Road Trip Pt 2

Continued from Part 1

I love this collage of signs. As Casa de Fruta has grown and added new signs, they have added their old signs onto this one.

Such a history piece.

Old farm equipment dots the whole area and is always brightly painted.

 

 Yes, there is an actively working train.

 

As they say, ''If you not the lead dog the sight never changes!''

 

 

Tora

 

Katie and Bella see something!

 

Ah, it's M! She went inside to get us each a piece of their scrumptious Toffee!! They have any and all kinds of candy you can imagine and it's ALL handmade!

Example: Reese's cups the size of your hand!

 

On the way back we could see just how low

 the San Luis Reservoir   was.

The dry area you see in the foreground should be underwater!

 

Normally the water would be up to that top ridge. 

Serious drought... by seeing this it really puts things in perspective.

We'll get through it, we have in the past, and will again.

We were lucky enough to receive a great constant downpour last night, a little over half an inch. It will help, but not really enough to get us out of the hole. But every drop helps! My gardens drank it all in and look completely refreshed and renewed this morning.

Road Trip Pt. 1

We decided to go for a drive the other day. Just to see "something" different. It was good to see this field of green Alfalfa

 

and blooming Almonds.

But where you would normally see Spring time green

was drought brown....

 

 There were patches of green from time to time but nothing like it should be looking.

 

We ended up at Casa de Fruta, it's always a fun stop.

Peacocks are usually roaming around but they were no where in sight. Until we looked up! They were roosting in their big tree!

Can you spot this one?

Ah that's better now you can see him.

Love this big pond that is there.

T & C took the dogs for a walk

which they thoroughly enjoyed.

We always play around this section near the Shop. But we have yet to explore the WHOLE place which takes up several acres with different shops here at there, such as Casa de Coffee, Casa de Restaurant, Case de Wine, Casa de Sweets, Casa de Amusement, and so on an so on!

That will be coming in the near future, hopefully.

 

After we left the "Peacock Tree", I could hear them calling. I walked back and there they were looking down at me. I think they wanted some attention!

The females are a little harder to see because they don't have that wonderful plumage the males do.

 

I could also hear another one calling..."help" ''help''  in the distance. That's what there call sounds like btw. They also make good watch dogs birds. I followed the call and look who I found!

Sitting up on a sign in all his glory, I think he was jealous fo the attention the others were getting.

He posed one way and then the other. 

Such gorgeousness.

 

The he got up and strutted his stuff along the cat bird walk!

 

Got to the end and then posed as still as can be.

 Oh yeah, he's the man!

 

To be continued.........
here 

Still Waiting for Winter

Old Man Winter sped through this year and only stopped for a few days to bring us a measly 1.06 inches of rain compared to our average of 12.8 inches.  Needless to say Governor Brown has declared a severe drought. They are even talking about running out of drinking water.. The last bad drought we had was in 1977, I remember  having a terrace full of potted plants and wondering how the heck I was going to justify watering them.  Brandon was a baby and we were living in in Foster City CA at the time.  I remember some of my ''techniques'' that got me through that time and saved my then precious plants.

Of course, maintenance came by to install bricks in the water tanks of the toilets and low flow shower heads.

I saved the water from anything I had to boil (ie. baby bottles, veggies, even hot dogs!) let it cool then used it to water my plants. I showered with a bucket to catch any stray water. Since we were in a townhouse I had a portable washing machine that hooked up to the sink. I would catch the wash and rinse water from the laundry loads. Hand washables were washed in a plastic tub to save the water when done. Plants don't mind gray water and all those little things I did got the plants through, didn't loose a one!

This year will be much different though. No more saving any gray water. We have a Water Softener and although plants don't mind gray water they DO mind salt water. I've already lost a few because I kept waiting for the rain to water my gardens to save on my water bill. When it didn't come, the plants were dehydrated and the frost took them.  Well, I my mindset has changed over the years. Grow or die, it is what it is. Unfortunately the bottom line has taken priority. Luckily most of my plants are established enough to make it through with little watering...I hope. Thank goodness I got rid of all my lawn.

OK Enough with all of this doom and gloom.

  

Daffodils

Spring is here! 

Daffodils

I've been so busy I think I might have almost missed it!! If not being stuck behind a farmer delivering Bees to his orchards I think I would have! Yikes, I need to look out of all those Doctor's lobbies to catch what's going on. That's if they had windows!

 Pinks

I did get time to work, and I do mean work.

 In the front garden last weekend, both day!  

That could be the reason I can barely move today.

 I pruned,

Rosemary

weeded, replanted some lost potted plants with succulents

 (keeping the drought in mind), 

Mixed Succulents from the backyard

raked, planted Poppy (Thank you Teresa!) and Nasturtium (Thank you Sis!) seeds, swept, hosed the house and arbor down (yes, bad me!) to get rid of all the accumulated spider webs, and even planted a chair. This chair belonged to my Great Aunt, I've used it, along with others from relatives, around my kitchen table for the last 20 years. Unfortunately it is no longer strong enough to use for it's original purpose. I didn't want to part with it and had been thinking about what to add to the corner of garden space at my front door. I had also (for the last few years!) been trying to decide what to do with this cute little basket that had a home hanging on my Mom's front porch rail. She had her posies in it, but it doesn't have much of a bottom left. Then the light bulb finally lit...sometimes it does take a while...I married the two. The chair now holds Mom's sweet old basket that I've lined and filled with Forget-me-nots that had self seeded elsewhere and made a sign to hang above it.
Love when a project comes together and doesn't cost me a dime!

Forget-me-nots from the backyard

Several plants are in bloom in the front as you can see.

 Grape Hyacinths

Being always in a hurry I probably would have missed these.

 

Bergenia

Out of the house into the car,

 

Hellebore

out of the car and into the house!

 Hyacinths

Rush, rush rush!

I'm late now to get C to pick up his Bi-Pap machine and have the training!! 
Gotta fly!

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Bed/Craft Room Combo, part 1

As some of you know I've been converting my bedroom into a bed/craft room combo. It's been 3 yrs since I started and will probably 3 more before I finish!! If life would just leave me alone for a while I may get some things accomplished around here. But this roller coaster seems to fall out from under me just as I am enjoying the ride. Then all interest in things ceases.

But I thought I'd show a few things I've accomplished so far.

 A few sneak peaks , if you will.

You have to remember everything in this combo room didn't cost me a dime! I had it either in my stash pile or scrounged it up from somewhere. So don't get too excited, it may not be a dreamy craft room, but it works for me.

The wall color came from Ace Hardware when they were giving away a quart of paint every Saturday for about 3 months. We have 2 Ace's near by, my sister even helped out by getting paint in her town. ;)

   

Tanya had mentioned a while back she wanted to get rid of an old hutch she had. I had told her send it my way when you do. Well, of course, I had forgotten, so when Brandon showed up with it one day I was surprised and happy. AND wondered where the heck I was going to put it. I think I had an idea back when I said I'd take it, but that idea had come and gone!

I knew I'd think of something and the light bulb went off and into my bed/craft room it went.  Had a bit of difficulty figuring where to place it but I figured it out.

 I wanted to paint it white, yep, the paint was free from Ace Hardware.

Here's before:

 

Even though I like the two tone green, it didn't quite fit into the color scheme of my room.

 

Love that large drawer on the bottom

 

and all the old hardware, hinges and glass knobs!

Here's the after:

 

I covered the inside back with a roll of vintage inspired scripted paper. Got it from a yard sale years ago and it was in my Treasure pile. Not sure if it's contact paper or wall paper or what. I cut to fit,  lightly sprayed adhesive and put it on. I like the contrast of the ''aged'' paper against the white of the hutch.

 

I used some of Grandma's and Mom's tea towels, hankies, doilies, dresser scarves and runners on the shelves. My little collection of Meadow Rose from Homer Laughlin now have a safe place to show off.

 

   Some even hold faux fruit for future projects. I also added a photo of Grandma to which I added old buttons to the top inside of the shadow box frame to hang the necklace she always wore. 

 

I also added the more delicate items that need to go into my Shop.

Teacup Candles and glassware.

Larger pieces like the Tureen keep more supplies out of sight.

I placed all my candle making supplies in the large drawer underneath. You'll have to take my word for it, as I forgot to take a photo.

More to come of my combo room here.....

Here is one project that has been on my mind that I finally finished last night.

An old frame I added several different colored layers of paint, then distressed and dry brushed it with white.

Added the pearls and Dragonfly pin. All from my Treasure piles.

More to come here

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