Attitude of Gratitude

I'm in Palm Springs this morning...getting ready to check out and head East on Hwy #10 to Home. I've had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Birthday. Dinner with Dan and extended family was great. Best turkey this year....and such good company. Last Thanksgiving for Katie in her teens. She turns 20 on Dec. 17th...hard to get that to register. Michael is 16 and getting taller everytime I see him. Wish that height had come in time for varsity basketball. He now plays volleyball and seems to enjoy it.

My huge birthday event was seeing Placido Domingo at the LA Opera. He was in Tamerlano. New opera to me...Haydn Didn't care much for it. Heard a countertenor for the first time....not impressed. Placido however, was wonderful. The exciting part was going backstage and meeting him. He couldn't have been more gracious and what a great picture I now have to remember him by. I'm still on Cloud #9!

Now it is home to plan my 2nd Annual Limewood Neighbors Christmas Party. Looking forward to that. Life is good!

More stuff

More backyard pictures...the living fence is an interesting idea. They are made out of Ocotillo spikes, wired together and installed with the tips planted in the ground. In time they should root and turn green and maybe even grow and flower. I understand they use Ocotillo fencing a lot in Mexico and New Mexico. I liked the look and the living part. I didn't do a full fence, just decided to define the corners of my lots and use it for some privacy and definition. I planted Bouganvilla against the fence which should grow and climb.

Now that the yard is done, at least for now, I need to start work on the garage and utility room. My once clean garage is now messed up again. Where does this stuff come from?? Oh, I remember...I drag is home from garage sales and thrift stores.Sigh. Don't expect to change that behavior in the near future so I shall organize and neat things up.

A Creek Grows in the Desert!

I've been busy, busy creating a backyard Oasis. First came the trees.....then the Living Fence and finally the Creek. It has been such fun visualizing and then seeing it come into being. The other night I was outside with the firepit going and listening to the creek. I would have sworn I was on a great camping trip. Amazing how the sound of water makes such a difference. Now if I can just keep the rabbits from eating all the greenery. The only things I know are safe are the Oleanders (poison) and the Ocotillo Fencing (Big thorns). Hope you enjoy the pictures....come visit and see for yourself.