Flowers, 05-13-24

These days I don't seem to do anything very interesting. Just keep up with all the different doctors that are required this old lady world.  Orthopedist, Cardiologist, Urologist, Dentist, Ophthalmologist, Podiatrist, Dermatologist, and soon!  Somehow they all need to be seen in May.  Of course, I take care of KoKo and do our two walks every day.  He sees the vet tomorrow for a wellness check.  But in the morning I go to Surfside Quilters Guild where we celebrate our 15th birthday. Might have some interesting news tomorrow night.

On May 1st I posted a photo of white landscape roses. These are the same blossoms turning pink in their old age.  The are speckled, but they will lose their petals before the entire blossom turns.

They make me think of fairies and butterflies.  

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Miscellaneous 05-01-24

 Just a few views of our everyday life.

When we walk in the morning we stop to put several papers on the doorsteps of our neighbors.  KoKo will "Sit & Stay" on the sidewalk while I go up to the door.  He is just that little dark spot beyond the landscape roses.

We were stopped at a signal when this great egret flew close in front of the windshield to perch on the wall.    

I don't know if he is the one that some neighbors call "Willie".  However, he  may be one of several that visit our yards this time of year, searching for lizards and other nibbles.

Here is a picture taken last year in a neighbor's yard.

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Sometime since January I bought this white, waxed Amaryllis and it bloomed justas I was leaving for Empty Spools.  I knew it wouldn't enjoy a car trip  so  I "loaned" it to a neighbor who I knew  would enjoy it.  She will return the bulb and I will plant it in my big amaryllis pot - white among the Xmas red.

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From Quilts to Roses! 04-26-24

Although there were many roses blooming before I went to Empty Spools at Asilomar, now they are in riotous delight.  These are in two different front yards on our walking route. 

This one is closest to the sidewalk, growing in precise little squares in the driveway.The brick edging divides the driveway from the neighboring yard. 

The roses below surround this fountain/statue that is not connected and planted with succulents.

Pink is by far the most popular rose color in this neighborhood.

This is in my yard, Brandy, my favorite. 

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New Year Ahead 12-31-23

Just reminiscing about New Years past.  I have never been to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, although Floyd and I drove up several times after the big day to look at the fabulous floats parked along a street.  The crowd control was excellent, so everyone stayed happy and  friendly.  There were rows of porta-pottys to make everyone comfortable. 

The closest I came to actually attend the parade was about 1959 or 1960.   I was living with my paternal grandmother in Arcadia and went to an all night party with some friends - dancing, eating, snuggling, "carrying on".   My date dropped me off to change into warmer clothes while he went home to do the same.  It wasn't light yet and very cold.  I took off my party dress and, shivering every minute, started to layer on warm clothes. I looked  at my nice warm bed, yawned a few times, looked again at the clock, and called my date to say I  just  couldn't make  it.  He wasn't terribly disappointed and didn't go himself. As it turned out we were not the only chickens, about half the group actually went to watch the dawn and the parade.  By the time the next year rolled around I was living in Long Beach and had to work on holidays.  I was never tempted to go to the parade again.  I guess I am too much  of night owl.  Not very many sunrises in my life!  

In another hour it will be a new year.  I am very apprehensive what will happen to our country politically.  And also about the wars around the world.  I hope  you all stay safe and keep well.  Have a great 2024.   Love, Del and KoKo

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Yard Cleanup 07-01-23

Today I had some luck with my yard cleanup.  I had a guy come to give me an estimate a couple weeks ago and yesterday he showed up to get started.  Today he and two younger guys came to do the work.  It only took them about two and a half hours and I think they removed every weed in front and back yards.  Unfortunately they also severely pruned that big pink rosebush in the back.  Not a flower or a leaf left!  Hope it will revive.  I will have to get out to prune my favorite "Brandy" rose in the front before he comes back next Friday.  It looks really sad, but may respond to a light pruning, some fertilizer, and some mulch to keep the roots cool.

Pink Rose in backyard. Before pruning!

Brandy in the front yard. 

Cold somewhat better, but still dripping, coughing, sneezing!

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Wordless Wednesday 05-03-23

 

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What is blooming 02-09-23

The climate and microclimates of Southern California allow such a wide variety of plants that there is always something blooming.  Here are two that are in full bloom right now.   And there are always some landscape roses, mostly white, which grow as bushes and do not need pruning.  

Argyranthemum frutescens 

Marguerite

This is the plant....

...and the flower.

Aloe arborescens Mill.  Candelabra aloe

This is different than Red Hot Poker which is another plant with similar blooms. 

These are different than Red Hot Pokers which is a different plant. 

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An answer and a rose! 03-10-22

The picture in yesterday's Wordless Wednesday blog is copied from the Internet.  It is an electron microscope image of kidney stones, which are like grains of sand.   No wonder they are so painful.  But also rather beautiful in their precision.

                           

Also sharp, but beautiful, here is a bloom on the rosebush Suzanne pruned two weeks ago.  She left a couple small buds that reached for the sun. 

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Rosebush 02-26-22

Thirty-five years ago when we moved into this house we re-landscaped the yard.  There were a few roses and we added a dozen more.  I enjoyed the roses and spent time keeping them in good shape.  But after Floyd died I suddenly lost any interest in the yard.  Which was a surprise because I had always longed to have a garden and lots of roses.  I always grew tomatoes, even when I lived in an apartment - I found a way!  So, the roses slowly died and I haven't planted tomatoes for a decade at least.  

i don't know the name of this rose, it is a bush type and was here when we moved in.  When the buds open they are this dusty pink, tinting to lavendar.  But as they open they become more pink until fully open they are a very bright, dark pink.  

Here is the bush, healthy and full of blooms in 2010.  The block wall is 7 feet tall, so you can see it is a very large bush. 

But I have neglected it  - no fertilizer, not enough water, no annual trimming.  Just pitiful.  I decided to prune it back and cut out the suckers, hoping I could get it into good shape again.  I started on the left side and cut away about a third of the overgrowth.  But I am not strong enough to use the loppers on the thick stems.  Fortunately a lady ;posted on Next Door that she prunes roses and fruit trees.  I contacted her and she came to do the job yesterday.   I had sent her this picture so she would know what she was getting into.  

She filled two huge trash bins.  This looks pathetic, but it is much healthier than it was when she started.  She did a very good job using her electric garden saw along with clippers and loppers.  I hope I can get the mow/blow gardener to dig a trench around it to keep the grass out and the water in!  

I propped the yardstick on the right to show how tall it is now -about 50", I think.  I hope Suzanne is available next Jan/Feb to shape it up again.  

Suzanne works in north Orange County.  Contact: 714-595-7990

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Favorite rose and decluttering 05-22-21

My favorite rose again - Brandy.  My second choice is Mr. Lincoln, but I managed to kill that bush and have not replaced it.  I miss the fragrance. 

The changes in medications the doctor recommended may be working!  Although I am still dragging my tail and get so very, very tired at times, my mind seems to be back on track, or almost.  So, not only have I taken books to the Bookman, yesterday I took four smallish boxes of "no-longer-needed" stuff to Charity's Closet, a resale place supporting philanthropic efforts of the Placentia Presbyterian Church.  It is impossible to tell that anything has been removed from my very messy house, but I know they are gone and I feel good about it.  Now to start a few more boxes, putting in things that I don't use or need as I come across them.  Might start with the upper shelves in the kitchen since I have shrunk and can no longer reach them without a ladder and am too old and wobbly to climb a ladder.  Anyway, it is a bit of progress. 

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Roses 05-12-20

This rosebush grows in a neighbor's yard behind a lot of other plants.  I can just get a sideways glance as we pass by.  I think it is a David Austin rose.  It is very healthy although I receives no care.  Why won't my roses do that?  I neglect them and they show it. 

They open with a beautiful bright pink heart.

Which slowly fades as the bloom opens. 

 This one is fully open, I did a lousy shot. 

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Walking in the neighborhood 07-19-18

When KoKo and I walk at 7am (oh so) and 7pm (unless the temp is over 80F, then we go when it gets below 80F) we never see many people walking.  He is still learning to sit/stay and he still lunges and carries on at bikes, trikes, scooters, etc..   We keep working at these lessons and some days are better than others.  We unfortunately still hear fireworks which makes him head for home.  I have had to pick him up and carry him lest he tear my arm out of the socket.  He is only eleven pounds, but it is a powerful eleven pounds.  We have wild rabbits and the smart ones just squat down and wait, the dumb ones take flight and KoKo wants to chase them, so I hold tight on the leash at all times.  He has pulled away from me a couple times in two years, but has improved with time.  The heat doesn't seem to bother him, though he will sit down in the shade if I sit down to rest, which I sometimes do.  

There is a lot of burned foliage around, several large leafed trees are very brown (coral trees, tulip trees, avocados, etc.).  I have a large ficus in back and it has been dropping brown leaves for the last few weeks.  And we probably won't have any rain to amount to anything until the middle or end of October.  A little monsoon moisture is possible in August.  So, there isn't much blooming.  Mostly roses and gazanias, and plumerias. 

This rosebush was here in the backyard when we moved in thirty years ago.  I don't know its name.  It blooms profusely most of the year. 

The buds open to reveal a soft lavender inside and bright pink outside.

As the blooms open they turn bright pink all through.  Unfortunately this rose doesn't really care for the heat and get sunburned very quickly.  You can see the edges started to curl up. 

The "landscape roses" which are everywhere here are almost always blooming, but even they have shriveled somewhat in the heat.  This picture was from earlier this year.  

I really appreciate that KoKo has gotten me out to walk the neighborhood, I always see something interesting. 

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