July is bursting at the seams right now with fruit. I’ve been busy picking apricots, blueberries and black raspberries for pies and jams. I also picked up some California cherries for jam making. I am trying something new this year as well. I kept all the cherry pits and I am making a cherry liquor.Continue reading “ITS JULY – TIME FOR PIE”
Tag Archives: flowers
IT’S MAY, IT’S MAY, THE LOVELY MONTH OF MAY
May is the most excellent month. We start May 1st with flowers as the blooms arrive. May grey started off the month. So cold and damp was it that we needed a fire two nights in a row to keep warm. We often light a fire outside for May Day but this year it wasContinue reading “IT’S MAY, IT’S MAY, THE LOVELY MONTH OF MAY”
SPRING FLOWERS
I noticed a hummingbird looking for a place to nest. She was checking out the trees in my front yard which looks especially appealing right now. The Clivias are blooming and one is a slightly lighter orange than I have ever seen. You can see the two shades below. They are putting on such aContinue reading “SPRING FLOWERS”
MARCH AS SPRUNG FORTH
It’s March and the rains are still coming, but much lighter than the storms of February. Still we hope to have a March miracle. We turned the clocks forward and for the first time, I felt like I truly sprung into spring. I noticed blooms on my apricot tree. I am hoping the strong wingsContinue reading “MARCH AS SPRUNG FORTH”
FEBRUARY RAINS
The rains arrived in February, gently as first and then heavier downpours. In between the two storms we had, the wrens where absolutely singing the loudest songs I have every heard. They seemed filled with joy. My staghorn plant which looked close to death from the hot dry winds we had in November, December, andContinue reading “FEBRUARY RAINS”
SLOW JANUARY
The new year started with bright sunny weather. I needed to walk by the ocean to welcome the new year in. I was thinking to myself as I walked the harbor that I needed to slow down. Stop planning ahead and just do. Slow as molasses in January. I planted a 4 x 4 gardenContinue reading “SLOW JANUARY”
A TALE OF TWO VISITORS
Two fat little sparrows are sitting outside my window on a trellis staring at my ripening grapes. I’ve already lost a lot of the muscat grapes to the birds. They seem to feed on them in the very early morning hours or perhaps the evening. I only know when I go outside in the morningContinue reading “A TALE OF TWO VISITORS”
NAKED LADIES HAVE ARRIVED!
In the past week, Naked Ladies, also known as Amarylilis belladonna from the Colchicaceae family, have begun popping up everywhere in my yard. Earlier in spring they put out long green leaves which die back at the beginning of summer. Than as summer wanes, the long snake-like necks of the flower appear and finally theContinue reading “NAKED LADIES HAVE ARRIVED!”
JULY IT’S ALL DRY
It’s amazing how quickly the flowers go. In June its all bloom, by July its all dry. Most of my flowers are gone now. I have a few struggling zinnias and one sunflower. My perenials are growing but need cutting back. The salvia is always a reliable bloomer and often blooms right into winter. MyContinue reading “JULY IT’S ALL DRY”
JUNE GLOOM TO SUMMER BLOOM
I’m finally getting back out into my garden. The flowers are amazing from the seeds I dispersed back in February. The sunflowers, lavender pin cushions, purple sweet peas, red clover, borage, and zinnias have come up. The apricots I was so happy about in April blew off the tree in strong winds. You just neverContinue reading “JUNE GLOOM TO SUMMER BLOOM”
Reflections Outside My Window 