A Trio of Goals for Twenty-Ten

This year I'll be focusing on three areas of my life, based on these three books:

"The Happiness Project," by Gretchen Rubin.

"Unclutter Your Life in One Week," by Erin Rooney.

"All New Square Foot Gardening," by Mel Bartholomew.

Join Me!

A Gorgeous Summer Day

It's a shimmery summer day here in Benicia, with just enough of a lovely warm breeze to set the leaves in our birch tree sighing. I'm sitting outside in the "cat garden" with my laptop and a nicer setting you couldn't find anywhere I think! It's too bad the lighting is really not too good for viewing a computer monitor! But I'll persevere at least as long as my laptop's battery holds out which is about another hour. It's just too nice of a day to be indoors (plus this is a good opportunity for me to do some deep watering of our trees and tomato plants).

The bird in this photo visited one of our hummingbird feeders a few days ago. He's definitely NOT a hummingbird, and I'm pretty sure he (or she?) visited us last year about this time as well. Naturally, I can't remember what kind of bird he is, and I'm thinking we never were really sure if he was a northern tangier or an oriole, even though we checked our bird guides. He's got an orange head and body and tail, with brown/black/grey on his wings and belly. If anyone knows what kind of bird this is, please let me know!

We've got lots of hummers right now, too, and mockingbirds. The mockingbirds usually nest somewhere nearby and sometimes dive-bomb our cats when they are in the garden. As if the cats could get anywhere NEAR the nests! They are well-confined to their garden, but I guess the mockers don't know that and, after all, a few years ago our male Burmese cat, Tony, did find a mockingbird nest (they nest in evergreen trees only about 3 feet from the ground, how foolish is that?) and killed all three of the babies just before they fledged. It was tragic.

Mike is at work today and, can you believe it, he had to work on the Fourth! I was NOT happy about that, nor am I pleased he is working today. It's a shame he has to miss this gorgeous weather. No one should be inside on a day like this. And I just noticed that a pure white gladiolus has sprung up and bloomed! We planted bulbs years and years ago and didn't do a good job cultivating them so over the years we've had fewer and fewer. Last year I'm not sure we had any at all and now, out of the blue, popped this one tall stalk with a dozen buds, the lowest three already blooming. I often think things like that are "signs."

I wonder what it means?

The Purr...fect Solution to Keeping Cats Safe & Happy

Here's Jack safe behind our cat fencing. We installed this fencing three years ago when Jack and Scout were kittens. We had lost our handsome male Burmese, Tony, to a car earlier that year. It was so traumatic for me that I knew I could no longer allow my cats to roam the way I always had. I didn't want to go through finding another cat in the neighbor's yard, dead, from being hit by a car right in front of our own home.

We looked at a lot of different types of fencing and finally settled on the product provided by Purr...fect Fence at http://www.purrfectfence.com/. When properly installed this fencing is truly escape-proof yet allows cats the freedom to enjoy the outdoors and frees me from any worry that they will be playing in the road. We have a cat door so our cats can go in and out as they please which frees us up from being a door monitor.Here is a view of the cat garden from where I was standing under the arbor. They have all this room to roam! You have to look closely to see the slim black poles and the mesh fencing attached to it which runs just inside the wood fence. That's how unobtrusive the fencing is; it certainly doesn't make our garden look like a prison yard.Jack likes to stroll (or patrol?) along the stones that border our flower gardens. There's always a bug or butterfly to chase, grass to nibble, and dirt or warm concrete to roll on.
Looks like Scout is right behind him! She's really the superior hunter and has brought in many a lizard, bird, or rodent. That is the only downside to letting my cats go outside. I do have to clean up feathers or lizard pieces now and then, or corner and trap a mouse that she's brought into the house and let go. Nice!

In California there is talk of making owners register & license cats, just like dogs, and of requiring cats to be confined to the owner's yard. Happily, we're ready for that now. I know I've blogged about our cat garden before, but after spending an enjoyable hour out there this morning I just felt compelled to write more about it, and encourage anyone with cats to look into installing this awesome fencing. It could totally change your life and save that of your cat.

Things I'm Grateful for Today

a special, enclosed garden that my cats and I enjoy every day, and that helps me slow down, reflect, and enjoy each moment of each day

the lovely young woman our son is marrying on Saturday

the soothing breeze that comes up each evening, from the Carquinez Strait, to cool down our non-airconditioned home each night

Kohl's Department Store, who had just the right "foundation garments" to wear under my dress as "mother-of-the-groom" for said wedding

safe travel for our younger son, from China back to the U.S., to be Best Man at his brother's wedding

my husband, who didn't scold me for buying him a new white dress shirt just because I thought the one he already has is just a teensy bit grayish

the cutest little clutch that will be the perfect purse to carry at the wedding

my mom and dad for hosting 8 or more people at their home so that we can all enjoy the wedding without the expense of a hotel room

an invitation to tea in late June with the Westcoast Scrappers

my sister, Denise, for doing all the work (including getting the pint-sized tux) so her son, Adam, can be ring-bearer in the wedding

Crystal Light pink lemonade

my sister, Lisa, who affirmed that it was ok for me not to get my underarms waxed even though I'll be wearing a sleeveless dress for the wedding

flip-flops

my in-laws, Art and Betty, who wish so much that they could attend the wedding and send their Best Wishes to the bride and groom

pedicures

a brand-new wedding band for me that exactly matches my husband's (to replace the one that I lost a couple of years ago)

sunless bronzer by L'Oreal

my cousin, Laurel, who just moved to Benicia (how great is it to have family in town??) and who will look in on my kitty-babies while we are off to the wedding

micro-wave popcorn

gift cards because they make gift-giving SO easy

seedless watermelon -- it makes dieting so much nicer

my dad who will bless the rings of our son and new daughter-in-law

mockingbirds, hummingbirds, and squirrels, all of which my cats love to watch in the garden, and I love to TRY to photograph

family members making time to come to the wedding even though there are lots of other things going on in their lives

digital cameras, and the realization that I don't need to worry about taking photos at the wedding because Jeff Fassett of Fassett Weddings Photography will be there, wooohoooooooo!

two orange tabby cats urging me to come to bed. . . .

Signs of Spring

Nothing more "springy" than a bird's nest with brand new eggs! I've been keeping an eye on a certain bush in front of our house where a house wren (I think!) has decided to set up housekeeping. When I first noticed the nest a few days ago there were only 3 eggs in it. Yesterday there were 4, today there are 6! It's seems strange that most of the eggs are bluish-white and 2 are speckled. It almost looks like two different birds are using the same nest. Could that be?? Or can a single bird lay eggs that look so different? And I always thought birds only laid one egg a day but two have appeared in the last 24 hours. I'm really intrigued by this situation. I guess I'd better get out my bird books and do some research. I also need to try to get a good look at the bird (or birds!) that is using the nest. She must hear us coming out of the house because only once have I actually seen a bird fly out of the bush, and even then I didn't get a good look at it. Every other time the nest is already empty of Mama Bird.This is the bush where the nest is, about 2/3 of the way up and slightly to the left. Not very high off the ground, which worries me as there are cats in our neighborhood! My own cats are not allowed to roam unattended but I know others are. Also, crows are known to be nest-robbers and have ransacked nests in the past. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to see these babies hatch and eventually leave the nest.
Some of my daisies in the front yards. Aren't daisies just the happiest flowers??? They're always so cheerful! Have a happy day!

Awesome Sky & Sprout Update

Mike and I were on our way to an appointment this morning about 9:30 a.m. when I noticed this incredible sky. I've never seen clouds quite like these before. I pulled over and Mike popped out to take this photo. Kind of looks like a trio of UFOs are on their way to visit us here in Benicia!

Ok, so I promised an update on the sprouts. I've got two trays growing now for successive crops:
The seeds in the bottom tray are about 2 days old and barely beginning to split in preparation for the sprouts to grow.
In the top tray the sprouts are about 5 days old. They're about 2/3 grown and can be eaten at any time now. This is about as big as sprouts got when our boys were young; they usually couldn't wait long enough and would eat them half-grown. The next photo shows the trays from the side, so you can see the difference in the growth of the sprouts in just a couple of days. Amazing, eh? Aren't they pretty?
In the next two days or so the sprouts in that front tray will grow taller than the tray. At that point if there are any left that we haven't eaten I will rinse them, let them dry thoroughly and then put them in the fridge. They'll keep another few days. We seldom manage to get any into the fridge, though!

I love sprouts in salads, and even more on sandwiches. They are so much more flavorful than lettuce with their slightly nutty/sweet taste. My current favorite sandwich is sliced chicken, warmed & lightly salted, on cracked wheat bread very thinly spread with mayo, and about an inch of sprouts. YUM-O!

Benicia State Recreation Area

It's one of our favorite places to walk, bike, run, or rollerblade and it's also one of the state parks that is on Gov. Schwarzenneger's list for closure. We do hope that doesn't happen. In the meantime we are going to enjoy it as much as we can, and this happens to be one of our favorite times of the year at BSRA.

We took our bikes there yesterday afternoon and had a wondeful and relaxing ride to the end of the main bike trail and back, just over a 5 mile round trip. Lots of people were out walking or jogging or riding bicycles, although not as many as on weekends, or late afternoons after school gets out. The weather was perfect; warm and sunny and not too much of a headwind. Flowers and trees are blooming and the hills are covered with bright new grass.
Here's a field covered with that mustard grass I'm so fond of!

Mike climbed over a fence to explore this old abandoned trail, now partially covered over in grasses and plants. (He's like a cat -- put up a fence and the cat can't think of anything else until he's climbed over it!) We saw wild pheasants out in these fields, as well as lots of ground squirrels.
Along the bike trail, in the ditches, grow cattails. This group is from last year, blown out and going to seed. Later in the summer the new ones will appear. I often gather 4 or 5 and take them home to put in a tall pottery vase.
One of the few shaded parts of the trail, this path is lined with huge eucalyptus trees. It's always a welcome respite from the hot sun when we ride here at the height of summer.
At the very end of the bike trail is this view of the Carquinez Strait. Can you believe it? That's Mt. Diablo in the distance!

A xeriscape (low water) garden highlights native plants and flowers. The plants are marked so you can learn a lot about the different types that grow well in this area. We always stop here to make note of growth and changes. (And I like to take photos of the flowers!)

A walking path heading off toward the marshes. At the end is a viewing area to observe waterbirds and other wildlife. There are tons of Red Winged Blackbirds out in the marsh; also ducks, seagulls, and muskrats.

If you live in the east bay of northern California and have never visited the Benicia State Recreation Area, get over here! If it's closed it may be a long time before you have another chance. It costs $4 to park, but you can also park free in the residential areas nearby and walk or bike over. Bring your camera!

Enjoying Laundry

The weather has been so beautiful that I have stopped using my clothes-dryer and yesterday I hung out 2008's first load of wash on the clothesline. After hunting around for clothesline kits at Home Depot, Target, Wal-Mart, etc., with no results, I finally went on line and found dozens of websites for small businesses, often family-run (my favorite kind!) that make all kinds of clothes lines. I settled on The Clothesline Shop LLC which had the exact style I was looking for at a good price. (They also sell snowplow-resistant mailboxes which I'm very grateful to say I have no use for)!

I wanted a clothesline just like the one my mom hung our family's clothes on when I was growing up in southern California. I have fond memories of the comfort and well-cared-for feeling I always got when I saw our clean clothes swaying gently in the breeze. Often the lines were hung with dozens of cloth diapers in those days before Pampers, and while our family was growing. On hot summer days my brothers and I used to play among the damp, cool sheets, imagining them to be ghosts or a fort where we hid from Indians.

My friend Judy's mom hung her family's clothes on the line, too, and she had an apron with a big pocket in the front where she kept her clothespins handy. I thought it so clever. I coveted that apron! When I hung my clothes out yesterday I thought about that apron and how both clotheslines and aprons are making a comeback.

I think line-drying clothes is yet one more way for us to slow down a little, enjoy the fresh air, flowers, and birds in our backyards, and more keenly appreciate each individual day of our lives.

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

On Sunday we took our bikes to Golden Gate Park for a day of cycling and a picnic lunch. We had just set off on our bikes when we heard thundering cracking, crashing, splitting, and crackling noises and then shouts. Only a split second later we rounded a bend in the path and were confronted with the sight in the above photo. A huge eucalyptis tree had fallen across the bike path. Dust and leaves were still in the air.

We just missed seeing this happen, and maybe being underneath it! About a dozen people stood around marveling at how this occurred just out of the blue and with no warning whatsoever. Luckily, no one was hurt. Nature is awesome! We rode by the Conservatory of Flowers and admired the early spring garden of purple, red, yellow, and orange. Every time I see this set of stairs I remember the time Michael (our #2 son) was about 14; we took him and his brother bicycling at Golden Gate Park, and Michael rode his bike down these stairs!These flowers are a kind of poppy -- I think -- I've always called them Cosmos. I love their bright orange and yellow color, they practically glowed in the sun.
We ate lunch at Ocean Beach. Those are our bikes parked against the concrete wall. Behind them is the windmill that stands at Queen Wilhelmina's Gardens. It is restored, but not functional. It's one of my favorite sights at GG Park. I want one in my backyard!
We crossed Golden Gate Bridge on our way home. Next time we are out that way we will ride or walk across it. You can see that many people were out taking advantage of the gorgeous summer day!

Happy New Year!!!

From our house to yours! Here's a photo of hubby Mike reading in front of the fireplace on New Year's Eve. That's our little girl tabby, Scout, in the catbed. We had all three of our cats in front of the fire all evening. It was a nice quiet New Year's . . . we relaxed in front of the fire and t.v. until midnight when we opened the back door so that we could hear the neighbors banging on pots and pans, shooting off firecrackers, and yelling "Happy new year!!" It was great! Jack and Scout didn't think so, though, and ran under our bed to escape the noise. Bo didn't even notice because he's pretty much deaf!

Today we slept late (ok, the cats and I did - Mike was up early) and are spending the day inside where it's warm. I have had a cold so am not at all inclined to go anywhere today. I'm so happy it's January because that's my favorite month of the year. It's a time for new beginnings, but it's also a time to do a little hibernating, putter around the house in slippers, pull out old needlework projects and finish them, handwash a few delicate things, take naps, bake bread or cookies (or both!) and stir up a big pot of tapioca pudding with extra vanilla. It's the quiet after the storm of the holidays.

I'm also dreaming about spring, and what kinds of flowers I'll plant in my garden this year, and wondering when the first buds will appear on our fruit trees. Living in California, we don't have a brutal winter like so many other parts of the country, but we certainly have our share of cold, wet, and dreary days. It's partly cloudy today, and there's a cold wind shaking the last of the leaves off the trees and outside in the cat's garden the first of the daffodils has come up! Brave little yellow faces, I think of them as being the first sign of spring . . . but it's only January First! I wonder if that means an early, early spring this year? Or perhaps a long, slow, and gentle awakening. . .

I'm ambivalent about making new year's resolutions this year . . . it's always frustrating to make them and then not keep them. Last year I resolved to buy only American-made products for a year. That lasted about two days! Have you ever tried to buy anything (besides food) that wasn't made in China, or another asian country? Try it -- it's really eye-opening.

This year I'll need to come up with something easier. I'm thinking I will simply resolve to finish whatever I start without getting sidetracked onto something else. Actually, that might not be easy at all . . . as anyone who has ever watched me clean house can attest. Instead of working methodically through the house one room at a time I operate more like a ball in a pinball machine bouncing from one room to the next with no logical plan. I can tell you this is not at all condusive to getting the house cleaning done; it takes a lot longer, and usually I end up with all the rooms sorta clean but none of them completely clean and then finally I pick up a book to put it away and instead I sit down on the couch and read. Well, but at least reading takes my mind off the dirty house!

A happy and prosperous New Year's to all, whether or not your house is clean!

Life - It's for Living

Hello . . . and welcome to my blog!

I'm excited about blogging; I found blogs recently, began reading various ones and, well, I'm hooked! I feel like I have friends all over the world now. It's different from e-mail and even instant-messenger type communication. Blogs are where people write about whatever is on their mind, going on in their lives, or interests them. You really get a feel for the depth of a person by reading their blog postings.

This is my personal blog. I also have a blog for my business, "Webajeb Digital Photo Albums & Portfolios" where I blog about my experiences in getting a small business up and running, how the business is growing and changing, and new products and specials. It's called BlogWebajeb and you are welcome to read it by simply going to my website www.webajeb.com and clicking on the Blog link at the top of the Home Page.

THIS blog, however, is where I'll get more personal . . . and blog about my life & experiences, my passions, my heartaches & worries, and all the exciting changes that are going on in my little corner of the world.

For example, would you believe my husband and I BOTH just quit our high-tech jobs??? I'll be talking about why, and what we're planning to do next.

Other topics I can't wait to talk (blog!) about: Family, friends, travel, holidays, the "Baja Ha Ha," sailing, photography, digital (and traditional) scrapbooking, reading, knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, handicrafts (love handmade items!), sewing, hiking, camping, handmade books & journals, gardening, writing, family reunions, cooking, cats, animal rescue, and whatever else pops into my head! I hope you'll visit my blog often and, please, leave comments!

More soon! Meanwhile, feel free to email me anytime!