My Ticket Quest Update

For the two of you concerned about these matters, do not fear.  I have gotten me hands on three tickets for Spurs versus Chelsea at White Hart Lane, granted from what I'm pretty sure is the Irish mafia.  And, no, the family doesn't mind eating macaroni and cheese for the next three year's, and I've convinced my son that college is overrated, despite what some people say.  Hey, he gets to come to the game.  No whining.

Garden Entrances, House Exits

Recently, we've had some new doors put in.  These will hopefully give some much better views of the garden once completed then our typical Southern California cookie cutter contractor cheap ass sliding door.  Yes, that's what they're called.  The previous one's, not these.

The bottom photo is of an arena that used to be a window.  We decided to remove the window and add a door.  This, hopefully, will become a nice private patio.  At least, that's the plan.

Please, please, please...

You may remember our sad little gopher ravaged orange tree.  Well, we've killed the gophers...and their offspring.  And, now we have these:

She's making a comeback.  These are Valencia oranges and the Sunset Magazine Massive Plant Book states they are summer bloomers.  Maybe in Australia, but last time I looked it's fall and these still have a few weeks to go.  There are six oranges in total on our sorry little Charlie Brown tree.

I'm foreseeing a big comeback for this guy.  In the meantime, it had better ripen those oranges...my Blue Moon is waiting.

Thank a Veteran

My pops.  Japan, pre Vietnam

Gramps on my mom's side, World War II

Gramps on my pop's side, World War I

Pops-in-law (the one in the beard), Vietnam

In addition, the one's I don't have pictures for, great, great Gramps, American Civil War and great, great, great, great Gramps, American Revolution.

Thanks to each and every one of you, and all the others that have served.

If You Do Things, They Will Come

I'm so giddy, I could pee!!!  We recently added compost, sand, gypsum and lots of love to this section of the garden.

Yes, yes, yes, the two of you that follow along at home can tell I'm doing things out of order, but at the end of the day it all ends up here.  But, while I was digging all of this soil into my inert earth, I found exactly...exactly...zero earth worms!  Two weeks later we planted, and I found this...

Isn't she beautiful?  Yes, if you try, things will change for the better.  And, of course, I cut it in half so I had two.  Do you think I'm an idiot?

Dear Tottenham Hotspur,

Can you make it any more freaking difficult for an American to buy tickets to one game!?!?!?!?  Granted, I understand there are about 5,894,506 people on the waiting list for season seats, but sweet Jesus, they live there!  There are other games they can go to!  I'll only be there for Chelsea at home and Norwich away!  I don't even know where Norwich is!!!  Alright, I'm done.  Maybe someone can recommend a good pub to go to.

Drip Irrigation...Take 2

Not that the first stuff I put in needs to be changed, mind you, I'm actually continuing the retrofit to another section.

This is a new kind (or different, I should say, hell if I know if it's "new" or not) of drip irrigation from what I previously posted.  Up to now, I had been laying flexible tubing and then attaching smaller flex tubing along with an emitter at the end.  This particular item has an emitter, or hole, already in the tube every 12 inches (too much math to figure out what that is in metric).  So, all I have to do is lay it near the plant and make sure a hole is somewhere in the vicinity.  It took about one third the time the other tubing did.  Me like.

However, since I am the brilliant gardener that I am, when I capped the sprinkler heads already in this area months ago, I did not mark where the heads had been.  Thus, a wild goose chase began to find them.  After digging several holes, and then realizing the pipe was buried 1.7 miles below the surface, I decided just to cut into an area and put in what I needed.  Above is what I needed.  And, since it was such a chore to do, and I highly recommend when you're already there to add in a few more.

I ended up putting in three risers, although I'm only using one for now.  That should leave me enough to finish off the bed once the rest of the plants get in.

The beauty of this is once the tubing is laid moving it is quite simple, just pick it up and put it down where you want it.  Also, with a 50 cent adaptor I can add to the tubing at a later date to continue the run.  After 100 feet, however, it's best to start a new line as you will lose too much water pressure to maintain the proper drip.

In the meantime, I will be setting my clock's back an hour tonight and you should do the same should you be so required.  Spurs vs. Fulham tomorrow at 8 am PST, and if you forget you won't tune in until halftime!  We'll be up by 7 by then!!!  HA!!