2009 in pictures (sort of)
These aren't necessarily representative but just a few that I like.
This is supposed to show the new house color. Amaranth and sunflower courtesy my gardens.
The two greens: window trims, gutters. Yellow: house. Red (it's one red but my photography is not that of Ryan let's face it): doors.
Somewhat miraculously an orchid I've abused for a year went ahead and bloomed. Despite me.
In fact 2 of 3 bloomed. The 3 was more or less destroyed by the cats who ate leaves but it's coming back.
I bought this as a rose trellis but it's hopelessly inappropriate so it's just garden art. Luckily neighbors like it. It's rough living in a HOA I tell you.
The
$100,000 fence (owner threatened lawsuit when we asked him to remove
those "wings" on the side on grounds the fence looks silly. He thinks
it's beautiful and he paid $10,000 for it which I regard as his
mistake not ours ...) Anyway we're not going to court over it so
he'll probably keep the fence and we'll just keep our distance from
him so as not to offend his prickly sensitive nature.
I ate many tomato sandwiches this summer (150 pounds of tomatoes over the 4, 5 months) - fresh Italian bread, mayonnaise, tomatoes. Brat optional.
Embarrassing sort of but I bought a scale so I could weigh the haul.
A master gardener gave me her old dehydrator (she upgraded) so I dry then grind hot chile peppers. These are pre-drying.
Dehydrator at work. It's not hot, maybe 110 degrees, and it can take 48 hours or more. You want to get all the water out so the peppers don't rot. In a hot climate you don't need a dehydrator but just leave the peppers hanging in the sun.
Edward helps Nicole (neighbor) draw.
Marigold out front
Abby made me the grapevine wreath as we sat in back during the recent one-hour workshop at the demo garden on the topic of bare root. After the talk, MGs who are there demonstrate hands-on and answer questions for as long as people hang around which can be up to two hours. This month a fan brought us a fresh persimmon and blueberry pie. This is persimmon season - they grow everywhere here - they are VERY good dried and I will buy some hachiya persimmons at the Farmer's Market and slice them and dry them.
After the workshop some people look at the Asian Bed where Abby and I (and Monika) work. Cabbages (sort of like Napa cabbages - anyway an Asian variety) are getting close to heading up.
Edward sleeps with arm on foster Mom Kate.
Edward really likes boxes.
My one and only broccoli. I don't really like broccoli but I am growing one anyway. You can harvest them over a period of a few months since after you take off the main head, it puts out side shoots and you just keep harvesting them. Those are more like little flowerettes than a head.
7' silver tip, pre-decoration, lousy lighting. Thanks Peggie for presents!
Edward was sitting in the deep sink but of course climbed out when I went to take a picture.
Final harvest of NuMex Twilight chile peppers (heat: 10 on a scale of 10). I will dry and grind. This many won't even fill one jar.
Blurry and badly lit attempt at Art Shot (tm).
Mantle. I put greens (thanks again Mike and Peggie for fabulous greens! I dissected the arrangement and I'm using the greens in many places). I put in hydrangea flowers from garden. Hydrangeas are sort of magical, the dusky shades they develop as the flowers age on the plant. They dry wonderfully and you can keep them forever.
Re-arranged furniture. This is supposed to be Thesis Zone as the focus is on the books.
Marianne Mueller
Last modified: December 13, 2009
This is supposed to show the new house color. Amaranth and sunflower courtesy my gardens.
The two greens: window trims, gutters. Yellow: house. Red (it's one red but my photography is not that of Ryan let's face it): doors.
Somewhat miraculously an orchid I've abused for a year went ahead and bloomed. Despite me.
In fact 2 of 3 bloomed. The 3 was more or less destroyed by the cats who ate leaves but it's coming back.
I bought this as a rose trellis but it's hopelessly inappropriate so it's just garden art. Luckily neighbors like it. It's rough living in a HOA I tell you.
The
$100,000 fence (owner threatened lawsuit when we asked him to remove
those "wings" on the side on grounds the fence looks silly. He thinks
it's beautiful and he paid $10,000 for it which I regard as his
mistake not ours ...) Anyway we're not going to court over it so
he'll probably keep the fence and we'll just keep our distance from
him so as not to offend his prickly sensitive nature.
I ate many tomato sandwiches this summer (150 pounds of tomatoes over the 4, 5 months) - fresh Italian bread, mayonnaise, tomatoes. Brat optional.
Embarrassing sort of but I bought a scale so I could weigh the haul.
A master gardener gave me her old dehydrator (she upgraded) so I dry then grind hot chile peppers. These are pre-drying.
Dehydrator at work. It's not hot, maybe 110 degrees, and it can take 48 hours or more. You want to get all the water out so the peppers don't rot. In a hot climate you don't need a dehydrator but just leave the peppers hanging in the sun.
Edward helps Nicole (neighbor) draw.
Marigold out front
Abby made me the grapevine wreath as we sat in back during the recent one-hour workshop at the demo garden on the topic of bare root. After the talk, MGs who are there demonstrate hands-on and answer questions for as long as people hang around which can be up to two hours. This month a fan brought us a fresh persimmon and blueberry pie. This is persimmon season - they grow everywhere here - they are VERY good dried and I will buy some hachiya persimmons at the Farmer's Market and slice them and dry them.
After the workshop some people look at the Asian Bed where Abby and I (and Monika) work. Cabbages (sort of like Napa cabbages - anyway an Asian variety) are getting close to heading up.
Edward sleeps with arm on foster Mom Kate.
Edward really likes boxes.
My one and only broccoli. I don't really like broccoli but I am growing one anyway. You can harvest them over a period of a few months since after you take off the main head, it puts out side shoots and you just keep harvesting them. Those are more like little flowerettes than a head.
7' silver tip, pre-decoration, lousy lighting. Thanks Peggie for presents!
Edward was sitting in the deep sink but of course climbed out when I went to take a picture.
Final harvest of NuMex Twilight chile peppers (heat: 10 on a scale of 10). I will dry and grind. This many won't even fill one jar.
Blurry and badly lit attempt at Art Shot (tm).
Mantle. I put greens (thanks again Mike and Peggie for fabulous greens! I dissected the arrangement and I'm using the greens in many places). I put in hydrangea flowers from garden. Hydrangeas are sort of magical, the dusky shades they develop as the flowers age on the plant. They dry wonderfully and you can keep them forever.
Re-arranged furniture. This is supposed to be Thesis Zone as the focus is on the books.