My Wee Speck of a Yard

I am the condo association REBEL!!  After a few back and forth emails, with the condo association manager (who doesn't even live here) I am bucking the not at all clearly written rules, and planted some flowers in my little front yard space.  Jose, the gardener, takes care of the grass.  But the area surrounding the grass was covered with moss, and the few foundation plants that were there were fine.
Plus there are two roses, which is nice. But there wasn't anything else.  So I added a few annuals, and just a couple of perennials.

Here is the view from a little different angle.  I brought my little chairs and benches with me, and the glider.  Which is a lovely place to sit and enjoy my coffee in the morning, or a glass of wine in the evening.

I was amazed at the number of snail shells I collected after putting down some slug bait.  Bastards....oh, sorry.


The HOA rules forbid me to put anything atop the stucco wall you see.
When we first moved in we put our wooden "Templeton's" sign above the garage.  It is a wooden surround around the garage door, and it wasn't even very easy to see, but it said "home" to us.  After a few months we got a message that we had to remove it, because it made our unit look "different" than everyone elses.

Maybe I have moved to Stepford?

I do love my  beautiful  bougainvilla  that is now next to the garage door.  This is something I could never had had in Washington.

The rules do allow for things in pots.

Now I will have to depend on L Jay to water for me while I am gone up north for Easter, a family visit and a quilting retreat.

He did well taking care of my herb tower last fall, which reminds me, I need to harvest some arugula, mint and chives.

And then it was spring...

So much for more activity this month.

It's been an interesting month anyway.  Had a great visit with sister Nancy and BIL Terry.  We had 4 days of activities, highlighted by a day in San Francisco with dinner at The House of Prime Rib.  We walked the waterfront, went up to Coit Tower, drove down Lombard Street, through China Town.  The weather was perfect and we shared a lot of laughs.

Terry was excited to introduce me to the grinding attachment for my KitchenAid and we made breakfast sausage.  It was really, really good, and I look forward to making more sausage soon.

Crankiness kind of grabbed me when they left.  Then it was compounded by the manager of the homeowners association sending me the message that no, I wasn't supposed to plant any flowers.  Well, tough luck buddy.  I'm planting them within the confines of my little mini front yard, which is surrounded by a stucco wall, as well as a hedge.  The only way to see the flowers, or enjoy my yard, is by being IN my yard. And if that is considered "common area" then so be it.

Got mostly some annuals, and just a couple of perennials.  The landlord is good with it.  He said the previous tenant had had the same issue with the manager.  But she did get those daffs planted and I see a few tulips poking up too!

L Jay was given a HUGE award and honor from BGCA and so we decided I will go to Orlando for the national conference after all.  Thankfully, I was able to get booked on his same flights 3 legs out of 4, though I am in first class.....using those Alaska miles!!  And even better, sister Carol who was supposed to be here for a visit during that time, was able to book with her miles too, so I will have someone to play with.

Good for now.  Be back soon.

March!

This was what I pulled from my Farm Fresh to You box this morning.  It's my second delivery, arriving every other Friday.  I thought I'd give this a try until the Farmer's Markets open up again in mid May.  

February wasn't my most active blogging month, I'm planning for March to be better.  

My mystery with PG&E is continuing.  Turns out I do have a gas furnace.  Makes these spikes in power draw even more befuddling.  Will continue living with few lights on.  Today will be day 2 of not even turning the furnace on.  We are into the tier 2 price for power, which seems to last about 2 days, and then BOOM the price per kwh triples.  And I have 11 days left in the billing cycle.  Sigh....

We (Jay and I) are both really looking forward to a visit from sister Nancy, and BIL Terry!!  They will be here in 10 days, and staying for 6 nights.  Starting to make some plans of which wineries to visit.  And we have already planned Tuesday to be our San Francisco day and have a dinner reservation at The House of Prime Rib   http://houseofprimerib.net/

Two weeks later, I'll be heading north for a two week visit!  Easter, Todd's birthday and my annual quilting retreat with friends at Dumas Bay.  

Happy to report the former tenants have moved out, and left the house very nice and clean, and the new tenants are moving in next Thursday.  So only a week of vacancy.  

Heading into the sewing room to finish up a small quilting project and to get a couple of blocks finished for the Modern Block quilt group that meets tomorrow morning.  

Happy March!!