Willie Nelson Came To Town

And performed in Concert At The Ironstone Amphitheater which is only one mile from my home in a bucolic area .  The amphitheater sits on a twelve and a half acre destination property .  The major feature is the Ironstone Winery and Vineyards - 17th largest winery in the United States .  In another post I will elaborate on this destination property that includes many interesting  activities like tasting room (of course) jewelry store, museum, gift store, beautiful gardens, wedding/party venues, very large entertainment room with fine art, magnificent pipe organ and high-end professional kitchen to just mention a few .

Ironstone is a magnificent location to spend as much time as you have . During the 25 years that I have lived here, I have had the opportunity to witness the development and evolution of a vision of a hard working family of four generations .

In my last post I mentioned that I would blog about some mischief/vandalism in the neighborhood .  So - - - what does Willie Nelson have to do with it ?  Well, nothing personally,  but his presence and especially his fans contributed to disheartening activity at my home and nearby.

On Sunday morning when I went out my front door, I noticed that my vertical gate was open.  I thought that was strange and with further observation I saw lots of yard waste from my filled barrels that were placed on the opposite side of my driveway inside the fence .  While checking things out a Sheriff drove by and I waved for him to stop.

Allegedly, the Out Of Town visitors for the concert who became mood altered from overzealous partying left their NOTICE of their attendance to our little town by vandalizing MANY HOMES near Main Street which is about one mile from the Amphitheater.

I had six barrels ready to be picked up and two were missing from an obscure location along my front flower bed and the driveway.  One of the barrels was up the street and I did not see the other one.

I proceeded to clean up the yard waste (thankfully it was not smelly household waste) and after looking around I noticed another of my barrels across the street in the flower bed.  I put a red star on the photo.  You can also see more of the yard waste behind a neighbors vehicle.

And, this is what was done to my next door neighbors fence.

I guess there were about 10 homes affected by this irresponsible behavior .  Garden pottery with plants were broken as well as garden furniture and other types of vandalism .

Thankfully, no people or animals were injured or killed .  It could have been a lot worse.  But, what a sad event  and what it says about today's world .  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event and it seems as though wherever you live your life it is filled with disrespectful and  dishonorable acts.

What happened to the Golden Rule ?   "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

I guess this post is a little bit of labor of love .  I had to rewrite it because somehow it disappeared when I had almost finished it yesterday .  Don't you hate when that happens ?????

Until next time !

Mary

Well - Hello There

And ,  How Are You?   My name is EDGAR and I have found a new home in this beautiful bottle tree house .   Look, there is more -

This is a very good place for me because it is sheltered against the wind and it is somewhat hidden so any young humans that may think of a little mischief don't know I am here !

And , it won't be long before all those figs in the Fig Tree behind me will be ripe and ready for some sweet pleasure eating !

Those figs are everywhere !

 With this super hot weather it won't be long before they will be soft, purple and juicy .

This year the tree is huge even though I trimmed it quite severely last fall .  Perhaps the daily hand watering of the garden has coaxed it to exceed all expectations .

A couple more photos that may be of interest .  On the right of the photo you can see the trunk at the base of the Fig Tree .  Now notice the large roots growing on the surface of the ground.

I have never seen anything like that before .   I think it is like that because the ground is filled with so much rock .   Yes, it is my NEMESIS again !  THE ROCK .
It trails out in all directions .  At least I know the Fig Tree is on my side and isn't a quitter !

I am beginning to marvel at the fact that there is any semblance of a garden here especially since there has never been a professional landscaping company involved which would mean that loads and loads of rich soil would be trucked in .  The piles of nice dirt  (only a gardener would call dirt - nice.  Am I right ?)  were so tall and so many that I could not see over them .  I saw that with two of my neighbors, one across the street and one next door to my house .

How about a little trivia for you  .  There is evidence of a mine (probably gold)  on my property. Actually close to where the blue bottle tree is planted.  For the longest time my plants would disappear .  YES, just disappear !   And, after some PI work on my behalf, I could see that I could not see ( how do you like that combination of words) the bottom of a very large hole and it was surrounded with a lot of very very large rock .  So, you know of my overabundance of unwanted rock.  Well, I just started throwing the rock down the big hole.  Eventually, my plants stopped disappearing! The mine is on the property line and I could see some openings on the other side .  For the longest time it was the home of a family of skunks . YES, SKUNKS. One night I looked out my living room window with a flashlight and I saw a Mama Skunk and eight little babies trailing behind her coming out of their home .  Living with nature is grand !

Oh, another piece of trivia.  Since, my house is the first house on the block that is outside of the original 1800's Township this property was used as the town dump !  Yes, you heard me right !

So, it is quite unique and surprising that I have my gardens and without professional landscaping.

Just one more comment.  The largest item I have dug up was a large bed spring .  And, there still are many odd shapes of metal poking out of the ground.

WOW, I really got on a roll, didn't I ?

Next time I'll tell you about last nights vandalizing in my neighborhood .  Interesting that I would write about "human mischief" at the beginning of this post before I even knew there was any such issue here at my home and the neighbors !

The end,  yes, really !  Be Good .  No mischief, OK ?

Mary

Lots Of To Do List Activity Accomplished And More

It seems like my list gets longer instead of shorter.  And, it probably is.  However, today I am able to take my pen and cross off a few from the list.  First, I have been able to line up a highly recommended professional House Painter to give me an estimate for painting the outside of the house before the end of the year, probably September or October.  I believe preventive maintenance is less expensive in the long run .  And, I hope to be able to take care of this soon and not to wait another year.

Next, on Friday I have an appointment with a new attorney to finish my Will and whatever is appropriate to insure a smooth transfer of any assets .  No, this subject does not trouble me.  I am a realist and when this is finished, I can cross the activity off "the list".  At the beginning of the year I felt compelled to terminate services of the attorney that I was working with at that time.  Even though my assets are very small, it still is important to "take care of business" so that I leave this stage of my life with the best organization  I can.  I was taught to be a perfectionist but in reality, I certainly am not and those trying to teach me certainly were not either .  The fact that I have very few living relatives that I am aware of and almost all are disassociated from me (or I have disassociated from them) it makes it difficult to determine a fiduciary.  Oh, and my closest friends have already passed on.  Hopefully, before long this task will no longer be on the list .

And, I have started my phone calls to try and get a referral to a doctor who can and will help me with the appropriate medical care in a timely fashion .  I guess if I must, I can always try going into the Emergency Room.  But, I certainly hope it does not come to that !  This doctor stuff is crazy like most of the world. 

I like to keep my life as simple as it can be and avoid conflict as much as possible !  It seems like so many people find themselves in a dilemma that they have had very little to do with originally.  Sometimes, life doesn't seem fair.  It sure ain't for the weak !  I am so grateful that I am feeling stronger than I have in a long time and no  longer waste my energy and time spinning my wheels and not finding completion of the necessary tasks .

There are so many weather related events across the USA and world that are impacting the quality of life of so many people .  The summer dry weather here is contributing to the continuation of periodic grass and wildfires .  The Yosemite Fire continues with only partial containment.  These photos are just a few of what we see on TV and newspapers on a regular basis !

There is so much to be thankful for, especially if we are not personally affected by life/world events that are all around us.  Let's not lose sight of how important it is to help when and if we can .  There are a multitude of ways .  Cash is always good but be sure to always insure the safety of the receiving source . 

It is starting to warm up this morning and it is going to be another VERY HOT day, over 100 degrees !

Smile.  It can make someone else happy - - - hopefully.

Mary

Dog Days Of Summer

Is it? And, where did the saying come from?

Turns out it is really, really old - going back to Roman Times according to the Internet. "The ancient Romans noticed that the Hottest days of the year, that is, in late July and early August, coincided with the appearance of Sirius - the Dog Star, in the same part of the sky as the Sun.  Sirius is the largest and brightest star (20 times brighter than the sun) seen from Earth in the nights sky."

So, now you know.

Another Daylily has opened and it has a name.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend during these "Dog Days Of Summer".

Mary

Tending To Business Can Be Difficult

As I mentioned in June, I saw my General Practice Physician because of some abdominal discomfort and a CAT scan was prescribed .  And, I was told I would get a call with appointment date in 4 to 5 days .  I never received a call .  So, it was about 3 weeks later when I called to find out what was going on .  Well, something fell through the cracks and nothing was scheduled .  It's important for me to note that I asked the doctor about the prep procedure because of my very challenging gastrointestinal disability with the loss of control when defecating . See this Blog Post for history. The doctor said that no prep would be necessary.

So, after several phone calls, I was scheduled for the CAT scan at the hospital. Then, I was told I will need some lab work because the scan will be done with a contrast medium which will give clearer visibility of abdominal body organs which means I would need a Barium prep.  I do not have any problem with all of this other than my concern regarding my body's response in light of the rectal incontinence issues . This information has been discussed with the doctor in the past as well as now .  The best way I can explain what happens to me when having the prep  is to say  "it is the worst kind of a Shitty Mess" !  The last time I had a scan with prep I was an inpatient at the hospital. At the current time I do not have anyone to assist me in this burdensome activity.

In general , when I think a medical procedure or treatment is appropriate ,  my approach is "just do it".  No need fretting about it.  What good does it do ?  We don't always have a choice in what is necessary for our well being, - - - But we have a choice in how we respond to it !

However , I am feeling very different at this time .  I really-really-really do not want to go through all the unpleasantness of lack of control of my bodily function.  However, my BIGGEST CONCERN is the lack of communication between all the people involved.  I see it as a Big Red Flag !

I have cancelled the appointment for the CAT scan and I will request a referral to a Specialist.  I refuse to be caught in a compromising situation that could be anything but in my best interest .  After making this decision I feel very relieved and very happy with my plans. I am feeling quite well, only occasional mild symptoms . I do not think I am dealing with anything that would be considered life threatening.  And, there is no question in my mind about my decision if I were to be faced with determining future medical treatment.  I refuse to ever agree to undergo chemotherapy.  And, I do not think I will be faced with that circumstance.

In fact, I have placed a picture of a HEALTHY abdomen over my kitchen sink which provides a great visual for me to focus on.  Remember, I am a retired Nurse.  So, this picture has no distress for me.

Mind - Body - Spirit - Gratitude.

Life can be a series of somersaults .

You gotta just keep rolling !

Mary

How Ugly Can It Get

"Oh My !"  And, I also said  "What in the world is that feasting on my Daylily  plant ?"  And, I had more questions.    "Where did you come from ?"    "Why are you here ?"    And, what are You ?    You are so ugly !!!

I know very little about insects even though there was a whole chapter on Entomology when I took a Master Gardeners' Course many years ago.   I have never seen the likes of this photographed insect in my garden on July 13, 2018 when this photo was taken by me.  Fortunately, I had my camera in my hand as I was going out to look at possible growth of my tomato plants.

After a little research - - - I think it is a Cicada   (pronounced Chi-Kay-da) !    After reading some of the copious amount of Internet information I am somewhat confused as to why I would see this "elder of the insect world" in MY GARDEN IN CALIFORNIA.    Only 0.2% of all Cicadas are found in North America and most are in the Eastern half of the USA.  There are over 3390 species world wide and they are found on all continents except Antarctica.  

There are generally two types of cicadas. Annual Cicadas emerge every year in late June or August, while Periodical Cicadas emerge in cycles of 13 or 17 years, depending on the species. When Periodical Cicadas emerge, all the adults in a given location emerge at the same.  Tens of thousands to over a million insects can reside in a relatively small area of land.  A group of Periodicals that emerge at the same time is called a Brood. Broods are classified with Roman numerals that represent each group. There are 30 Broods in all. More information about groups of species and Broods which is quite extensive can be found on the Internet.

Female Cicada lay from 200 to 600 eggs total in tiny holes made in trees and shrubs.  Cicada young --- called Nymphs hatch from the eggs and immediately drop to burrow underground, where they attach to tree roots .   The Nymphs remain attached to the roots and suck tree sap for most of their lives .  When the dormant period ends in about 17 years, the Cicada emerges from underground at sunset, guided only by instinct and attaches to a tree or shrub.  At that time the Cicadas skin sheds allowing the Adult Cicada to emerge.

NOTE - While posting this information,  I just remembered that about 2 days before I noticed this gross looking Cicada, I saw a dried hollow insect skin on a Daylily a few feet away from the live
Cicada .  And,  I thought  "I wonder what that is!"  It reminded me of what I knew as a child as a Potato Bug (they have many names) which sheds its skin .  No photo taken that day.

Above ground, male Cicadas fill the air with shrill buzzing sounds (called their song) the result of small drum-like plates on the abdomen that the Cicadas vibrates rapidly.  And, they can be very noisy.  Reportedly, the Cicada makes the loudest sound of any insect.  Their sound can be heard for up to 1/2 mile away and they only sing during the daytime.  While many people find the sound annoying, the male Cicada uses it to attract female Cicadas for mating.  Both male and female Cicadas die after about five weeks above ground.      Oh my,  No.

And, now my question is "What is their purpose ?"  When they emerge for the culmination of their life cycle they mulch and aerate the ground and during their brief time above ground  they provide food for all kinds of birds and small rodents.

Some people confuse Cicadas with Grasshoppers, Crickets and Katydids because they all are relatively large and singing insects.

And, in case you are wondering ?  Cicadas are eaten in various countries including China where the Nymphs are served deep fried in Shandong cuisine.  Thought you might ask ! ! !

Well, I guess that is your science lesson for the week and maybe for all time .  I found it quite fascinating.  I still don't know why they are in my California Garden ! But then, I have had a strong curiosity about most everything throughout my life .  Oh, and I have been known for being quite observant of my surroundings !   That's just who I am !

NOTE - Saw another Cicada empty skin this morning in same area.  No sign of Adult Cicada but I did get a photo .

Hope you are having a Happy Day.

Mary

Long Time Coming

I have three Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile) plants that I planted many years ago and they have never bloomed.  Of course, they are planted in rocky soil and are located down by the seasonal creek and have not received regular watering or much attention through the years.  However, during the past two years I have put more effort into that area of my gardens.

And, look at them NOW.  WOW-WOW-WOW.

I am really enjoying seeing them with their long spiky stems that makes them more visible from a distance.  And, better yet, they are multiplying with more small plants filling in the area.

The area in the left of the photo is where a lot of the Daylilies are planted. Because of the volume of the rock in the ground, I have always had difficulty  planting deep enough for the plant roots to grow strong.  I keep working on nourishing the ground by adding as much good healthy soil as I can.

The Agapanthus reminds me of when I had many in a garden past .  And, I thoroughly enjoyed making flower arrangements with them.  Another flower that was a favorite of mine for arranging was Bird of Paradise.  The arrangements were somewhat like Japanese Ikebana flower design.  Usually, I used a shallow black round or irregular vase with a spike frog to secure the heavy blossoms .  The black color vase gave it a touch of elegance.  Of course, any color combination can be created .

This arrangement is a little similar. It is an arrangement that I made in springtime 2011 for the church alter when the Daffodils and Stellata Magnolia were in bloom.  Beauty in simplicity !

There are so many creative outlets that I truly miss that were so enjoyable in the past.         New Times - New Adventures !           Onward to enjoyment of opportunities unknown to me at the present time .

It's a new week .  Hope you have some pleasant plans and your weather is conducive to those plans .  The HOT weather continues here in California .  And, the grass fires and wildfires persist in challenging our wonderful firefighters.

Be Safe .

Mary

Getting Ready To Make Basil Pesto

Little did I know when I planted tomato plants and basil plants close together that I would be reading about the benefits of planting the two different plants side by side.  This is what I read.

Planted 6-12-2018

"Planting basil next to tomatoes, not only wards off tomato worms, somehow planting the two together actually makes the tomatoes taste better!" 

Look at how much these tomato plants have grown in just one month !   The HOT HOT weather has certainly aided in this rapid growth.  More importantly,  there also are REAL TOMATOES starting to show up.    Happy-Happy-Happy !

Tomatoes next to basil !

Fresh Basil Pesto is so easy to make.  It only takes five ingredients plus salt and pepper.  Fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese, virgin olive oil, pine nuts and garlic cloves.   

Preservation by freezing or canning takes a little more work and variation in the recipe prep.  Of course, freshly prepared is great and can be used on pasta, baked potatoes, crackers and even toast.

I have to buy the pine nuts and then I am ready to get out the food processor.  I don't have a gifting source of pine nuts like a blog friend of mine !

It's going to be another HOT HOT day in these mountain foothills !  Have a Great Sunday.

Mary

13th

Be Careful !

Mary

My Daily Daylily Delight

Say that Three Times !

I had no idea that my excitement each morning looking for the most recently blooming Daylily would replicate my morning ritual while the Iris were blooming a couple months ago.  But, here I am nurturing the many Daylily plants in my garden.  I really never  thought about how many I have planted through the years.  And, there are a lot.  Close to 30 different varieties.  For the most part, they were purchased when on sale.  I know the  last four are from a local nursery that went out of business.  And, before that another nursery was having an end of season sale and that was four more purchased.

I have kept the original plant name tags through the years.  And, it has been like a walk through time trying to correctly match the tag to the plant.  So far, there are only a few that I have no idea of the name.

About half of the plants have started to bloom and I have documented eleven with names matching the picture.  This will help me have a history of the Daylilies.  Each of these photos I have taken in my garden during the past few days.

As more flowers open each day, I will add them to this list in another blog post.  So far, I think Pomp and Circumstances is my favorite followed by Persian Market .

I recently realized again the power of working in my garden is that it is a very nice way to live in the moment versus dwelling on unpleasantries of the past.                             
                    Forward Thinking has become my latest term to add to my Mind, Body, Spirit vocabulary !

Whistling my way through my garden (secret-I can't whistle!) listening to my very own tunes.

Today , Smile at someone you don't know !

Mary