Sunday And We Worked And Played!

Posted on Monday, March 17, 2025 by Paul

We got up, dressed in our cleanest dirty work clothes, and hit the yard running, as we had oodles of veggies to plant today! Our neighbor was worried about his fruit trees not having oranges, so I texted him this photo of his hyperactive orange tree since he was out of town!

We will have oranges in a few months.

We can already smell the blossoms when there’s a gentle breeze—though I’m beginning to think the flowers have a more advanced olfactory system than I do. They keep throwing their scents around like they’re trying to impress a bee or something! If only I could catch a whiff of that same confidence at the perfume counter…

Mid-summer and the tree will be loaded!

We heard the loud flapping of wings as we worked, and the local Lemonbird called whenever she spotted a suitable nest.  She dropped in and left one of her eggs!  We shall use it carefully!

The lemon bird used our straw for her nest!

We did NOT get to this area today, but by midweek, we will have it also planted.  This planter is reserved for pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupe, corn, and blueberries.

Transplanting is necessary!

We washed down the concrete between the gardens after we swept everything up.

Cleanup underway

There are only a few more things to plant, and we may try Monday once we get the corned beef cooking@

Done with planting for today!

We are almost out of straw, which we used as mulch!  We have a third of a bale remaining.

Wait to see this in about 90 days!

Boys will be boys!!  Hey, after five hours of hard work, I needed a break!!

M-m-m-m-m-m-m

This garden needs attention!  We must weed it and then drop in about six bags of acid dirt.  Weeding is difficult because most of these babies are horny (oops, I mean, they have thorns).

The berries are starting to bloom already.

We got ourselves ready for the Starlighters St. Patrick’s Day soireé.  Now, we’re back to wearing green!

Mary asked me to stop looking for me Lucky Charms and the Pot o’ Gold!

We danced and danced and shut the place down.  Only four people remained out of the 90 who were here this evening.   We had a table for ten, met two new couples, and revisited with four old friends!  It was a delightful evening.

We sat next to Dale and Marsha (who will be 90 years young in two weeks!)

On our way home, we stopped by Aces Bar & Grill to bring some Irish life to the place. We met “D” for the first time, and he bought our drinks—which we did not know until we departed!

Good Night All!!

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Celebration Time!

Posted on Saturday, March 15, 2025 by Paul

Dancing at the Elks tonight!!

We were up early because we needed to go to H&H Nursery, our favorite place to shop for veggies.  They had a super selection, and the plants were less expensive than those at Roger’s Gardens.

Mary found some peppers we use all the time, so they went directly into the cart.

Being picky!

It took us a while to go through all the shelves of veggies they had on display.  We stumbled upon some that we didn’t even know existed! They were like the hidden treasures of the veggie world—who knew potato-flavored mint was a thing?

Decisions decisions!

We had to stop shopping because the cart was packed to the brim, and Mary had to carry the last three items, which were red, white, and blue petunias, by hand.

We are done; the cart is full!

Petunias, originating in South America, are known for their vibrant flowers and are part of the same family as tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco. Their name comes from the Tupi-Guarani word “petun,” meaning “tobacco” but more accurately “a kind of tobacco that doesn’t make a good smoke.”

Petunia blooms are edible, provided they’re not sprayed with pesticides.
They are sometimes used in salads and cocktails, with a supposedly sweet and slightly spicy taste.

In the past, gifting petunias was considered an insult, carrying the message “I don’t like you”. However, this meaning is now forgotten, and petunias are happily gifted.

Petunias are among the most popular flowering annuals for a good reason. Petunias are bright and lively, bloom from spring until frost, and scent the air with a lovely fragrance. Best of all, petunias are amazingly easy to grow in the garden and in containers. There are hundreds of named petunia varieties.

We also bought three bags (and got one free) of potting soil to backfill where we lost soil from picking the veggies.

The Silver Fox is becoming a pickup truck.

We took everything back in two loads, but this was done with a two-wheeled wheelbarrow! A two-wheeled wheelbarrow is sometimes referred to as a “garden cart” or a “utility cart.”

Load #2 is ready to go!

It was a fantastic day for gardening.  The sun was warm, and the breeze kept us cool!  Why do we garden instead of just going to the market you ask?  Here are some reasons!

  • “Plant a seed, nurture a dream, harvest a bounty.”
  • “From soil to table, the joy of homegrown goodness.”
  • “Gardening: where patience is a virtue and the harvest a reward.”
  • “Get your hands dirty and your heart full of fresh vegetables.”
  • “The garden is a canvas, and vegetables are the colors of a healthy life.”
  • “In every seed, a promise of a delicious future.”
  • “Don’t just grow vegetables; cultivate happiness.”
  • “The best salad starts with a garden.”
  • “A garden is a place where nature and nourishment meet.”
  • “Gardening: where hard work yields the sweetest rewards.”

Now for the long walk to the garden!

While I was outside, Mary worked inside and came out to pick veggies.  Cabbage and onions will be ready for Monday’s soireé.

Picking veggies for Monday night’s corned beef dinner.

The grapes are a little ahead of schedule because it will be Spring in four days (March 20th), and they have already started blooming. In another 70 days, we will be picking grapes.

The grapes are starting to come out of hibernation!

Because of the darned wabbits, I planted onions around all the new plants. Wabbits and other critters do not like onions! Onions, due to their strong scent, naturally repel pests like aphids, cabbage loopers, carrot flies, Colorado potato beetles, and rabbits, making them useful companion plants in the garden.

Onions keep the pests away!

Well, I was not yet done, but my back was totally done! At 2:00 p.m., I headed inside, and we got ready for this evening’s Irish Soireé at the Santa Ana Elks! We wished Colleen was here to join us so we could have all three daughters!

Everyone was dressed in green, looking like a parade of leprechauns who had lost a bet!

Inside, everyone was also dressed in green, looking like a walking salad bar. I half-expected someone to start tossing croutons!

Hello ladies!

We were dressed to the 9s!  Many people complimented me on the coat!

Fun at the Elks!

The music was indeed Irish and we danced until we dropped!  Bob was putting on the brakes so he would not hit the table!

Bob put on the brakes!

Gail (a longtime friend)  and her daughter, Danika, joined us this evening.  She has not had a partner since Bob passed several years ago, so Mary sent me off to do the honors!

Gail and Paul danced a jig!

It was time to go home. We were slightly toasted after all the celebrating, so Bob went to get the Silver Fox so he could drive us home. We had three glasses of wine, so not driving was a proper decision!

Toasted? Yes indeed!

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Finally, We Get Rain!

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 by Paul

We were prepared for our morning waddle through the garden!

At 4:00 am, the clouds opened, and the rain came down!  It is supposed to rain until 1:00 pm so we will be in the water on our way to Girls’ Night Out.  That’s OK because the Silver Fox needs a bath anyway!

We did not crawl out of bed until 9:00 am this morning and the Bark-a-Puss was still sawing logs! Now that I think of it, I like to sleep more now that I have officially reached “old age”!

We had to be in Huntington Beach at noon for our hair-doo session.   We want to look good for this weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day parties!

Mary went first, and she decided to ride her motorcycle!

Her motorcycle helmet looks excellent!

We went to the Himalayan Grill for lunch with Kyle, but he had some problems at work, so we decided to go to the club for lunch. Charlotte joined us, making for a delightful afternoon!

We were all decked out in our St. Patrick’s Day garb, looking like a leprechaun’s daydream! We even got several compliments from the members—though I think half of them were trying to figure out if we were celebrating or if we had lost a bet.

Looking good!

We departed the club and headed home deciding to stay in this evening.  We both layed down for a short nap when the phone rang and it was Lee (my High School girlfriend).  She was in Santa Ana and wanted to know if we wanted to get together!  Duh, we have not seen her in a year!

We got dressed up again and headed out the door in the rain, arriving at about 5:30 p.m. We had a few snacks, traded stories, and updated each other on the latest news and fashions!

We were happy that Lee had called!

She works in Santa Ana twice a month doing the books (she is an accountant) for her son so we decided we would do this again!

Mary, Paul, and Lee; together again!

After departing the Elks around 8:00 pm, we went CFR home and crashed!  We were busy for a day that had only a hair parlor visit in it!planned!

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The Week Has Been Exhausted; We Made It Through Safely

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 by Paul

Next time I will send Mary to get the car fixed!

7 am and Scout has already bugged us to go outside!  It was 45 degrees outside and chance of rain on and off!   We are going out for Indian Food after our hair appointments but iother than that, all is quiet today!!

 

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Decide Already! Is It Going To Be Rain Or Shine??

Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2025 by Paul

We sloshed through the rain to visit the garden!

The damn rabbits are out again, we saw evidence on the walkway!  Time to get the gun out, sit by the fire, and await the garden security light to flash on!  Then, out comes the gun and bye-bye rabbits.  Hare today, gone tomorrow!

We were up and moving at 9:00 am and then had to get ready to go to Girls’ Night Out!  We had to pry Scout off the bed this morning; he was still sleeping at 10:00 am!  He must have had a lot of elephants to chase yesterday!

The baby did not get up and move until 10:00 am!

It was raining pretty hard in the late morning.  I had to take this picture because our door was malfunctioning, and the repair people wanted to see what type of door it was.

It was raining hard, finally.

We went to the bank on our way to the Elks for Girls’ Night Out, and we were dressed appropriately.  I even had my Irish Flay or Newsboy Cap, which was great because it kept the bead warm!!

We were matching at the Elks!

We cleared off the table, and Will took our picture.  Today, Mary went for the Corn Chowder and an Egg Sandwich, and I had the Corn Chowder and a Corned Beef Sandwich with French fries.  We ignored our diet today!

It was so big that I swear they made it from Godzilla!!

We were with Bob Z, George, Bill Capps, Iris, and Will! This group just laughed and giggled the entire time!

Dang, she is cute!

On our way out, we verified that we had a table for eight for Saturday night.  Once again, the Southland’s most acclaimed Irish band, THE FENIANS, are coming to the Santa Ana Elks Lodge to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and the buffet begins at 6:00 pm with up country salad, Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes, Jameson chicken, shepherd’s pie, fried fish, and cookies and brownies for dessert. Also offered will be a selection of Irish beers: Guinness Stout, Harp Lager, and Smithwick’s Red Ale, plus Shillelagh shooters, Irish whiskeys, and delicious ciders. Then, the Fenians take the stage for an evening of Irish shenanigans and dancing. This event is SOLD OUT.

Mary got me a green sequin dinner jacket so that I will be dressed to the 9s!

Here comes Paul….

Mary will also be dressed in right green!

The Elks entranceway is decorated for the holiday! We will be with our oldest daughter Robin, our middle daughter Michele, their hubbies, and Gail Peterson and her daughter. Fun will be had.

Remember:

  • If it ain’t brogue, don’t fix it.
  • When the dance is over, the jig is up.
  • How do Irish chefs keep track of all their cooking tools? They have a whisk-key.
  • Irish you a whole pot of gold!
  • That’s a bunch of ba-larney.
  • Irish puns are the most O’ffensive.
  • What is a huge Irish spider called? A paddy long legs.
  • It’s time to paddy like the Irish do!
  • How do Irish musicians show off on St. Patrick’s Day? They play their brag-pipes.

Reminder: We are going to the Elks on Saturday night with Robin and Michele!!

Our first stop on the way home was our local furrier, who just announced his retirement—apparently, he found out there’s more to life than sewing fur coats. Now his inventory is being eliminated, which is great news for bargain hunters and terrible news for animal fashion week! I mean, can you imagine all those coats just hanging there, feeling abandoned? I half-expected them to start a support group for neglected furs. We might have even left with a complete collection if I hadn’t pointed out that wearing a raccoon coat to the grocery store could raise some serious eyebrows!   Mary went shopping but did not find any “must-haves”.

Instead of going directly home, we stopped by Aces Bar and Grill on Chapman, had a glass of wine, shared some jalapeno poppers, and livened the place up with a selection of Irish music.

We stopped at Aces on the way home!

On the way home, we had an idea to tease Joe. He and Bob fixed our roof this weekend, so we emptied several bowls, filled them with water, and put them where it leaked last time. He called us precisely six seconds after I pressed the “send button.”

At first, he was worried, but Mary and I could not keep from giggling and laughing. We also sent a picture of Niagara Falls. Joe said he would get even!  Now we are worried!

We sent this to Joe, and he called within 15 seconds!!!

The wind came up and dried everything out.  Play the video and watch the whirligigs go crazy!

We watched two movies since we did not have dinner and the house was clean from yesterday!  We just relaxed and hit the sack around 10:45 pm.

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Another Dry Rainy Day!

Posted on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 by Paul

Another bright and sunny “rainy day”.  The rain started and stopped several times but there was always a blue spot in the sky!

We went to the gym and subjected ourselves to flagellation.   We got a dose of everything this morning including beating, belting, buffeting, caning, clubbing, cold purgatorial fires, corporal punishment, cowhiding, cudgeling, drubbing, eremitism, fasting, flailing, flogging, fustigation, horsewhipping, lacing, lashing, lustration, maceration, mendicantism, monachism, monasticism, mortification, penance, penitence, penitential act, penitential exercise, pistol-whipping, purgation, purgatory, puritanism, rawhiding,  and repentance…and that was just for starters!!

We escaped at 10:00 am and headed for home!  Home Sweet Home!

Arriving home, we walked the front yard and to our surprise our little avocado tree is doing just great at hiding its fruit.  We have about six so far this season but there are probably 50 buds forming on the stems right now!

Our avocados are doing well.

The forecast again was for rain but we got about 0.1 inches today.  We did get a lot of wind… I mean, at this rate, my hair is about to file for a job as a kite!.

The wind was blowing but the rain really never came.

Mary’s bulbs are finally starting to bloom!  Botanically, bulbs are actually modified stems surrounded by fleshy leaves. Therefore, what most of us refer to collectively as bulbs may be true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, or tuberous roots.

The bulbs are beginning to come up!

Looking carefully, we did find some oranges on our tree.  It will be another 5-10 years and the tree ought to be doing fantastic but for tight now, we will accept ten oranges per season.

We have oranges in the front yard!

Mary finally finished off her taxes and I cleaned out most of the bookshelves in the office.  Domilita and her staff came in about 3:00 pm and as they started their work, we slipped out the door and did some errands.

The name “Domitila” is a girl’s name of Latin origin, meaning “tamed” or “docile,” and is a variant of the name Domitilla, which was borne by Flavia Domitilla, the wife of Roman emperor Vespasian.

We went to Staples and then we decided to go to an early dinner at Benjies.  We sat in the bar and I always order their special drinks which thye keep on the chalkboard!

I had a St. Patrick-Rita!

A Kosher Quesadilla, what else???

Chicken wings, one of our favorites

Yes we do!

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We Will Wet Ourselves Today, No Doubt!

Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 by Paul

One look at the forecast reveals that we could go outside at 7:00 p.m. this evening if we did not want to get wet. But, as we all know, Mary has her watercolor class this afternoon at 1:00 p.m.  Water Color, m-m-m-m-m.

No way José

We got up late since we had nothing on the calendar except for Mary to finish her tax returns and me to make yesterday’s planned dessert.

Remember: “Income tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today.” — Author Herman Wouk

Remember: “What is the difference between taxidermists and tax collectors? The taxidermist takes only your skin.” — Author Mark Twain.

We checked on the garden since it was supposed to rain all day, and Scout supervised from his perch on the patio!  He managed to move his eyes and that was about all!

Fourteen years old and still feisty!

I drove Mary to her painting class in Tustin since it was supposed to rain hard this afternoon!  I didn’t want her watercolor to get water on it!  We stopped by the UPS store as we sent a Care Package to Becky.

There were fifty-seven drops falling from the sky as I swooped in to pick up mylady prompty at 3:00 pm, that’s when school was out!

It’s easy to find Mary, she is the one waiving her artwork yelling, “Ooky ooky what I did!”

Going inside, I carried the painting bag, painting board complete with latest work,and her pallette to the car.

This painting made me want to cook up a storm since sugar is always neeed!

After getting home and brewing some tea, we dove into the kitchen like culinary superheroes. I whipped up some banana rolls using puff pastry, trying to channel my inner gourmet chef, but I think I just ended up with a pastry that looked more like a banana on vacation than anything edible. Meanwhile, Mary was making meatloaf and peas from our backyard—because who doesn’t want to add a side of dirt to their dinner? We laughed so hard our dishes almost burned! Just another evening of cooking disasters and moments we’ll never forget!

I chopped four bananas and put them into a puff pastry sheet, then rolled them up! The roll was sliced and drizzled with milk, sugar, and cinnamon!

Fun must be had all the time!

The effort took longer than I thought, but it was well worth it!!

I lined them up, squirted the bananas with lemon juice, and rolled them up for the oven!

Into the fire they went for 30 minutes at 375 degrees!

We could smell them as they approached 30 minutes in the fire!

We took some dinner over to Jeff and visited him for a while before returning home.

The sun was setting, and the rain clouds were threatening again!

We made it home without getting wet!!

It was 7:30 pm, and we had zero rain!  The weatherman failed massively!

It is now 9:00 pm, and there has been zero rain all day!!!!!!!!!

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The Week Is Off To A Fast Start!!

Posted on Monday, March 10, 2025 by Paul

We both got to talking last night and compared notes!

Monday morning means we are off to the gym for some severe bone-crushing and muscle-twisting.  After the hour-long workout, we feel like we have danced all night.

We went to the market and got some goodies we needed for this week. I saw a Facebook recipe that I had to try, as Mary and I like bananas and never turn down dessert. The video is three minutes long and is quite simple! We plan to make it tomorrow!

After a quick walk in the garden, Mary fixed breakfast!  We did some off jobs until noon, and then we got ready to go to Mary’s doctor.  Mary went inside, and I stayed in the car and made some important calls on the phone!

Breakfast is served!

After arriving back home, we hit the kitchen.  Mary was making meatloaf, and I attempted to make scalloped potatoes!  There are hundreds of potato dishes in this world!

We worked for hours in the kitchen!!

Mary’s recipe was a success, while my selected recipe was a total flop—kind of like trying to make a soufflé while riding a rollercoaster! I think I made too many layers, and instead of using cheese in each layer, the recipe called for cheese soup!

We picked at our dinner, but thank goodness for the meatloaf, we did NOT go hungry!

Bill Capps called and will be joining us at Segerstrom in May, so we coordinated the tickets and dining arrangements.   Mary sought out the Book of Knowledge; once entered into these hallowed pages, it became law!

The Book of Knowledge is checked!

After dinner, I went to the mailbox and got a government letter informing me that my grant had been canceled. Great, Elon. Now I have to devise another crazy study to earn money from the feds!

Dang!

We called Becky and talked to her for quite a while.

I went to the computer and did the breathing treatment, and in the middle of it, Mary came in and planted one on my cheek!  Wow!

Mama kissed me goodnight (I was awake for hours afterwards)

By 9:00 pm, we were ready to crash!  Tomorrow is supposed to be the beginning of a week of rain!

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Sunday Was Busy!

Posted on Sunday, March 9, 2025 by Paul

The day was enjoyable! I woke up to my alarm blaring like it was auditioning for a rock concert. After accidentally pouring orange juice into my cereal instead of milk, I decided it was a sign to try new things. Later, I had a deep philosophical debate with Scout about whether or not he should let me pet him.

We did our regular garden walk and then got ready for Bob and Joe’s visit.

The solar panels have been online for ten years, and their installation mistakes are showing up!

We seemed to have developed a small leak above the kitchen, and Bob (a high school friend of Joe’s) and Joe (our son) came over during the week and pinpointed the situation! They took six solar panels off and fixed the issue.

They both collect tools, and I thought this sign was appropriate for Joe’s garage!

They are getting really good at removing and replacing the solar panels! With enough Henry Cement, any hole can be patched (so it says on the box!). The day was beautiful, with a slight breeze, so working in the sun on the roof was not an issue.

It’s merely the ability to find the hole on a 4500 square foot roof!

While the cement was drying and the last known asphalt shingle was being warmed up, they replaced the top of our gazebo, which was attacked by the recent vicious wind storm!

It was like watching Laurel and Hardy!

We sent them off with freshly baked blueberry muffins when everything was done!

We diddled around the house the rest of the day until it was time for Bill and Sandy to drop by. Their first ETA was 7:30 p.m., but the Fullerton Elks were behind schedule, so we got a new ETA of 9:00 p.m.

When they came by, Bill wanted to show Sandy our home, especially the garden, so we took the grand tour.  We spend quite a while talking at the breakfast table and spinning yarns!

Bill and Sandy are a cute couple!

We crashed just after Bill and Sandy departed; it has been a long day!

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Saturday Was Bright And Sunshiny

Posted on Saturday, March 8, 2025 by Paul

We were sleeping when Pester Puss awoke and made obscene noises to get attention—he wanted out! So, I directed him to the back door and pointed to the yard—he was off like a shot!

“Out of my way, out of my way!!!”

We called Colleen, which we do most mornings, and checked in with her.  It was 36 degrees and windy in New Hampshire.

Poor Robin is having a heck of a time getting home.  The airplane broke down in Argentina, and they had to stay on the tarmac for hours and were finally sent to a local hotel for the night!  She hopes to get off the ground and head for Atlanta this morning.

We did our morning walk in the garden and noticed the apple tree has buds, meaning the flowers will soon appear, and we will have apples!

Apples are members of the rose family. Thanks to their high levels of boron, apples can help improve your memory, mental alertness, and the brain’s electrical activity. The average person eats 65 apples a year. Most of the antioxidants in apples, including quercetin, are in the skin.

The buds are green and difficult to see!

The yard is looking pretty good these days!  The grass area is weed-free and an excellent place for Scout to rummage in the afternoon.  You will notice no elephant tracks, so Scout has been doing his primary job!!

This year, we may convert the “She Shed” into a tea room, a place to escape and enjoy nature!

This afternoon, we enjoyed a dip in the swim spa. The water was 96 degrees, making it easy to get into. We have an Alexa adjacent to the spa, so we can listen to music, place phone calls, and control much of the house!

What do you call a frog in a hot tub? Toadally relaxed!

The jets are powerful and do much for the old back and sore muscles!

The two black towers are heaters we use when it gets cold.  The tan cover device is a large rectangular umbrella that we can deploy on hot days!

I’m writing a book about all the amazing conversations we’ve had in the hot tub…it’s coming along swimmingly.

After an hour in the water, we are ready to dance all night!

We have Jerome Dean this evening, and he plays totally danceable music, so we danced the cha cha, waltz, rumba, swing, foxtrot, and two-steppin’!

The six of us did some fancy footwork!!

Bill and Sandy are doing well. We talked to Sandy, and she is quite lovely. We are happy for Bill!

Bill and Sandy take a break from dancing.

We departed around 9:30 p.m., worn out from all the activities. We brought some cake for Jeff, but when we got home, he was down for the count.

While driving, I notice some strange tail lights!

We made it home in about 12 minutes; there was zero traffic.

Mary headed for bed, and I did my required breathing treatment before checking for light leaks.

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