Happy Friday, everyone. Guy dang, it feels good.
(Source: rabbitcold, via dailycarbon)
We Have Band released a the first single from their forthcoming new album (early 2012). The single’s called Visionary. I like it!
Yeah, I realize how sensationalist this sounds. Okay? But consider how long it’s been since I posted something before you judge me… This is the BEST burger you’ll ever have. Hands down! (I’m dying to have one for lunch.)
I used to have to go to L.A. to make my dreams come true; Now they’ve opened an Umami Burger in San Francisco. Praise Baby Jesus! Now RUN, don’t walk!
Here’s an oldie, but a goodie using fresh Sungold tomatoes from any garden. (I learned this from Range Restaurant in San Francisco.)
The Sungold Zinger
3-4 Sungold tomatoes
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 oz agave syrup
1/2 oz lemon juice
1-1/2 oz 209 gin
Muddle the tomatoes, salt, and syrup together in a mixing glass. Add lemon juice and gin, and shake well with ice and serve up.
It’s time to begin the first phase of a major project: replacing all the mixed types of gravel in the front with a more natural-looking one to bring uniformity to the visual chaos. The problem for me is that it’s painstaking, back-breaking work to kneel for so long and remove tiny rocks from between all the tiny sempervivum, echeveria and jovibarba. After that’s done, I won’t be able to simply shovel the new rocks over all of it. I’ll have to repeat the process—but in reverse; I’ll need to meticulously use my hands to pour smaller gravel between each plant. Last time I tried pouring gravel in between everything, I accidentally buried quite a few things and lost them.
I’ve got a lot of work to do. Time to rekindle my relationship with the ibuprofen.
What is it with kids and my garden in the front yard?
I watched a little family of four (two parents and two small children) as they admired my yard, pointing at all the interesting details and colors … smiling, learning. Then mom and dad walked ahead with Kimmy, while little Timmy, who stayed behind unattended, decides to start stomping on a patch of beautiful echeveria.
After tearing a four year-old a new one, I still need to pull the crushed plants and replace them with new ones. Or maybe I ought to replant the perimeter with jumping cholla or some crazy-spiny opuntia…
I’ll fix those rascals.
I took a quick trip to L.A. a few weeks ago and was surprised to find a yard sale in Beverly Hills where a man was selling gobs of stuff he was pulling from his garden or things he had neglected. (Shouldn’t he have had a gardener?) But the shockers were the price tags. These Aloe nobilis came overflowing (and all nearly dead) in a huge, black plastic nursery container… for $3!! Thankfully I had my Jeep and some singles in my pocket. I dragged them to the Jeep and hauled them back to Oakland where I cleaned them up and then—yeah—neglected them. I put them here temporarily in the planter at the base of a lupine. Now I like them there. Maybe they should stay?
I’m off to spend the entire morning volunteering at one of my favorite places in the Bay Area: The Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek. I’m really looking forward to it. (I’m sure the reason why is a no-brainer.)
One of the things that caught my eye most when I first saw this aloe at the Dry Garden was it’s deep, red colored tentacles. I took it home and stuck it in the ground immediately. I really wanted that red focal point in my yard. Little did I know at the time, but have learned since, that many succulents change colors depending on how stressed they are. Stressing can come from direct, all day sunlight or a deprivation of water. As you can see in the “After” shot, mine looks like it’s been at the spa for the last few months; it’s turned bright green. My guess is that with all the new plantings around it, it was sipping on some of their spa water.
Okay, Missy. Time to dry you out and get me back my red this Fall.
One of the things I love most in my garden is the Agave parryi that I planted a year or so ago. It’s grown so quickly and has already produced 6 or 7 pups (that I know of).
Today, I discovered two more of them hiding under her bottom leaves. I’d love to pull them, but they’re pretty tightly tucked-in and I got stuck the first time I tried. I wonder if I should wait until they’re a little bigger before separating them from the mother plant. (The ones I pulled previously popped out a little further away from her.)
