The Front Garden in March

 

The Front Garden in March

There is still a lot of bare ground where there used to be grass, but, the front garden is showing some signs of life after the rain.

Lantana

Euryops

Azure Bush Germander

Osteospermum

The Succulents Border

Bulbine

The Stumpery

One of the logs I had placed on the side seems to have partially decomposed.  I might rearrange one of the other logs over it.

And last, but, not least:

The First Rose of Spring

Thank you for visiting the front garden in March.  I hope you enjoyed your visit.  What's growing in your garden so far this spring?

Mid-Week Update

 

"You wash your left paw first"

I kept Dancer's new pad on the sofa to see if he'll give it his seal of approval and he did so in his own inimitable way:

"You wash your right paw next"

The washing of the paws is a required preliminary step to the ultimate seal of approval - the plop down!

"Then you plop yourself down on your brand new pad and
that's what it's all about!"

Obviously, the new pad has received Dancer's seal of approval!  

We had a day of summer on Monday when the temperature reached a high of 91F!  I took daughter to her follow-up appointment with the podiatrist and he prescribed a supportive ankle brace for her to wear with her walking shoes as he thinks she's ready to stop wearing the walking boot.  So, we went to the Orthopedics department where she was fitted with the brace.  After we came home, I watered the garden, both front and back, as it was so hot.  Later, there were the usual Monday routines of taking the trash cans to the curb, etc.  Brunch was peanut butter toast, dinner was leftover rice, meatball curry, cashew curry, and cucumber salad with ice cream for dessert.

Spring returned on Tuesday, with a daytime high of 76F.  I sewed the cover for Dancer's new pad, brought the emptied trash cans back, picked more lemons from the garden, and made some phone calls to set up medical appointments pending authorization by medical provider and insurance.  Brunch was peanut butter toast, again.  Dinner was boxed macaroni and cheese with tuna and broccoli.

Winter returned on Wednesday with morning drizzle, overcast, cloudy skies the rest of the day, and a daytime high that barely reached 60F.  M was able to tend to the garden around noon, weeding, thinning out the peaches, and fertilizing some of the fruit trees.  In the evening, I made several phone calls and spoke with my sister, with aunt C, with friend R, and with K (former neighbor T's daughter).  We had scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns for brunch and leftover macaroni and cheese for dinner.

This week's gratitudes have included:

- A lovely warm day bringing a foretaste of the summer days to come
- Daughter's appointment with the podiatrist went well and her foot continues to heal
- Water and rain for the garden
- The fabric stash
- Being able to mend and reuse worn out items
- M helping with the garden
- Phone calls with family and friends
- Being able to borrow books from the library

Joyful activities have included sewing, reading, making a birthday card, taking a stroll with my daughter (just up and down the driveway, but, it was good to feel the sunshine on our faces and be together), and chatting with family and friends.

Plans for Thursday include doing some housework, laundry, and more reading.

What are your plans for Thursday?

Waste Not!

Newly Mended Towel

Back in August, 2021, I mended a small hand towel that had frayed, by sewing a binding around it.

Towel Mending: August 2021

Fast forward to 2025 and the same towel was starting to tear, again, this time, where the binding had been sewn:

The Towel Frays, Again

The towel is a little more worn out now, getting a bit thin in places, but, it is still useful for mopping up some spilled water, for wiping out the bathroom sink, for drying my feet after I wash them, etc.  I didn't want to toss it in the trash, yet, as it still had some useful life in it, in my opinion.  So, I decided to mend it, yet again.  I cut off the earlier binding, trimmed the edges of the towel, cut some bias binding from a piece of fabric I had in my fabric stash, and sewed a new binding.  The result is a mended towel that can be used a few more times.

Torn Bed Sheet

Then, there is this floral patterned flannel bed sheet that tore in the wash, last week.   It is a sheet that I had bought for my mother and after her death in 2006, my daughter started to use it.  Tt was worn out beyond being patched and mended:

Quite Worn Out

What to do with it?  Should I toss it?  Could I reuse it?  It was beyond being mended, but, could I do something else with it?  If so, what?  Cut it up and make cleaning cloths with it?  Maybe I could use it to put on the bottom of Dancer's carrier - I usually put a folded towel to cushion him and to absorb anything he might throw up, etc.  Maybe I could make a little carrier pad for him.

I folded it in such a way that the torn parts of the sheet were inside and sewed the edges:

Padded Mat for Dancer's Carrier

It looked like a little pillow.  But, I wasn't sure how well it would survive being washed.  My friend suggested covering it with another fabric and that's what I did!  I had some leftover flannel from sewing a nightdress several years ago (in March, 2015).  I needed to "piece out the fabric" as they say, sewing several pieces together to make the fabric wide enough, but, Dancer now has a new pillow/padded mat for his carrier:

Dancer's New Padded Mat

The whole thing can be washed in the machine and it wouldn't matter if the sheet inside shreds even more because the outer cover will keep everything in place.  Another household item that could have been tossed, but, was recycled and reused.  I am very pleased with my efforts to reduce waste. Plus, I had fun sewing.  

What do you think?

March Grocery Shopping - Part 4

Grocery Receipt 3/19/25
I like how they separate items by category

On March 19, I did a mid-week grocery shopping trip, in person, after getting my taxes done.  There is a Hispanic supermarket located in the same outdoor mall as the tax accountant's office and I wanted to get some half and half for my daughter's coffee, another loaf of sandwich bread, and some produce.  I knew that I had approximately $60 left in my grocery budget and I wanted to spend about $20.00 total on this mid-week shopping trip, since there were still another 12 days left in the month.  I was determined to stay under budget this month!

I bought:

1 pint half and half = $2.69

1 loaf sandwich bread = $2.99

4 bolillo rolls @ $0.50@ = $2.00

1 piece cappuccino tres leches cake = $3.99

1 lb. strawberries = $3.99

0.49 lb. broccoli crown @ $0.99/lb. = $0.49

2 cucumbers @ 2/$1 = $1.00

1 bunch kale = $1.19

Total = $18.34

The bolillo rolls were delicious and daughter and I enjoyed them with chicken curry and/or sandwiched with part of a pork chop.  

March Grocery budget = $200

Spent to date = $51.70 + $47.92 + $31.71 + $18.34 = $149.67

In addition, I bought a quart of ice cream on Saturday from an ice cream shop offering 31 flavors; we had gone in to get a treat, but, a single scoop was $3.49 at the shop and we decided we'd get more value for our money with the bigger container.

So, spent to date = $149.67 + $7.99 = $157.66

Balance left in the March Grocery Budget = $200 - $157.66 = $42.34

It is March 25 as I write this and there are six days left in the month.  I know I will need to pick up more half and half, later this week, and some milk and fruit plus probably more bread (or bagels).  I've already taken a look at this week's grocery ads (effective date 3/26) and will make a grocery list based on that, to be picked up this weekend, probably.

By the way, a dozen large eggs are priced at $6.99!  Woo hoo! 

How is your March grocery shopping coming along?

March Week 3 Meal Plan Update and Week 4 Meal Plan

Friday Fried Rice

I had been operating without a meal plan for the first few days of Week 3 and then, I posted a "Mid-Week" meal plan for the rest of the week::

Brunches/Lunches: 

Scrambled eggs and bacon with fried potatoes or toast
Salads
Pancakes
Leftovers from dinners

Dinners:
Leftover pork chops with rice and green beans
Leftover chicken and rice with broccoli
Smoked sausage and vegetables stir fry with rice
Mealball curry and rice with lentils and green beans
Leftovers

Snacks: Fruit, granola bars, cereal, crackers with tuna salad or peanut butter, hot Cheetos

However, I've decided to post an update on the entire week, just to make it easier for myself to see what last week's meals were.  The first three days of meals were copied and pasted from the previous meal planning post.

Monday:
Lunch Tuna salad sandwiches
Dinner: Leftover salmon, boxed wild rice mix, sauteed green beans, corn on the cob (homegrown corn from the freezer)

Tuesday:
Lunch:  Leftover rice and chicken curry with the last of the sauteed cabbage and tomato chutney
Dinner: Pork chops, rice, green peas, cucumber salad

Wednesday:
Breakfast: French toast
Lunch: Cold cuts sandwiches
Dinner: Jamaican style beef patties from the freezer; cucumber salad per daughter's request   Chicken curry and bolillos*; strawberries

* I did a mid-week grocery shopping trip on Wednesday evening, after my appointment with the tax accountant.  Their new office is located in an outdoor mall with several stores including a Hispanic grocery store.  I bought 2 cucumbers at 2/$1 and a type of bread rolls called bolillo that were also priced at 2/$1.  In addition, I bought some broccoli, a bunch of kale, a loaf of sandwich bread, a pint of half and half, a container of strawberries and piece of cappuccino tres leches cake as a treat.  My total came to under $20.00

Thursday:
Breakfast: Jamaican hand pie (me; daughter didn't want breakfast)
Lunch: Chicken curry and bolillo, strawberries
Dinner: Leftover chicken curry and bolillo (me); pork chop and bolillo (daughter)

Friday:
Brunch: French toast (there was batter leftover from Wednesday)
Dinner: Pork fried rice (leftover pork chop half, leftover rice, lettuce, green peas, scrambled egg, peanuts)

Saturday:
Brunch:  Scrambled eggs and bacon on toast; half a bottle of a green smoothie drink, each
Dinner:  Sardines on toast, ice cream for dessert

Sunday:
Brunch: Frozen burrito
Dinner: Meatball curry, cashew curry from the freezer (leftover from the almsgiving), and rice; the last piece of tres leches cake for dessert

*************************

Which brings us to this week, which I am considering as the 4th (and last) week in March.  

Here's what this week's meal plan looks like:

Brunches/Lunches: 

Peanut butter on toast (or bread)
Waffles/Pancakes
Tuna salad sandwiches
Salads
Leftovers from dinners

Dinners:
Leftover meatball curry with rice, cashew curry, and green beans
Smoked sausage and vegetables stir fry with rice
Boxed mac & cheese with tuna/tuna "casserole"
Sauteed chicken with potato wedges and broccoli
Leftovers

Snacks: Fresh fruit, granola bars, cereal, crackers, etc.

That is the plan.  We shall see how it turns out.  

Are you making a meal plan this week?

To Bee or Not to Bee

 

Swarming Bees

On Wednesday, when M was here, tending to the garden, he noticed quite a few bees buzzing around at the back of the garden and called out to me.  I had been in the garden, earlier in the morning, picking oranges, but, I hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.  But, when M showed me the bees flying about, I realized that it was a swarm of migrating bees and noticed the cluster of them in one of the Euphorbia tirucalli trees.  It didn't take them long to form the cluster around their queen.  Then, everything was fairly quiet with just a few bees flying around.  The swarm would stay in place and rest while scouter bees look for a new hive.

This is the third time since I've been in this house that I've had a swarm of migrating bees form a cluster like this.  The very first time, I was watering the tree on which they had swarmed and they left, immediately.  The second time, we called the county vector control and they sent someone to collect the bees.  But, this time, when I looked up the county vector control website, they say they do not remove bees.  So, I looked up the county beekeepers association and there were several beekeepers listed.  They will collect bees for a fee.  

But, I know that swarming bees will move once they've found a suitable site for their permanent hive.  So, I decided to give them some time to move on.  They were still in place on Friday evening when M came to tend to the garden.  I thought I'd give them a little more time.  As I told one of my friends, if they were still here on Monday, then, I will contact a beekeeper.

But, when I checked on Saturday afternoon, the swarm had moved on.  I checked the other trees in the garden, but, I didn't see another bee cluster.  I hope they found a good place to build their hive.  I am just hoping that it is not in my attic space!  I don't have a finished attic as such, but, there is a space between the ceiling and the roof with ventilation openings!  I didn't notice any bees flying in and out of any of the vents, though.  But, if my ceiling starts to drip with honey, then, I will know where they went!  And then, I'll really need to call a beekeeper!

In the meantime, I am grateful for:

- Bees, who pollinate our flowers and enable them to form fruits and seeds, who bless my garden with their presence, and who have, hopefully, moved on to a better place to build their hive!

Have you had a cluster of swarming bees in your garden?

Another Finished Project

 

Mended Socks

This past winter, I have had to repair several pairs of my knitted wool socks.  Usually, a hole would develop in the heel and I'd do my best to mend it, but, later, another hole would develop under the toes or next to the previously mended hole and I would mend them, too.  I usually don't have any matching yarn, so the mending is done using different odds and ends of yarn I have in the stash, resulting in some very colorful socks, indeed.  Especially when former darning is reinforced with newer darning as shown below:

Reinforced Mending

It is the second sock from the viewer's right in the first photo, which developed a new hole on the side of the previous mending, after that first photo was taken!

I guess I am hard on my socks!  I wear them around the house as I don't wear shoes inside the house.  The repeated mending makes the socks feel rather stiff at first, but, eventually, I get used to it.  However, every time I darn one area of the sock, I notice that the wool is getting thinner and worn out in other places.  

So, I decided that it was time to knit myself a new pair of socks!  I decided to use some acrylic yarn that was leftover from the pink crocheted blanket.  It's the neon pink that my daughter thought was too bright, but, I love!

New Pink Socks

I finished knitting the second sock, on Friday.  I love just how pink my new socks are!  They might not be as warm as my wool socks, but, unlike the wool socks, they will be machine washable.

The only problem is, I hate to get rid of my old mended socks!  I've told myself that I shall wear them until they start to tear, again, and then, I will toss them.  They can be mended only so much!  

I am grateful for:

- A new pair of socks
- Being able to knit
- My recently replenished yarn stash
- Warm feet

- A finished project

My joyful activity on Friday was knitting.