Sunroom. Budding. 6.17.14

Homework day.

Not bad.  The sunroom makes for a more tolerable time.  The tile floor warms up nicely, even on cloudy day.  Under the floor, is 6 inches of insulation, so it should be warm in winter, too.

I did take an hour break for garden project.  I grafted new buds from Shiro and Hollywood plums, onto the existing plum trees.  I imagine if they take, it will be 2016 when they first bloom and bear.  That will help with pollination, so I don't have to run form tree to tree with a little paintbrush.

I used Hollywood and Shiro because those are what I have.  I think they are good choices - easy to see the burgundy leaves of Hollywoodo, so I easily know those are grafted, and easy to identify which plums are the small bright yellow plums of Shiro, and burgundy of Hollywood, for harvesting.

It rained Sunday and Monday.  Today drizzled.  So the tree tissues were moist, the bark slipped easily, and the grafts were not too difficult for a novice.  I don't know if they will take and grow.  If not, there is July and August budding as well, and now I have more practice.

Spring Photo 2014

Each year we have a photo with the dogs in front of the blooming cherry tree. Ten years ago I thought the tree was on its last legs. Better now than ever.

 

Charlie and Baigou

Almost unrecognizable after haircut. They stay closer together after their haircuts. Warmer. Much more lively now without the heavy coats.

Time Machine. 2006

From December 2006, same dogs, 6 years younger.  Different fireplace.


Tomatoes Summer 2006.  I think this was one of my better crops.


This is the fig tree I just moved to Battleground.  Summer 2006.  According to my notes then, I started it from a cutting Dec 2003/Jan 2004.


May 2006.  Sunny Disposition bearded iris.  I've moved a start to Battleground.  This is a good performer, increases well, blooms well even with neglect and grass/palm competition.


I was also reading about old and ancient seeds.  That Judean Date Palm is still growing.  The tree is male, so the only way we'll get a taste of the ancient dates, will be for it to be crossed with modern date palms, then back cross with the parent for a 75% ancient palm.  Probably not in my lifetime.  According to this blog, Methusaleh bloomed in 2011, so I hope they used it to pollinate a related palm and potentially have fruit from those trees in 2022.

The new kitchen now has a subfloor and insulation. Even though there have been many things completed since demolition, this is the first time when I start to feel like there is a kitchen here somewhere. Charlie agrees but wonders where his cookies have gone.

Baigou just doesn't care. He has the tail faster than light.

Under the white cherry tree

This is the annual "try to get the dogs to cooperate for a photo under the white cherry tree" photo. I love this tree, old and gnarled, producing a profusion of double white flowers for a week. The orchard mason bees buzz around the flowers during the afternoon.

Yesterday - I pulled weeds, several buckets-full. I changed my mind about the potato choice, removed the fingerlings and replaced with gourmet whites. May plant the fingerlings elsewhere. Noted a few peas have sprouted - only a few. May replant.

Pulled more rhubarb leaves. Last week made strawberry rhubarb jam - easy and quick, the strawberries were frozen last summer. It was very good. Yesterday I made rhubarb jam - haven't tried it yet. I don't want to admit, I may like the version with strawberries, better.

Asian 3-way pear blooming, played the honeybee using a paintbrush to transfer pollen.

Later noted orchard mason bees have started to awaken, several flying around back and forth to their houses. Added a store-bought version with paper tubes, no time to make my own.

Working from home

Working at home. Admittedly, on my "Day off". However, assuming that I'm going to work anyway, and it's all on the computer, there are some advantages:



1. Comfort. I can use the more casual furniture and be much more comfortable.
2. My loyal companion is there to keep me company in a good way.
3. No interruptions and derailment. I work much, much more efficiently.
4. I can keep the heating pad going for my multiple aches.
5. It's really more ergonomic.
6. I have my "jungle" to keep my spirits lifted.
7. Even though I've posted it on the internet, my office is MY office, a private place where no one can interfere, evaluate me, pass judgement on my decisions.


8. I love watching the birds at the feeders. Unfortunately, when I grab the camera, they all fly away. So here's just one. It's very relaxing and lifts the spirits, when I see motion from the corner of my visual field, look up, and there are the birds. My workspace faces the window.

9. Did I mention my loyal companion, Charlie?
10. No gas burned getting there.
11. No need to bring meals or eat out.
12. No traffic hassles.
13. When I do break from the issue at hand, it's to do something that regenates me, rather than derails me.

So I don't mind too much, working at home. And I am happy that it's a bit greener than working at work.

Easily Entertained

Baigou is not the smartest dog around. Not Rin Tin Tin. Not Lassie. Not Benjy. Not Big Yeller. He has his qualities. I found him here, today, watching the washing machine. He can do that for cycle after cycle.

Lots of tomatoes this week.. AFter so much pessimism about whether they would produce at all, I'm happy to have a good crop.

The dogs had fun at Long Beach this weekend. I slept in the car while Ning drove.

Charlie is so animated that it's next to impossible to get a good shot.

The annual 'Pink cherry and doggies" photo.

Ning and the kittycat.

What's Blooming?

"White cherry in bloom, with dogs" photo.

These hyacinths not only persist, they multiply here.

These narcissus were rescued from lawn grass 7 years ago. They continue to multiply. Better for part shade -they tend to fade in sunlight.

Not in bloom, but the buds are definitely swelling. This lilac is about 10 feet tall now.

Dogs in Spring

It looks vicious but it's all in play. They had a great time.
Practically in flight. I wish that I had that energy!

Haircut Time

 
 
 

The best thing about working from home

Charlie is never more than a few feet away. There is no loyalty like dog loyalty.

Ning' photos. Baigo the Poodle. Pink Cherry.

Note to self: time to get rid of that stress weight. It's one thing to acknowledge the maladaptive behavior of stress eating. But time is time. I DID bike to work friday, and will do so monday. At least then, I'm too tired to feel some of the stress.

Baigo is handsome, if not too bright.

This cherry is one of my favorite trees. I've been trying to do some corrective pruning, to repair the "butch haircut" that previous owners bestowed upon it. It's finally starting to look a bit more natural. Once the flowers stop, I'll do a little more thining of the 'witches broom' look that resulted from that haircut, and take out some dead branches. That's about all.

Poodles Love Spring Weather

Other weekend garden tasks -

The 'winter sow' letttuce didn't come up. So I replanted the container with cilantro.

The Chinese Apricot was planted (from Lowes, "Prunus armeniaca "Chinese").

Picked up a back of used coffee grounds from Starbucks.

That's about all.

Interesting web site on gardening by nature's signs: phenology. This will be a topic to develop.

Man's Best Friends

Baigo
Charlie

Dog fun in the grass

They like running around in the grass. Sometimes they nearly fly.

With the rains starting now, the grass will green up soon.

Drove to work today. Still too tired from the last over-night shift, and the back was hurting.

I did remember to take clothes and some food for tomorrow.

Exact miles, work door to house front door: 9.6 miles.

Computer room companionship

Is it the cool floor? Or proximity to this humble blogger? Either way, it's nice to have them here. One room away, they have soft beds but they choose the spot shown, at my feet.

Garden yield today: a big bowl of tomatoes, various sizes and colors, about 3 pounds. Sefveral large bunches of grapes. A handful of raspberries. Enough garlic chives to serve as the vegetable filling for Chinese dumplings.

Faithful Friends