Another week.......and all is good!

A very good morning dear friends on another beautiful day in the

 neighborhood.

This past week we've had awesome weather so time in the garden

 has kept me busy, weeding, pruning, watering and just fiddling about.

Occasional sniffing of the now blooming peonies, and sticking my

 nose in the huge waterfalls of jasmine and honeysuckle pouring

over the fences around the back garden is a lovely pastime, 

especially in the evenings when the fragrance peaks and I swoon!

I've been getting up much earlier and sitting on the front porch with

my favorite mug full of steaming coffee, a throw, and a camera of

course. It's still cool then but soon warms to a comfortable 

temperature as the sun comes up.

I'm also cat sitting Ms. Nala next door for a week while her 

person is out of town. Twice a day I pop over to do the necessary

cat chores, and in the morning allow her onto the enclosed 

sunroom which she loves as she can watch birds, squirrels and

 that fat rabbit who seems to have moved into the garden.

I did make a side trip to AT HOME whilst out grocery shopping - 

and bought a new candle, yes another, really for the kitchen.

It's a lovely soft, mellow fragrance of Lime, Basil & Mandarin .........

and last evening I actually moved it into the living room for 

a while when we flopped down to watch a bit of TV

after supper in the gazebo at sunset.

I'm still following the Low Histamine diet however, as you can see here,

I cheated last night and had a glass of rosé with my salad and veggies!

Rosé is the wine lowest in histamine and I really needed a treat after so

much boring eating and no drinking!

Enjoy your Sunday and let's all catch up next week.

I'm feeling a lot better thankfully and hope to get a lot done around

 the house . . . . . . especially some much needed spring cleaning!

 

Not myself. . . . . . . .

Celeste fig tree coming along great - even tiny fruits galore already!

This past week was a really hard one. 
Just two days after my dear next door neighbor and friend of 12 years passed away, 
another close neighbor, two houses away, lost his elderly father from head injuries
 from a fall, followed by a stroke.  

These sad losses, along with the terrible growing numbers of deaths from the 
corona virus, and a frightening worldwide situation, has made me want to scream. . . . 
and I did, into my thick Pottery Barn bath towel after taking a shower yesterday! 
I just wrapped it around my face and screamed - luckily the bathroom fan muffles
 noise and Bob's hearing is not as good as it used to be! 
Yes, I admit, I'm not myself by any means - going to bed early, sleep disturbed 
several times a night. . . . . and tired, 
oh so tired in the mornings.

BUT, before you think I'm falling apart, really I'm not!

I'm staying busy because, thankfully, I do have my garden which is probably
 saving me. . . . . . as well as Bob and our great nearby neighbors.  
We are all working outside in perfect conditions this week - brilliant sunshine 
under cobalt skies, perfect temperatures, no humidity, even the pollen 
slowing down, and best of all, for me, very few mosquitoes yet! 

 Staying in our gardens we are much more than six feet apart but still able to chat, 
share garden tips and, now and again, update one another regarding happenings
in this scary pandemic world.

The birds are singing nonstop now - this male towhee sits in an oak above my

 garden bench for 20 minutes at a time serenading his lady, paying no attention to me.

Mama finch is still sitting on her three eggs.

Within a few days I think the eggs will start to hatch.

So we have been staying busy, the garden taking up several hours each day.

 A very early run to the garden center (with only a couple of other customers at that

 ungodly shopping time) at Lowe's one morning for potting soil, tomato plants, 

petunias and geranium plants, the pre-potted display (above) for the large urn, hanging

 Boston ferns, herbs/moonflower/morning glory seeds etc. All items to keep me happy

in the weeks ahead.

Note my glorious now red maple tree in the background - it will gradually turn green

 and then red again in autumn!

A second early morning trip, armed with washable cloth shopping bags, a mask 

and gloves (above), was to Costco at the specified senior time 8-9 AM. 

On arrival we immediately changed our plan as the invisible end of the line

 somewhere around the back of the huge building, plus many people who

were obviously NOT 60 or older (naughty!), turned us off. Instead we quickly

 drove across the street to Trader Joe's where we were greeted at the door by

 cheery men who wiped down a cart for us, ushered us inside immediately - and 

being early there were not too many customers so safe distance was no problem.

Deciding on perishable foods/produce etc. to buy these days is rather hard - things

 that last as long as possible are important.  I have peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, 
leeks, squash potatoes etc. as I make loads of vegetarian soups - only problem 
now is I'm running out of freezer space to store the soups!

Don't forget some fruits!

We started using the gazebo for supper this week as it was still warm in the evenings.

It's like having a little nearby 'restaurant' and makes a change of scenery.

I've also taken my laptop out there where birdsong, blooming azaleas, and an iced

 coffee make it a comforting retreat.

I hope this Sunday, Palm Sunday, is a special day for you. 

Perhaps you won't be able to be with your loved ones this year but still

 make it a good day.  

We need to stay safe, we need to do what is necessary. . . . . . and by now we all

 know what that entails, so let's do it!

Despite the troubled world and so much sadness, I hope we can still do our usual

Easter time blog posts. Please display decor around your homes (my Easter bunnies

 are ready), beauty in your gardens, or just a few kind words which are needed more

 than ever at this special time.

Stay well dear friends.

Gardening for Christmas -

Other than raking, gathering and piling the leaves - and no sooner that's done

more fall - there's not much gardening going on around here!

Very different weather this morning.

Rain, steady but light, temperature a few degrees above freezing

 (could have been snow if colder), enough to dampen down the dust and

put a sheen on the gazebo now sporting the annual Christmas tree 

to brighten up the dark nights.

While working out there yesterday, our family of Eastern bluebirds returned

 to enjoy the birdbaths and suet feeders. I managed a few quick photos of this

 handsome male, so colorful at this time of year. . . . . . and they brought me 

much happiness.

Christmas preparations are in full swing here, although mine are much

 more simple than those of many younger bloggers I've noticed.  

Did I used to have that much energy?

Do I wish I still could do all that? 

Yes of course.

Tea time, taking a break. . . . . . .

This is such a lovely afternoon tea, and so special.

Grown in England of all places.

A recent gift from Cornwall blog friend Barbara

 whom I met up with at long last in May, 

this light Darjeeling blend has been perfect for 

hot afternoon respites in the gazebo

 these past busy early July days.

Loving it.

Now there are four. . . . . garden looking good!

Mama finch was busy again yesterday afternoon. In fact, get this, I 

think I saw her actually laying her egg!  She didn't fly out when I looked

out the window like she usually does, and she had her beak open

 as if straining! There were still just three eggs in the late

 morning but when I looked after watching her, there were four!

The little nest is certainly getting crowded.

How she will manage to sit on so many eggs is a mystery, plus she's

extremely skittish, flying off each time we open the front door and

even when we just walk past the dining room window.

The finch nest is in the hanging fern closest to the porch steps.

We had quite a busy garden morning yesterday, chatting with passing neighbors
enjoying the lovely day, checking on the new shrubs planted Friday, adding more
 mulch, watering plants. . . . . .

. . . . . . . and washing off our pollen-covered cars - sitting in the road here while Bob 
was cleaning off the driveway.
Note the vining plants were removed from the arbor when the cottage 
was re-sided/painted late last summer, hopefully they'll show some 
new growth soon.

I cleaned out the gazebo (it will need a heavier clean once the pollen

 has ended come early May) and washed all the cushions so we can sit 

out there during these lovely mild, sunny weekend days. We plan to
spread new, fresh-looking cypress chips around the flagstones as we 
skipped that chore last year with so many other outdoor repair jobs being 
done to cottage and gazebo.

Rain expected in the coming week so may not be doing much in the garden -
so then I'll get back to work on posts from our Patagonian expedition!

Hope your weather is allowing outdoor activities this weekend.

Just a dusting last night . . . . . . . .

Awoke this morning to brilliant sunshine and a light refreshing white blanket

 draped across the garden. We only had this dusting late last evening, nothing compared to

 what places further north may experience - stay safe if you live on the Eastern seaboard.

~ Tufted Titmouse ~

- Female House Finch -

Besides filling feeders yesterday I scattered seed along the porch rail - which

 is still 'decorated' and will stay that way until it gets warm enough to take down

 Christmas outdoors! 

The birds are ravenous this morning and looking for water so I've melted ice on

 a birdbath, it won't last long though as the temperature will not go above freezing today.

 ~ Male Eastern Towhee ~

~ Female Northern Cardinal ~

Gazebo this morning - still decorated!  Lots of work ahead when it's warmer out, 

meanwhile I'm working inside today.

The season of light. . . . . . . . .

As mentioned previously, the cottage had a face lift this autumn.

We addressed the needed wood repairs and re-painting with a total

 re-siding with HardiePlank - and are thrilled with the fresh look.

Of course the shrubs had to be cut down and it will be a while before

 they fill in again around the foundation - another spring/summer

 without the beautiful blue hydrangeas perhaps.

Leaves, from mostly oaks, continue to fall. We've raked tons and have

 tons more to come down over the coming weeks.

The pots contain spring blooming tulip bulbs topped with pansies - those hardy

lovelies which over-winter so well.

This photo is just at dusk so you can see the Christmas decor a little better. . . . . . 

once darkness takes over the flood lights we have installed on the grass are

 rather bright for good photos.

The restoration of the back deck and gazebo was, as I've moaned and

 groaned about a lot lately, a job which was not expected to last so long!

All the cedar was replaced around the gazebo and deck base, the three  

sets of steps were re-built, a couple of deck posts replaced, everything

washed, sanded back to raw wood, then re-stained - he even sanded all

 the edges of the cedar roof shakes so they would look smooth again.

A thorough job by a very good carpenter.

It's now completed, and just in time as much colder weather has arrived,

 including some rain which turned to a light snow today - but nothing

stuck and tomorrow the sunshine should return.

The Christmas tree is up and decorated. . . . . . all looks really bright

 and cheery for the holidays.

I missed my cottage Christmas last year when we traveled to Europe. . . . . . so this

 year I'm enjoying having time to do all the traditional things which make Christmas

 at home so special.