FINALLY blooming in SoCal

As if this year hasn't been bad enough, we're really behind on rain, which is pushing already dry areas into serious drought territory. The news, which used to spend every broadcast on rain levels, has pretty much glossed over the other apocalypse SoCal faces on the regular. I get it -- people are tired of bad news, the pandemic has frayed capacity for dealing with multiple bad scenarios, and water shortages have always been a hide-your-head-in-the-sand issue anyway. 

The good news is, we are finally getting some rain, and though California gardens will never rival East Coast or Midwest gardens for lots of lush color, some of the gardens in the neighborhood are starting to pop. Though mostly succulent and cactus gardens are merely different shades of green most of the year, we do get some striking color combos in spring. Here are a few:

I had to laugh when I saw this picture -- note my 2 canes I use as walking sticks:

Now, completely off the subject of gardens and bright colors, the Divine Ms. M, to whom I email my daily trips around the neighborhood, both near and far, suggested I post pictures of all the dogs I meet. But here's the thing: the majority are behind hedges and weird fences, so I don't actually get a good look - we just chat through the fence. By chat I mean they are barking/yipping like crazy and I'm telling them what great dogs they are and that they're gorgeous. BTW, that sometimes even works to stop them from yelling at me. They like compliments just as people do. Other dogs I meet are being walked by folks who are often in a hurry and think it's a bit weird that I want to stop and meet them (the dog that is). Most folks are obliging, and some even enjoy telling me about their fur-babies, and pulling out the phone for pictures seems a bit over the top, even for me. But today I got lucky. I ran into an old friend. She's gorgeous, sweet as they come, knows I always carry cookies for her, and at 17, has still definitely got IT. Meet Sydney:

If you think she looks a bit like a daintier, sweeter version of my big bear, you're spot on.

Front yard styles

My walks are good for many reasons. All the usual stuff like getting exercise, taking in fresh air, and seeing adorable dogs being walked by their guardians. And, of course, discovering treasures people put out for passersby. I have another secret though, and it's that I judge how well people are paying attention to the water situation here. The situation is we don't have water to spare on waste. Luckily for all the yards I go by, I only grade on a pass/fail scheme. 

Fail:  The sweeping lawn in front of a house. Even in parts of the world where water is more abundant, lawns take an inordinate amount of water to maintain. In semi-arid regions which experience frequent drought, they are...unwise. Very nice to look at, mind you, but require too much water.

Pass:  All the people with drip irrigation, rock gardens or drought tolerant plantings that reflect our water situation. 

Minimalism with fun curves:

Hardcore desert plantings that show beautiful forms:

 

Drought tolerant succulents and native plants that can withstand serious heatwaves still look lush without sucking up so much water:

 

And last, the people who just try to grown their own veggies (which is a post for another day since the squirrels around here pretty much destroy everything, the little scamps):

And with that, I shall sit back and enjoy the bit of rain we're getting today.

I REALLY want to know what's behind this

Another walk, and more discoveries. And I really want to know the stories behind these signs.

The first house is a modest place with an uninspiring yard. But there's an intriguing sign:

Can you pick it out? Hint: under the window. And here's the closeup:

If this is a serious threat, one has to wonder how many times dogs trespassed. Does that simply mean they peed on the bushes or pooped on the patchy grass? Do the dogs hang out at night smoking and playing cards? What would prompt this sign? Inquiring minds want to know.

Now this sign is more lighthearted and made me laugh:

Can't say I disagree. And they have a nice front porch to perch on too.

My solution for the dog trespassers are these dinosaurs. Maybe they'll keep marauding dogs at bay:

Rain! Hail! Mosaics...say what?

We are finally getting much needed rain in SoCal and I decided (bravely) to take my daily walk while there was a break. The sun was shining brightly and the air was so crisp, cold and clear. Beautiful. Striking out at a brisk pace (as briskly as one can with two canes), I made the dubious choice of heading farther afield than usual. Such a fine day until...yup, you guessed it. Heading home and BAM! The rain started coming down hard. But wait - there's more. Tiny little beads of white. Hail. Which started getting bigger as I motored on. Now, I just considered it an adventure, thinking back to the times in Thailand and Indonesia when a sunny day would suddenly turn into a torrent of rain. At least here I could call if I seriously needed a ride home, whereas, back in my traveling days, there were no cell phones, I was usually in the middle of nowhere, and I didn't speak the language. A story for another time.

As I'm a mere 2 blocks from home, a car stopped, a woman called out from the open window, and she asked if I wanted a ride home. I was blown away by such kindness and thoughtfulness. I declined after expressing my gratitude (didn't want to get her car seat soaked) and I really didn't mind the rain. I turned on to my street and the phone rings. My wonderful partner is calling to make sure I'm OK and if I need a ride. Nope -- I'm good, see you soon. Halfway up the block, I see him carrying an umbrella and walking toward me at a fast clip. I'm laughing and protesting I won't melt (certainly not sweet enough and apparently not wicked enough). A great way to start the day.

And now for the fun part. On a previous ramble, I noticed other houses in the neighborhood that had mosaics on steps, on planters, and one amazing place with some interesting stone/ceramic structures. The last place reminds me of Rubel Castle. If you don't know it, go to YouTube and search for it. There are a couple of tours which give you the flavor of this amazing place.

But let's start with a house I see regularly. As I was passing by one day, I even got to meet the amazing woman who pretty much mosaics everything in her yard. I didn't ask if I could take photos at the time, so when I did get around to taking pictures, unfortunately it was from a distance. Her style is very exuberant. She just uses a hammer to break up tile or other pottery and then comes up with wonderful designs. She has two claw-foot tubs she's done too, but I didn't take pictures of those (dang it).

 

After I discovered Ms. A's house, I decided to venture further afield than usual, and found two delightful surprises. One was a German Shepherd in his front yard who came over to the fence and immediately wanted his ears scratched. After a bit of that, he jumped up on the fence, leaned over, and hugged me. Yes, that's right, hugged me. I was so enchanted I didn't want to leave. But, moving on, I came across the house that reminded me of Rubel Castle in Glendora. It's clear the homeowner does the work because there were piles of the raw materials needed to make those marvelous structures. The materials are broken concrete from torn up sidewalks and driveways, rock, and broken bits of pottery stuck in here and there. I can hardly wait to see what they come up with next. Given the amount of material around the house, I speculate they also do jobs for other people (but of course I have no idea if that's true).

Click on the pictures to see them in full size so you can see more detail.

 

More treasures from my rambles

One of the highlights of my day are my rambles about the neighborhood. When people ask, of course I say I'm out on my fitness walk, and that would be true if I walked at a nice brisk pace and didn't stop to talk to every dog, cat, and the occasional lizard. But mostly I'm on the lookout for fun, quirky garden ornaments or creative designs. Fortunately, creativity abounds. Today these were my favorites:

The people who thought to put these faces on the palm trees have a great sense of humor.

Then there are the the odd characters in metal and stone. Dinosaurs and herons:

An iron pig:

And a very satisfied cat who seems to be really soaking in the rays:

I'm a new mom! Foster mom that is.

Birthdays for me are just another day but  this year was a teensy bit different. Leave it to friends to know exactly how to celebrate. One knows that cupcakes with heavy frosting (since that's the best part) were the way to go. And the other baked a loaf of her amazing banana bread. But where the Divine Ms. M (not to be confused with Bette Midler) really made my day was making me a foster mom of...an elephant. An orphaned baby elephant to be exact. The best part is, I don't have to feed him, walk him, or more importantly, pooper scoop after him. His name is Roho and he was rescued in Kenya by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an amazing group that rescues and rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife. Their main focus is anti-poaching efforts and habitat conservation, because most of their orphans are from poachers. I urge any and all to check them out at sheldrickwildlifetrust.org. So here is Roho:

I was so smitten with Roho and the idea of fostering, I added Apollo, a baby rhino. 

Now, I'm not new to adopting critters of all kinds. Dogs are my go to, but I also have an unusual colony that helps compost kitchen scraps into what are euphemistically called castings, but are in reality, worm poop. Great for the garden. I confess I have no idea how many worms are in the bin, but I cherish them all. And I bet there isn't anyone else out there who can say they have a worm bin in their shower stall. Yes, it's a bit weird but then what are you going to do to keep them warm in winter and cool in summer? I take my responsibilities seriously doggone it.