Welcome to my special place!
Me in my garden
I started to garden around 2006 when a friend gave me some sunflower seeds and I was hooked. I have been growing them every year since.
The garden has been my savior in taking me away from the computer and giving my eyes much needed breaks. My special place has grown to include a fern and flower garden house, a vegetable house and a little cactus garden.
Gardening is believing in tomorrow 
Eating the touch-me-not grass!
Making Yummy Stinging Nettle Paste This weekend I had a surprise discovery when I saw a plant in my horses pen that I had never seen before. It was under the rain gutter and growing so lush and deep green. Being a California native all my life a lush green plant is an attractive site to see in this usually brown, dry and hot dusty area. Naturally I was curious to touch and that is when this electric plant attacked! I brushed my hand against the soft leaves and I instantly shrieked back in pain. I was covered with little welts on my hand. At...
read moreSome flowers for Easter
Below is a gallery of my daffodils and tulips that I thought was quite fitting for Easter. I love the character that tulips get as they unfold. I also love them because they are the first to welcome Spring in this area. Click the button below to launch and I hope you enjoy them...
read morePainted with pretty poppies
We drove along the Merced River in California today and the hills were electrifying with golden poppies. Apparently we hit it just right for the spectacular show of the California state flower to be in bloom on mass. This along the purple flower from the Western Redbud made a stunning show for the eyes as the color spilled down the hillside like a dusting of golden snow. It should be pretty for another week or so get up and see for...
read moreNative plant sale in Pittsburg CA
If you’re looking for some California native plants the nature preserve at Los Medanos College (a certified schoolyard habitat) is having a plant sale on March 27 and 28th. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for I developed a plant ID slideshow to help you know what is what. All photographs were taken and identified by the caretakers of the center. Click the image below to visit the website. Plants range from $1 –...
read moreThree Free Books on Greenhouses with Plans
Republishing some useful information from the garden share site myfolia.com There are three books on Greenhouses available under “fair use” download. Fair-use means that the books are free to download, read, and store on your computer, but must be purchased if you wish to print, sell, or distribute hard-copies. They are in PDF format. The links below will take you to the NRAES website (Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service) for each book. You will see – Download a low-resolution, fair-use copy of NRAES-## (#.# MB). It will...
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New camera & Pomegranites
Oh did I have sooooo much fun today playing with my new toy, a Nikon D7000! WOW – this is sure a step up from my D200. I have never been able to hand hold my camera and take pictures in such low window lighting like you see below. If you scroll to the bottom you will see my first video I shot as well with it. Not sure how much video I will do but it’s sure neat to have the capability to record in such low light. More images to come! A little impromptu video on how to cut a pomegranate and my dog Burt...
read moreSafe to cross?
I found these ladies hanging out by my garden. They didn’t really care for the camera pointed at them. Smart birds!
read moreBeing different is beautiful
Freak of nature or just a survivor? I have a stand of cattails growing beside my garden that I have blogged about in the past. They are just getting ready to blow their seeds and yesterday I noticed one really irregular looking cattail. As I came in for a closer look I realized it was one cattail that had split at the base and had somehow managed to join back together at the top. I can’t really figure out how this happened but in the process it now has three seed heads! To me it looks kinda like a cinnamon twist and was so beautiful I...
read moreGetting ready with the bulbs!
I shot this photo last year in my studio. I was so mesmerized with the delecate colors and the pretty ruffles of the petals that I felt the need to capture it with the softest light possible. Daffodils never help much interest for me until I found these. They are called Tahiti Double Daffodils. I replanted these bulbs today from another area as well as some fresh ones from the store. In addition to these I also planted some other varieties so we’ll later see which one performs the best! What I planted today were: Tahiti Double...
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