Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Good Morning, Sunshine

Dainty blue borage flowers that don't make it into the spinach salad reseed abundantly
It seems overnight. The borage sprouted as tall as the iris. Ask me why I planted it where it almost chokes the path and I will tell you; I didn't. The birds must have dropped seeds along the gravel path where the grass used to grow almost up to the fence- line. Then the trees and vines grew- and it was too shady for the roses shoved between fence and grass to be healthy. The dogs needed a path to run free. And one thing led to another.


speaking of birds....
Through my study window I watched as two little sparrows pulled strands from the topiary creeping fig to fashion a nest. The patio beam  appeared an early choice, but I think they decided they prefer to be a bit further from my watchfulness.  


Rosa 'Mutabalis'- the butterfly rose makes for a fairy tale thicket

Mourning doves like pecking food off the ground- but if thicket is nearby to dive into if a predator interlopes, a sturdy platform will sometime do. This cooing visitor never read the dove-instruction guide. It hung from the  the nyger thistle feeder with the regular goldfinch.crowd, surrounded much of the time like a giant among  Lilliputians


The last vestige of the Ranch that was Diamond Bar

There were no misty clouds to dull the sun's heat today when I left to gather information on the last monument standing of the ranch that was the Diamond Bar. Tomorrow the research will be corroborated and collated. If fortune shines like the sun did today, contact with one last person or two will  dash some extra spice with sprinklings  of first-person details. In any case- by close of business tomorrow, the article related to the history the welded skeleton has observed will be wrapped with photos and sources for Darren Fishell's approval where I write on local Diamond Bar history at DiamondBarPatch.com.


Windbreak finished

Followers of this blog may remember when the window glass windbreak proved not to be quite sufficient at barbecue time: the wind whistled right around it in a small space left open between window and house frame.

 Rather than surrender the footprint on the patio where my husband wished to move his prized possession, I  decided to extend the windbreak with a stained glass rendition of  potted jumiper mid-way through pruning.  Not nearly so complicated as the shed transom window  Ethel's Garden  , the side panel is up. And as tonight's dinner of

  • Crusty Bread with Olive and Tomato Brusschetta toppings  
  • Buttered Corn off the cob in foil
  • Tossed Green Salad with Italian Dressing
  • Butterflied Tri-Tip, seasoned simply before barbecuing
  • Chianti
was enjoyed on the patio after a prayer of  thanksgiving for just one more day in this paradise-

the wind pattern  which proved problematic when cooking outside - it is tamed. Amen  

5 comments:

  1. Lydia,

    I love it that you and Ger can enjoy dinners on your patio. Think I will give some thought to doing that once we "open" the pool and patio complete with the cushions back on the furniture.
    Your stained glass is gorgeous! So nice too that it serves a purpose as well as being beautiful!

    Hugs, Trisha

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  2. I just read your blog and full as I am at the moment your dinner sounded like heaven. Eating on a patio is something I haven't done in years. How wonderful. Loved the birdies. xo

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  3. Thank you Trisha and Sue for checking in. One of my favorite luxuries in life is eating dinner on the patio.

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  4. I agree with eating on the patio. My wife and I await every Spring just to eat or sit/watch tv on the patio with the kids and the dogs!

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  5. Thank you for droppng in Mr. Woodcraft. Our best to your wife and dogs.

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