Wednesday, March 5, 2014

March springs upon us in California

Rain, glorious rain. Yes, I know, we are not out of the woods, we need like ten more inches and Folsom Dam still looks like a mud puddle. But it rained enough to put a spring in our step, green up the hills and remove the dread that the only life left here will be cockroaches and aliens from the planet Zodar. Even if it's a drop in the bucket, it was a very dry bucket that is now moist. Rain, glorious rain.

The best part is that instead of having to water the newish, not yet established plants out front, the most amazing thing happens when it rains. They water themselves. Like a drip system from heaven. Because of the crazy cold temperatures we had here, (for us it was cold) a lot of our plants were looking a bit iffy. But with the soil warming up and the rain doing its thing, the yard seems to be bouncing back. Except for a few replacements here and there and the stump removal by the front door (which by the way had a lovely clay pot of geraniums on it THAT SOMEONE STOLE, OF ALL THE NERVE), we are ready to call that project a wrap.

In the backyard, however, we have a whole new project going on. Our Moldovan dance floor/basketball court/four-square area/giant expanse of concrete gets poured this Saturday. Except if it rains. That would not be so glorious.

Our camellia bush thinks it's just capital living in Sacramento.

And the azaleas are happy here in the valley as well.

These irises sat for one year all dried up and abandoned in a plastic box.
They bounced back like troopers. 

The feather grasses are the stars of the yard, they said Phfff! to the cold winter.

Dan the Gardening Man said to not trim the lantana until we see signs of life.
Hmmm. I think that green thing in the middle is a weed.

And here we go with our Dancing Under the Stars area.
Nothing says Let It Rain like a planned concrete pour.

And certainly not least, Myra the Craigslist Princess found this free for us.
It has chubby babies riding fish, but free is free.