must be spring

our garden is in full bloom.   we are already enjoying fresh zucchini and the tomatoes are starting to ripen.     here are some shots from a couple of days ago.

loving the cool mornings..

in the garden.....

we don't see clouds in the summer very often.....sooo pretty

everything's getting huge!.....

this little guy was hiding behind one of the vines by the pool...

the plants are almost to the top of the fence already...

and loaded with tomatoes!!

my mouth is watering

Fresh veggies are only days away.....

mmmmmmmmmm......

Bob the Builder ROCKS!

Just a few pictures from around the old homestead.

We had some rain this winter - this is a rare thing.

and now we have some flowers:

and some veggies:

(so glad to see the ladybugs stopping by...they help keep my plants healthy)

and, in my garden, Bob the Builder guards the gopher traps:

Yep..I can put up with the earthquakes cuz while most of the nation is still freezing, we're counting days until the pool is warm enough for swimming.   Although, I hear Nashville is having some incredible weather this week.   And Homer, Alaska was 45 degrees yesterday...flippin' heat wave for them.

oh spring....how i love thee....

and now back to my regularly scheduled day of paying bills and finishing up the taxes.....

garden pics....cuz it's that's time of year

I finally got all the plants in the ground....it always makes my heart smile when I see all the little plants lined up in their beds.  

yep....that's a blossom. can't wait for fresh tomatoes!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!   

finally friday 18 -- the one with spring stuff

It's here!  planting time - lots of lilies this year and veggies galore!  love spring time!

I cheated this year and bought a couple large plants....fresh tomatoes in less than a month!

so done with store bought...ugh....  

Spent the morning weeding and prepping the beds.  I would have planted but my arms and back protested.

Tomorrow is suppose to be a glorious day in the southland, so I'll finish then.

Next week, I have to finish up the tax stuff...this is the time of year when I don't like being self-employed.  So many things to keep track of.

family update:  boy1 just got accepted for an internship at a large church in Florida.  he'll be working with the worship team.   girl1 is busy with wedding stuff and has decided to improve her cooking skills.  she's in charge of one dinner a week.   boy2 is loving Alaska....a week on the job and he's already been given a raise.   hubby1 is spending the weekend hooping for lobsters.  It's the last weekend of the season and our supply is very low. 

That's about it....family is coming in on Monday and want us to join them at Disneyland.  It's rude to say "no" to family, so we'll probably have to force ourselves to go.   =D

have a wonderful weekend!!!!

got spring on my mind

I know this weather won't last....it's just a preview but it has me in major spring mode.   Yesterday, I threw open all the windows and and just enjoyed the fresh air while I cleaned the house.   It was BEAUTIFUL!

Rain is in the forecast for most of next week so we won't be gardening just yet, but soon....very soon....

spring is in the air

about the new pic up there^     I took it yesterday on one of those speedy trips through Disneyland.  I swear the flowers were simply screaming to be appreciated.     I LOVE how it turned out!  

Hubby1 is currently removing a huge pine tree so we can expand our garden area.  woohoo!   Next week we'll turn over the beds and start planning.   In just a couple of weeks, it will be time to started planting!  I adore this time of year!

feeling productive

i'm feeling productive today..even though i still haven't finished cleaning out the office, haven't started shopping for the party on saturday, haven't started the invoices that are due on saturday, haven't paid the bills this week, haven't mopped the dining room floor which made of some sort of bizarre (but very effective) dirt magnet, and haven't finished cleaning out the file cabinets.




what did i manage to accomplish today that makes me feel good about myself?

i made salsa!

i used to do this every summer but for whatever reason, it's been at least 5 or 6 years since i've canned anything. i can't even describe how awesome it feels to see those jars sitting on the counter.

oh! and btw (in case you start thinking that i'm some sort of lazy bum sitting here eating bons bons)...i did get the dog groomed, did several loads of laundry, took girl1 to work (her car is supposed to be finished tomorrow), dusted, cleaned the kitchen and weeded the flowerbeds today. i just didn't do anything on my summer to-do list.

AND I made salsa!!!!!

too helpful

i have a garden. every year, i turn the soil, add more "good" dirt, plan a theme, check the drip system, etc etc etc. i like playing in the dirt. it's my time. it's relaxing and rewarding.

last week, hubby1 was home when i was weeding and he felt sorry for me. so he threw some new fangled weed killer on the flowerbeds.

it killed everything in the garden except the crabgrass that sneaks in under the fence from the neighbors neglected flowerbeds. it even killed the zucchini plants that were doing awesome this year. it killed them quickly.....within 12 hours.....

i'd post pictures, but it just makes me too sad. all my pretty little flowers.....all my herbs.....my gorgeous honeysuckle....brown and crunchy.

he felt so bad that he spent yesterday removing the dead stuff and replanting the beds.....on a pleasant 102 degree summer day.

so today my flowerbeds are colorful again and there are even baby zucchini plants. and everything was half price cuz the garden center thinks that the growing season is over. helloooo? southern california? 90+ until november?

in the garden

i'm famous (well...at least fairly well-known within my circle of friends) for pushing the gardening season. i start plopping seeds and plants in the ground in early to mid march. every couple weeks, i add more plants in the hopes of extending the season into late fall. sometimes it works and other times...not so much.

last year, things were growing smashingly when we had that freak hail storm in late may. i'm praying that we don't have a repeat this spring, becasue there's some good stuff happening in the garden. take a look:

busy week ahead, but it's all fun stuff.

Have a fantastic day!

first look at spring

company is coming and i really need to straighten up the house, so here's a quick look at what's happening in the flowerbeds around our place.


kangaroo paws

(look at the beautiful California dirt in the back..that's after adding compost)

joey paws

(another shot of our desert dirt in the background...it's amazing we can grow anything here)

the color theme this year is purple and chartreuse

(the chartreuse hasn't appeared yet)

the infamous yellow petunias from last year's garden.

they've been moved to a different bed this year because they don't fit into the new color scheme, but i just can't throw away a plant that's still blooming.

happy tuesday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

loving all the fun posts today. blogland is inhabited by some VERY creative people. in my happy, pollyanna world there would be a list of links here to the best ones but ....yea....not gonna happen....sorry


the sun is shining and i just can't stand to be inside. freshly turned dirt is calling and there are seedlings that need to be moved to their summer homes. so i'm outta here (literally).

going to see "Grease" tonight...in hollywood...on hollywood blvd...on St. Patrick's day. did you know that Hollywood blvd is a party street? crazy, out of control parties. why does the Pantages always schedule my season tickets for holidays? last year it was halloween night and this year, st patrick's day. i'll have to pay better attention to the dates when i first get them...maybe i can exchange for less festive days.

anyways....have fun today/night....but be safe. blogland just wouldn't be the same without you.