Green Desert

Red

2011-12-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

Pink

2011-12-18T08:51:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not supposed to be here but.......

2011-12-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

I couldn't stay away! :) I just wanted to post a quick update about my back because a couple of people had asked.

I had a microdiscectomy done a little over two weeks ago to remove the disc material that was compressing the nerve root at L5. The neurosurgeon said it had to be done to minimize the risk of permananent damage to my already weak foot/ leg. It all went very well and I can honestly say I feel better than I have in months. I guess sometimes you doesn't realize how bad you feel until you start feeling better! I am still taking it a bit easy, probably wont finish landscaping the backyard quite yet, but I already have some strength back in my foot and leg, and I can feel my toes again which is an added benefit! :)

The garden is looking awesome with all the seeds I planted back in the fall thriving at last. I can't wait to get out there and do stuff but I will wait for a bit longer. This picture is from a week ago and everything has grown a lot, even since then.

In other news, the girls are doing well, very excited about the holidays of course. We are having a very scaled back Christmas this year which I am looking forward to, less of everything is the plan. I have my math final this week thank goodness, and I jammed with friends this afternoon, something I hadn't done in a while because of my back. Life is getting back to "normal" again, whatever that may be. I am extremely fortunate in so many ways.

It is Time

2011-11-06T18:23:00.000-08:00

My heart hasn't really been in my blog for a long time now despite a couple of attempts at returning after taking a break. I don't feel as though I have much to say that I haven't said already in regards to my attempts at trying to live more sustinably in the suburbs.

It is harder than it may seem, living sustainably in the suburbs. Not that I don't do many small things that I hope will make a difference like trying to grow food, buying locally, using green products, reducing, reusing and recycling... etc etc.

I have yet to make a significant dent on the two things that would make the most difference and these are driving, and reducing energy use in our home. I still find it difficult to reduce driving to a level that would be conserving much energy because.... well, I live in the suburbs where there is little reliable public transport, and where one is literally taking ones life in ones own hands by cycling. We also still use an astounding amount of energy cooling our home in the summer despite keeping our house at 83 degrees, and keeping it shuttered up like a cave during the hot months. Unless we get a solar system installed this isn't going to change, and that isn't a prospect for the forseeable future due to how much it would cost to install. Sad but true.

So for now I will have to make do with what I have already achieved and continue to dream of a move away from the suburbs one day when practical for my family. Perhaps then I will feel as though I am achieving more than I currently am in an attempt to save this beautiful world of ours. Perhaps then I will also return to blogging.

I will still be checking in with all the blogs out there that I love and thank you!

ALS Walk

2011-10-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

The girls and I did the Scottsdale Walk to defeat ALS this past weekend. It isn't a long walk, only a couple of miles, but the whole point lies in the fact that we were able to walk it, unlike my cousin and others who are forced to live with ALS.

We raised $1,605 dollars for the Arizona Chapter of the ALS Association, way more than I imagined we could raise, and I am very grateful to those who contributed to such a worthy cause. It was a very special morning for us all, very emotional at times, and my cousin Alison was never far from my thoughts, though she is never far from my thoughts anyway.

In other news I have almost managed to plant my fall garden now. I still have swiss chard, spinach, lettuce and cabbage to plant. It is going to be cooler today, low eighties, so I am looking forward to doing that later with the girls. It will feel good to get it all planted at last though I have to admit it has been a good exercise in patience for me too.

The half landscaped backyard is driving me crazy but I am having to let it go for now. It probably wont get finished until next year but that it O.K and I am focusing on the parts that are finished and enjoying all the birds, some of which seem to be building nests again despite the time of year.

My back is about the same. I have a referral to a surgeon in two weeks time and I am glad though I never imagined I would be someone who needed back surgery. I have always believed in the bodys innate ability to heal itself but realistically there are occasions when this is simply not going to happen. How lucky we are that so much can be done these days. I think we often take modern medicine for granted and expect so much, and I am so grateful for the help I am getting.

Frustration

2011-10-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

I have managed to get some of my fall seeds in but not without increased back and leg pain. This is so frustrating for me because I was pretty much just supervising the girls from the sidelines with minimal involvement other than kneeling and occasionally leaning over! It seems that even that was too much for my fragile disc and I have been rewarded with several days of pain again. Frustrating but something I am going have to deal with for the time being. A lesson in patience perhaps? Maybe but not one I am enjoying!

The physical therapist told me that even "badly herniated" discs can heal and repair but it will take time. I need to tell myself this and remind myself that this reduced activity is temporary and for that I am very grateful.

So, we have beets, carrots and leeks in as well as a variety of herbs and the cucumbers that actually have baby cucumbers on them now. I am due to plant swiss chard, lettuce, peas and cabbages this weekend though it will be a purely delegated job this time. We are due to have temps in the 100's again the next few days, (very unwelcome to be sure), and I may wait until this passes because the seeds that are left to be planted do not do well in warm soil. The nights will still be cooler thankfully so the soil may stay cool enough for them to germinate.

I am grateful to have girls as my garden helpers. Without them I may not be doing a fall garden at all this year!

Fall For Sure

2011-10-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

I always know it really is fall for sure here when these amazing creatures arrive in our backyard. A welcome sight.

Saturday

2011-10-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday is my very favorite day of the week. Sometimes I have to work but not today and that makes me happy. I feel as though I have a whole day stretched ahead of me with endless possibilities and I am so grateful that I am comfortable today.

Poor Em is sick. I can honestly say that she has only ever been sick once before in her life as a baby when she had an ear infection. Since starting kindergarten however she has had a continuous cold, a cough, and now a fever and sore throat. Are viruses and illnesses really so different in elementary school compared to preschool? So I am planning a low key kind of a day. I have some homework to do and Kendra has said she will plant the seeds that need to go in while I supervise strictly from the sidelines. It is still quite hot but is finally predicted to get cooler next week.... low nineties? Hmm we shall see.

For now though I will go and walk around the yard with my coffee and enjoy the peacefulness and calm of these cooler "fall" mornings.

Well that explains it then!

2011-09-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

All gardening plans are on hold for a while because it seems I have messed up my back. I have had back pain for years but this past summer has been particularly bad with what I now realize has been almost continuous, at times severe, and worsening pain that I have stupidly been trying to ignore. Now I know why.

Last week was even worse, well actually very bad and by the time I got to the Dr on Monday I also had weakness in my left foot. Very scarey. It appears that I have ruptured a disc in my lower back between L4 and L5 which is an area that has been bothering me for all these years and where I have had a bulging disc for some time.

I have been amazed and so very grateful this week for the fantastic and very rapid care that I have received from my primary care P.A, neurologist, and interventional pain specialist. Today I will be getting a steroid epidural, the first of three with the hope that it will reduce the swelling compressing the L5 nerve root and fully relieve the pain, (though this has been improving anyway), and more importantly, relieve the foot weakness. If this doesn't work I will have surgery, something I have always dreaded but which now seems like a much less scarey prospect. I am confident that all will be well and as my Mum said now perhaps I wont have as much pain as I have been having for all this time.

There are several lessons here for me the most important one being that I have to listen to my body more and go the the Dr when things get bad, well actually before things get bad. I find it so hard to ask for help, always have, and yet the outpouring of care and support I have been receiving from friends, family, and healthcare providers this past week has been totally overwhelming and moving for me.

I find it hard to write about myself, and my health in this way, and yet I feel that I need to because perhaps it may encourage someone else to get medical attention when it is needed, and not to leave it too long.

I'll write more later.

Update- 9-30-11. First epidural completed yesterday and I think pain has improved a little more though it can take a few days for things to really have an effect. Second one next week. Feeling good.

Weevil Saga Continues.....

2011-09-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is what the corner of the yard looks like without my beautiful agaves which I pulled out this past weekend. I am quite surprised that it doesn't look as empty as I thought it would. I have temporarily dumped some river rock there but not to stay, just to get it out of the way.

Tex the garden dog had a very fun time out there with me "helping" by chasing everything that moved, and running around barking and generally making a pest of himself. I love having him out there with me though, it is his favorite place to be, and he is so entertaining!

I am going to leave the space for now but I think soon I will put in a couple of cactus' and towards the front some ground cover. I found several more weevils as I was clearing out the agaves and there has been a great deal of bird activity in that corner of the yard the past few days including a woodpecker so I am hoping that they are helping with the soil clean up though I am sure there are still evil weevils lurking out there ready to attack my other agaves next spring.

Falling

2011-09-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

As expected the rest of my lovely Agave Americana's are now showing damage from the agave snout weevil. I pulled out two yesterday and actually found two of the dreaded weevils inside. The rest are slowly falling over but don't seem quite ready to be pulled out easily yet. I plan to get rid of the lot tomorrow and search for any weevils that may be lurking. I am resigned to losing these agave's but really don't want to lose any others though only time will tell if this is going to happen.

My cucumbers are finally growing well and looking good in the veggie garden. I think the somewhat cooler temperatures have helped. On the other hand my summer squash plants just didn't grow at all so I have pulled them and sown more seeds though it may be getting a bit late now. This weekend I plan to sow carrots, beets and leeks.

The backyard landscaping project has stalled for now. I need to order top soil, and gravel to finish it off but things are busy around here. I am back in school and my band has it's first "gig" next Saturday which we are trying to get ready for though it isn't easy to get everyone together because we all have responsibilities such as work, kids etc. It will be great though if we can actually pull it off and I have been working hard practising every day which isn't too much of an effort because I love it!

Home

2011-09-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

I was away last week visiting with my cousin in Vancouver. I got home last night full of emotion for so many reasons, not least of which had to do with the 9-11 anniversary yesterday.

I have so many feelings about my visit. My cousin continues to be very brave in the face of all that she is dealing with but each time I see her I sense a change in her eyes, and I see the toll this dreadful disease is taking on her. I love going there and being with her, and yet it tears at my heart to see her this way and to watch what she has to endure each day. I know that she doesn't want anyone to pity her, or to be sad around her and so I managed to keep it all inside until I saw my beautiful girls at the airport. Then I lost it for just a little while.

Now I am home and I feel so torn. I am happy to be home and yet I am so sad to be away from her too, uncertain of what I will find the next time I go. No one should have to go through what she and her family are going through right now and I can't make any kind of sense of it all.

Oh No, Not the Agave Snout Weevil!

2011-08-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

This is all that is left of one of my formerly beautiful Agave Americana's after being infested with what I am sure is the agave snout weevil. I have read about this scourge of low desert gardens before and felt lucky that my agave's until this point had not been affected. Now I am unable to say that.

I noticed on Friday that on of the agaves was looking rather flat and assumed that Tex had trampled it in his constant quest to catch a lizard. However on closer examination I saw that the entire plant had collapsed and I was able to pull out all the leaves leaving only the heart which fell over soon after. As I cleared it all away there was a foul smell which I now know is a classic sign of this pest.

The female weevils chew their way into the heart of the agaves in the spring leaving bacteria as they go. They then lay their eggs which hatch out to produce the next generation of adults. Signs often appear in the infested agave in the summer after the life cycle has been completed and it is actually the bacterial infection that kills the plant which is why the smell is so bad. At this point it is too late to save the plant. The only treatment appears to be application of a strong pesticide in the spring to prevent infestation. There is more great information here about this pest here from the wonderful Desert Botanical Garden.

Although I am really sad to lose such a lovely specimen I absolutely don't want to use any toxic chemicals in my yard and so I will just have to let nature take its course, and be prepared for what may follow. Agave Americana is a particular favorite of mine with it's huge sculptured look but if they are all affected by this I am prepared to avoid planting them in the future. This is the way of gardening sometimes hard though it may be. I am just glad I haven't lost a tree, that would be far worse.

Here are the agave's that are left standing right next to the affected ones.

They seem to be fine right now but their close proximity to the others doesn't give me a great deal of optimism. You can also see the palms that self seeded and are growing well in front of the agaves. I am really glad I didn't move them now as I had planned because they may be just what is needed to fill up an empty space.

Even gardening can be sad sometimes.

Fried!

2011-08-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year when everyone who resides here in the "Valley of the Sun" is complaining about the heat. I am no exception. Every year I think I am used to these desert summers throughout the months of June and July and make quippy little comments like, "oh it hasn't been too bad this year", and " I think I am finally getting used to the heat", only to be reminded by mid August that it is worse than ever, and that I will never get used to it! This hasn't been helped this week with several days of 110 plus temperatures that are predicted to last until the weekend. Yuk! We are all feeling fried here and I am having a hard time keeping my seedlings from doing the same. I have resorted to watering them three times a day to keep them going, and still they are looking droopy and sad in between. I will be amazed if they make it through to the fall, actually I will be amazed if I make it through to the fall especially in view of the fact that cool temperatures may not actually arrive until the beginning of November.

Turning over a new leaf

2011-08-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

What's For Dinner?

2011-08-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

I worked all day today and I am tired, and Robert is working this evening, so I have to admit I was short on ideas, and time for dinner for the girls and I this evening. We didn't have much in the way of anything inspiring at home either so I took the girls to our local grocery store and said that they could choose whatever they wanted for dinner. They were very excited by this.

I am not quite sure what I was expecting them to choose, perhaps pizza, or chicken nuggets and fries, or some other favorite food typical of a seven and a five year old. Instead of this they went immediately to the produce section, and quickly chose exactly what they wanted.

Their first choice was brussel sprouts and they were most disappointed when we couldn't find any which I was actually quite relieved about because I am sure they would have been flown half way around the world to be here in Phoenix in August. What they finally chose was cucumber, fresh corn, zucchini, red pepper, cilantro, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. (These items probably also had a fair few air miles clocked up between them!).

We then came home and prepared and cooked everything which wasn't quite the super quick and easy supper I had planned but I am certainly not complaining. We ate sliced cucumber, corn, steamed broccoli and cauliflower with grated cheese on top, zucchini sauted in olive oil with red pepper, onion, salt pepper and a little cumin, and steamed carrots. It was a great dinner and I am so happy that my girls love veggies as much as I do. Not sure quite how that happened but I am very happy nonetheless!

This also inspires me to make much more of an effort to go regularly to one of the wonderful farmers markets here in the valley with the girls. There is absolutely no excuse not to buy fresh local produce especially when I have two girls who love vegetables so much but I am afraid I have not been very organized of late and have got out of the habit.

Eggs

2011-08-12T16:14:00.000-07:00

I was working in the backyard all morning. I am trying to get the river rock wash finished so we can put in some gravel, and then it will all be done.... as much as the backyard of someone with a passion for growing things can ever be done.

As I turned over a few rocks I could hardly believe my eyes when I found these,

Here is a closer view,

One doesn't get a true sense of scale until one sees this picture,

and once I had made sure they were hatched eggs, I took this one,

They are the most beautiful, and most fragile eggs I have ever seen. I am assuming that they are some kind of reptile egg seeing as I found them under a rock. I am guessing that they are gecko eggs because there were loads of geckos in the area where I was working this morning in various stages of growth. Does anyone know for sure?

A great find!

Unbelievable

2011-08-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

Two news stories have been affecting me deeply over the past few days.

The eruption of violence in London and elswehere in the UK has left me feeling shocked and deeply saddened. I simply can't believe that this kind of senseless violence is occuring in the city where I lived, and loved to live just twelve years ago. I just spoke with my Mum and she said that the only thing keeping her going is the fact that groups of volunteers are now assisting with the clean up. That gives her hope she said.

The other tragic story that has really affected me is the one of an English school boy being mauled to death by a polar bear during an adventure expedition in Norway over the weekend. Four others were severely injured as they tried to fight the bear off. The bear was finally killed by an expedition leader. This is tragic on so many levels. I simply cannot imagine what the families of the slain boy, and those who were injured are going through right now. There has been a lot of discussion in the press that the bear was underweight, and it has also been reported that encounters of this kind could well become more common as sea ice retreats, and polar bears are forced to hunt further inland.

To be clear, polar bear attacks are rare and these youngsters were in an especially unique and vulnerable situation to encounter a polar bear in the way that they did, however this whole tragic scenario rings many warning bells for me.

A Good Thing?

2011-08-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

We occasionally eat fast food, not often but sometimes. One of the places we go to is Baja Fresh and so I was of course happy to see that they are now serving their food on compostable plates, and using compostable paper too. These plates really are great but I wonder how many of them are actually getting composted? Ours did but I wonder how many other people are composting their plates after eating their takeout mexican food, and what happens to the majority of the plates that are thrown away in the store? Are they really going somewhere to be composted or are they just getting thrown away as usual? It makes me want to go down there and collect all the compostable plates and compost them in our backyard compost bin!

I really do appreciate that efforts are being made by large companies to "go green" but I wonder sometimes how much some of these things are truly thought through before they are implemented. In reality they may actually be helping our earth more by ensuring that the Mahi Mahi in their fish taco's is US long- line caught. Insisting that their food is sustainably sourced will make the greatest long term environmental impact for any of these fast food companies I think.

Lazy Morning

2011-08-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

I had planned to get up early this morning and get started with things but it didn't happen I am afraid. I worked late last night and was also tired after doing some yard work at my father in laws that needed doing in the afternoon. So, the girls and I are having a lazy morning and it feels quite nice.

I have many chores to do, washing to fold, and packing and organizing to do for our last camping trip of the summer. It is our annual trip with friends and we are all excited, just two nights but nice nonetheless.

The girls and I have planted the cucumbers and summer squash and we had a HUGE storm last night with what I think must have been close to an inch of rain, (it felt like it anyway), so everything outside got a good soaking. We also planted sunflowers against the wall at the top of my new garden which will brighten up a plain wall. I also plan to grow peas up against the eastern facing wall. When my Dad was here last he put tension wires up along that wall and they will be perfect for peas to climb up. I have a lot of work to do with the soil though because it is not good right now and I already used all the compost I had ready planting the summer squash and cucumbers. I am excited to have a proper fall garden again because I didn't really do one last year though I can't remember why exactly.

I can hadly believe that the girls go back to school next week. Emily will be in all day Kindergarten this year which is a real milestone for her and for me. I am sure it will be strange for a while.

Right, I must go and get this day started.

A story about a baby Quail..... and it has a happy ending!

2011-08-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

You may remember this picture of the Gambel's Quail's nest that was under a cactus in our frontyard a couple of months ago. This is the second year running that they have nested there and from what I read here I understand that it is quite unusual to actually find one of these nests.

We had been watching the Mother on the nest from a distance for a while and got back from a camping trip to find that the eggs had all hatched and were gone. That evening Robert heard a very loud cheeping sound in the back of the garage and on closer investigation found the tiniest, fluffiest baby quail that had somehow become separated from it's flock and ended up in our garage. He immediately put it in a high sided box while we decided what to do.

We looked on the internet and found the number for a Quail rescue organization here in Phoenix called Arizona Covey which is run by a lady called Jeani Garrett. She takes in rescued Gambel's Quails and rears them in her home. We called her and spoke to a man who said to take the baby Quail right over which we did. It wasn't too far from where we lived thankfully because the baby Quail seemed to us to be getting rather distressed and weak.

When we arrived we handed over the baby to the man who took it into a room absolutely full of Quail's in various stages of development. The man said he expected our chick to do fine. The girls kept saying over and over how happy they were to have saved the little Quail. I love that there are people who devote their time and money to saving creatures like this. It makes the world a much better place.

Since then we have seen a family of Quail every now and again in our neighbourhood, two adults with at least nine babies. I am sure these are the ones our baby came from and I am glad to see that so many have survived because these birds are very vulnerable to other predatory wildlife.

Bonus

2011-08-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

I treated myself to this beautiful variegated agave yesterday and was happy to see the little succulent growing next to it.

I shall plant it today with a little help from Emily.

Never enough time...

2011-07-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

The other day I only achieved two things from my "to do" list....I made pesto and put it in the freezer, and went through my old seeds to see what I will need for fall. That is it! There never seems to be enough time to do everything that I want and need to do while still functioning as a Mother to my two lovely girls which of course is my main priority, and managing to keep our house slightly less than filthy.

That is why sadly I probably wont be signing up for this wonderful "Ten Steps to Being an Urban Farmer Boot Camp" that starts in September and is run by the inspiring Greg Peterson. I would so love to do this but now is not the time for me because I simply have too much else going on. Did I mention that I am drumming in a band these days? No? Well, don't get too excited, it is early days but we are having a lot of fun with it and that is the main thing. I'll let you know when we get our first gig and in the meantime it is back to the "to do" list for me this weekend!

To do.....

2011-07-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

To do list for today-

Dig out new vegetable garden and add compost.
Check what seeds I have left ready for my fall planting season which is rapidly approaching.
Buy more seeds if needed.
Sand and paint patio chair.
clean and paint old wheelbarrow ready to use as a planter this fall.
Make Pesto.

O.K so I may not get all that done today but I can at least make a start.

This fall I am planning to plant beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, parsley, spinach, summer squash and swiss chard. I am not sure how it will go though because I have a lot of new desert soil out there and not much compost so things may not grow as well as I hope. We shall see.

The backyard relandscaping project is moving along nicely too. Today the river rock is going into the wash and it looks really nice. I always feel guilty when things like that are done by other people because I feel as though I should be doing them myself, but sometimes one needs some help I guess. Pictures to follow eventually.

Nests. (This post is for you Jenn).

2011-07-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Living in the suburbs is hard for me. I grew up surrounded by nature in England and find the sterility of the Phoenix suburbs to be depressing and stifling.

Many people in my neighbourhood don't seem to like things outside that grow, or move, or make a mess, none of which I particularly mind. As a result my goal for our backyard was to plant lots of trees and plants that would require little water, which would in turn encourage nature to live here in our little piece of desert. It seems to have worked! This past spring we had many more nests in our trees and shrubs, and we enjoy a wide array of birds, lizards and gecko's, and snakes..... king snakes I might add which are a welcome addition to our home.

Here are some of our nests,

I nearly didn't see this one hidden and suspended in a creosote bush until I saw the opening!

Here are the remains of a quail nest under a cactus in the front yard after the chicks had hatched out. I wanted to get a picture of the Mother sitting on her eggs but I was worried about disturbing her. This is the second year they have nested in this exact spot and I have a baby quail story for another post later.

The next two nests are I think goldfinch or warbler nests and we have at least five of these around the front and back yards.

And this is my favorite nest of all. I am not sure what was nesting in it although I have a feeling it may have been a mourning dove.

I love the way there is so much stuff woven into it including mesquite bean pods and even a piece of plastic. Very ingenious!

I will never tire of watching the life that exists outside in this suburban desert environment if we will just be willing to give it a home, a place to grow and thrive.

Birds

2011-07-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love birds but that I am terrible at indentifying them. I simply don't understand and appreciate the subtle differences between each type I am afraid. I want to do a post about the many nests we have had in our yard this past spring and summer but first I need some help in identifying a bird that has been flocking in large groups in our yard the past few months though less so since it got really hot.

These pictures are poor because they were taken through a window but they were the best I could get. This particular day Emily and I counted eighteen of these birds in this bush at one time, and we used to see them all the time especially in my fountain. I think they are probably goldfinches because the male birds have bright yellow bellies with black heads and I think my friend Jenn advised me last year that this was so with what I think are the same birds, but I am not certain.

Jenn, are you there? Can you help me please my resident bird expert?

Ponderosa

2011-07-24T07:32:00.001-07:00

Summer Rains

2011-07-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

We had a great camping trip up near Flagstaff. Fun times with good friends. Lots of laughter, cool nights, and lots of rain too! The summer rains have been pretty good so far this year and it rained a lot every day while we were up there. There was a downpour the morning we left and we all got completely drenched, and so did all of our stuff. The tent was as muddy as if we had been camping in England. Luckily after washing it out it only took an hour or so to dry on the line back here in the valley. The summer heat is good for some things after all!

Emily learned to ride her bike while we were up there. Another childhood milestone achieved!

When we arrived home this is what my back yard looked like,

Once finished this "river" is to be filled with river rock to make a desert wash but after all the rain it looked like a real river. Everything is very green outside even here with the rain and humidity and I do like it. The moisture gives me a sense of comfort I don't usually feel here in the desert, it makes me feel more secure in some unfathomable way I can't explain.

Now I am home I am overwhelmed with a long list of things that I must achieve. I have to get outside today and clear up all the mesquite beans that have fallen off my trees. (You can see piles in the picture above but there are many more now). I guess I wont be grinding them into flour again this year. At least they make great compost!

Good News

2011-07-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

I was very happy to hear a couple of days ago that the Wallow Fire in eastern Arizona was 95% contained! It is interesting to me to see how media coverage of a fire such as this dies down as the weeks pass and communities and homes are no longer threatened, but this doesn't mean that it is over. While most have forgotten about it elsewhere the firefighters are still working, and the people who live there are still very much affected.

It was good news for us to hear that our friends who live up near Alpine have been home for a week or so and that their property was untouched by the fire. We were of course not able to go and stay there this year, (we usually go in June), however, that was a very small price for us to pay compared to what they have all gone through, and we are already looking foward to next year. I fully expect the landscape will be look different to what we are used to but I am ready for that now. Our friend tells us that they are seeing and hearing many animals around their place, and that they are optimistic that the landscape will recover relatively quickly. I am glad.

We are going camping this week up to the cool pines of northern Arizona. It will be a relief to get away from the searing heat and ever increasing humidity that is Phoenix in July.

Happy July 4th everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe day.

P.S We made a little over $400 yesterday at the garage sale for our Walk to Defeat ALS. Very happy with that!! :)

Reaching Out With Courage

2011-07-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

Since her ALS diagnosis In February of 2009 my cousin has inspired many people to raise thousands and thousands of dollars in her honor for the ALS Society of British Columbia. The fact that so much money has been raised in her honor speaks volumes about the kind of person she is, and the way in which she is living with, and fighting this devastating disease.

At the beginning of June "Team Laronde" raised over $6,000 dollars for the BC Walk to Beat ALS. The girls and I will be walking in honor of my lovely cousin on October 22nd in the Arizona Walk to Defeat ALS. Our fundraising goal is $1,000 and we are well on our way to getting there thanks to many generous donors!

This weekend we will be holding a large garage sale to raise funds for our goal. I love garage sales, they appeal to my "reduce, reuse, recycle" mentality, and they are lots of fun too! The girls and I have been busy getting ready for it and we all feel really excited about the fact that my beautiful cousin's courage will be reaching the deserts of Arizona all the way from British Columbia, Canada this weekend. Her courage will never cease to amaze and inspire me.

Facing Fear

2011-06-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling in recent months, trying to run away from my greatest fears and yet being forced to face up to them. This is something that has been a theme of my life. It has been a difficult time for me, frightening, and painful, and yet I know that ultimately by facing my fears, and by getting through this I will be closer to becoming the strong, peaceful, calm person I know I can be.

One person who has been helping me along this journey, (though he has little idea I am sure of how much he helps me), is Jon Katz. He writes about his life on his farm in upstate New York, Bedlam Farm. I love the way he writes. He is honest, and wise, and generous in his willingness to share his own pain and his own dark places. This helps me. It makes me feel as though I am not alone.

Jon Katz and his wife Maria recently adopted a donkey that had been rescued from certain death. Jon has been chronicling Simon the donkey's story as he recovers in their care. As I read this each day it never fails to move me, especially now. The following piece is no exception. I don't usually quote so much directly from another but I found I couldn't shorten this because every word is necessary. It is so beautiful, and so sad, and yet so hopeful too. It gives me hope that I will get through all of this, and that I too can open up towards my fears instead of running away from them. I know this is what I need to do to move forward with my life.

"Each day, Simon’s soul emerges. I can see him best, oddly enough, in silhouette. So much stronger, more emotional. When he came to the farm, his eyes were lifeless, his soul spent in a losing battle for survival. He was at the edge of life. But each day, his soul gains strength. Simon is a messenger, I think. He comes here with a message for me. Open up, open up. Listen to me. Time is short.

We move together, silently, in the early morning, wordlessly, yet talking to one another all of the time. I open the barn door, he is waiting behind me. The other donkeys know not to come in. He walks in ahead of me, and stands by his grain pain, waiting patiently while I come into the barn, close the door, pour our two scoops of grain. At first, he rushed to the grain, almost in a panic, sometimes knocking me over. Now, he walks slowly to the pain, looks at me, sniffs it, and then lowers his head and eats it. Then he comes over to me, puts his head against my chest and is still, and there, something passes between us.

He is so much better, but there is a haggard look about him, weary, wise. Open up, open up, he says. It’s harder for men, I say. Open up, open up. Listen to me. Is that why you’ve come here? To tell me that days are precious, time is short, use the time and answer for it? No answer. Odd, but my body is different in some way I can’t define.

I have been opening up, I think. My life. My work. My photos. Maria. My friends. It is hard to open up, frightening. But Simon comes from the edge, and so he has strength, his message is powerful. And I listen to him, and am listening."

Jon Katz- http://www.bedlamfarm.com/blog/2011/06/26/simons-journal-listen-to-me-open-up/

Look what I found......

2011-06-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

As I watered my sage bush this morning I noticed movement. At first I couldn't tell what it was....

But then I saw what it was!

A very frightened, but beautiful juvenile Common King Snake. I brought the girls out to see it and kept the dogs well away. It is so pretty! I had several of these in my veggie garden last summer too though I am surprised to find one there now as disturbed as it has all been in there over the past few weeks. It made my day though. I love having nature around me!

New Vegetable Garden

2011-06-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

My amazing husband has been working very hard in the summer heat and has now finished my new vegetable garden! This is what it was like before,

and this is what it looks like now.

I have loads more space and it will be much easier to get around it too. I am already planning what to plant for our fall season which starts in August.

Now Robert is working on re landscaping the rest of the backyard. Pictures to follow!

Who's been digging in my new vegetable garden?

2011-06-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Wallow Fire

2011-06-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

I have done little other for the past week than think about all of those affected in the White Mountains by the Wallow Fire which is still raging out of control despite the valiant attempts of firefighters to contain it.

The White Mountains of Arizona and New Mexico are stunning in their beauty and peace and I can't bear to think of what will be left after this is all over. However, our friends who live up there are so stoical in their view of this fire despite the fact that it is within a mile of their property.

Hoping and praying there will be full containment soon, and that everyone stays safe.

Cold Enough?

2011-02-03T16:24:00.001-08:00

This was a fountain just around the corner from where I live at 10 am yesterday morning. Since then it has become even more icy! Very unusual to see a sight such as this here in Phoenix but it has been COLD!

Oh, and I love it of course! :)

Is it cold enough where you are?

In the Garden

2011-01-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

Life is crazy right now, so many things going on. Each day is filled to the brim with activity which is good right? Well yes, except that blogging has slipped down to the bottom of my list again, and so has my poor garden. This bad green blogger seems to have lost her focus.

This time of year, the time of year when everyone else in the north and east of this country are indoors, and freezing, is the time of year that we desert dwellers are growing veggies. We have to get them in and growing now before the time of year arrives that we here dread, the time of year we spend indoors, and boiling....S.U.M.M.E.R. (Just saying it makes me shudder).

Somehow though I have still managed to get some things growing out there for which I am grateful, especially seeing as they have pretty much been looking after themselves apart from an occasional drop of water, and the odd sprinkle of compost.

Spinach.

Much beloved swiss chard.

Broccoli.

Tomatillos that I didn't even plant. (I seem to have the best luck with bonus plants!).

And eggplants.

Perhaps I have rediscovered my green thumb again.

Or perhaps sometimes you have to stop trying so hard and just let things happen the way they are meant to.

Wake Up Sunshine

2011-01-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Still Here....

2011-01-10T07:50:00.001-08:00

Just a very quick post to say I am still here and I am fine. Thank you everyone for your messages and greetings, I really appreciate them a lot. I just haven't had much to say recently.

Today I am still reeling from the horrific violence that erupted in Tucson this past Saturday.

My heart is broken for all of those lost and injured, and for everyone affected by this cruel and senseless act.

I can't get the picture of the sweet little girl who died out of my mind. I keep thinking about her parents, her brother, her Mother, and I can't even begin to imagine how one would start to move on from such a tragedy.

I am praying for healing today.

Mice Update

2010-10-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I am happy to say we don't have any nesting mice in the compost box! Robert emptied it all out and went through it. (I was too scared to do it on my own in case we found a nest of babies because at that point their fate would have been horribly sealed).

There wasn't any evidence of any nest or tunneling, and in fact most of the box was pretty damp and well composted down. I have now moved the box further away from the house and put all the compost back. I will be sure to bury any veggies I am composting from now on and not just leave them in the top as I have been doing, this may be a deterrent.

This whole incident also finally forced us to clean out the garage too which was long overdue. All the clutter is now gone and we have lots of bags for Goodwill so all in all it was a good day.

Did I mention what wonderful weather we are having? I am always struck by how amazingly happy something simple like opening the windows in the house can make me feel. Priceless!

Butterflies, Pumpkins and Mice

2010-10-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

I took Emily out of preschool yesterday to go to the pumpkin festival at the Desert Botanical Garden. We have been going every year since both girls were babies and it is a nice fall desert tradition for us. It will be the last chance we get to go mid week because Emily will be in kindergarten next year, and I wont take her out of school for it. We also stopped by the monarch butterfly exhibition. All in all it was a lovely morning with perfect fall weather!

This morning I was watering the compost in one of my boxes and was surprised when a mouse stuck it's head out, took one look at me and ducked back inside. To my knowledge I have not had any rodents in my compost before so I was rather surprised. I am not sure if I should be too concerned or not? I mean obviously I don't want any coming into the house, but they are already living outside, and I am quite happy to coexist with them. If they weren't in the compost presumably they would be elsewhere.

I have done quite a lot of research about rodents in compost today and as usual there is loads of conflicting information out there. I imagine if I keep the compost damper than usual for a while it will deter them from nesting, although it may be too late for that. I couldn't bear the thought of harming them although one of my resident king snakes that I know for sure roam around the veggie garden may not be quite as tolerant!

Small Harvest

2010-10-16T08:15:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Kendra!

2010-10-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

I can hardly believe you are seven my sweet little girl. I hope you have a wonderful pony filled day! I love you.

Gardening is a Funny Old Business!

2010-10-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

I seem to have totally lost my green thumb! Nothing is growing as planned this Fall and the amount of actual veggies I have managed to grow this year, (with the exception of the constantly reliable swiss chard), is truly pathetic!

I finally pulled all the cucumbers. They were totally taken over by aphids despite my valiant attempts at saving them so I admitted defeat. I didn't get one cucumber either! Could it have been because I planted them so close to the sage I wonder?

The zucchinis aren't doing great either. I mean the plants and flowers are, but I've only had a handful of actual squash. Time to hand pollinate I think. So strange because there doesn't seem to be a shortage of bees buzzing around the flowers.

On the other hand things that I didn't even plant continue to do well. I have two more melons from the self seeded melon plant which brings the total to six these past few months. A very welcome and unexpected bonus in an otherwise dismal vegetable growing year.

My pepper plants that I seeded very early in the year and were pathetic all summer to the point that I gave up on them are finally flourishing and have tons of peppers on them. Very nice!

The Fall crops that I re- seeded seem to be mixed yet again. The beets are doing well and the carrots have sprouted, but no leeks yet. Seriously? I am wondering whether my little patch just needs a complete rest for a while. Over farming may be a problem I fear.

The weather has been GLORIOUS! Perfect in the early mornings and dare I say it even a little chilly? I finally feel energized and enthusiastic about everything again. It has been a long time coming but I really think triple digits are done, for this year at least.

2010-10-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

Aphids!

2010-09-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Can't stand them! I mean really, they are the bain of my life. I just get my cucumber and zucchini plants looking all green and lush and lovely, and am eagerly awaiting their bounty one day, and the next, they are literally smothered in aphids. Infested! I have never seen as many in one place as there are on the cucumbers. I am sure they are absolutely loving this never ending hot weather too. Great! I have done what I can for now with soapy water in a spray bottle, and removed as many of the most heavily infested leaves as I could without destroying the plants, and I will now just have to remain vigilant. They are certainly here to stay but I can probably control them enough to get a decent crop of squash and cucumbers, at least I hope so because they are smothered in flowers and are so ready to produce.

In other equally depressing news, our bath tub has been leaking for god knows how long underneath the tub. I dread to think what it is like under there, and can hardly bear to think of the upheaval removing the tub will cause, but it has to be done. Our bathroom is in a dreadful state actually and we are toying with getting it remodeled which will be pricey I am sure but has to be done eventually if we ever hope to sell this house. I have lots of dreamy green building ideas for sustainable counter tops and low flow faucets and yet I feel strangely exhausted by the whole thing. I don't know where all my energy and enthusiasm went but I would surely like to have it back!

2010-09-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back!

2010-09-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to see that I have a Rustic Sphinx Moth caterpillar or two on my orange bells again this fall. I had them a couple of years ago but didn't see them last year.

They are absolutely amazing to me these huge, green creatures that look like something from out of space. We certainly don't get anything quite like this in the UK where our caterpillars tend to be much smaller and less dramatic. They are very welcome to feast on my orange bells for as long as they desire.

Dilemma

2010-09-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

My gardening style, (if I even have one which is highly unlikely), is to plant stuff that grows well in a dry climate that I like, and hope for the best. Sometimes things grow, sometimes they don't, and sometimes if I am really lucky things grow that I didn't even plant. I always view this as an unexpected bonus, especially as they are more often than not arid plants that do well in our dry environment because if they weren't they wouldn't have grown themselves here.

I have had two beautiful self seeded palms for several years now in the corner of my yard. I suspect they are date palms, although I know little about palm trees so I am certainly not sure. Anyway, they seeded themselves and have been growing slowly but surely for ages, and are really quite lovely. They require no care because they chose the perfect spot and anywhere else I would be ecstatic to have such lovely freebies growing so well.

My problem is that I like a wild and unruly look in my yard, and I think all the nature we get in our yard likes it too, but I think these palms just make everything look messy and overcrowded. In fact it all looks like a total mess to me.

What should I do? Should I just cut them down, (which would make me awfully sad), should I try to move them which may or may not be a success, or should I leave them where they are and see what happens? Anyone have any other ideas?

Fall is in the air, (in the early morning at least).

2010-09-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

This morning I was outside early and it felt cool, yes actually COOL! This surely means that fall is on it's way. I like to think so at least.

My garden is mixed right now with the zucchini's and cucumbers thriving. The sage plant does not seem to have had a detrimental effect on the cukes yet.

The zucchinis clearly need thinning out. I always plant too many and then hate to thin out perfectly healthy plants but I will. There are lots of flowers too so soon I hope to get actual squash.

The swiss chard (which is usually effortless to grow), is really struggling to get established, as are the carrots and beets. I suspect that I planted them all too early because I was really pushing the limits of my desert planting schedule to get them in. I will resow again next week and hope for better.

In other news I have dropped my math class. It was a very difficult decision, and not one that didn't weigh on me heavily, but it felt like the right thing to do. I was not prepared for the sheer volume of work, and right now I simply don't have the time or the energy. Other things were suffering, and it simply wasn't fair for my family or for me. I am not giving up however and will try again in the spring and make sure that I am better prepared.

And finally here is Tex. Couldn't resist because he is just so darn cute! :)

Hot Labor Day Holiday

2010-09-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

The lovely cool down last weekend has been followed by a grim heat up here in the Phoenix area. It is predicted to be 111 today, and similar scorching temperatures over the Labor Day weekend.

I am sure it feels like fall is coming somewhere out there, but it certainly doesn't feel like that here yet. My weekend gardening plans may need to be put on the back burner.

Have a good holiday weekend everyone wherever you are, and whatever you are doing!

In Too Much of a Hurry.

2010-08-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

I witnessed the most appalling exhibition of rudeness directed at a cashier in my local supermarket this morning. It was entirely unwarranted as far as I could tell in that the cashier was doing his best to help this particular customer, but he just wasn't moving as quickly and efficiently as this customer wanted and expected him to.

This event really upset me at the time, enough so that I actually commented to the customer about how rude he sounded which probably wasn't the best idea in hindsight but really, I couldn't help it. As the day has gone on this incident has left me feeling quite sad.

Do we really live in a world where we think it is OK to dish out any amount of rudeness to anyone who happens to cross our path simply because we are in a hurry, or out of sorts, or angry at our spouse, or just having a bad day? Is this really the world we are raising our children to live in? Has it always been this way? Surely not, I seem to remember a much gentler, kinder world not so very long ago.

I am in no way trying to imply that I always behave with the utmost patience and graciousness in every situation, but it does seem to me that we are all in so much of a hurry these days that we sometimes lose sight of so much that is important. Things like patience, and respect, and basic good manners, and gratitude, and just plain kindness.

Am I the only person that feels this way? Is it just me, or do others experience situations like I did today and feel the same sadness I am feeling?

Twilight Blooms

2010-08-27T08:56:00.001-07:00

Crazy Storm

2010-08-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

We had a huge, and very scary monsoon storm yesterday evening. I watched with the girls as torrential rain was blown horizontally, and as all the trees in our backyard were blown almost in half. Fortunately for us the only real casualty was my little desert willow tree in the front yard that was split down the middle. I think I may be able to salvage it, I hope so anyway.

Others in our area were not so fortunate, and although the damage seems to be completely random and sporadic, it was considerable for many with trees down all through our neighbourhood and beyond. I love to get rain, but I never enjoy the really intense and destructive monsoon storms.

Another minor casualty was this little nest that was blown out of one of our trees. It is the goldfinch nest that was in a tree just outside our backdoor. We all enjoyed watching the activity that went on in and around it earlier in the year as young goldfinches were hatched, and successfully raised from within.

Isn't it pretty! It is lined with the softest feathers. I am always amazed by how intricately birds nests are constructed. So clever!

Life has got crazy this week too. I seem to be totally consumed with school runs, housework, yard work, homework, my job, (although thankfully that is very part time right now), dinner preparation, and volunteering at Kendra's school. I started back at school this week too and am irrationally stressed about it because I am taking math, the last prerequisite class I need, and the one that I have delayed for as long as possible due to my intense fear and dislike of anything to do with math. Occasionally I manage to squeeze in some blogging, exercise, and drumming too. So much for trying to live a simpler life. Is that even possible these days?

Seriously?

2010-08-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Seldom do I hear a piece on NPR in the morning that makes me choke on my fair trade java, but that is exactly what happened today.

Listen HERE !

After doing more research I come to find that this issue is everywhere on the Internet and that claims have even been made that crumpling these packets is harmful to ones hearing. Yes, really!

Seriously? Is this what people are doing with their time these days? Aren't chip packets supposed to be noisy?

For the record, I love your compostable Sun Chip packets Frito Lay! Thank you for taking the time and trouble to develop and produce them, and I will be buying your product specifically for it's innovative and environmentally conscious packaging considerations, oh and because Sun Chips taste so good.

Now I am off to wake up the girls. I think I have a packet of Sun Chips somewhere, opening that up should work......

Swiss Chard and Pesto

2010-08-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

I planted beets, carrots, and swiss chard yesterday. In my opinion swiss chard is one of the very best veggies for us desert dwellers to grow. It grows well in poor soil it seems, and goes on for months if tended to occasionally. I only pulled mine out back in July and could probably have kept it going longer if I had continued to care for it. It is also a very versatile vegetable. I use it many different ways and often use it in place of spinach. It is my absolute favorite vegetable to grow and eat. I hope it grows fast so I have some again soon!

I also made a huge batch of pesto yesterday which I froze. I had enough pesto from last summer in the freezer to last pretty much all winter. Now that I make my own pesto I struggle to eat the stuff that comes in jars even though I used to love it. It is simply not the same as home made.

The weather remains hot and extremely humid. I have never been to the deep south in the summer but I imagine this is close to how it feels. I am constantly sweaty, a feeling I am not used to here in the normally dry desert. We did get some rain the night before last but it didn't bring any real and lasting relief. Did I mention that I am more than ready for this weather to be done?

First Day of School 2010 and Other Most Wonderful News.....

2010-08-16T10:32:00.001-07:00

The big day has arrived and both my girls went back to school this morning. After spending almost every minute with them all summer it seems a little strange, but not as bad as last year. I have much I can be doing while they are having fun at school.

On another and most marvelous note, my dear friend Kavita over at BODAAT has a sister called Aarti who won The Next Food Network Star last night! This is amazing, especially as she and her husband have sacrificed a great deal, and worked very hard so that she could chase her dreams.

'The Next Food Network Star': Let's Paarti!

This is truly a beautiful story of dreams coming true, and I couldn't be any happier for Aarti and her whole family.

You can all start watching her new cooking show on The Food Network in a week or so. Whoop whoop!

Companion Planting Confusion

2010-08-14T08:45:00.001-07:00

I am feeling much better again the past couple of days. Thanks for all the kind thoughts, it really helps!

My zucchini seedlings are growing very well indeed. They sprouted within about four days and are now bigger than in this picture.

I had a bit of a panic last weekend when I realized I had forgotten to plant cucumbers. The window for doing so this time of year is quite short as with summer squash. So, I ran outside last Sunday afternoon and quickly dumped a few cucumber seeds into the ground.

I generally try to do companion planting and when I checked later that evening I discovered that cucumbers shouldn't be planted near sage. This was a shame because I had planted the cucumber seeds right next to this...

my vibrantly healthy sage bush!

Despite doing more research I couldn't find out what actually happens if you do plant cucumbers near sage, and they seem to be growing vigorously so far. I wonder if sage makes the cucumbers bitter or something?

I asked my Dad what he thought would happen and he said, "I have no idea but I think you are about to find out!" Made me smile. It will be an interesting experiment for me this fall.

Apologies but here is yet another awful picture of my goldfinch family.

The reason I am posting another one here is because you can see a male goldfinch this time. He is the very bright yellow one towards the back of the fountain. I hadn't seen any males before but often see one or two flitting around now with all their ladies. So pretty.

Out of the Blue

2010-08-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

It is so strange. Suddenly, and quite out of the blue today I am feeling low, and rather depressed, and yearning to be away from this scorching desert.

I think it is common knowledge that this place is not ideal for me in very many ways. I am not a suburban dweller, and I am not someone who loves the desert, although there are many people who do.

Most of the time though I manage to make do, and I choose to be happy, knowing that it is not forever, and that one day, sometime in the future we will move to somewhere more temperate. A place that has seasons, and regular rain, and chilly misty mornings, and fall leaves that one can scrunch through, and summer afternoons that one can sit out in and enjoy, and a view of green fields, and just plain grey, drizzly days that are perfect for hiding inside with a good book.

For now though I am sad, and I am missing England, and perhaps I just need to feel that way today. That's all.

Oak Creek Canyon

2010-08-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

Our final camping trip of the summer was up at Oak Creek Canyon which is in my opinion one of the most beautiful places in Arizona.

It is of course peak tourist season right now and it was very busy, but we had a great camping spot down by the creek, and we did a fantastic hike up into the canyon as well.

It was a great trip, and a fantastic way to end this summers outdoor camping adventures.

Desert Senna

2010-08-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

Very occasionally small areas of my yard look close to how I want them to look. I generally go for a wild and unruly style, and this is helped by encouraging native plants that grow well, and require little or no maintenance.

Desert Senna is a native plant here in the sonoran desert and it is looking rather pretty in my yard at the moment. There is brittlebush here too, another native, although that will not flower until next spring.

I only wish the rest of my yard looked as pretty but nothing else is flowering right now.

Low Desert Planting and Harvesting Calendar

2010-08-03T15:22:00.001-07:00

I wanted to remind those of you who live as I do in low desert areas that Greg Peterson and Matt Suhr of The Urban Farm have been kind enough to compile and share their Low Desert Planting and Harvest Calendar.

If you have recently moved as I did from more temperate climes you will not be used to the different planting seasons here, and with the Fall planting season almost upon us again I imagine this guide will prove as invaluable for you as it has for me.

Lizard or Gecko?

2010-08-02T09:30:00.001-07:00

The other night I found and set free not one, not two, but three of these tiny little creatures from our bathroom. I like to think they were geckos although I am not sure why. They seemed to have rather big "fingers".

After a bit of research I found that determining the difference between the two can be difficult without a very detailed physical examination. Whatever they were they were very sweet and I am glad we have them around.

I was tempted to leave them hanging out in the house but was worried the dogs would harm them in some way. Hopefully they will find a good home outside and do their good work out there.

I got the summer squash planted and the yard tidied up quite a bit. What a perfect weekend for weather! Now I need to concentrate on getting ready for one final summer camping trip we are going on this week with friends.

The girls are back at school in two weeks which must mean the extreme summer heat is almost over.................really it's not? Oh well I can always dream!

Update-
Thanks to my resident nature expert Jenn I think we have an I.D on these little creatures. They look remarkably like mediterranean geckos to me and I now realize that these are what live in my compost boxes too. Thanks Jenn as always! :)

Mesquite Beans

2010-08-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

I had another very productive day outside yesterday. It was very humid, but also much cooler, and it was a perfect summer day for yard work.

I spent some time collecting the beans that had fallen from my mesquite trees.

These beans can be milled into delicious flour and used for "cookies, breads, breading for meats, as a seasoning and in drinks like protein powder."

Phoenix Permaculture Guild have an annual Mesquite Bean Milling Get Together each year for this purpose.

To get beans suitable for milling, one has to be organized enough to collect the beans straight from the tree, or actively shake them from the trees and collect them immediately afterwards. Of course I have not managed to do this yet although each year I aspire to do so. Usually by time I think of it they are already spread all over the yard, and by this time they can't be used for flour.

The second best thing to use them for other than flour I think is compost. I had an entire bin full of mesquite beans from last summer that made great compost which I spread on the garden yesterday. At least they aren't going entirely to waste, and they are going back into the earth to play a valuable role in food production for my family.

I am ready today to sow my summer squash seeds. It feels so good to be back outside playing in the earth again. I hadn't realized how much I have missed it throughout this summer. I already feel a wonderful sense of fulfillment, and am energized all over again.

HOORAY, IT'S FINALLY RAINING!!

2010-07-31T05:52:00.000-07:00

Cloudy Skies

2010-07-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

This is what the sky looked like over our backyard yesterday evening. However, despite flash flood warnings, and reports of deluges elsewhere we didn't get more than a few drops of rain. I am absolutely craving a good downpour with the fresh smell, and clear air that it will bring.

I managed to conquer my inertia, and the humidity today and got loads done outside in the front, and backyard. I got most of the vegetable garden cleared and dug over as well.

How is it that the garden soil, freshly dug through and turned a mere few months ago is now as hard as a rock again? Desert soil, there really is nothing quite like it!

Summertime Inertia Has Hit!

2010-07-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

The mid summer inertia I typically get every year has finally arrived, and arrived with a vengeance! It usually occurs a great deal earlier than this, and I attribute it's late arrival this year to the frequent escapes the girls and I have been making to cooler, more welcoming summer places up north.

It also happens to have hit about the same time that I need to be getting my vegetable garden in order so that I can begin to plant my Fall crops. It has been just about all I can do to stagger out there each day into the heat and humidity, (about 70% today), to get a bit of clearing and digging done. This weekend I need to plant summer squash as I have a very short window in which to do so. Many of the other crops can wait until the beginning of September thankfully.

The rest of the yard needs work too. Everything is very overgrown, more so than I like, and I can't bear to look at it anymore. The mornings are the best time to go out, the evenings the worse with the incredibly awful mosquitoes that we have this year. Ridiculous that we have so many in this "dry, desert" environment, and totally attributable I am afraid to the ways in which we are changing this place forever to suit our own needs and desires.

On a brighter note here is the first melon from my self seeded melon plant. It really tasted good, and there are four more to come with any luck.

The English person in me is particularly excited about growing my first melon! Melons were always a special treat for us as children, and they aren't something we generally have the climate for in the UK. I did however find this interesting article that describes four newer varieties of melon that are easier to grow in the UK, and I am sure having a greenhouse would help too. Melons still represent something very exotic for me though, and I imagine they always will.

A Request For Any Bird Watchers Among You

2010-07-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

Please excuse yet another awful photograph but I wanted to put this out there to see if anyone can help me to identify these birds.

They love to bathe and drink from the fountain next to our patio and I love watching them. We now seem to have an entire flock of these beauties residing in our yard after having raised young in their numerous nests.

Bird identification is certainly not one of my talents, and after looking through a bird book today my mind is positively spinning with all the possibilities of exactly what they could be. Are they Vireos perhaps, or warblers of some kind? Does anyone know? Thank you in advance!

Self Seeded

2010-07-20T07:44:00.001-07:00

I have several Cantaloupe melons of various sizes growing in my veggie garden. This is the biggest.

The funny thing is that I didn't plant any Cantaloupe melons, in fact I don't think I have ever planted any. I think a melon seed must have escaped from the compost box and self germinated. I love it when that happens!

No snake encounter this morning and I rather missed it I have to admit.

Little Snake

2010-07-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

The day before yesterday I came across a little black and white snake slithering through my melon patch. Today as I went out to water, I almost stepped on what I am assuming is the same little snake just as I passed through the garden gate. It looked at me for a short time, and then slithered away down the side of the house. I ran into get my camera and managed only to get this very poor shot I am afraid.

By the time I had my camera the poor thing was thoroughly terrified, and I didn't want to scare it anymore.

It is a juvenile King Snake I think which leads me to believe that there are probably more because where there is one baby snake, there is likely to be a family of baby snakes. I imagine somewhere in our yard there is a clutch of King Snake eggs hatching, or perhaps already hatched. I know we have at least one adult King Snake because I have seen it at dusk, and I found a beautiful, perfectly shed snake skin on the patio last year which I blogged about here. I am happy to have these creatures as always. I am sure they will help to sustain natural balance in our backyard.

My poor blog is so neglected, as is my veggie garden, and many other things in my life this summer. My children however are not at all neglected because I have been taking them camping, often. I will post pictures one of these days. Suffice it to say these desert summers are best spent away in the coolness of the northern pine trees. How lucky we are that we get the chance to camp so often. Lucky indeed!

Mountains, Trees, Nature, Peace.....

2010-06-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Sleep

2010-06-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be sleeping. It is past midnight and I am exhausted but I can't sleep. We returned from a ten day trip to Canada today, visiting my family, and especially my cousin, the one who is sick.

I haven't written here about what she is sick with, mainly because I still can't really come to terms with the awfulness of it all and believe that it is happening, and a little because I struggle to write about my emotions here.

My cousin has ALS. I am sure it is clear to everyone that this has been completely devastating for her, and for her family, and yet she is so strong, and I am completely in awe of her. I really don't know what else to say except that I am so glad that we got a chance to spend time with her. I hope that I will see her again very soon.

I am due to take the girls up to the White Mountains for two weeks on Sunday. It is a trip that has been planned for a year, long before I knew about my cousin. Right now the prospect of doing everything I need to do to get us ready makes me feel exhausted, and yet not apparently exhausted enough for me to sleep.

So, I think I will try to read for a while, and try to stop my mind from churning round and round endlessly. I don't know what else to do.

Heartsick

2010-05-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

The environmental disaster that seems to be never ending in the Gulf is leaving me feeling desperate and scared. The news yesterday that the top kill failed literally gave me palpitations.

I am at the point of being almost unable to watch the images of the thick, unstoppable oil as is spreads through the marshes, clogging and killing everything in it's path. The people who live there don't have that choice.

I mourn for the loss of the unique habitat and wildlife, and for the loss of livelihood for so many who had just started to get their lives back in order following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

My Dad made a comment the other day, that we all have a responsibility in this for as long as we continue to rely on oil to power our life styles, and for as long as we choose not to make more environmentally responsible choices.

Right now I am completely at a loss because really there doesn't seem to be anything that is working to stem the flow of oil at this point. I feel helpless. I am sure the people who live and work on the Gulf coast, and who are watching this disaster unfold right in front of their eyes feel a great deal more so.

Nature Abounds

2010-05-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

We seem to be attracting all kinds of nesting birds this year in both our front and back yards. I have already posted about the lovely verdin nest in the backyard, the occupants of which have now hatched out, and are flitting around all day. I have never managed to get a picture unfortunately.

Now we have another nest straight outside our front door.

It is still under construction and looks very similar to the verdin nest to me, but the bird building it is plain brown, and somewhat smaller. I wish I knew more about birds to be able to identify it accurately, although I think it probably is another verdin's nest.

We have all been enjoying fleeting sights of a quail family complete with it's brood of chicks roaming around our neighbourhood over the past week or so. They have been in our backyard more than once, but try as I might to get a picture I have only been able to capture Daddy quail sitting on our wall guarding me from coming any closer.

The chicks move like lightning!

Just now Robert was out in the front yard and he came across the entire family of quail on our front step. They all ran away immediately but he saw that some had run under the large prickly pear in our front yard. He went to investigate and found this........

It would appear that the quail family was incubated and hatched in our front yard right under our noses and we never suspected a thing! Amazing. I am not out in the front yard that often so I am sure that is why they managed to stay so well hidden. Very clever.

I am glad that my somewhat wild style of gardening seems to attract so much wildlife, for here in the suburbs at least. I am sure the fact that leaf blowers are banished, plants are left to flower and go to seed, and that there are so many nooks and crannies helps.

Desert Willow

2010-05-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here finally is a picture of my new Desert Willow tree. I have been waiting to take a picture until I had cleaned up the back yard so that it would look at it's best.

It is a little difficult to see with the creosote bushes in the back ground but you probably get the idea.

And here is a picture of our back patio. It is starting to look like I have always envisioned now that everything is growing so well this spring.

It is really nice sitting out there and enjoying all the birds. we seem to have many more kinds this year than we have ever had before. Makes me happy!

My Trees

2010-05-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

I love trees! I grew up deep in the English countryside surrounded by woods full of trees, and my childhood memories are full of times spent within them. When I moved out to the desert one of the hardest things for me was the lack of trees, or at least trees of the kind I am used to.

My husband to be's backyard was completely devoid of all trees when I moved in. Well actually it was devoid of any kind of vegetation apart from a patch of scratty grass, and that was just the way he liked it. Fast forward ten years or so and unsurprisingly perhaps that backyard is now full of trees, plants, and vegetation. My husband is a patient man!

The trees have to be thinned at least once a year so that they don't blow over like the one that did last fall. I used to be able to manage completely by myself when they weren't too big, but of course now they are really big and I have problems getting to the crowns, even on a ladder. This has caused seemingly endless conflict in our marriage. The trees are a financial priority for me, but not for Robert. He didn't want any trees in the first place. I understand this but at the same time I get really stressed about my trees. As a result, about this time every year we have a ridiculous tree pruning feud that continues until one of us backs down. It usually ends with a poor compromise of getting someone unqualified in pruning trees to prune them. They usually end up looking awful, and then I feel awful, and then so does everyone else. (Remember last year Kavita?)

This year I decided I was going to use a real tree company with actual trained arborists to do the job properly after years of my poor trees being hacked to pieces. I was expecting an even larger feud due to the added expense. Amazingly though my DH seems to have finally surrendered to the trees, (or maybe to me), and resigned himself to the expense. Ah, the wonders of compromise in a marriage! :)

So, here they are, my beautiful, pruned trees. They made an absolutely amazing job of them, the nest is still in place, and I feel happy and relieved. Hopefully they will withstand this years monsoon without sustaining any damage. Priceless!

Nesting

2010-05-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

I have a cute, and extremely noisy Verdin nesting in one of my Palo Verde trees in our backyard.

I know very little about birds and their nesting habits, but this little bird follows me closely every time I am out there making sure that I am not anywhere near it's nest.

Very sweet indeed! I can't believe how loud it chirps, and it does it ALL DAY, literally, from dawn until dusk. I would never believe such a loud noise could come from such a tiny bird.

As I write there is a team of tree pruners out back working on thinning out my trees. This is the, (I hope), final outcome of a long and drawn out issue of conflict between my DH and I. A long story for a future post. Needless to say they are under strict orders not to disturb my little bird and it's nest. I have my fingers crossed.

Pretty Clear How I am Feeling About This Right Now..

2010-04-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Oil Spill of "National Significance"

It speaks for itself. I have nothing else to say.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day! What did you do today to celebrate?

I went and spoke to Kendra's Kindergarten class about growing veggies here in the desert, and the importance of compost.

Here is the basket of vegetables I took from the garden to show them.

I also took in a bag of desert soil, and another bag of compost to show them the difference. I talked about how the desert soil is great for growing desert plants, but not so good for growing veggies. Their wonderful teacher has already taught them a lot about plants and the desert, and so they already know loads. They asked a lot of really good questions, and seemed very interested which was very exciting for me!

I couldn't imagine doing anything better than this on Earth Day because it is so important to teach our children as much as we can about these things so that they grow up to be better stewards of this earth than we are, and that generations before us have been.

I had loads of fun and I hope the children did too!

Green Living Conference 2010

2010-04-09T18:23:00.001-07:00

I was just forwarded this information by Christy Grace, who is organizing this years Green Living Conference here in Phoenix. I strongly encourage all of you that are living in the Phoenix area and beyond to attend this year. It really was the most fanastic day last time!

The Phoenix Permaculture Guild presents the Living Green Conference on Saturday, May 22 at the Phoenix Zoo Conference Center Pavilion.

The Living Green Conference is a day-long event full of powerful presentations designed to educate and promote sustainable practices and environmental awareness in the way we live, work and play. This unique event features numerous authors and speakers on all aspects of sustainability, as well as dozens of eco-friendly vendors and local organizations. Enjoy a fabulous vegetarian lunch catered by Green Restaurant (included in ticket price).

This is NOT an EXPO, nor is it so much about Green Building, rather a more intimate gathering (350 max) for those who are looking to reduce their environmental impact and LIVE GREENER in their everyday life.

Learn practical ways in how to SAVE $$, improve our quality of life, and live more in balance with nature.

This unique conference offers valuable insights from top experts such as:

Crissy Trask, author of It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living

Brad Lancaster, author of the best-selling, award-winning book, Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond

Benjamin Fahrer, internationally recognized Permaculture designer, educator, and progressive land steward at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur

Michael Gregory, author of The Urban Agrarian: A Harvest of Nature, a Harvest of Spirit

Bill McDorman, Author of “Basic Seed Saving,” native plant consultant and passionate lecturer in the mountain west

Greg Peterson, author of the Simple Sustainability Series, and co-founder of the Phoenix Permaculture Guild

...Plus, several other incredible presenters, and dozens of eco-friendly vendors & local organizations.

More info and registration available at: www.LivingGreenconference.com

CONTACT: Christy Grace ~ Event Coordinator | mobile: 602/509.3356 | christy@PhoenixPermaculture.net

Desert Flower Garden

2010-04-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Long Overdue Garden Update

2010-03-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

I have finally completed the new planting area in our old sand box. It took me way longer than I expected but it is now finished, and planted with cucumbers, zucchini's, and sunflowers.

It sits just in front of my regular garden, and for now has a wire fence keeping the dogs out. I need to work on something more permanent over the next few months.

My usual garden doesn't look very impressive right now although I am harvesting lots of swiss chard and spinach, and also beets and carrots which are almost finished. There are leeks and lettuces that are not quite ready yet, and I also planted out the tomato and pepper seedlings although they are still too small to see here.

Here is the garlic I planted, along with the onions. It seems to be doing well for now, but of course it hasn't been hot yet.

My grape vine has suddenly sprouted leaves the past few days. I was getting worried that it had died over the winter because it looked like a dried up old twig and wasn't doing anything until this week. Plants never cease to amaze me!

This Jasmine in a pot on the patio has really taken off this year and smells absolutely glorious.

I also have many desert wildflowers all around the yard. This is the first spring that many of them have bloomed, and I am beginning to get the wild, overgrown look I want in the yard although I still have a long way to go to get it exactly the way I like.

I have a half dug hole for the lovely Desert Willow tree which will replace the tree we lost in the storm. Unfortunately I hurt my back half way through digging it and so Robert will kindly be finishing that today. Pics to follow!

Spring is Here!

2010-03-27T11:48:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how few posts I have written this month. It is mainly because I have been so busy in the yard and garden which is good. Better to be working out there than writing about how I plan to I suppose.

Every year by the time summer hits, I have forgotten how beautiful the spring is here in the low desert. The nightmare of the summer heat leaves me with nothing good to say about living here, and so each spring I am amazed all over again by how gorgeous everything looks, smells, and feels. This spring is turning out to be better that ever after the wet winter we have had. The wildflowers are predicted to be very showy.

I have lots of things to write about and will do so the next few days. For now this warm, scented, spring day is calling me out to play. I hope spring has sprung wherever you all are! I will be back soon.

P.S Don't forget Earth Hour this evening wherever you are!

Anyone want some tomato plants?

2010-03-04T18:49:00.001-08:00

As usual I have ended up with way more tomato seedlings than I could ever possibly have room for. I always imagine that the germination rate will be low, and it never is. There are also a lot of pepper seedlings which somehow lost their labels so I have no idea what kinds of peppers they will eventually become.

It is a good thing I have the extra space this spring in the excavated sand box, this will help, and I have managed to offload some seedlings to friends as well.

It is already planting time for early summer crops here. I plan on continuing to plant only what we eat a lot of again this spring to maximize my space.

This weekend I will be sowing summer squash and cucumbers, and some sunflowers for shade. My garlic and onions are doing great, as are the leeks. I will try to post an up to date garden picture soon because it has been a while, but I will need to do some weeding first.

Kendra's teacher at school has asked me to come and speak to the children about plants. She heard that I was into growing things, and wants to show some of the things I am growing during their science week at school. I am really looking forward to it a lot.

hotSACKS

2010-03-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

Until recently I had been reusing the plastic produce bags that one gets at grocery stores. I always had a stash of them inside my reusable grocery bags in the trunk of the car ready for use.

I had been toying with getting some of the cloth produce bags that one can get now but hadn't quite taken the plunge when I stumbled across these great products while staying with my cousin in Vancouver last month.

These are "Meshy Produce Bags" and are made by a small business called hotSACKS which was started up in BC by a friend of my cousins. The company makes reusable grocery bags as well as these produce sacks, and sandwich wraps.

I absolutely love these produce bags. They are fully recylable, and are made from 100% Polyethylene Resin in Canada. They can hold produce, and bulk goods, and are grocery checkout friendly because the mesh allows scanners to read the labels on the goods inside.

hotSACKS takes pride in the fact that it works with manufacturers that promote "no child labour, fair health conditions/working standards and a working wage in compliance with local laws." All products are Ecologo certified.

In Canada hotSACKS uses "Starworks Packaging and Assembly to pack & tag Meshy hotSACKS. Starworks is a social enterprise created to hire people with a developmental disability to perform light labour and assembly work."

hotSACKS' cute sandwich wraps, which are described as a "reusable alternative to plastic baggies, plastic wrap and foil." are made from "recycled, FDA approved, non-toxic, non-leaching, recyclable PE plastic." They do not contain BPA, and are Phthalate free.

I love these too. Unlike many of the sandwich wraps you will find they are easy to wash thoroughly as there is no fabric involved.

Check out all their great products here.

Growing

2010-02-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

It is an inspiring thing to me that despite my severe lack of motivation and energy recently the veggies in my garden just kept on growing without any help from me.

It helped that we have had so much rain of late which supplemented my rather sporadic watering. This has also helped the weeds to grow, but that is fine. I rather like sitting in the soil and pulling weeds.

The past week I have been lucky enough to harvest several pounds of spinach and of course my much loved swiss chard, as well as carrots, beets, and parsley. My seedlings are thriving as well and are almost ready to plant out once I have prepared their new homes.

I am feeling a bit more like myself again and although still not quite back to where I was in terms of my energy levels I don't think it will be long now.

I had pretty much written February off as a dead loss in terms of getting things done but it appears that my vegetable garden had other plans! Nice.

In a State of Inertia

2010-02-13T17:35:00.001-08:00

That is how I have been since the weekend I got sick. You remember, the weekend I had planned to get so much done? Well, it is still not done, not any of it. I am really lacking in something. I am not sure if it is motivation, or energy, or perhaps both, but it is driving me crazy.

I sometimes go through stages like this, though more so when I was younger and had less to do. The fact that I am surrounded by seemingly endless and repetitive tasks makes me feel overwhelmed and seems to feed the inertia I am feeling all the more.

I started alphabetizing my CD collection a couple of days ago. They are in a mess and I don't even know what I have any more. I didn't get very far with that either because I kept stopping to listen to various tunes and never getting restarted again. Now I have a huge stack of un- alphabetized Cd's on the office floor to add to my general feeling of chaos.

I think for now I just need to surrender to it all. I guess as long as we are all fed, clothed, and taken to school/ work that is all that really matters, for now at least.

One thing I have been doing often is playing my drums. At least I am motivated in that area of my life, but then that is all fun! Having a teacher who expects to see improvement helps of course. Perhaps that is what I need for the rest of my life at the moment too.

Pretty Colors

2010-02-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

Seeds

2010-02-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

The weekend wasn't a productive one at all despite my best efforts. All I really managed to do was pick some swiss chard, and spend much too long trying to get a pretty picture of it. Ah well, sometimes one just needs to be sick.

Here are the seeds that I planted last week. Not very promising to look at it has to be said.

I always spend a long time planning what I will sow, and then end up hastily throwing them into pots in a panicked attempt to get them sown in time. Not a very scientific or efficient way to grow seeds. I hope it works though!

This was my little garden last summer at it's peak.

Lets hope by some miracle I manage to achieve the same degree of success this year.

Great Timing

2010-01-30T08:08:00.000-08:00

I am off this weekend, the first in ages it seems. Our house and yard are a mess and I have huge plans to completely spring clean the house, and tidy up the backyard, as well as possibly planting a new tree. (I saw a desert Willow tree for a very good price a couple of days ago and I am very tempted!)

However, it seems the sickness that I have been incubating all week has chosen this weekend to reveal itself fully. I have a hacking cough, cold, and low grade fever, and I feel pretty miserable actually. Great timing!

However, I simply can't imagine malingering the weekend away in bed, it is too much of a waste, so I am going to dose myself up and get started, perhaps then I will start to feel better? Let's hope so.

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

2010-01-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

When I started seeing regular grocery, and big box stores selling their own reusable shopping bags I was quite excited. After all, what could be better than everyone using bags that create way less carbon emissions than the production of plastic grocery bags, and cause a lot less waste? I was, (and still am), hoping that the question "plastic or paper?" will become a question from a bygone era.

Now though I am not so sure that this is all such a good thing after all. I currently have dozens of these bags that have been "gifted" to me in various ways, way more than I can, or ever will need to use in this lifetime.

It seems that it is the new thing to place "gifts" in these bags in the belief that one is utilizing a more environmentally friendly gift wrapping option. I certainly don't mean to sound ungrateful, for this is a lovely gesture that speaks to me personally as someone who has the utmost respect for our planet. However, I suspect that like me, everyone else out there has dozens of these bags, and that they are trying to off load them in the most responsible way that they can think of.

There are various cunning ways to do this it seems. One can deliver items to Goodwill in as many bags as one can gather together in one go. There is also the gift presentation option, or the means of delivering a potluck dinner in two or three bags designed to "insulate" the dish efficiently. This multiple off load is particularly clever I think!

You might ask how I know about all these methods? Well of course they are methods I have myself used on occasion I have to confess although I am trying hard to refrain from doing so of late. As a result I have an ever increasing amount of reusable grocery bags in the trunk of my car, and in closets around the house.

I suspect before very long that people will begin to try to dispose of these bags in less environmentally conscious ways. I fear that we will then see many of the reusable grocery bags being disposed of in the same way as the original grocery bags were, in the trash which completely defeats the object.

So please, although I really like the fact that you are environmentally conscious, and I am very grateful for your kindness and generosity, please don't gift me anymore reusable grocery bags. I have enough, really I do, and I suspect that you do too. So let's all just keep the ones that we have, use them responsibly, and enjoy the feeling that we have enough reusable grocery bags to last a lifetime. I promise that I will do the same!

Catching Up

2010-01-28T19:40:00.001-08:00

These pictures were taken the day after we had another major storm last week just after I got back from Vancouver. I was surprised at how much damage our backyard sustained because the winds didn't seem as bad as last time, but there you go, there is no rhyme or reason to these things. We actually had a tornado warning at one point though thankfully no actual tornado!

The first picture is a really good example of why there are sometimes problems with growing desert trees in small suburban backyards. Despite the fact that we never watered this mesquite, it was still getting plenty of water from other plants in the yard that are more regularly watered. As a result it never needed to develop a deep root system. You can see how shallow the roots are and so a well timed, and probably quite strong gust of wind was all it took to take it over. All my trees were in dire need of thinning too which I usually do before the summer storms. I really didn't expect such violent winter storms this year.

I am sad, I always am when I lose trees and plants, but it could have been much worse, and amazingly enough the back wall was completely undamaged. I finally got out today to finish the clean up and to try to put things back in order. I am toying with getting another tree and I am thinking another Desert Willow might be a better idea. They generally grow in slightly less arid areas, and need a bit more water than the average desert tree. As a result I feel that they are more stable in the long run. It is sad seeing the empty space where my lovely mesquite tree was.

I finally planted my tomato and pepper seeds into seed trays today. I am really late this year so I don't know if I will be too late to get a really good crop of both before the heat starts. My poor garden has been so neglected the past few months I am afraid. I don't know what has been happening to me lately, I just can't seem to get caught up. I have a ton of swiss chard that needs harvesting too, and carrots.

** I don't at all mean to imply that desert trees aren't always the best choice environmentally for landscaping here in the desert. However, there are issues when there is so much available water around for them to "steal". We have problems with our neighbours over watering their plants to the point that their water pours through our back wall so even if one waters little oneself, there is always plenty more to share around.

Taking Root

2010-01-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

I have been watching the growth of a couple of potatoes that I tossed into the compost bin a few weeks ago with much interest.

They obviously have enough moisture and nutrients to grow in there, and have now managed to sprout their way through the tiniest nooks and crannies to reach the light. Amazing really.

What healthy looking potato plants. I wonder if I will get actual potatoes or not? I will just have to wait and see.

I leave for Vancouver tomorrow. See you all in a week or so. Keep warm all of you who live in places where there is a real winter!

Impulse Buy

2010-01-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

I am not one to buy anything on impulse usually. In fact I did so last Saturday when out with friends and I took the item back an hour or so later. Today however I found some really cute little red onions at my local nursery and I just couldn't resist. The onions I planted from seed did not germinate well so I planted these instead.

I am excited to see how they do.

Today I also seeded beets, more carrots, and lettuces. I am waiting for my soil block maker to arrive before I plant eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers which I will keep sheltered until all danger of frost has passed.

I also picked these first young carrots.

I needed carrots for the chicken casserole I threw together in my crock pot for dinner. They turned out great although they probably deserved better treatment as such young, sweet specimens.

After that I volunteered, walked to school to get Kendra, practised drumming for forty minutes or so, and tidied up my wreck of a house.

I leave for Canada next week. I will be visiting my cousin in Vancouver, the one who is so ill. I am excited to go and see my family there, and I am also nervous, but I know that I want to be there with them. Perhaps I can make things a little bit better, I hope so anyway. I need to start thinking about packing but that can probably wait until tomorrow. Right now I am thinking about my new library book and how much I am looking forward to starting it this evening.

S.C.A.R.E.D

2010-01-06T15:35:00.000-08:00

I am about two hours away from going to the first drumming lesson I have taken in about eleven years and I am quite simply......... terrified! I am not even sure why.

Things like this are supposed to be fun right? For me though as my own worst critic, the thought of sitting down in front of someone who I have never met before and showing him what I can, (or can't), do around a drum kit does not seem like fun right now.

I have done this before, many times, and I keep telling myself this, but I still feel awful. I emailed my favorite teacher from the U.K to tell him and this was his response:

"That is great news, just enjoy it. You are paying him to teach you, so HE should be nervous about doing a good job and he won't be judging you, just seeing where he can help out. Let me know how you get on and just enjoy it."

O.K. Brian, I know you are right, and I will try!

This is something I have wanted to be doing FOR YEARS. It is a lifetime dream of mine to play drums in a rock and roll band but despite practising by myself, I can't do this alone. I need help to make this dream come true. Oh why do I feel so awful?

Deep breaths, deep breaths.....................

Update- So two hours later I am home. Of course it was great despite my fears! I am so my own worst enemy. I love my new teacher and loved playing again at a full kit. Great time. Can't wait for my next lesson, and I am really glad I didn't cancel it which is what I felt like doing at various points this week. Silly girl. :)

New Years Day Hike

2010-01-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

We spent our afternoon exploring a trail within the Mcdowell Sonoran Preserve which we are very fortunate to have within a ten minute drive from where we live.

The preserve encompasses 14,000 acres of pristine Sonoran desert, and features a new trail head at which there is an amenities building designed and built to have "minimal impact on the fragile desert environment". It is a lovely looking building.

"Green building elements incorporated in the facility include solar power generation, rainwater harvesting, solar water heating, rammed earth walls constructed of native soil from on-site excavation, structural steel made of high recycled content, highly efficient mechanical equipment, native landscaping, and parking lot and path surfaces made of stabilized decomposed granite." Right up my alley!

We wandered around the guided nature trail reading about desert plants and animals.

We learned that pack rats nests are called "middens" and are made of the stuff collected by the rats. The rats then urinate on it all and the urine crystallizes to form cement to hold it all together. This is what one looks like.

I saw loads of desert mistletoe which for some reason fascinates me. Unlike the regular kind of mistletoe, desert mistletoe does not harm it's host tree apparently. Good to know!

After that we wandered around a trail. It was quite busy which wasn't surprising because it was a beautiful day. I still felt like I got a good dose of nature with which to start the new year off perfectly though.

The girls did well. We walked about three miles in total and Emily walked the whole way. I definitely plan to go back again often as I had not realized what an amazing place we have so close to where we live.

A Perfect Spot

2009-12-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

I heard a great story on NPR this afternoon about a wonderful lady, Joan Graham who lives in Michigan. She plans to bequeath her beloved wooded land to a local conservation group in order to preserve it. She is truly a woman after my own heart saying "I just like the earth, I like the smell of it, and I like green, and I like trees." Ahhhhhh!

Not only does she plan to leave her land in order that it may be to be preserved, she also wishes to be buried there as well, beneath an oak tree.

"They have deep taproots, wouldn't it be nice if that oak tree would ever reach my remains, and the tree would take nourishment from that? And it's kind of like I never died, really. I just morphed into a tree or something."

This idea led to an individual at the conservation group who have the good fortune of inheriting the land, to think about how it could become an actual green burial site for others who wish to be buried in this way.

As it turns out this wasn't quite such an easy undertaking despite the growth in the green burial business over recent years.

To find out what happened next you will need to read, or listen to the full piece here.

Sounds like the perfect green burial spot to me.

The First of the Swiss Chard

2009-12-30T14:05:00.001-08:00

We have just started eating the first of the swiss chard. I absolutely love this vegetable and look forward to finding many new ways to use it.

This past year was a mixed one for my veggie growing endeavours. Some things thrived, others not so much, but I have learned a lot.

Here are the grand totals in poundage, (for what it is worth), of everything we grew during 2009. The different types of each vegetable are combined into each grand total.

Swiss Chard- 42 lbs 7 oz's
Spinach- 18 lbs 10 oz
Ichiban eggplants- 8 lbs 6 oz's
Beets- 6 lbs 6 oz's
Tomatoes 84 lbs 8 oz's !!!! (I had a couple of beef steaks that weighed over a pound each!)
Zucchini's- 19 lbs 9 oz's
Cucumbers- 8 lbs 8 oz's
Tomatillo's- 6 lbs 9 oz's
Chili peppers- 3 lbs 7 oz's
Peppers- 4 lbs 2 oz's
Leeks- 1 lb 9 oz's
Carrots- 2 lbs 9 oz's
The green beans and peas are hardly worth mentioning, just a few handfuls of each.
Cilantro, basil, parsley, and many other herbs did well.

I was amazed by how many tomatoes we got. It didn't seem to be as many at the time because they were stretched over several months. We had a lot of cherry tomatoes towards the end of the summer.

The main thing I have learned is to use my limited space wisely by concentrating on veggies that we use, and also by planting those that don't take a lot of space for the amount they produce. I love peas for example but they simply take up too much space in order to produce any significant amount. I have also been reminded yet again that there are no certainties with gardening, and that luck is a major factor!

The hybrid seeds that I grew of course did much better than many of the heirlooms. However I will continue to keep planting these valuable heirlooms, and I plan to get better at recognizing their particular needs.

I still have a lot of seeds left over from last year which is good. I have been storing them in the bottom the refrigerator and I am sure they will be fine. I start seeding again January 1st believe it or not. This is one of the perks of living in such a warm place.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

I made mince pies this morning. This, (along with some very sherry doused, and tipsy trifle), will be my only British contribution to Christmas mainly because I loathe Christmas pudding and traditional Christmas cake. I do however have very happy memories as a child of helping my Mum to make both of these months in advance of Christmas which is the right way to do it!

I was never a huge fan if mincemeat until recently and now I love it, although I will probably be the only one to eat these mince pies in our house.

I am not cooking this year. I am working and so we have been invited to friends for dinner which is very kind of them. It will be a little strange not to have all those leftovers with which to concoct many suspect looking meals, but I am sure we will survive, somehow.

Whatever you all do, and wherever you all are this year, I wish you a wonderful and happy Christmas!

A Solar Heated Christmas Present

2009-12-20T11:32:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday we got a new 80 gallon solar water heater installed. After the electric company rebates, and the federal and state tax credits, (which we wont get back until next year), it cost only a little more than installing a new gas water heater of which we were in dire need anyway. (Our old one was fourteen years old and was on it's last legs).

We also had a circulation pump installed so that we don't have to run the faucet or shower waiting for the hot water to arrive. I anticipate that we will save a lot of water as a result which always makes my day.

Here are the panels on the south facing side of our roof. You can hardly see them from the street, not that I would mind if you could.

Now we have lots of lovely solar heated water, and it feels really good each time I take a shower knowing that we are using the sun to heat the water instead of gas.

All around the best Christmas present we have ever had I think!