Taking Care of the Soil and the Trees

 Yesterday I drove down the 405 to Marina del Rey and went kayaking again.  I have figured out how to time the traffic.  I depart early, and head home before 1:00 p.m.   It is such a joy when I can fly down that 405 freeway.  It was crowded at the beach.  I have never seen so many kids in my life!  They kept arriving in school bus after school bus.   It reminded me of Disneyland.  I wasn't expecting it.  What a fun field trip for them.  

After paddling across the channel that leads to the open water, I noticed an animal sputtering by the dock.   At first I was concerned that it was a shark or dolphin.  I watched cautiously, and a sea lion poked its head through the surface of the water and  wriggled up onto the sun bleached wooden platform.  He sprawled out right next to one of the boats, nose in the air, very vocal and energetic.  I was thrilled to see him; I love seals.  They seem so awkward on land.  He or she squirmed  into a more comfortable position, like a mermaid.  Their fins fascinate me.

I have been focusing on caring for the numerous  trees at the cabin and have been religiously amending the soil.  The other day I applied composted manure to the woodland garden.  I will mulch it with straw tomorrow.  The hollyhocks are in bloom, and everyone asks me what they are.  I love the old fashioned flowers.  The dahlias look like they will flower soon.  

I'm finding that if I water the oak trees when it's cool and shady, they emanate a tremendous amount of oxygen.  You can literally feel it on your skin.  It's a relief to inhale such clean, healthy air.  I remember the days when everyone had gardens, healthy trees, and colorful flowers.  Now the focus seems to be on vehicles and possessions.  I love keeping the yard natural and comfortable for the wildlife.  There are so many birds!  I've seen quail, red tailed hawks, woodpeckers, robins, orioles, and a blue heron.  The mulch helps to keep the soil cool and moist.  When I had the trees trimmed last year, the arborist commented on how healthy the soil is.  That's where it all starts, down beneath the ground.  The forest floor is layered with nutrients.  How is your soil?

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Had Internet Connected Up At The Cabin

 

On Friday two of the workers from UIA came to the cabin hook up internet service for me.  They did a fantastic job.  They were on time, polite, enthusiastic, and efficient.  I love having people work at my home who are honest and dependable.  I was amazed at their climbing skills.

For the past year, I have been walking to the library and using their computer.  It is such a relief to have access from home now.  The cold weather is coming, and if the roads are filled with snow and ice, the librarians won't be able to  make it up the hill to get to work.  There were times last winter when I would trudge over there in my snow boots to find the door locked and closed.  Now I can just switch on my computer by the fireplace. 

Small details really do make our homes more comfortable.  Having  the wood stacked neatly by  the fireplace brings a feeling of security and warmth.  There is a vintage glass jar filled with matches, and several books and DVD's available for entertainment when we can't go outside...

This morning I will be raking leaves and adding them to my compost pile.  The roses are blooming again, and have been enjoying this mild weather. I will feed them some compost tea today.  The tangerines are starting to turn orange, now that the days are shorter and the temperatures at night have dropped.  

I harvested the persimmons last week; they are sweet and juicy.  For years that tree didn't produce.  I think last season's rain and the compost and mulch I applied gave it the energy and strength that it needed.   

How are things with you?  I hope you had a happy Halloween.

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Paying Bills and Doing Chores

Today I cleaned up the front garden.  I pruned the roses, pulled out the dead, brown leaves on the purple irises, removed the dried sunflowers, and cut off the dead wood from the Meyer Lemon tree.  

Those little activities make such a difference in the garden.  I plan to trim off the brittle aloe vera stems and compost it all this afternoon.  I've been needing more browns for my pile, and now is the time!  The leaves are starting to fall, and they make an excellent nutritious mulch for the fruit trees.  

I paid my home insurance, a few utility bills, and carefully checked my most recent brokerage account statement.  I'm very happy how my dividend paying stocks have been performing.  They have been consistent and reliable.  What's happening with you?

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Cosmos In Bloom

The magenta Cosmos that I planted are now blooming.  Each week I feed them compost tea, and they have developed a lovely bright color through absorbing the nutrients.  It makes such a difference to amend and mulch the soil.  Ours is very rocky up in Wrightwood, California. 

I planted a few packages of sunflower seeds, as well.  I am hoping that they will bloom before the weather changes.  They always add a bright spot in the garden.  I sprinkled the soil with compost.  It was covered with pine needles, so I raked those up and deposited them in  the green waste bin.

I am nearly done with the writing project that I've been working on; it's getting exciting.  I have really enjoyed applying the hand written notes from Tommy Tune.  Peter Glebo emails them to me.  I will post the link once the article is finished and published.  It's so rewarding to use your talents, especially during a pandemic.  It's so easy to work with them.  That makes all the difference.

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Paying Home Insurance

Today I paid my my home insurance premiums.  I took the envelopes to the post office, mailed them at the counter, and bought some more Forever stamps.  It's such a relief when the big bills are paid.  Property taxes will be due before we know it!

The arborist who trims my trees called me and we arranged to have some more work done.  Maintaining large oaks and pines is expensive, but it's so worth it.  I am excited to see the transformation completed.  It makes the whole energy in the yard so magical. 

Tomorrow I plan to amend my soil with some homemade compost.  I've been saving my fruit and vegetable scraps and depositing them deep into the compost pile each evening.  It's attracted an abundance of red wiggler worms.  They do an excellent job of turning the soil and improving it.

How are things going with you?

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Paying Property Taxes

Santorini hillside

Yesterday I mailed my check in to Los Angeles County to pay my second half of property taxes for the year.  It's one of my biggest bills, so I plan for it all year.  It's important to mail them early, because the penalties are very steep.

This afternoon I climbed up on the ladder and  used the electric hedge trimmer to cut back the two live Christmas trees that I have planted in front of the cottage.  They have really grown.  The rain has made all of the plants very green, lush, and healthy.  The conifers even have some tiny pink flowers this year.

It's time to clean out Snow White's chicken coop.  I will shovel  the soiled bedding and straw into the compost pile, and replace it with a clean, fresh, yellow layer.  She has started laying eggs again!   That is always a sign that Spring is coming.  She is such a sweet little girl.  I love her white, downy feathers. 

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Doing Laundry and Picking Pomegranates

I came back to the cottage to catch up on some chores and writing.  The cabin doesn't have a washer and dryer, so I do my laundry here.  I also have my trash collected at home, rather than paying for it at two different places.  I have so little, because I compost and recycle most of what I use.  This is where I do my blogging, fill my Etsy orders, and catch up with online friends like you.  I also made a fresh batch of nectar for the hummingbirds.   

Yesterday I took my car in to have the oil changed.  I just realized by reading the receipt that I have been having this done twice as often as I need to do.  Next time I will wait for 6,000 miles before servicing.  I paid the owner to show me how to put the snow chains on my tires.  The new style is different than the pair that I had twenty years ago, in Santa Fe.  Next, I need to buy some snow boots and hiking boots.

For the first time in several years, the pomegranates look healthy.  I think last year's rain really helped.  I also fed them compost tea.  They taste delicious, and are ripening more each day.

I fed the roses, and need to feed the citrus trees, as well.  Some nocturnal animal has been picking my navel oranges and leaving them on the ground.  (sigh)  I put some netting up, but I think I need to buy more to cover the tree completely.  These are the blood oranges.  I will spread compost around them next time I am home. I save my fruit and vegetable trimming up at the cabin, and bring them back to the cottage compost pile.  I would attract bears if I composted up in the woods.

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Feeding Compost To Chickens Helps Them Lay Eggs

I have been experimenting with adding homemade compost to my hens' diet. Each morning I give them a third cup of scratch, and a couple of large romaine lettuce leaves. I make sure that they have grit so that their eggshells stay strong. After greeting and feeding them, I remove their water dish and a small pail of compost from the previous day. I dump the leftover compost back into the pile, and dig  towards the center, where it's cooking. That's where I find the red wiggler worms, potato bugs, and other live insects. I refill the pail, change their water, and replace both of these in their coop.

It seems like they are laying more regularly since adding the compost. Maybe it's the protein from the bugs. Little Blackie picks out the worms immediately. She's so smart. They take turns pecking at the compost, eagerly gobbling up the grubs and worms. Since I don't let them free range, (due to all of the hawks and predators,) this is my way of supplementing their diet. They can actually survive on compost alone, but mine seem to love their scratch, afternoon helping of laying pellets, and fresh lettuce. Do you feed your chickens compost? It has a magical effect on the vegetables, as well.

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Flower Power

As I pulled into my driveway after the cruise last weekend, I was greeted by a riot of color in front of my cottage. I love it when the hollyhocks are in bloom. They are so tall, vibrant, and healthy. The energetic effect is spectacular.

While on the cruise, I found it healing  to gaze at the water from the balcony. The color of the ocean, the feel of the fresh air, and the outline of the mountains  were like works art. It felt wonderful to soak it all in, and to bask in the sunshine.

Now that I'm back at home, I sit out on the porch and drink in the essence of the flowers. My garden is grown organically, and the soil is teeming with life. There are scurrying lizards, a variety of birds, and several different varieties of  bees  pollinating the centers of the flowers. Everything buzzes with life force energy.

I gaze up on the hillside and observe the alpacas slowly meandering. They are calm, complacent, and grounded. Watching them eat, rest, and walk brings me comfort and peace. It is good to be home.

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Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice From The Garden

I have been enjoying freshly squeezed orange juice from the garden each morning. The taste is amazing! I may start eating them, instead of juicing them, so that the harvest lasts for a longer time. One glass of juice takes five oranges! I am giving some to my mail lady when she whizzes by this afternoon. I dropped off several artichokes for my neighbor earlier today. She gave me another bag of her sweet grapefruit, and a couple of volunteer nectarine trees.  The citrus are scrumptious! There is nothing like fresh, tree ripened fruit. It's one of the reasons that I settled in Southern California. I always dreamed of growing my own fruits and vegetables, and now I am.

I made another batch of compost tea this afternoon. It does such an excellent job of feeding the plants, and it's free. All it takes is the correct balance of greens and browns. I collect all of my fruit and vegetable peels, scraps, and leftovers. Thanks to my compost pile, I have a tiny bag of  trash each week.  I think the manure that my neighbor gives me really adds a punch to the effect of the compost tea. It makes everything so green and vibrant! Vegetables that are home grown always taste more flavorful, and they are so tender.

The hat is now dried and blocked. I am going to try making another one, hopefully in a size large. I will probably add an extra fourteen stitches, and  work it on circular needles in the round. I have another ball of alpaca yarn in grey. If the size works, I may redo the first one. Or, I will gift it to someone with a very, very small head.   

I redid the heel on the lace socks today. Actually, I redid it twice. I realized that I had gone wrong when I didn't need to knit across to start picking up stitches. On the second attempt I miscounted, but by the third time I got it right. There was no longer a tiny, mysterious hole at the bottom. I think that's where I should have closed the gap. I love this yarn, and these socks. They are meditative to knit. The Tofutsies yarn washes really nicely, too.

   
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A Very Relaxing Weekend Gardening

I had a wonderful weekend. I made a real effort to slow down,  enjoy the days off, and to spend time in nature. Saturday I planted most of the snapdragons and begonias. I went to a neighbor's garage sale, and bought a few things from him for the garden.  For $13.00 I got two used gardening tools: a long handled metal rake and a hoe. I also bought a potted loquat tree. There was a baby loquat tree in the soil with it, as well as a small rose bush. The pot was kind of heavy for me, because of my replaced hips, so I wheeled it home on my Burley Travoy shopping cart/bike trailer. I hesitated to purchase it a few years ago, because of the price. It's an expensive and  very quality bike trailer. Boy has it come in handy! I use it all of the time. It's so much better than lugging things around,  and straining my back, like I used to do.

The weather has been glorious. It's such a relief not to be barely existing in that sweltering heat that we were having. I hope this weather lasts. It's heaven! I scooped up  some of my homemade compost from the backyard, and brought it into the front garden. After digging some holes for the transplants, I added water, compost, and soil from my neighbor's pot. There is such a difference in the consistency of our soils. I combined them together. His holds moisture much better than mine does.

The sunflowers look spent, so I will be pulling up the last of those today. I planted some more amaranth seedlings that had come up from my compost pile. Some of them are as tall as I am! They are quite impressive. I love them, because they reseed themselves, they are easy to grow, and they can handle our brutally hot temperatures. The birds like them, too. One of my neighbors asked me as he walked by,  "Stephenie, what are the red ones?" I explained that they are actually a grain, used in cereal, and gave him some seeds. He's an excellent gardener. I also harvested some berries off of a mystery volunteer plant. It turns out they are choke berries. They taste absolutely delicious! They remind me of a cross between a blueberry and a blackberry. One of the forest teas that I drink has them listed as an ingredient. I recognized the photo of the flower, and that's how I figured out what they were. I didn't want to be eating something that was poisonous! They have a lovely little white star shaped flower, too. They are so easy to grow. It's amazing how many attractive and unexpected plants from seed  land in my garden. I think the birds spread them. I also planted the paw paw tree that grew from  my compost. It looks very green and happy.

On Saturday afternoon I went to a crochet group that meets at our local library. There were just a few of us there. It was nice to chat, have a cup of tea, and work on some socks. They will be a gift for the knitter who gave me so much beautiful yarn.   

Yesterday I took Lana and the neighbor's puppy on another hike. There are some great new trails in our area. We took a lovely drive through Sand Canyon, too. I came home and spent a lot of time reading. It was so relaxing, and it felt good to be home at the cottage. I pulled up the balloon curtains so that I could see the snapdragons in the window boxes. I love that look.  How was your weekend?

Feeding Your Citrus Trees Compost

I have nine citrus trees on my property: a meyer lemon, a Ponderosa lemon, a navel orange, a blood orange, two Algerian tangerines, a Valencia orange, a lime, and a ruby red grapefruit.  I planted all but one of them. They are like my children. They do beautifully in our desert heat. It's wonderful to be able to pick lemons year round. I love having freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast, and using the limes to make guacamole and limeade. The navel oranges make great snacks in Winter. They taste so much better than the oranges that I used to buy at the store. I didn't realize how old those were. These seem like a different fruit, entirely. The freshness translates to flavor. 



The past of couple days I have been fertilizing my citrus trees with homemade compost. I save all of my leaves and yard trimmings, and pile them into a huge mound at the back of my property. I add all of my fruit and vegetable scraps, scooping them into tunnels.   I also put in used coffee grounds, tea bags, straw, manure, and spoiled produce. The result is a rich, black compost. It makes great fertilizer, and it's free.

Citrus trees need to be fed four times a year. I correspond it with the four seasons. I notice an immediate difference in them after I have fed them. My meyer lemon tree was worrying me last week. Normally it has lots of small green lemons on it this time of year. This season, I could barely see any. After raking back the mulch, shoveling fresh compost around the base of the trunk, and giving it some water, a whole new set of blossoms appeared the next day! The bees and hummingbirds are busy out there now, pollinating. I can see that there are going to be many more lemons on the tree, thanks to the compost. It still amazes me how immediate the effect is. Trees need nutrients, just like we do.

I love the cycle of fruit trees. They are always in a different stage, depending on the time of year. I find giving them compost tea now and then also makes them  more healthy and vigorous. My German Shepherd loves to lay under the pomegranate bush and watch me work in the orchard. Animals thrive when they are out  in nature. We do, too.I follow their example. It really relaxes me. I am looking forward to December when the lemons will be at their peak. They make delicious sorbet, puddings, cakes, and poppyseed breads.

Right now I am still harvesting the ruby red grapefruits. I have this tree planted in my driveway. It's just a few years old, but it will eventually produce hundreds of grapefruits. It's a nice privacy plant, as well. I like having a supply of fresh produce  growing in my yard. It's a great feeling. Do you grow fruit? How is your orchard doing? 

The Backyard Orchard

When I was a child, we used to visit a beautiful old ranch. It was owned collectively by several members of my dad's side of the family. There were acres and acres of apricot, pear, and walnut trees. That was my first experience ever seeing fruit on a tree. I didn't realize that was how it grew. I found the concept absolutely fascinating. I decided then and there that when I grew up, I would have my own house and that I would plant my own fruit trees. I visualized in my mind how it would feel to pick fresh fruit off of trees right on the property. To me it was a huge dream. Most of the people where I grew up had expansive lawns in their backyards. That's what we had, that, and a jungle gym. We could play on the bars and practice cartwheels. It looked nothing like an orchard.

When I first moved into my cottage, I began planting fruit trees in the backyard. The soil was fine, like sand. It was almost white, and it needed a lot of help. I started a compost pile, and began collecting leaves, manure, and large, heavy bags of used coffee grounds from Starbucks. I would rake up leaves for my neighbors in exchange for taking them home. I piled everything together. One woman let me take as much horse and goat manure as I wanted. I knew that manure was gold for composting! I gave her some of my homemade soap as a thank you. I added all of my fruit and vegetable scraps to the pile. (I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, so I had a nice mixture of trimmings.)  I placed the finished compost in the planting holes, and mulched the entire backyard with straw.

I planted several different fruit trees. Because I live in an area that has very hot summers, not every tree survived. The citrus trees and pomegranate bush have been the healthiest. They have made it through a severe drought, and have been very consistent in bearing fruit. It's a pleasure for me to have freshly squeezed orange juice on a regular basis. An orange off of the tree tastes entirely different than one that's bought at the grocery store. The flavor is so fresh and delicious. Citrus fruits also make wonderful cakes and icings.

One of my favorite trees is the Hachiya persimmon tree. It's been very productive. This year I am a little worried about it, but for the past several seasons it has provided me with an abundance of fruit. Persimmon pulp freezes well, and it makes delicious breads and cookies. I enjoy eating them fresh, too, right off of the tree. They are very sweet and exotic tasting.

Growing fruit has been one of the most rewarding things I have experienced as a home owner. I have spent a lot of money on fruit, especially during the summertime. It's so refreshing and satisfying. Growing my own saves me money. It's also nice to have to give to neighbors and friends. Many people really appreciate home grown produce. It doesn't have any sprays, waxes, or bruises. Do you grow any fruits where you live?