Mesclun Progress

  Still waiting for my first crop of meslun.

Purple Iris

 

These purple iris were moved a year ago from their original location, which had become too shaded for them to bloom.

 

What am I????

 

I bought this little fella at Sycamore Farms in San Luis Obispo last year. At the time it was about half this size and was covered with tiny pink flowers that the local wild rabbits loved. Now it's getting ready to bloom again . . . and I'm thinking I'd better get some screening over it pretty soon, or the rabbits will be back for another feast this year. I'd love to see it bloom.

Another Unknown Wildflower

I have a blocked off section of the the front yard where I tried (unsuccessfully) to grow some zucchini last year. The year before (or maybe two years before) I tossed out a couple of packets of mixed (commercial) wildflower seeds. None came up that year. Now, these two red beauties popped up out of nowhere, having received no help from me in the water department. The only water this patch has received is the God-given kind, or Nature-given, if you prefer that term. I have no idea what they are . . . or if the seeds blew in from who knows where or if they're from the seeds I sowed 2 or 3 years ago. Hmmmm. . . . .

 


 

Unknown Wildflower

This bright, star-shaped yellow flower is the only one of this kind in the yard. It's taller than the other wildflowers, a brighter yellow, and has an interesting shape.

 

Yellow Wildflowers

These little guys have been blooming all over the local hillsides, especially in the lower elevations. These sprouted up all over the parts of my yard that get the most rainwater runoff. Since whether a wildflower blooms in any given year depends mostly on the amount of rainfall, I guess this year just the right amount fell in my area for the tiny yellow variety. Of course, they are bigger in the lower elevations....that's how wildflowers are; the higher up they grow, the shorter they are. These are so pretty every day when the sun comes up and warms their little faces, I don't have the heart to hoe them down. I'll wait till they fade, and probably reseed themselves for a future year, before I take the hoe to them.

 

 

 

Redbuds in Bloom

The redbuds this year are blooming all over two of my trees. The rest of the trees are already beginning to leaf out, with no blossoms.

 


 


 

Butterfly on Thistle

  This thistle is growing in my backyard "weed" patch. Before I chop it down (hopefully before it lets loose all those thistle seeds) I spotted a butterfly feeding on it.


  Got this photo, then moved in closer for another shot.

 

I'm not sure what variety of butterfly it is.

Spring blooms

 
 
 

The weeds have taken over

 
 
 
 

What's for dinner this week?????

A lovely still life that's edible and organic to boot. Yummo!! Quite a nice mixture of fruits and veggies. Can't wait to try one of the mandarin oranges . . . previously the only m.o.'s I've had came in a can.


Onions, beets, carrots.


Asparagus can't be any fresher than this.

Nice head of red leaf lettuce. And a bunch of fresh marjoram....sweet, mild (of the mint family and somewhat similar to oregano but less pungent).

Abundant Harvest Shipment April 4

Picked up the box early this morning. This is what greeted me when I opened it. Fresh spinach . . . plenty for a nice side dish for two people who love spinach. Can't get any fresher than this.