'll try to get some photographs, that I may be able to download at a future point.  Everything here is coming into bloom, including the purple jacaranda trees, which I love.  And the skies are sunny, the temperatures are more moderate than those at home, and I'm looking forward to my older sister joining us in a couple of days.  Meanwhile, just time to play, relax, have fun!  This is, indeed, a real vacation, with few (if any) expectations - just the joy of what the day brings. 

May 6, 2013 - Vines and Creepers, Filling the Garden

Clematis in full bloom

The bees love this creeper

Sedum

Saying farewell to the sun

Today was mostly spent out and about doing chores, having PT, paying attention to how my husband is progressing (relatively well, I think) and getting some paperwork done.  In the midst of that mundane activity, I wandered out into the garden.  Most of the ground covers are approaching full bloom.  The honeybees are busy, and plentiful.  And something out back nibbled off several of the cucumber plants I put in the ground only yesterday.  Ah, the joys of wild spaces!  There was another lovely sunset this evening, following our first day when the temperatures hit 90 degrees.  We elected to have dinner on the deck, enjoying fresh lettuce, spinach, and radishes from the garden.

 

How to find beauty in the midst of an auto accident recovery?  And now, two of them in less than ten months?  Mostly, again, in the same places beauty is always found.  In our friends and family.  In the garden and the shop.  From the boat, on a hike, even in PT, where dedicated people work to try to make my foot better.  (And tell me how to continue that work on a daily basis.)  Things of beauty are, of course, in the eye of the beholder.  I prefer to see beauty, rather than not.  I have a beetle that is bothering my asparagus.  It would bother me more, if it wasn't such a brightly colored, lovely-looking thing.  The kingbirds that argue noisily outside our front door?  Have you seen many other birds as lovely, as streamlined...and as useful in catching bugs?  Yes, I'm still busily pulling out weeds, and even seedlings of plants I don't want in a particular place.  But one of the grasses I'm working hardest to eradicate is one of my favorites for sheer beauty.  And I don't even know what it is.  I just know it's a lovely shade of green, with a beautiful seed head.  I still pull them out - they're not even natives - but it doesn't mean I can't appreciate them.  I saw a bee sipping water from an empty snail shell yesterday...you just never know where beauty may hide!

May 5, 2013 - The Iris Continue to Open

Today was another lovely day.  It was warm, sunny, and just a bit breezy - enough to keep it from feeling too hot.  My husband perhaps did a bit too much today, with the newly broken rib.  But I know how good it feels to do something, anything that approximates normal activity.  It's difficult to just sit when you're accustomed to being active.  He's taking the day off tomorrow, and will probably go back to work on Tuesday.  Right now, he's getting ready for bed, and will try sleeping in the bed, rather than the recliner.  We'll see...I know it took me a few days to get there.

I did pretty much finish planting the garden today.  All the seeds are in, except the second planting of corn.  I need to pick up one more pack of tomatoes to plant - but all the ones that are in now (and the peppers, basil, and tomatillos) are looking like they're doing quite well.

Something I really enjoyed today was visiting the garden that the after school bunch has planted out behind the church.  We also dedicated the labyrinth the youth have constructed - quite a lovely area it's becoming, out there!  If you've never walked a labyrinth, I recommend it as a wonderful activity to help focus the mind and calm the spirit, while giving you an opportunity for prayer and communion. 

May 4, 2013 - It Was Supposed to Be a Quiet Day...

and really, for many purposes, it was.  My friend who has been visiting enjoyed a lovely breakfast with us, before my husband left for town.  She and  I played bananagrams, then she got packed for her return trip.  Then we got a call from my husband.  He and my daughter-in-law's mother had been t-boned in a car accident.

So, I dropped my friend off a couple of hours early at the airport, and headed in to the hospital.  My husband got out with a cracked rib and a fair amount of soreness.  My daughter-in-law's mother had nothing broken, but quite serious bruising, both externally and internally.  She's going to be very sore for quite a while.  They were both fortunate - the other driver ran a red light, at high speed, and somehow they both made it, and got out of the hospital the same day.  (The car...not so much.  We'll find out on Monday, but are guessing it's totaled.)

That said, after we got back home, I was out in the garden.  We were out on the deck to watch the sunset.  I took a few photos.  Beauty still surrounds us - and a part of that beauty is indeed the people, the friends, the family who surround us.  We are thankful for life and for love tonight.

Ladybug on rosebush

Peony

Meadowlark at sunset

Starling

Kingbird...please choose to nest on our power pole!