The Front Garden in April

The Front Garden in April

I feel that I've been posting pictures of the garden almost weekly, if not daily, in April, but, I didn't want to skip the monthly garden overview, either!  The weather continues to be cooler than normal for this time of the year, so the garden continues to thrive.

A Stream of Osteospermum

The osteospermum is starting to spill out into the sidewalk!  Currently, it is not spilling out too far, but, I will have to see if I can redirect it to go back into the garden or trim it back!  

The Succulents Border

I've plans for the succulents border and M is helping me, although he's not quite sure what it is that I am planning to do.  But, being the obliging friend he is, on Friday, he brought me a small tree stump from a flowering mulberry tree that he cut down for one of his other clients:

Tree Stump

I'm going to ask him if he can get me another stump or two; watch this space!

In the meantime, the climbing red rose is putting on a bit of a show:

Red Roses and Purple Osteospermum

One of my friends asked me if I kept a list of all the plants growing in my garden and I had to admit that I didn't!  But, in just this one planting bed, in addition to the roses, there are three types of asparagus ferns, a jasmine vine, the ever present osteospermum, gladiolus, sparaxis (Harlequin flowers), paperwhites, alstroemeria (Peruvian lily), and a pomegranate tree which is just starting to flower:

Pomegranate Flower and Bud

Last year, there were lots of flowers on the pomegranate tree, but, no fruit!  I hope that, this year, we'll get some fruits!

Last, but, not least, we have what I am calling the "rootery":

Eucalyptus Tree Roots and Base

The base of the eucalyptus tree has exposed roots and M and I've been planting succulents in the spaces between the roots:

The "Rootery"

It's a relatively new project and the plants are still settling in, but, the hope is that they will spread and grow into a sort of ground cover at the base of the eucalyptus tree.

Close Up of a Spreading Succulent

Thank you for visiting my front garden in April.   

A Cloudy Thursday

Pink Apples

Ha!  No doubt everyone is happy to see something other than a photo of yet more flowers!  I had one of the pink apples that M had given me sometime ago.  

Thursday was cloudy and cool (for me, anyway); I sat in front of the electric space heater most of the day.

The tree trimmer contacted me in the morning, stating that his records indicated that I had my eucalyptus tree trimmed last in 2021 and suggesting it might be time to trim it, again, and offering to give a free estimate.  I didn't want to tell him that he needed to update his records, but, reminded him that he had last trimmed my eucalyptus tree on January 12, 2024 and the tree didn't need to be trimmed, yet!  He, then, admitted that he had been looking at old records.  Poor guy, he must be trying to find more work for him and his crew.  

I spent a good part of the day watching news, watching online videos, emailing a couple of friends, helping Aunt C with some information she wanted, and joining the granny squares for the blanket I am making.  I sewed them in rows and the next step is to join the rows together and crochet a border.  

I wasn't very motivated to do any housework, today, but, Thursdays are my days to clean the kitchen and I did a little bit in the kitchen - washed all the dishes, scrubbed the sink, wiped down the stove top and the counters, and cleaned the microwave.  

Brunch had been a ham and bread roll; dinner was baked salmon with rice, carrots, and peas.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- Daughter had a safe journey back from the conference
- Working appliances
- Being able to help Aunt C
- Exchanging emails with friends
- What I was able to accomplish

My joyful activity was crocheting.  

Plans for Friday include crocheting and tending to the garden with M.

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?

 

In the Garden on Wednesday

More White Irises

There are more irises blooming.

Gaura Flowers

The gaura plant is starting to flower, too.

 

Serrano Chili Flowers

The serrano chili plant is flowering, again, too.  This is last year's plant and I left it in the ground over the winter and it is ready to produce more chilies for this year.  

M was here in the morning to tend to the garden.  He brought me more Harlequin (sparaxis) flower bulbs from his garden, mowed the grass, again, and watered the garden, both back and front.  

I spent the majority of the day watching breaking news unfolding on TV, about the protests being held on one of the local university campuses.  My late friend A's younger daughter takes evening classes at that campus as she pursues her Master's degree, and I was concerned enough to text her at work to alert her to the situation and to tell her to be careful.  The campus security officers weren't able to disperse the protesters and eventually, the police were called and, it took some time, but, several protesters were arrested and the campus was cleared of protesters, shortly after 8:00 p.m.  

Brunch was leftover tuna salad on toast; dinner was leftover soup with toast; kiwi fruit for dessert and popcorn for snacking.

On Wednesday, I was grateful for:

- Daughter had a safe journey to the conference she is attending (she was asked to be one of the panelists at the conference)
- M's help with the garden and gift of more flower bulbs
- Water for the garden
- Working appliances
- Leftovers for meals

My joyful activity was being in the garden and admiring the flowers.  

Plans for tomorrow might include putting gas to the car and maybe baking something (I've some wrinkly apples in the fridge that need to be used up).  

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

A New Week

Gazania

Monday started off with a long phone chat with aunt C and cousin N, which was nice.  Afterwards, I went out into the garden and watered the back yard.  It was a sunny day and the flowers were in full bloom.  

In the afternoon, I went to the library to return books that were due and then, I went to the craft store (Michael's) to buy more yarn for the blanket I am making.  I had run short of the off white yarn I was using to crochet a border around each granny square to make them look less random (as I had used leftover yarn to make them).  But, the store was out of the off white yarn, so I bought two skeins of white yarn and two skeins of "mauve" (which looked more like a dusty rose to me than mauve) for the border around the whole blanket.  I had to pay full price for them ($3.99 each) because they weren't on sale.  I looked around the store just a little bit in passing, as the store is set up in such a way, with the yarn in a corner at the back that one has to pass by scrapbooking and beading and art supplies, etc. to reach the yarn and then, pass by the decorative items, cake decorating supplies, and seasonal decorations on the way to the check out, that it is difficult not to see a lot of what they have!  But, I was not tempted to buy anything else other than the yarn I went to buy.  The store wasn't crowded on a weekday afternoon and I felt comfortable shopping.

After I came home, I took the trash cans to the curb for pick up on Tuesday morning, did a load of laundry, spoke with former neighbor T, chatted with friend R, watched news, and made my ham and potato soup for dinner.  It was the first time I have made this soup and it was good, but, it was just a little bland.

Tuesday was mostly cloudy and cool.  I brought in the emptied trash cans, put away the laundry I did on Monday, walked around the garden, made tuna salad to have on crackers for brunch, did a little housecleaning, watched some online videos, and crocheted.  I reheated the leftover ham and potato soup for my dinner and added a serrano chili to it and that really made a difference, I thought.  There is half a serving left; I will finish it for brunch on Wednesday.

I'm grateful for:

- Time spent in the garden
- Chatting with family and friends
- Weekly trash collections
- Safe drives to the library and craft store and back
- Working appliances

Joyful activities have included being in the garden, chatting with family and friends, and crocheting.

Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M, more housework, and more crocheting.

How is your week coming along?
- 

April Meal Planning: Week 4

Ham and Potato Soup
(with celery, carrots, and tomatoes)

This was the meal plan for the third week in April:

Brunches: Leftover milkrice and chicken curry (Monday), ham and bread rolls (Tuesday), pancakes with sausages, scrambled egg and fried potatoes, leftover pancakes and sausages, more ham and bread rolls

Dinners: Cup of noodles soup (Monday), leftover spaghetti and meat sauce (Tuesday), ham fried rice, ham and potato soup, leftovers.

Here's how that worked out:

Monday:
Brunch:  Leftover milkrice and chicken curry 
Dinner: Cup of noodles soup

Tuesday:
Brunch: Ham and bread roll sandwich
Dinner: Leftover spaghetti and meat sauce

Wednesday:
Brunch: Scrambled egg, slice of ham, fried potatoes with bell pepper
Dinner: Tuna salad on crackers

Thursday:
Brunch: Bread roll with butter and peach jam
Dinner: Leftover spaghetti and meat sauce

Friday:
Brunch: Last of the leftover spaghetti
Dinner: Breakfast for dinner: pancakes and sausages

Saturday:
Brunch: Leftover pancakes and sausages
Dinner: Ham fried rice

Sunday:
Brunch: Leftover ham fried rice
Dinner: Oven baked seasoned potato wedges and scrambled egg

There were a few changes, but, it worked out quite well.

On to Week 4:

Once again, this week's meal plan is based on what I have on hand in the freezer, fridge, and pantry, including a whole 5 lb. bag of potatoes that must be finished before they sprout! 

Brunches: Ham and bread rolls (Monday), boiled mung beans, tuna salad and crackers, scrambled egg and fried potato, toast and peanut butter, muffins?

Dinners: Ham and potato soup (with added vegetables), baked salmon with broccoli and potatoes, chicken curry and rice with dhal and moringa curry, leftovers. 

At least, that's the plan!  No doubt there will be some changes as the week progresses!

Are you making a meal plan this week?

Sunny Sunday

 

The Back Garden on Sunday

I might be slightly obsessed with my garden, right now!  But, I've been spending a lot of time, just walking among the plants, watching the lizards scurry out of my way, and listening to the birds singing.

Flowers and Weeds!

On Sunday, I walked in the garden, read for a bit, watched some videos and played some games (Sudoku, Solitaire, etc.)  I had the leftover fried rice for brunch and for dinner, I baked some seasoned potato wedges (I put salt, garlic powder, and paprika) and had them with a scrambled egg.  As I told one of my friends, I'm on a "breakfast for dinner" streak!  

Daughter said the choir performance went well.  One of the other ladies gave her a ride to the venue and brought her back, afterwards, which was very kind of her.  

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- Being able to open the doors and windows to air out the house
- Having a garden and being able to spend time in the garden
- Internet service and electricity
- Emails from friends

Sunday's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.

I've had a lovely, relaxed weekend, but, I need to be productive on Monday!

How was your weekend?  What are your plans for Monday?

Relaxing on Saturday

 

Slightly Blurry Red Rose

Saturday was a sunny day, with a high in the low 70s.  Once again, I spent quite a bit of time out in the garden, checking on the plants, doing a spot of weeding, etc.  There was a mockingbird on one of the overhead wires, who had a lot to say!  There was a pair of crows, too, who checked out one of the overgrown Euphorbia tirucalli (pencil tree, pencil cactus) "trees" along the back garden wall; perhaps they were considering building a nest there?

I took it easy, after all the stress on Friday, and watched online videos, played some games, etc.  Dancer kept me company, in between his naps:

Watching the Sunlight Play on the Wall

Later in the evening, I spoke on the phone with Aunt C and video chatted with my daughter who spent the afternoon at a dress rehearsal for the UC Alumni Chorus spring performance, which will be held on Sunday (she's a second soprano).  She only started singing with them this spring, so this will be her first performance with them.  

Brunch was leftover pancakes and sausages from Friday's dinner.  Dinner was ham fried rice, made with leftover rice, ham, green peas, a scrambled egg, and some dry roasted peanuts added at the end.  Now I have leftover fried rice for Sunday's brunch!  I made some fresh lemonade to have with my dinner.  Yogurt for dessert.

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- A sunny and warm day
- Daughter had fun at the dress rehearsal
- Phone calls from family and emails from friends
- The garden
- Dancer keeping me company

Saturday's joyful activities included spending time in the garden and video chatting with my daughter.

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?