Last Rhodie Standing - June 15, 2012

Today we removed the last of the big overgrown rhododendrons in our yard.  This one was in the front yard, the one remaining after we had several others removed.  We had hoped that we might be able to cut it way back and have it sprout, but it was not to be.  It's one of the type that will not regrow from a cut branch.  So David got out our trusty little electric chain saw and cut it down.  We are now totally open to the street, but it seems o.k.  We will eventually plant some tall shrubs out there to fill in the space.

Here's the view from the front walk by the house. The rhododendron was on the far side of the dry stream, about in line with the small hazelnut tree along the fence.

This is the view from the driveway.

The weeding in the front yard is almost finished, just in time for our bark mulch to arrive next week.

Back Deck - June 5, 2012

We've been working to make the back deck a little more private and inviting.  To that end, we've added a row of potted plants behind the table and chairs to make it seem more cozy.

Most of the plants are shrubs, which will eventually go in the ground, probably in the front yard.  For now, they make a nice screen.

The second thing we've done is to add a lattice screen outside the sliding door off the dining room.  It blocks the view of nearby rooftops and looks a lot nicer from the dining room.

The vegetable garden is starting to take off, finally, after some nice warm weather and then a bit of rain.

We've had some snap peas, and the lettuce and spinach are ready to pick. 
We ate our first two strawberries today! 

New Stuff - May 28, 2012

We've been busy working on the front yard.  It's nearly finished, we just need to do a little more weeding and then add the bark mulch.

In the meantime, we've also added a few new things to the house.

After a winter of wood fires, well actually a partial winter, we decided that we'd rather have the convenience of a gas fireplace.  So we had an insert installed.

Unlike the gas fireplace in our last house, this one has a fan, so it's a lot better at heating.  Our last one looked good but was really more for atmosphere.  And our new one will work if the power goes out, so it will be an effective backup heat system.

The other thing we added is a Solatube in the ceiling in the dining room.  After seeing the ones Andrew and Janine put in, we decided that it was a good idea.  It provides a lot of daylight to the kitchen and dining room.

As soon as the front yard is mulched I'll post photos of the front and back gardens.

Home at Last - April 20, 2012

From Paso Robles we took back roads from King City to Hollister, then over to I-5.  It was another scenic drive.

We spent Friday night in Dixon and visited with Nancy and family on Saturday.  Then Saturday and Sunday  nights we stayed in Auburn.  Sunday afternoon we attended a performance of The Lion King by a dance academy calley InSync.  Sydney was a cheetah. It was all very entertaining.

On Monday we drove to Napa, where we spent two nights at the Napa Inn.  On Tuesday, Dan joined us for a tour of the area and a couple of tasting stops.  We had a glass of wine at Auberge du Soleil.  We sat on the veranda and had a spectacular view of the valley.

On Wednesday we stopped for the night in Grants Pass.  The rain had started by then.  We arrived home on Thursday.  The yard was very weedy, but we knew it would be.

 But it wasn't all bad.  There are hundreds of bulbs all around the yard.

And yes, Timmy the cat is still here.  He seemed happy to see us.

The forecast for the next couple of days calls for warm and sunny days, so we'll be weeding.

Paso Robles - April 12, 2012

We've landed in Paso Robles after several interesting travel days.

We left Tucson on the 10th and traveled to Wickenburg, Arizona.  Wickenburg is a rather quaint little town with a decidedly western theme.  We spent the night at the Wickenburg Inn and the next day traveled through Kingman, Arizona, on the way passing through Nothing, Arizona.  The sign said population 4, but we saw no evidence of life there.

We stopped for lunch in Needles and found the remains of the El Garces Hotel, "Crown Jewel of the Desert."  It was built in 1908 and appears to be in the process of being restored.  It's right next to the Amtrak station.

After spending our second night in Barstow, we took Highway 68 from Bakersfield to San Luis Obispo.  It was a very twisty two-lane road, but very scenic.

We had planned on stopping for the night in San Luis Obispo, but the hotels were all booked, so we continued to Paso Robles.  We found the historic Paso Robles Inn.  The original inn was built in 1889 but was destroyed by fire in 1940.

The inn was rebuilt in 1942.

Our room is fabulous.  We have a gas fireplace and a private patio with a hot tub.  This is the view of the grounds from our patio.

Tomorrow we'll be in Dixon to visit Nancy and her family.

Leaving Arizona - April 10, 2012

We're about to leave Tucson to head for home.  As soon as the laundry is finished, we're out of here. 

We're taking our time getting to Oregon.  We'll make a stop in Auburn to visit family and to see Sydney in a production of the Lion King, then we'll spend a few days in Napa.  We expect to be back in Salem on or about April 20.  We're hoping the weather there will improve in the next ten days.

Adios.

Fun Day - March 30, 2012

Friday was Fun Day at Far Horizons.  It's the last big event of the season.  Mostly we avoid the fun and games, but we did watch the parade, which passed right by our cottage.  It took all of about a minute and a half.

The grand marshals were our two oldest residents, Esther (98) and Bob (97).  Esther is riding with Ken, our manager, and Bob is with Chuck, the owner.

Next came the Red Hats, followed by the Hiking Club, all dancing to 'YMCA."

The hit of the parade was the Canadian group.  Our friends Brian and Elaine carried flags.

They had a Mountie on horseback, followed by a pooper scooper picking up marshmallow 'road apples.' 

We've decided next year we need to form some kind of group and march in the parade.