The Last Project

 We have lived in our little Hacienda for almost 1 1/2 years. 

In that time we took on a number of projects: 

• the bathrooms and the kitchen were renovated,
• an RV 'port' was built,
• the RV 'port' was enclosed (didn't think of doing that originally),
• a workshop was framed in inside the building,
• solar panels were installed, 
• a well was drilled for irrigation,
• the existing attached garage was converted into my sewing studio,
• a free standing two-car garage with extra space for lawn equipment, etc was completed

....and our 'final' project is nearing completion! Phew! Hooray! It's about time! 

This week landscapers worked around the garage building. They prepared the ground for the garage apron, a walk between the garage and the house, and a small patio between the garage, running along the back of the house to the pool area. They brought in fill and compacted it, and then covered the area in pavers. It was amazing to watch the speed with which the workers placed the pavers. 

Tearing out existing plantings where the patio will be going

The existing fill was dug out and leveled

Sandy, limestone fill was brought in and leveled.

The sand was compacted, over and over again.

The men placed the pavers. I was in awe of their speed,

and worried about how much their backs must hurt.

Blocks were cut to fit into small spaces along the building and the edges of the area.

Next week rock will be placed in some areas around the building, and between the fence and the newly paved areas. And finally, some shrubs will be planted in various areas within the newly improved grounds. 

Then we will be finished....

Do you believe it?!

Beach Art

 Ocean Beach, in San Francisco, became the canvas for a temporary art exhibition created by locals. Andres Amador, a local artist, invites area folks to come to the beach a few times a year. He offers suggestions and provides custom rakes for the participants to use. The rakes are made from handheld garden cultivator rakes attached to broom handles. 

Our daughter-in-law has wanted to do this for a while, and kept her eye out for the next opportunity. This past weekend the artist conducted a "Celebration of the Sun" instructing folks to commemorate the summer solstice with their art.  

Our son hiked to the top of the cliff to take photos. Drone photos were also made available, and the event was covered by the San Francisco Chronicle! 

Our granddaughter is making a picture of a bird pulling the sun away

while her brother looks on.

Here's a drone shot when it was complete. 

Our grandson is working on the sun held aloft by an Atlas-like person.

Such beauty to be found, if only temporarily! 

Doing Disney

The Mister and I are heading to Orlando for a few days. His sister and her husband are coming as well. Neither of us can remember the last time we saw each other. And, since we moved we don't live that far from each other.

I looked in our files, and unbelievably found two tickets for Disney parks,

from 1984!

According to Mr. A-I-nstein:

Disney honors completely unused or partially used old park tickets, provided they were originally purchased with a "no expiration" feature and still have valid admission days remaining. Old tickets without this feature generally expire, but their original purchase price can be credited toward a new ticket purchase.

It sure beats buying a new one! 

Happy Father's Day

 

It appears that Fathers in my area have not been overlooked on their special day. 

It was slim pickings for cards at the grocery store. 

Dad, as a cherubic toddler

Dad was a man of many talents. 

I never knew he could play the accordion, but recall finding this one in the attic.

Mom and Dad, perhaps at some sort of mixer during their college years. 

My Dad insisted on a Father/Daughter dance at my wedding.

Dad's manner of babysitting! 

Dad at 96, a year before he died. 

He never lost that smile and the twinkle in his eyes! 

Happy Father's Day.

You are always in my heart. 

Jasmine on the Move

This is Asiatic Jasmine. This is a hardy evergreen vine-like woody plant. It is native to Japan and Korea, hence its common name. The vines create a thick, tangled blanket that chokes out other weeds. It makes a great ground cover. It isn't picky about soil. It survives drought. It survived our freezing temperatures. It seems to thrive in our relentless sun and heat. It doesn't seem to mind if the dogs curl up in it, where they are almost covered by the runners (although I do occasionally wonder if there are any snakes curled up in their as well!). I recently learned that in the spring you should actually mow it! This is supposed to encourage new growth. Judging by the looks of our jasmine patches, I'm not sure it needs much encouragement!  

We are putting a small patio between the pool area and the garage. The guys were here to begin the preparation a few days ago. I asked if they might be able to save some of the Jasmine as I wanted to move it to the other side of the house. They dug it out in large slabs and hauled it around the house with the tractor. The information on transplanting jasmine suggests handling the roots gently - ha! These hunks were dug out and partially dragged into place. The information about planting also suggests doing so in spring when temperatures are lower. I think it was 95° the day they moved it, with a heat index over 103°. Not exactly cool.  I needed the Mister on his tractor to push the heavy slabs; they were almost 10" thick and included the greenery and vines, the roots and a fair amount of dirt. As best as I could I jig-sawed the pieces together., filled the edges and cracks with soil, and watered the heck out of it. I'll see just how hardy this plant can be, given time! 

This is the bank that was previously planted in Cast Iron Plant.

I moved many of the plants to a shadier area in our garden in May.

Cast Iron Plants, according to what I've read, do not care to be moved. They don't like their roots to be disturbed. Well, it was either disturb their roots by moving them, or watch they struggle in the newly sunny area created when some trees had to be removed. 

I can't say that the Cast Iron Plants are now thriving, but they haven't died, and don't look like they are struggling. The newly moved Asiatic Jasmine is in the background of this picture. 

 

Just Peachy

Shortly after we moved into 'The Hacienda' we purchased two peach trees. They made it through their first summer. Winter was tough for them. The trees had some blossoms, but the cold weather did them in. We didn't hold out much hope for any peaches.

But...one brave peach held on! We watched through the spring. It continued to mature. It grew, it began to have a blush of color...and finally, I found it on the ground, probably just after it fell. A nice, plump peach. Our only peach from either of our trees for the year. Not much of a crop.

But...

It was good!

Yum!

Now....That's Hot!

 

I checked on our weather using Weather Underground. 

This is what came up....

Seriously?

Do you see the "like" temperature? 

Is that's supposed to be the heat index?

It looks like I could do some slow cooking just by putting the pot outside! 

Regardless, I'm quite content to stay inside!