We gave our plans to gradually plant a new fruit tree every year over the course of the next few some thought, with consideration to the adage that the best time to plant a tree is 5 years ago.  We looked at our current finances, and decided to take the plunge. $120 later, we now have a mission fig, a self-fertile "Ba-da Bing" cherry, a fuji apple ( Read more... )

Walked over to Home Depot because I realized I was out of carrot seeds. Got back, planted carrots, radishes, kale, chard, beets, spinach, lettuce and arugula, and filled Kaia's raised bed with dirt. She planted sunflowers, tulips and pansies (We're still planning on adding morning glories, toad flax, fuchias and snapdragons to her bed). Also in her ( Read more... )

A good chunk of Wednesday was spent moving a massive pile of dirt from the driveway into the four raised beds in our sideyard. Today after K's gymnastics class, she and I made a run on Capital Nursery, where we picked up a 6 pack of sugar snap pea seedlings, 2 strawberry plants, some green onions, and, most exciting,  a bare root apricot tree. ( Read more... )

Here are some photos from this year's garden ...


( Read more... )

The plants are in, watered, and survived the night ( Read more... )

I don't want roses on Valentine's Day. He can wait and buy me roses for our anniversary in June, when they are in season and not $150 a dozen. We have a tradition that the first to wake on Beltane morning leaves a rose on the other one's pillow, but that is very specifically a stolen rose, not a purchased one or one from our own yard ( Read more... )

 The old cat is fine. A few runs of fluids and a bit more vigilance with her meds seem to have straightened things out ( Read more... )

 Tomorrow is my birthday.

We're going to Disneyland.

I'm at my mom's place in Long Beach, which used to be Grandma's house. Yesterday we went crawling (often literally) around on a Russian submarine. I found this fascinating because submarines are, in  my mind, similar to space ships, and, in case you some how missed the memo, I am currently ( Read more... )

I did not want a chicken. But one moved into our backyard this summer. She's been eating scraps out of our compost heap, bugs and gastropods, and no few of my precious heirloom tomatoes. She poops everywhere. She's very skittish, and I can't get anywhere near her. I'm not a fan of chickens in any case. So today, K and I were looking out the window ( Read more... )

I'm very glad that at least my Saturday was relatively uneventful this weekend.

Unfortunately, Sunday made up for it by containing our usual morning routine of breakfast at the Fox and Goose, followed by me walking the 10 blocks to the Farmer's Market, while David moves the car and buying large amounts of organic fruit and cheese. Then we went to ( Read more... )