Whew...

Last week we got our lumber. Enough for one raised bed for now.

Today we spent about 3 hours there. Weeding, digging, wheelbarrowing, manuring and talking with the neighbors. We put down 3 wheelbarrows of 'cold' manure. Still not clear on the concept but I live to learn... Nancy put down chicken wire to do gopher discouragement duty.

So dig, chicken wire, manure today. Next weekend is dirt, more manure and let it age somehow. Then we build the raised bed and do the above all over again! Am I crazy? : )

Nancy and I left just before sunset. Good day. The garden is moving along. Note the sun sculpture. Nancy found it at a yard sale. I like it a lot.

Rain is amazing...

It's amazing what 3 months of neglect and rain can do to a cleared plot. Here's the evidence.

Graphic.
In your face.
It was Wild.


I also had my first experience with stinging nettles. And wearing shorts too...Needless to say, won't do that again.

= O





That tall person in the hat is Nancy. The new partner in this bunny plot. I am so glad to have a partner as interested in growing bunny greens as I am. Looking forward to working with you, Nancy.

: )




And voila! 3 1/2 hours later...

And then, they rested. At least till Wednesday afternoon.

: )

In Memoriam -- December 5, 2007

Every moment of life has its risks. Certainly surgery and anesthesia sharply elevate the baseline. Thus we have lost our wonderful, precious Luciana bunny while doing our best to ensure a happy life for her. She was with us for three months never getting to the front of the S/N list until now because dwarf bunnies kept crowding in and and our beautiful Luci was a medium sized girl. She made herself at home in her enclosure on the third level. She was our diva and social butterfly. Luciana was right there making eye contact with every visitor. Her delicate lacy , patterned "eye makeup" so enhanced her beautiful dark eyes. Her ears had the same lacy pattern. She bounced around the x-pen. It was such a joy and pleasure to hold her and carry her to and fro. Even though Luci was the farthest bun from the refrigerator, she demanded her greens first by furiously boxing her enclosure door when greens came out. She chowed down with gusto, compliments to the greengrocer. There she was with her cute little face and tender pink lips, enjoying her cilantro to the last stem.

Unlike Luciana's original family, we didn't abandon her. Her body will be cremated just like that of any cherished, owned pet and her ashes scattered in our Bunny Garden.

~Lisa E.

Mailbox transformed...

Painting the mailbox was important to me.

Before...and after.

The left pic above is the first day I took photos on 10/13. It's come a looooong way since then. Now, if I can only get some seeds in the ground...

Here are shots that equal a western panorama. Too much haze to see the ocean today, but it'll happen. Left to right. Southwest (Marina del Rey with several multi-story buildings). The center photo is straight west (just ocean out there) and the last is to the northwest (Santa Monica Bay and the Malibu bluffs way, way out there in the distance).

Seeds!

All my ordered seeds have come. Here's the list:

These are the winter vegetable seed pack from Seeds of Change. Since I have no clue what I'm doing I thought getting what they recommend was good for now.

Peacevine Cherry Tomato

Red Drumhead Cabbage (heirloom red)
Purple Top White Globe Turnip (heirloom)
Dinosaur (Lacinato) Kale
Blue Ballet Squash (heirloom)
Butternut Squash
Rosa Di Milano Onion (rare)
Kirota Chantenay Carrot
Bellesque Endive
Early Palla Rosa Radicchio
Ancho/Poblano Chile
Long Island Brussel Sprouts
Moss Curled Parsley

And herbs from Johnny's Selected Seeds:

Dandelion, Italian Catalonia Special
Dandelion
White Sage
Leaf Parsley, Titan
Cilantro, Santo Monogram
Leaf Parsley, Giant of Italy

When I was a kid I swear I remember that vegetables all had only one name. Life was simple then.

I grew a friend today...

Nut Grass. Indestructible. Immortal. Determined. Aggravating.


Looking southwest toward a neighbor's lush
garden paradise.


Looking south toward same paradise of same neighbor.

I spent most of my time weeding. Bermuda grass along the pathway and retaining wall to the east. As I trekked to the compost area to unload my Bermuda and nut grass (into a well-marked maw specifically designated for the rapacious nut grass), I met up with a woman of Japanese ancestory also headed that way pushing a loaded wheelbarrow. She showed me the other vilified weedie, False Garlic. I helped her dump her barrowful.

Her name is Vinnie. She's 76.

Vinnie took me on a tour of her paradise on earth. She grows flowers in one 15x15 plot and next to it another plot made up entirely of bitter melon vines. Who would think? She said the whole plant is usable and quite medicinal. Especially good for high cholesterol. Hmmmmm...

I brought home two. To 'slice up real fine' and stir fry. They look like lumpy medium-sized raw pickles. Hmmmmm...

Picture forthcoming.

I bought bright yellow paint for the mailbox on the way home.

More Whirled Peas

no matter what...

End the War Now Rally - Los Angeles October 27, 2007