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| beeswax, shea butter, and olive oil lotion bars |
After visiting some homes in Ojai last week, it made me look at my own house and garden with new eyes. This is the view of my backyard from the kitchen window. I planted all of the fruit trees when I bought the house, in 1998. They have grown and matured. I love the canopy of greenery that they provide.
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| view from my writing desk |
This afternoon I sunbathed out in the backyard for an hour. It felt so healing to feel my body against the earth, and to soak in the rays of sunshine. It reminded me of when I was a little girl, and my mother would always take us to the Elk's Club. My brothers and I used to swim at the pool each day. We loved it. Soaking in the sun always makes me feel healthy, sensual, and vibrant.
Yesterday I made another loaf of The New York Times No Knead Bread. It's such a delicious recipe. I add 1/4 teaspoon of red wine vinegar to mine. It gives the bread a mild sourdough flavor. I just love having homemade bread at home. It's such a luxury, and is so inexpensive to make. All you need is the time and a few simple ingredients. This recipe uses flour, salt, yeast, and water.
I have been digging up weeds in the yard for an hour each day. I find that using a shovel makes it easier. I have 1/3 acre lot, so each year it's a big job. I'm making headway, though. I like to visualize having a pool in the center, flanked by the fruit trees. I think that would be a wonderful addition, and there's plenty of space. Maybe someday...How's the weather where you live?
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The view from your kitchen window is lovely! All those trees and mountains in the distance! The bark of that tree outside your other window is very interesting. It reminded me of the Grandmother Willow tree in the Pocahontas movie! Well done on all the weeding - I need to get back out there and do some weeding, myself. I put water to the garden, today. Everything was bone dry!
ReplyDeleteYum! Homemade bread! I tried a no knead recipe, once or twice, myself. But I don't have a Dutch oven, so I baked it in a Pyrex mixing bowl! I need to buy more yeast before I make more bread, though. Then, again, I'm supposed to be eating less bread!
Thanks Bless. That's a Poplar tree. It provides wonderful shade in the hot weather. I am eating less bread, too. I use this for breadcrumbs on my casseroles.
Deleteyour gardens look lovely
ReplyDeletea pool? mmm, would make the place seem smaller, sorry but am not a pool fan, i think they are wasted space ... each to their own but never on a small block; my kids wanted a pool here, i told them no, plus the public pool is 5 mins up the road! my eldest & her hubby have a pool, they specifically wanted one as they liked to swim & you know what? they hardly used it! they are also a lot of maintenance.
great posts
thanx for sharing
Hi Selina, Thanks. I'm pleased with the yard. I have big plans for it. The pool will look gorgeous, and I will use it every day, with our hot weather.
DeleteHi Stephenie… Have you heard of 'no dig gardening'. There are loads of videos on you tube and it is the method that I will adopt as soon as my hip recovers.
ReplyDeleteHi Cherir, Yes, I have. I read Ruth Stout's book years ago, and I do a lot of sheet mulching. The only problem was, the layers of straw attracted rats! It really did help the fruit production, though
DeleteThat's interesting to know about the rats. Our log store attracted them a couple of years ago. I suppose it was warm and dry and though I don't want them there I did feel sorry for them.
DeleteYour lot is quite substantial. Good idea about the red vinegar. Beautiful lush yard...smart to plant trees. They make a yard so fruitful, in time, and don't need spading and weeding! I appreciate the sun also! My dog does also...lol. Andrea
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, Yes, I love the trees. This lot was so bare when I first moved here. My dog loves to sunbathe, too.
ReplyDeleteYour yard looks wonderful. You are lucky to have the space to plant trees and dream of a pool! I also love to sit in the sun. It is so healing and the ultimate source of Vitamin D.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anita. It's taken a lot of time and work, but it's worth it. I feel lucky to have so much space, too. I always work towards a vision of the future.
DeleteI love the view of your backyard. You have done so much work and it shows.
ReplyDeleteThere's a big oak tree in my backyard, but the front yard is completely empty. I want to plant trees that grow and provide shade because it gets really hot in summer.
The weather is already warming up here.
Hi Nil, How wonderful to have a large oak tree. We had one at my parents' house. I have acorns from it, and I will plant them way in the back. That's how theirs grew...
DeleteI like the idea of red wine vinegar to give homemade bread a sourdough taste. Homemade sourdough takes several days to make
ReplyDeleteHi Akasha, Thanks for commenting. Yes, I know. This works pretty well, and it's quick and easy.
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