All is quiet on the home front this week. Fall is rolling in and we’ve had rainstorms with thunder and lightning. Weird. We’ve had a lot of that this year. After recovering from an injury to my shoulder, I’m back to re-creating the garden; getting it easier to care for in anticipation of renting out the house in a couple of years. Going through the garden it is striking how many plants I have. Some I cannot even identify anymore, like this little succulent I’ve had in this pot for about 6 years. I noticed a bloom on it for the first time today. It is pollinated by flies, I remember. If I stop trying to remember it will come to me. Some days I’d kill to get my estrogen back.
An unusual flower, to be sure. A Stapelia, perhaps? From South Africa, I’m pretty sure.
Mike and I have been talking about finding another home for my beloved koi. I bought them when they were little babies and now they are all huge and swim to the edge of the pond to be fed when people approach. Alas, a 4000 gallon pond is a liability when renting a house. Plus, no one would really know how to care for this pond since I designed the system and know all of its quirks. Mike has a vision for a pondless stream that would allow our bird friends to continue to enjoy the water without all the care a pond requires. I have a vision for a firepit next to the stream. Things have to be un-created to make room for new creations.
Migrating Cedar Waxwings
This week a flock of hundreds of migrating Cedar Waxwings descended upon our stream to bathe and play in the water. I managed to creep outside with my camera and watch for awhile. Then, in response to some silent signal, they took flight and were gone. I still remember the sound of their wings in the air, the rush of the wind as they flew past and were gone.
This lovely hardy begonia requires no care at all. It will have a place in the newly created garden. It’s in bloom right now.
Lest you think it’s all about gardens and other land based things, boat business is never far below the surface. We have our eyes on another boat and are crossing our fingers and toes that this one turns out better than the last time our hearts were sprung. This time the current owner contacted us directly to tell us about his boat. We were intrigued. We visited, and were more intrigued. So we tread slowly, carefully, and deliberately, even though we still have our Moonrise. If it works out, you’ll be the first to know.
More Boat Stuff
Here are a couple of photos from our recent trip to Friday Harbor. I’m currently working on my review of the Amazon 44 we went to see.
Leaving Seattle behind.
The Victoria Clipper took the route through Deception Pass to the San Juan Islands. Mike and I have never sailed through this way and this gave us a chance to witness the amazing currents without putting our own boat at risk. Unbelievable. And then the fog…
Deception Pass. The cracks of doom.
Boiling water and fog at 25 knots! What could possibly go wrong?
Another foggy Deception Pass.
Stay tuned.
I have been that way too many times. The boiling water is enough to cause anxiety. Add fog to the mix and it can be downright scary…mostly because of other boaters not being cautious and zooming through without using horn or lights or common sense. First time I boated to the San Juan’s we went this way and the fog was so dense you couldn’t see the bridge. I’m surprised I ever went back… Another time,on a glorious summer day with a nasty tidal exchange, the Navy was training in the area and throwing men overboard. I was horrified until I figured out what was happening. And then I was only slightly less horrified…
Throwing men overboard? Shudder!
Your garden sounds so impossibly lovely. It is kind of sad to have to find a new home for the koi but seriously? 4000 gallons? That’s a pool!
I am cautiously crossing my fingers for you on the boat front but I know thaat eventually, when its right, everything will just fall into place.
Well, it’s a waterfall and stream, plus an extra little pool for filtration and bigger ponds are actually easier to keep if you are doing a natural filter. I will be extra sad to say goodbye to my sweet koi, but if they go to a good home I will be fine. They are fish, after all, and I am hoping that one day my ‘ pond’ will be thousands of miles wide and have fish I have never even seen before. We are pretty calm about Thursday. It will either be good, or it won’t. And if it isn’t we will be very, very surprised.
Your plants and fish don’t distract me from the upcoming survey. We are hoping it goes well!
That plant at the top is definitely a stapelia- good and stinky and fun!
-Bruce
Hey! Another plant geek! Glad my memory served me well on that one. I’ve had it in that pot for years and this is its first bloom that I know of. Easy plant for sure.