You honestly can’t get them to look at you or even in the same direction everThink Lizzie has a side she favors?DefinitelyWe saw this bird but we didn’t read the plaques so we don’t know what it isI also finally started working on my plant master lists again.Which is something I did a lot with Beta before his passing so it took me a while to get back into it.All my time spent staring into screens and away from her had Lizzie in her feelings. Here she is wishing I were holding her instead.But not in the car! That makes her proper sad too!The cats too, chose chaos. But at least Abbie is making steady progress. I also sold these! It was only to a family friend being supportive, and the shipping cost made it a loss for me but a first sale is important! Call it a good sign π
Well squirrel friends, it’s almost the end of another year. I was hoping I’d get some fall plantings done, but I missed the window to start seedlings indoors, so I’ll just have to appreciate what spring and summer had given me, which was plenty!
In the skinny planter on the table, I’d started some goji from seed. I got my seeds from the regular dried goji at the grocery store, and they were very robust/had a great germination rate! Better than from a seed packet I’d purchased the year before. By the dog potty are daylilies and pampas grass.
Up on the trellis I have a mystery squash type. It gave edible blossoms most of the season, but never made fruit so I can’t really tell what it is/was! It’s sandwiched by fruit trees and a big o’ mess of thyme. Behind the gorgeous canna are some volunteer peppers from the compost.
On this side we have basil, beets, calendula, canna, lavender, nasturtium, sage, sesame (already harvested), strawberry, and tomatoes. All of which were grown from seed.
A box of my alpine mignonette strawberries, fig and polar berry behind it, and an evergreen in the corner. Plus a peek at my row of yam leaves.
And here’s the full yam row with epazote, ice plant, pineapple & tomatoes towards the back.
These peperomia obtusifolia were from a single plant I’d bought years ago. They propagate easily!
I had to trim this kangaroo fern that lives by my bathtub. One time it grazed my back as I was getting into the tub & I almost died.
Here’s a Worry Lines comic that explains why the fascination with growing green things in and around the house.
I’m starting to think auctions/limited time listings are not the format that work best for me, but I canβt give anything just one try so here we are.
These Converses I have worn only twice. Selling for $45 with shipping included, bidding starts at $10. Click the image to see the listing.These Sesto Meucci sneakers I have worn only once, but it was on a walking trail. Selling for $35 with shipping included, bidding starts at $10. Click the image to see the listing.Let’s just take a quick kitty cat break, and have some waterbecause hydration is importantThese Naot loafers I have never worn. I thought I was going to be a teddy girl for half a minute. Selling for $35 with shipping included, bidding starts at $10. Click the image to see the listing.The Michael Kors ballet flats have a cool chain detail going around the back. I’ve never worn them, just thought I was going to be this punk core witch once in a fever dream. Selling for $60 including shipping, bidding starts at $25. Click the image to see the listing.Kitty cat / Plant break concludes this presentation.Bonus kitty cat & plant content. This is my orchid that never grows and doesn’t die. Is it cursed because it was stolen?!
When I got back from California, urgent businesses awaited me!
Chief among them: the babies needed cuddling ASAPIn fact I was quite the hot commodityI examined Wallace’s precious little pawsAnd gave some excellent ‘scritches tooOf course the dogs also had to have special treatment: for example “joining” us at dinnerWe even started to make serious progress in the introductory efforts, at least with Lizzie that is πLizzie does an excellent job of playing possum/pretending to be asleep and inching closer to her new brothersBut ultimately she’s too chicken to make direct eye contact (I think she gets that from me)
(near) cuddles over, I installed this corner cat scratcher I got from Grocery Outlet for Heller & Wallace, thanks Steffi for showing me the glories that is a well-stocked Grocery Outlet!The animals all settled, it was time to address the plant babies gifted to me by the most wonderful soulsPotted: two strings of dolphins from Ella, a string of watermelon from Corinne, and a Stephania from Steffi π
And a variegated tradescantia pup Corinne snipped off for me to prop. (I tried to kidnap Bestie’s more established pup that was already rooted, but Corinne refused to budge)Besides generous gifts, my other $0 garden plants come from seed saves. Pictured here is calendula (easy to grow annual with beautiful edible flowers) from my existing plantings (I once bought seeds 3 seasons ago).Other saved seeds: butternut squash from groceries, morning glory from a volunteer plant on my roof deck, and shriveled strawberries from my 2 year old alpine mignonette
In other $0 plant/tradescantia news, I found this on the ground while walking doggos! (pro-tip: propagate your new pups with spider plant pups because they share their rooting hormones in the water!)
All this out of the way, next up for me is probably back to the eBay grind then π
Recently I visited California in order to celebrate Mini’s birthday in person with her
Nana chipped in these BEAUTIFUL flowers & various wonderful presents! I got to take a “in front of the fireplace and mantel” prom style picture of Mini with these but we won’t show you cos we be real shy
Here’s her back instead. We drove to Redondo Beach (24 hour parking right by the sand!) so this real true blooded California girl could put her feet in the sand for the countdown to her birthday
one caveat is that the bathrooms are closed from 11p to 6a as we found out rather painfully
I also had the opportunity to pot Mini’s backup π “Graduation Pineapple” that Corinne is graciously helping us raise
In other plant news, Mini suggested we visit a favorite plant nursery of ours in town and it was REALLY hard to part with this beauty but I knew I couldn’t take it home. I still miss you :'(
Mini, however, enjoys PLANTY of room in her spacious abode and snagged this gorgeous milky nephthytis
We also visited Amanda/mom/sis/OG Dr. Wise Money and jointly chose a CA native (Mexican Star) to give away in her name
my mom made us these delicious foods
I also tried my hands at dinner on 3 separate nights, this one being probably the most successful
a close up of my oven baked chawanmushi that ended up overdone so she was a bit dry and salty, oops
my garlicky oven baked eggplants. I ended up baking about half the dishes because I needed everything ready in a relatively short amount of time to make my flight! (Wise Money Grandpa was a STAR being a tireless sous chef that washed and chopped most everything)
this was also the trip we found out that Mini is TALLER than Wise Money Grandpa! (don’t let the hair fool you)
I asked Mini a hilarious question in comic form when she took a birthday nap but weirdly she didn’t find it funny at all
Mini helped me steal dog bestie from my human bestie for a day too
And I met her new kitty friend, who was the catalyst in Heller & Wallace joining our family recently
I got some pictures of dogs sleeping on pillows. This one is of my favorite fur niece.
